Free Kinder
Free Kinder is available in Three and Four-Year-Old Kinder or Pre-Prep programs at participating services across Victoria. This includes both long day care and standalone (which is also called sessional) kinder services.
Doncaster Kindergarten offers a sessional kindergarten program and kinder is free.
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Free Kinder eligibility
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Free Kinder is for everyone.
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Families do not need to have a Health Care Card or Pension Card, Australian citizenship, or proof of address to be eligible to access. You also do not need to be eligible for Australian Government Child Care Subsidy (CCS) to receive Free Kinder.
You can only receive Free Kinder at one kinder service at a time. Your kinder service will ask you to sign a letter, naming the service where you will receive Free Kinder. If your child attends more than one kinder service, you should let each service know where you want to access Free Kinder.
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How to access Free Kinder funding
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Kinder services offering Free Kinder receive funding directly from the Victorian Government. At Doncaster Kindergarten, your program is free. Please refer to the Fees section of the Doncaster Kindergarten website for more information.
Three-Year-Old, Four-Year-Old Kindergarten and Pre-Prep are part of Free Kinder.
Find out more about Free Kinder.
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About Pre-Prep
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Four-Year-Old Kindergarten is becoming Pre-Prep, starting with 6 local government areas in 2025.
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There is no difference between the program offered for Four-Year-Old Kindergarten and Pre-Prep. Pre-Prep offers children more hours to learn and socialise through play. Pre-Prep will be delivered through standalone (sessional) kindergartens and long day care centres.
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In 2026, Doncaster Kindergarten will be offering additional 4 year old (Pre-Prep) hours to the following priority groups:
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children who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
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children from a refugee or asylum seeker background
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children who have had contact with Child Protection or are in out of home care
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children who were supported by Early Start Kindergarten or the Access to Early Learning program for Three-Year-Old Kindergarten.
Eligible children will be able to attend 22.5 hours of free kindergarten per week in 2026.
If you believe your child is eligible, please contact the kindergarten office on 0493 360 295 to discuss further.
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In 2034, Pre-Prep will be rolled out to all children with between 16 and 20 hours per week available in 2034. By 2036 there will be between 16 and 30 hours of Pre-Prep available.
More information about these Victorian government intiatives is available on line: https://www.vic.gov.au/preprep
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