3-year-old preschool roll-out
Preschool for 3-year-olds is rolling out from 2026 to 2032
Generations of South Australian children will benefit from quality early learning, setting them up to thrive following the state government’s bold investment in early childhood development. The roll-out of up to 15 hours of a quality preschool program for 3-year-olds will be staged from 2026 to 2032, with a focus on increasing accessibility, flexibility and providing quality education and services.
Children attending long day care when they are 3 will receive their program there, at services that have partnered with the government. Other children not enrolled in a long day care offering 3-year-old preschool can attend a government or non-government preschool or long day care service offering this program.
The best learning is child's play!
3-year-old preschool is about learning through play and exploration. A qualified early childhood teacher will lead a quality preschool program that encourages curiosity and fun. Play-based early learning helps develop social and emotional skills, and gives children better long-term outcomes in language, numeracy and cognitive skills, as well as better health outcomes.
The new model for universal 3-year-old preschool will include:
- a teacher-led preschool program
- support from allied health and other professionals
- early identification of a child’s developmental needs, with organised pathways to interventions
- organised family and community supports for those who need it.
Early childhood matters
South Australian children are not faring as well as their counterparts elsewhere in Australia. These children are part of families across all walks of life. With 90% of a child’s brain development happening by age 5, it is critical we get the early years right. Following the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care, we’ve set an ambitious 20-year goal to reduce developmental vulnerability at school starting age from the current 23.8%, to 15%.
Staging the preschool roll-out
Universal 3-year-old preschool will be introduced in stages between 2026 and 2032. The number of services offering 3-year-old preschool will grow from 2026 as we build our workforce and more early childhood infrastructure. By 2032, every child in South Australia will have access to 15 hours per week of 3-year-old preschool.
During the roll-out, children will receive a 6 to 15-hour program per week where programs have commenced, with hours building up across the roll-out as the capacity increases.
Roll-out schedule for long day care services
From 2026, the government will partner with long day care services across the state who meet quality and workforce requirements to deliver 3-year-old preschool to children enrolled in their services. This will enable thousands of children to access the program from the early stages of the reform.
Roll-out schedule for government and other sessional preschools
The maps below outline the phased roll-out of 3-year-old preschool in government and other sessional services, starting in regional and remote communities from 2026.
The roll-out in government and other sessional preschools will start with regional and rural areas in 2026 and 2027, the greater Adelaide area in 2028, and metro Adelaide starting in 2029 and 2030.
In 2026, 3-year-old preschool programs roll out in government and other sessional services in the areas of: APY Lands, Gilbert Valley, Goyder, Jamestown, Le Hunte – Elliston, Outback, Peterborough – Mount Remarkable, Quorn – Lake Gilles, West Coast, Western, Yorke Peninsula - North.
In 2027, 3-year-old preschool programs roll out in government and other sessional services in the areas of Barmera, Barunga West – Wakefield, Cleve, Coorong, The Eyre Peninsula, Franklin Harbour, Grant, Kadina, Karoonada – Lameroo, Kimba, Kingston – Robe, Mannum, Millicent, Moonta, Naracoorte and surrounds, Penola, Renmark and surrounds, Tatiara, Waikerie, Wallaroo, Wattle Range.
In 2028, 3-year-old preschool programs roll out in government and other sessional services in the areas of: Adelaide Hills, Aldgate – Stirling, Barossa – Angaston, Berri, Ceduna, Clare, Coober Pedy, Gawler, Goolwa, Hahndorf – Echunga, Kangaroo Island, Lewiston – Two Wells, Light, Lobethal – Woodside, Loxton and surrounds, Lyndoch, Mallala, Mount Barker and surrounds, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge and surrounds, Nairne, Nuriootpa, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Port Pirie and surrounds, Roxby Downs, Strathalbyn and surrounds, Tanunda, Uraidla – Summertown, Victor Harbor, Whyalla and Yankalilla.
In 2029, 3-year-old preschool programs roll out in government and other sessional services in the areas of Aberfoyle Park, Aldinga, Christie Downs, Christies Beach, Clarendon, Coromandel Valley, Craigmore – Blakeview, Davoren Park, Elizabeth, Flagstaff Hill, Golden Grove, Greenwith, Hackham – Onkaparinga Hills, Hackham West – Huntfield Heights, Happy Valley, Highbury – Dernancourt, Hope Valley – Modbury and Modbury Heights, Ingle Farm, Lonsdale, Mawson Lakes – Globe Derby Park, McLaren Vale, Moana, Morphett Vale, Munno Para West – Angle Vale, One Tree Hill, Para Hills, Parafield Gardens, Paralowie, Pooraka – Cavan, Redwood Park, Reynella, Salisbury, Seaford, Smithfield, St Agnes – Ridgehaven, Virginia – Waterloo Corner, Willunga, Woodcroft.
In 2030, 3-year-old preschool programs roll out in government and other sessional services in the areas of: Adelaide, Athelstone, Beaumont - Glen Osmond, Belair, Bellevue Heights, Beverley, Blackwood, Brighton, Burnside - Wattle Park, Colonel Light Gardens, Edwardstown, Enfield - Blair Athol, Flinders Park, Fulham, Glenelg, Goodwood – Millswood, Hallett Cove, Henley Beach, Hindmarsh – Brompton, Largs Bay – Semaphore, Lockleys, Marino – Seaview Downs, Mitcham, Mitchell Park, Morphettville, Nailsworth – Broadview, North Adelaide, North Haven, Northgate – Northfield, Norwood, Panorama, Paradise – Newton, Payneham – Felixstow, Plympton, Port Adelaide, Prospect, Richmond, Rostrevor – Magill, Royal Park – Hendon – Albert Park, Seaton – Grange, Sheidow Park – Trott Park, St Peters – Marden, The Parks, Toorak Gardens, Unley – Parkside, Valley View – Gilles Plains, Walkerville, Warradale, West Beach, West Lakes, Windsor Gardens, Woodville – Cheltenham.
Helping the children most in need
We’re offering 30 hours of preschool a week to up to 2000 3- and 4-year-olds who need extra support by 2032. Integrated hubs will bring preschool together with other services, so families and children are able to get the support they need in one place. Twenty hubs will be open across the state, with a focus on the areas where children will benefit most from integrated support.
We’re opening 2 integrated hub demonstration sites in Port Pirie and Adelaide’s northern suburbs by 2026. Demonstration sites will test integrated service models along with the provision of up to 30-hours of preschool. The Office for Early Childhood Development will evaluate the operations, to inform the broader roll-out so integrated hubs truly meet the needs of their communities, identifying and offering places to children who need it most.