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    Draft policy and funding guide

    Appendix 1 - Funding rates

    SEIFA metric

    Some funding allocations vary based on the SEIFA of a service.

    SEIFA is the ‘Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas’, which is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), and ranks areas according to their relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage using Census data. For more information, see Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), Australia, 2021 | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au)

    Services will be allocated a SEIFA quintile for funding purposes based on service address, using the South Australian Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (IRSD) for the Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2) in which a service is located.

    Service SEIFA quintiles will be updated every 5 years, based on ABS published indices following each Census.

    Regional metric

    Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA) is also known as ABS relative geographic remoteness index, available at Remoteness Areas | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au). ARIA divides Australia into five classes of remoteness which are characterised by a measure of relative geographic access to services.

    Services will be allocated to a remoteness category for funding purposes based on service address, using the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia for the Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1) in which a service is located.

    Service ARIA will be updated every 5 years, based on ABS remoteness indices following each Census.

    Long day care services

    Table 1 – Teaching and learning per enrolment funding rates

    SEIFA Quintile 

    2026 rate 

    1 

    2

    $2600

    3 

    4

    5

    $2000

    Table 2 - Teaching and learning regional loadings per enrolment

    ARIA+2026 rate
    Major cities$0
    Inner regional$0
    Outer regional$300
    Remote$700
    Very remote$1150

    Non-government Sessional Services

    Table 3 – Teaching and learning per enrolment funding rates

    Teaching and learning2026 rate
    Base rate$6200

    Table 4 - Teaching and learning and regional loading

    ARIA+2026 rate
    Major cities​$0
    Inner regional​$0
    Outer regional​$900​
    Remote​$2000​
    Very remote​$3000​

    Preschool Boost funding

    Preschool Boost is a funded program designed to support Partner Services to do more to address children’s developmental vulnerability. Preschool Boost funding may be provided as a mix of cash and/or vouchers for access to services such as trauma informed practice training, allied health capacity-building for teachers, educators and parents/guardians, and a range of other evidence-based resources, supports, and training designed to support early childhood services to address developmental vulnerability.

    Preschool Boost funding (and any vouchers) is distributed annually, based on initial enrolment data and assessments of developmental need. A calculation is used to determine how much funding each Partner Service receives, with more support going to services in less advantaged areas.

    All services receive funding, reflecting that developmental vulnerability occurs in every area in South Australia. Preschool Boost funding will be phased in from 2026, to allow time to build capacity.

    This funding will be fixed for the year, ensuring stability despite any fluctuations in child enrolment.