Draft policy and funding guide

Introduction

A new perspective on early childhood

As they enter school, South Australian children are experiencing a concerning level of developmental vulnerability. The national Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) shows South Australian children are not faring as well as their counterparts elsewhere in Australia.

It also tells us children at risk of developmental vulnerability live in families across all walks of life.

The good news is that more support in the early years of a child’s life can be effective in reducing developmental vulnerability, and positively influences their life trajectory. Quality early childhood services can benefit all children.

In recent research undertaken by the Australian Educational Research Organisation (AERO), a clear link was found between participation in quality services and predicted children’s developmental vulnerability (2024). Through bold reforms, our 20-year aim is to reduce the rate of developmental vulnerability from 23.8% to 15%, as measured by the AEDC.

The new preschool offer for South Australian children

As part of the South Australian Government’s early childhood reform package, 3-year-old children will be eligible to receive up to 15 hours of preschool. The program will be rolled out between 2026 and 2032.

By 2032, all South Australian children will benefit from taking part in 2 years of quality preschool in the years before school. This will build on and strengthen the existing universal preschool program for 4-year-olds.

We know the importance of teacher-led programs, however the new preschool model – as defined through the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care – is so much more than this.

The new model enables differentiated levels of wraparound supports for children and their families. Practice and leadership supports, along with funding for planning time and professional development, are included in the model.

Layered supports (‘Preschool Boost’) will also deliver resources and tools to build a service’s capacity to respond to children’s developmental needs. For services in low socio-economic areas, outreach funding will also be available (from 2027). This will reach and help retain children and families to address barriers to preschool participation.

Transition from the current preschool funding arrangements to a new universal preschool model

As services become approved as 3-year-old preschool providers, they will transition to the new funding model. This will include the additional Preschool Boost funding stream.

For non-government services, the new funding model will be applicable for both 3- and 4-year-old preschool programs in their services and will replace funding they currently receive for 4-year-old preschool.

The current non-government 4-year-old preschool funding model may continue for a limited time for services not yet approved to be a 3-year-old preschool provider. Over time, the OECD will cease the current non-government 4-year-old funding model and services will be required to transfer to the new arrangements.

Please note that non-government 4-year-old preschool funding at current and new levels is subject to the continuation of existing Australian Government funding arrangements for preschool programs.

For government services, existing funding arrangements for 4-year-old preschool will be retained, with the addition of outreach funding for services in low socio-economic areas.

Extra support for children who need it most

All children benefit from 2 years of quality preschool, but children who need more support benefit more – and are likely to gain more from extra hours of preschool.

Between 2026 and 2032, the government will put in place measures so that 3- and 4-year-old children at risk of developmental vulnerability (up to 2000 children) will be able to access more preschool per week (up to 30 hours) in each of the 2 years before school.

Some of these places will be delivered by a mix of government and non-government services, and others will be through integrated hubs.

Integrated hubs will bring preschool together with other health, wellbeing and education services so that families and children can access support in one place.

A mixed model of delivery

The new preschool model will be delivered across a range of early childhood education and care settings to maximise the availability of 2 years of quality preschool.

If a child is currently enrolled in a ‘partner’ long day care, they will receive their 3-year-old preschool program in that service.

If a child is:

• not currently in long day care, or
• is in a long day care service that is not yet a ‘partner service’ under the new model

their family can apply for 3-year-old preschool in a ‘partner’ long day care and will also be able to apply for non-government or government sessional service.

Rolling out universal preschool

From 2026 to 2032, South Australian early childhood education and care services will progressively offer a quality preschool program for 3-year-olds.

• Long day care services that meet quality and workforce requirements can apply to partner with the government to offer a 3-year-old preschool program, which will be phased in based on service readiness, not location.
• Government and non-government sessional preschools will also phase in, from 2026 by location. This will start with a small group of rural and regional communities, followed by other parts of the state. For more information, see www.earlychildhood.sa.gov.au/3-year-old-preschool-roll-out.

A partnership approach

As stewards of South Australia’s early childhood development system, the OECD will partner with:

• governments and departments
• Aboriginal leaders
• sector stakeholders
• unions and the professions
• parents and the wider community

to create a better and fairer future for children across the state.

This approach to delivering quality preschool is focused on collaboration, support and shared objectives. It recognises that every child is born with their own potential, to become the fullest, most flourishing version of themselves. Realising that potential depends on their early childhood experiences.

This is our challenge and opportunity. Success will involve working collaboratively with long day care, government sessional, non-government sessional, and other early childhood services to improve developmental outcomes for children in South Australia.

Engaging with our state’s early childhood education and care workforce is critical to the success of system reforms. To assist the sector to work together collectively to offer quality preschool, the following will be developed:

• local professional networking opportunities
• quality and practice supports
• professional development material
• leadership support material.

The OECD is establishing a statewide network of local teams. These will support early childhood services to implement early childhood reforms across the state, including the roll-out of universal 3-year-old preschool.

Aboriginal co-design

OECD will listen to the Aboriginal community about how to ensure Aboriginal children retain and increase the benefits from the existing Aboriginal 3-year-old government preschool entitlement.

We have partnered with the South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network (SAACCON) to establish the Aboriginal Co-design Governance Group (ACGG). This will create a shared decision-making process with Aboriginal stakeholders and Communities.

The ACGG will oversee:

• an extensive community co-design process
• prioritisation of initiatives that increase benefits that Aboriginal children receive from 3-year-old preschool
• an Aboriginal Early Childhood Workforce Strategy (the Strategy)

and then make recommendations to government.

Revised Aboriginal preschool initiatives are anticipated to commence from 2026. Some immediate ‘no regrets’ workforce actions supported by the ACGG will begin in 2025 as the full Strategy is co-designed.

The co-design and shared decision-making process through the ACGG will also support OECD’s work to strengthen Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), including their capacity to deliver:

• early childhood services
• integrated hubs
• Preschool Boost
• cultural safety training.

Learning and evolving

We will listen, learn and evolve our approach to stay true to our core objectives of improving developmental outcomes for children in South Australia.

We will do this through:

• evaluating and monitoring implementation of the new preschool model
• harnessing diverse perspectives
• listening to and learning from lived experience
• keeping abreast of contemporary research
• valuing on-the-ground views of what works.