Free three-year-old preschool will be offered at 130 ECEC locations across Canberra
28 October 2023
Canberrans wishing to make use of free three-year-old preschool in 2024 can now check which services will offer the program.
Free three-year-old preschool will be offered at 130 Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) locations around the ACT.
This gives families plenty of choice across a broad range of services.
Canberra three-year-olds are eligible for up to 300 hours of free preschool from the start of 2024.
This equates to about one day per week, generating an average saving of $1329 per child for eligible families.
The benefits are more than just financial. Child learning and development in the years before school are key determinants of future school achievement, social, emotional and health outcomes and, ultimately, life opportunities.
Equitable access to quality, play-based early learning is a powerful way to support children’s learning, wellbeing and development, with life-long benefits.
More than $50 million of funding over the next four years was provided in the 2023/24 ACT Budget to support equitable access to quality early learning, with more than 5,000 three-year-olds across Canberra to be eligible.
This investment will increase preschool programs delivered through ECEC centres by degree-qualified Early Childhood teachers, giving Canberra children the groundwork for a lifetime of learning.
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