Extra support for children who need it most
The Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care found that all children benefit from 2 years of high-quality preschool and that vulnerable children are likely to benefit the most from more hours.
Preschool Plus
The Government of South Australia is offering 30 hours of preschool a week for up to 2,000 3- and 4-year-olds who need extra support by 2032. This is called Preschool Plus.
The government will rely on the best available data to identify children who are at risk of developmental vulnerability and would benefit most from access to Preschool Plus in the 2 years before school.
Preschool Plus will be available in a range of partner services around the state, selected based on their capacity to deliver high quality early childhood education in locations that are accessible to families, including integrated hubs.
Preschool Plus referral pathways are expanding and will continue to evolve over the life of the reform program.
Integrated hubs
Integrated hubs bring together preschool, health and wellbeing services, and other tailored supports, helping families and children most at risk to access the help they need in one place.
Integrated hubs offer:
- Preschool Plus - providing a quality preschool program of up to 30 hours per week for 3- and 4-year-olds to improve their learning and development outcome
- family and child health and development services (like CaFHS or allied health services)
- family support (like parenting programs, playgroups, food relief, financial counselling or employment support).
At each hub, a comprehensive place-based engagement process takes place with the community - including families, local services and site staff supported by the Office for Early Childhood Development - to help design the services offered at the hub.
Download our fact sheet (PDF 144 KB) to find out more about integrated hubs.
Rolling out integrated hubs across South Australia
Integrated hubs are about meeting children and families where they are to improve development outcomes.
The OECD is establishing integrated hubs in areas where there are high levels of developmental vulnerability. This is based on data and research, including results of the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC).
Two demonstration hubs began operating in Term 4, 2025 and started delivering 30 hours of preschool from Term 1, 2026:
- Port Pirie West Children's Centre
- Goodstart Elizabeth Vale
Additional integrated hubs will launch at 3 Department for Education Children's Centres in 2027:
- Hackham West
- Lake Windemere B-6 School
- The Parks.
More sites have been selected to open in 2028-30:
- Aldinga Beach Children's Centre
- Melaleuca Park Kindergarten in Mount Gambier
- Para Vista Preschool.
The government has committed to establishing 20 integrated hubs across South Australia by 2032 and the OECD is continuing to work with non-government partners to identify further hubs.
Continuing the strong history of integrating services
South Australia has a proud history of delivering integrated early years services in the Department for Education Children’s Centres for Early Childhood Development and Parenting (Children’s Centres) and Rural Integrated Services.
The OECD integrated hubs will draw on the strengths of the existing Children’s Centre network and the latest research on the best approaches for delivering integrated hubs.