Give your child a flying start with 3-year-old preschool
Give your child a Flying Start with 3-year-old preschool
From 2026, families across South Australia will start gaining access to a new teacher-led 3-year-old preschool program. The program is supported by the Government of South Australia and designed to help every child build confidence, curiosity and the skills they need to thrive in learning and in life.
The government’s investment in 3-year-old preschool will lift the quality of early childhood education across the state through investment in staff with higher qualifications, professional development, and extra supports for families and children through a Preschool Boost program.
What is 3-year-old preschool?
3-year-old preschool is a play-based early learning program, led by a qualified early childhood teacher, working alongside early childhood educators, to create a nurturing and engaging learning environment.
A typical day might include:
- fun, purposeful activities that encourage social skills, exploration, and curiosity
- opportunities for child-led discovery that helps children become confident communicators and involved learners
- a safe and supportive environment for developing self-identity and emotional resilience
- outdoor play to support health, wellbeing and exploration
- celebrating Aboriginal and other cultures.
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.
There will be a phased roll-out of 3-year-old preschool in government and other sessional services, starting in regional and remote communities from 2026.
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.