Parent or carer frequently asked questions
The frequently asked questions on this page provide parents and carers with information about how South Australia's early childhood reforms relate to them.
More than 90% of a child’s brain development occurs before the age of 5. There is broad evidence that 3- and 4-year-olds who attend preschool programs have better life outcomes. This investment is key to reducing the rate of South Australian children entering school developmentally vulnerable – from 23.8% to 15% over 20 years.
A staged approach is required to build up the necessary supply of qualified teachers and educators and, in some cases, create more infrastructure.
From 2026 to 2032, you will see early childhood education and care services progressively begin to offer a universal teacher-led preschool program for 3-year-olds.
Services will deliver Flying Start 3-year-old preschool programs for between 6 and 15 hours during the roll-out, based on their capacity. All South Australian children will be able to access a 15-hour program by 2032.
Our Preschool Finder is a directory of services offering Flying Start 3-year-old preschool in 2026. You can search using your postcode or suburb name to find your nearest Flying Start partnering service. This tool will be updated with new providers as the roll-out continues.
Long day care services that meet the workforce and quality requirements are among the first to deliver universal 3-year-old preschool programs. This makes sense, because more than 60% of 3-year-olds are already in long day care. More services will join in future years, as the workforce grows.
Government and non-government sessional preschools (sometimes called kindergartens) are also phasing in the availability of 3-year-old preschool places from 2026, starting with rural and regional communities, before moving on to other parts of the state. This means that areas with limited access to early childhood education and care will be prioritised in the early stages of the roll-out.
For more information, see the roll-out plan.
Both 3- and 4-year-old preschool programs offer play-based, age-appropriate learning led by qualified early childhood teachers:
- 3-year-old preschool focuses on boosting a child’s development in their early years, to help with building language and curiosity, making friends, strengthening physical health and motor skills, and enhancing a sense of culture and belonging.
- If your child attends a long day care service funded to deliver 3-year-old preschool, they will receive their program there. You cannot be enrolled in another funded 3-year-old preschool program at the same time.
- 4-year-old preschool builds on these foundations, supporting a smooth transition to school and a flying start to life.
- All children will continue to be eligible for a place in 4-year-old preschool in a government service, regardless of whether they are enrolled in a long day care service on other days.
Aboriginal children, and children in out-of-home care, will continue to eligible for 15 hours of 3-year-old preschool at government services, regardless of other services they may be enrolled in.
Rolling out Flying Start 3-year-old preschool will contribute to South Australia’s strong reputation for quality early learning. We're also supporting early childhood teachers to have more planning time (above the Award) and professional learning, and support to lift the quality of services that need it. Services will also have access to quality curriculum resources and connections to allied health and other supports for children and families.
Flying Start 3-year-old preschool is designed to start 2 years before your child starts school.
Find out your child’s potential start date for 3-year-old preschool using our calculator.
Fees for the 3-year-old preschool program in long day care and sessional preschools will continue to be set by individual providers, as they are for 4-year-old preschool programs.
Long day care
Long day care 3-year-old programs suit families who need longer days of early childhood education and require services that operate for at least 48 weeks a year. That’s why more than 60% of 3-year-olds in South Australia are already in long day care.
If you attend a long day care preschool program, you can still claim the Commonwealth Childcare Subsidy (CCS) as you normally would for your preschool hours.
You can check your CCS eligibility and what your fees might be at startingblocks.gov.au/child-care-subsidy-calculator
The state government’s investment will fund a new preschool model, which includes a new early learning program for your 3-year-old child that is:
- teacher-led
- gives services access to funding to support connection with allied health and services
- provides for planning time and professional development for teachers to help them deliver quality preschool programs.
By partnering with the government to deliver 3-year-old preschool, funded long day care services will not need to raise their fees to offer you and your child this higher quality program.
Sessional preschool services
For government and non-government sessional services that do not receive the Commonwealth CCS, fees will be set by the provider, usually on a by-term basis. Families generally receive the 15-hour preschool program over 2 or 3 days a week, for 40 weeks a year.
We’re setting up integrated hubs, so families and children are supported to get the care, support and connection they need close to home and in a familiar setting. Demonstration sites in Port Pirie and Elizabeth Vale opened in Term 4, 2025.
The children most in need will get access to 30 hours of preschool a week through Preschool Plus.
We’re investing in Aboriginal families with additional funding in Aboriginal children’s outcomes, through a co-design process with Community.
We’re also investing $96 million to develop and support the early childhood workforce, invest in quality teaching and learning, and further enable the critical quality work of the Education Standards Board.
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Didn’t find the answer to your question?
Email us on oecd.engage@sa.gov.au