Extra support for children who need it most
Reducing developmental vulnerability in the communities that will benefit most
Integrated hubs will bring preschool together with other health, wellbeing and education offerings so families and children can be supported to access the services they need in one place.
They are sites offering a range of services tailored to meet the needs of the local community. Integrated hubs should offer a core provision of:
- a preschool program of up to 30 hours per week for 3- and 4-year-olds to improve their learning and development outcomes
- quality early childhood education care
- family and child health and development services (e.g. CaFHS, allied health services)
- family support (parenting programs, playgroups, social-emotional regulation programs).
These initiatives are part of the state government’s significant investment to improve outcomes for young children in South Australia, including the introduction of universal 3-year-old preschool.
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Benefitting the children and families who need it most
The Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care found evidence that all children benefit from 2 years of high-quality preschool and that vulnerable children are likely to benefit the most from more hours.
Between 2026 and 2032, the state government will put in place measures so that up to 2,000 3- and 4-year-old children at risk of developmental vulnerability will be able to access up to 30 hours of preschool in each of the 2 years before school.
The state government will rely on the best available data to identify children who would benefit most from access to 30 hours of preschool.
Integrated hubs will deliver some of these 30-hour preschool places and more community outreach and family support in areas of high developmental vulnerability.
Meeting children and families where they are to improve development outcomes
The Office for Early Childhood Development will establish integrated hubs across the state in areas where there are high levels of developmental vulnerability, working with government and non-government services. Thorough analysis of data and research on our communities is informing the statewide rollout approach, and the results of the current Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) expected in early 2025 will assist with further planning.
Other measures and indicators to determine risks of children becoming developmentally vulnerable will also be used.
Two demonstration sites to help inform the broader roll-out
- Port Pirie West Children’s Centre
- Goodstart Elizabeth Vale
The state government is working with local service providers, the Department for Education, and the community to design the services available through integrated hubs in Port Pirie and Elizabeth. These hubs will be operating from Term 4, 2025 and deliver up to 30 hours of preschool to 3- and 4-year-old children who will benefit most, from Term 1, 2026.
At the first 2 integrated hubs, we can trial different ways for services to work together and connect with families. An evaluation will help us understand what has worked well, what could be improved and how we can keep learning. These learnings will inform the planning for future integrated hubs.
The Department for Education Children’s Centres at Hackham West, Lake Windemere and the Parks will also become integrated hubs, opening in 2027.
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.
The intention of the integrated hubs is to build on the existing excellent services in South Australia and ensure more families are connected to the support they need. The Department for Education Children’s Centres and Rural Integrated Services will continue to deliver 15-hour preschool programs and the great work they do in offering critical programs and services for their communities.
Integrated hubs will operate in government and non-government settings, providing 30 hours of 3- and 4-year-old preschool programs. As many hubs as possible will also include broader childcare.
Working with local communities to meet their needs, integrated hubs could also provide support including:
- family support programs
- food relief
- outreach
- financial counselling
- employment support
- other government services.