NSW’s Start Strong Affordable Preschool fee relief program
The NSW Government introduced a preschool fee relief program for families with children aged 4 years old and above in 2023: . This new initiative aimed at delivering more affordable preschool to eligible children to encourage enrolments in the two years before school. The fee relief for long day care will continue into 2024.
How does the Start Strong fee relief program for Long Day Care services work?
From January 2024, families with children aged 4 years old on or before 31st July 2024 may save up to $2,110, whereas children aged 3 years old and not yet 4 years old on or before 31 July in 2024 (birthdate on or between 1 August 2020 and 31 July 2021) may save up to $500 in preschool fees
This fee relief will be evenly distributed across the calendar year and passed onto families as a reduction to their fortnightly statements i.e., a 4-year-old child attending between January to June 2024 will only receive the fee relief for the 6-month enrolled period.
Eligilibity
To be eligible for the Start Strong Affordable Preschool fee relief program in 2024, a child will need to:
- be at least 3 years old on or before 31 July 2024 (fee relief of up to $500), or be at least 4 years old on or before 31 July 2024 (fee relief of up to $2,110);
- be enrolled in an eligible early childhood education program.
- not be receiving the fee relief for another service.
All NSW families are eligible regardless of Citizenship or residency status. The Start Strong funding is additional to and will not affect families’ Childcare Subsidy (CCS) payments.
How to access the preschool fee relief for 2024?
If you are wondering how to claim the Start Strong Affordable Preschool fee relief, contact your childcare centre to receive the fee relief declaration form. Families are required to complete a declaration form to nominate the long daycare centre they would like to receive fee relief from.
Families can only receive this fee relief from one childcare centre, at any one time.
