2024:Free Kinder for three- and four-year-old children available at participating services across Victoria. Between five and 15 hours a week of three-year-old kindergarten available across Victoria,increasing to 15 hours by 2029.
2025:Pre-prep launches in six local government areas,offering between 16 and 30 hours a week. The first four early learning centres open.
2026:Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children,children from a refugee or asylum seeker background,and children who have had contact with child protection services can access to up to 25 hours of pre-prep a week,increasing to up to 30 hours a week from 2028. An additional 12 regional local government areas start offering 16 to 20 hours a week between 2026 and 2028,up to 25 hours a week in 2029 and 2030,and up to 30 hours a week from 2031. The next tranche of 10 early learning and childcare centres open.
2027:An additional 12 regional local government areas are added to the pre-prep rollout,offering 16 to 20 hours a week in 2027 and 2028,up to 25 hours a week in 2029 and 2030,and up to 30 hours a week from 2031. The next tranche of early learning and childcare centres also open.
2028:Children across the state who have (or have a parent or guardian who has) a Commonwealth concession card,and children who are a multiple birth child (triplets or more) will have access to up to 25 hours of pre-prep a week,increasing to up to 30 hours from 2030. An additional 15 regional local government areas get access to pre-prep at 16 to 20 hours a week in 2028,up to 25 hours in 2029 and 2030,and up to 30 hours a week from 2031. The next tranche of early learning and child centres open.
2029:Three-year-old kindergarten is available for 15 hours a week statewide. The next tranche of the 50 early learning and child centres open.
2030:The next tranche of early learning and child centres open.
2031:The next tranche of early learning and child centres open.
2032:Bendigo,Ballarat and Geelong get access to pre-prep for 16 to 25 hours a week in 2032,increasing to up to 30 hours a week from 2033. The final tranche of the 50 early learning and child centres open.
2034:All remaining local government areas,in greater Melbourne,start getting access to 16 to 20 hours a week of pre-prep,increasing up to 25 hours a week in 2035 and up to 30 hours a week from 2036.
2035:Services in Greater Melbourne offer up to 25 hours a week of pre-prep.
2036:All children get access to up to 30 hours of pre-prep.