South Australia has launched its first state-wide trial of a new after-preschool care program, named Kindy Care. This initiative, which began this week, will be implemented across 20 government preschools. Blair Boyer, the Minister for Education, Training, and Skills, announced that this program is based on recommendations from the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care.
Led by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the Royal Commission highlighted the need for extended care hours to better support working families. The current preschool hours, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., do not cover a full working day, creating difficulties for parents who need to balance work and childcare.
Kindy Care is designed to address the lack of out-of-school-hours care (OSHC) for preschool-aged children. The trial will test various models of extended care, allowing children to stay in a familiar environment throughout the day. This approach aims to ease transitions and support children’s developmental needs.
The trial has started this week at 10 preschools, including Adams Road Children’s Centre, Cumberland Preschool Kindergarten, and Gabmididi Manoo Children and Family Centre. Department staff will deliver the service at these sites. An additional 10 preschools will join the trial in phases over the next year, with third-party providers operating at locations such as Bridgewater Kindergarten and Dernancourt Kindergarten.
Minister Boyer stated, “Kindy Care will help ease the burden on working families by providing continuity of care beyond regular preschool hours. This reform is a significant step forward and will set a national precedent. It builds on our investment in improving preschool facilities and out-of-hours care, offering families more options and enhanced quality of education and care.”
The program is also part of broader educational improvements, aiming to support economic participation by reducing childcare costs and allowing parents to work more easily.
Melissa Slater, Director of Cumberland Preschool Kindergarten, expressed her support, saying, “We are thrilled about expanding our services to better meet the needs of children and families. Kindy Care will provide continuity in a familiar and developmentally appropriate setting, giving our community more flexibility to access our services.”
The Kindy Care trials will continue until 2025, with feedback collected to potentially expand the program based on the success of each model. Funding for the project includes provisions from the Federal Government’s Child Care Subsidy, which will be available to eligible families starting Term 1, 2025.