Minister for Education and Early Childhood Yvette Berry has launched the second year of free three-year-old preschool. Since it was established last year, the program gives Canberra families of three-year-old children access to up to 300 hours of free preschool delivered by a degree-qualified Early Childhood Teacher. More than 140 Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services offer the service. The program also supports Canberra families with the cost of living. The free three-year old preschool program is the ACT Government’s biggest ever investment in the early childhood sector and is continuing in 2025 with a new cohort of children set to benefit.
“Child learning and development in the years before school are key determinants of future school achievement, social, emotional and health outcomes, and ultimately life opportunities,” Minister Berry commented “Equitable access to quality, play-based early learning is a powerful way to support children’s learning, wellbeing, and development, and it has lifelong benefits. That’s why we set access to universal quality early childhood education for three-year-old children as a key part of Set up for Success: An Early Childhood Strategy for the ACT. Of course, the three-year-old preschool program is not only important for learning and development, but it will also help Canberra families with the cost of living, with the average family with a three-year-old preschooler saving $1329 in the family budget. In the last quarter, 3180 children across Canberra benefitted from the program.”
The 2025 three-year-old preschool campaign will be running over the coming weeks to encourage families to take part in this nation-leading initiative. Minister Berry said the ACT Government is committed to giving every child a fair start to life. “We have long recognised the benefit of investing in quality early childhood education and we will continue to invest in our children and young people’s learning. We’re also supporting the ECEC industry through the Valuing Educators, Values Children workforce strategy, taking action to improve sector supports, build capability, enhance career pathways and professional recognition,” Minister Berry commented.