The NSW Government says at least 200,000 families across Lismore, the Northern Rivers and the state will be eligible for to access fee relief in 2025.

Families can now apply for fee relief at their chosen early childhood education and care service for this year. Eligible services will pass on the savings as a weekly reduction in fees.

From January 1, 2025, NSW families can receive:

• Up to $4,347 a year for three- to five-year-olds attending eligible community and mobile preschools
• Up to $2,174 a year for children aged four and above attending eligible preschool programs in long day care services. This can be received on top of the Australian Government Child Care Subsidy payment. 
• Up to $515 a year for three-year-olds attending eligible preschool programs in long day care services, on top of their Australian Government Child Care Subsidy payment. 

Research shows that children who attend quality early childhood education and care for two days a week, or 600 hours a year in the two years before starting school, gain lifelong benefits. This supports their social, emotional, and cognitive development, with these benefits evident throughout their schooling years and into further study or the workforce.

The state government is also investing an additional $40 million in 2025 to drive improved quality in long-day services, delivering preschool programs for three-year-olds. Funding can be used by the services to pay salaries of early childhood teachers and educators, buy educational resources and develop quality early childhood education programs.

The NSW Government is prioritising quality education in the early years of a child’s life, with $1.82 billion invested in early education and care as part of the 2024-25 NSW Budget.

In addition to fee relief, the Government has made the largest-ever investment in public preschools. The Government will also build 100 new public preschools in public schools by 2027, the largest-ever expansion in NSW.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said, “High-quality early childhood education and care should be affordable and accessible for all children across NSW, no matter their postcode or background.

“That is why we are making a record investment in fee relief – so more families can access quality preschool and long day care, where they can develop their language and social skills before starting school. 

“More affordable preschool means more support for parents to return to work, which can make a big difference to hardworking families.”

More information on Start Strong fee relief is available on the Department of Education website.