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Early Years

Early Years

Register now for Free Kinder
Register now for Free Kinder
bestchance is proud to offer Free Kinder again in 2026. Registrations are now open.

Free Kinder helps all Victorian children access two years of quality kindergarten before starting school. Free Kinder is for everyone – you don’t need to be a permanent resident or Australian citizen to access it. Families with children enrolled in our long day care kindergarten programs will receive an annual fee offset.

Find your local centre by entering your postcode in the search below. Click on the service for timetable and registration and enrolment details.
Starting Age Calculator
Our Story

Our Early Childcare Services are designed to celebrate every child’s individuality and meet the diverse needs of families.

With a network of childcare centres and kindergartens, we offer enriching environments where children can thrive.

Guided by passionate educators, our holistic approach ensures children build confidence, resilience, and essential life skills through play, imaginative learning, and social connection.

We’re here to empower your child’s growth and create strong foundations for their bright future.

Our Unique Approach
Our Early Years programs are thoughtfully designed to nurture every child’s potential.

Our flexible, play-based curriculum inspires curiosity and fosters emotional, social, and cognitive growth.

We value holistic learning and work closely with parents to build trusted partnerships, creating a safe and supportive foundation for each child.

Together, we help children thrive and develop a lifelong love of learning.
Our Unique Approach
Our Educators
Our early years educators bring expertise, passion, and dedication to nurturing children’s growth and development. With a deep commitment to holistic care, they work closely with families and professionals, fostering strong partnerships built on trust and open communication.

Our team lays a solid foundation for lifelong learning and well-being, helping every child develop confidence, resilience, and a love for discovery.
Our Educators
The Process
Registrations for kindergarten programs close for first round offers on dates advised by each Local Government Area (LGA). Subsequent rounds continue as vacancies are available.

Programs cater to 3 and 4-year-olds eligible by age cut-off dates, including funded options offering 600 hours of kindergarten and Early Start Kindergarten for eligible families.

Additional support for children with disabilities or developmental needs is available.
The Process

Pre-Prep reforms

Four-Year-Old Kindergarten is becoming Pre-Prep, rolling out from 2026 with programs increasing from 15 to 30 hours each week by full roll-out.

Pre-Prep is a play-based learning program led by qualified teachers, following the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework.
Pre-Prep offers a longer program in the year before school, which means there will be more time for children to deepen their learning and development.

More hours of play-based learning in Pre-Prep can lead to:
- Improved learning and social outcomes
- Positive self-regulation and social-emotional skills
- Increased early literacy and numeracy
- Smaller gaps in learning and development.
Pre-Prep will commence for eligible children (priority cohorts) from 2026 and gradually roll-out to all services for every kinder-aged child in the coming years.
Pre-Prep starts in 2026 across Victoria for priority cohorts, including:

- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
- Children from a refugee or asylum seeker background
- Children who have had contact with Child Protection
- Any child accessing Early Start Kindergarten or Access to Early Learning in 2025.

Our service will be offering Pre-Prep to eligible children from next year.

Contact us to discuss your eligibility or use the Pre-Prep calculator at vic.gov.au/preprep

3-Day Guarantee

From January 2026, the Federal Government will introduce a 3-day guarantee to make childcare more affordable for families by guaranteeing more hours of subsidised care. It ensures that every child has the opportunity to benefit from early childhood education, regardless of their family’s circumstances.
The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) activity test will be removed, meaning all eligible families will receive 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families will receive 100 hours of subsidised care per fortnight.

CCS will still be means tested and only eligible for families who meet Australian residency rules and earn a household income of less than $535,279 in 2025/26.
These changes will benefit all families utilising CCS for their early education services. By removing the activity test, all children, regardless of their parent’s employment status, will have access to at least 72 hours of CCS-funded childcare. This is particularly beneficial for low-income and families who participate in irregular-working arrangements.
Yes. Families can access more subsidised hours if they:
- Work, study or volunteer more than 48 hours per fortnight
- Care for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child
- Receive the Additional CCS for wellbeing, financial hardship or grandparent care.
- Have valid exceptional circumstances.
Most families will be automatically transitioned to the new system. Please check your income estimate and ensure your Centrelink details are up to date.
Get in touch
We are committed to child safety and wellbeing.

bestchance is committed to the safety, participation and empowerment of all children. Our zero tolerance for child abuse ensures all children, including those who are vulnerable, are safe, respected and valued. Select Learn More to view our Commitment to Child Safety and Wellbeing in further detail.

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