- Cook Government delivering funding for $33.8 million commitment to trial nation-leading free full-time, school-based kindy
- Free full-time kindy to be trialled at sites across metropolitan and regional Western Australia
- Office of Early Childhood established to oversee trial rollout, workforce measures, curriculum development, and the WA Play Strategy
The Cook Government is delivering funding of $33.8 million to introduce free full-time, school-based kindy, ensuring Western Australian children get the best start to their learning.
While kindy is not compulsory, implementing full-time kindergarten in the year before compulsory school will increase the number of days of fee-free quality early childhood education and care on offer from five days per fortnight to five days per week.
The initiative will put Western Australia ahead of the rest of the nation, providing greater access to quality early childhood education for Western Australian kids and saving working parents thousands of dollars in childcare costs.
Free full-time kindy will be trialled in 10 pilot locations across the State, with sites across metropolitan and regional Western Australia. Details of which schools will be involved in the trial will be announced in due course.
Broader rollout will be informed by the trial, with an aim to expand free full-time kindy State-wide through phased implementation.
As part of the 2025-26 State Budget, $28.9 million has been committed for implementation, minor infrastructure, measures to grow Western Australia's early childhood workforce, development of additional curriculum resources, and the WA Play Strategy.
Additionally, $4.9 million was committed in the 2024-25 Mid-year Review to establish the Office of Early Childhood to provide a dedicated focus on the most critical years for child development.
The Office will lead the development of the WA Play Strategy, recognising the important role play has in supporting children's cognitive and physical development, along with their social, emotional and language skills.
Established within the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, the Office of Early Childhood is in the process of recruiting suitably qualified individuals to lead these important initiatives.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"Free kindy is important to give every Western Australian kid access to high-quality early learning.
"That's why my government is committing to introduce free full-time kindy - giving parents an early childhood education option that is good for their child's development, and good for their budget.
"This is another strong example of my government doing what's right for Western Australian families."
As stated by Early Childhood Minister Sabine Winton:
"We know that early childhood education plays a critical role in getting children ready for school and setting them up for long-term success, and that's why free full-time kindy is so important.
"It will provide parents and caregivers with the flexibility they need to engage in the workforce.
"The establishment of the new Office of Early Childhood demonstrates the Cook Government's commitment to helping Western Australian children thrive through early learning.
"As a mother of three daughters and a former teacher of 27 years, I am particularly excited about the development of the WA Play Strategy, which will help foster children's emotional and social development.
"I look forward to working with the sector to roll out this important, nation-leading initiative."
