The Victorian Government’s Best Start, Best Life reforms are designed to give every child the strongest start to their education.
Why these changes matter
Research shows that more time in early learning helps children develop:
- Stronger language skills
- Early reading and number skills
- Greater independence
- Better focus and concentration
What’s changing?
Here’s what families across Casey can expect:
- Free kindergarten for all eligible three- and four-year-old children.
- More hours for three-year-olds: 15 hours per week by 2029.
- Pre-prep for four-year-olds: 30 hours per week by 2034.
- New Early Learning Centres (ELCs) in high-demand areas, including a new ELC at Hallam Primary School opening in 2026.
- Upgraded kindergartens across Victoria, with five new kindergartens on school sites in Casey over the next two years.
- More investment in the kindergarten workforce to attract and support quality teachers and educators.
These changes mean more opportunities for your child to learn, grow and thrive before they start school.
Best Start, Best Life: What it means for Casey families
The Victorian Government’s Best Start, Best Life reforms are changing the way kindergarten services are delivered across the state. To understand what this means for Casey, Council recently reviewed our kindergarten services and future needs.
Here’s what we found
- By 2036, Casey will need 5,800 more kindergarten places that’s more than double the size of Council’s current service.
- Population growth and the reforms will significantly increase demand for early years education.
What Council is doing
We’re committed to continuing high-quality kindergarten services for families in Casey. Here’s how we’ll respond:
- Building for the future: We’ll invest in new infrastructure as our community grows, ensuring essential services remain strong and sustainable.
- Working together: Council will partner with other providers in the sector to meet increased demand and deliver the reforms.
- Advocating for support: We’ll keep pushing for the State Government, not-for-profit organisations, and private providers to play their part in delivering these changes.
Our goal is simple: to make sure every Casey child has access to the best start in life.
2026 Priority Children and Pre-Prep
From 2026, some priority children can access the Pre-Prep program. These children can attend between 16 and 25 hours of 4-year-old kindergarten each week. The number of hours will depend on the kindergarten.
Children are eligible if they:
- Are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
- Are from a refugee or asylum seeker background.
- Have had contact with Child Protection, now or in the past.