Sessional kindergartens warn Victoria's $14 billion free kinder plan may not suit all families

Network of community kindergartens says one-size-fits-all model is impractical for single-room services and risks eliminating family choice

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published25 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Sources3 outlets

A network of sessional community kindergartens has warned that Victoria's $14 billion free kindergarten rollout, which will offer minimum 15 hours per week for three-year-olds and up to 30 hours for four-year-olds by 2029, may be unsuitable for many families and services, citing concerns over facility capacity, funding, and the loss of parental choice.

The Metropolitan Melbourne Community Kinder Network (MMCKN), representing at least 25 sessional community kindergartens, said while the reform would be instrumental in children's early learning, the one-size-fits-all model is impractical for some communities.

Amy Merrick, president of the Chelsea Heights Kindergarten committee and founder of the network, said some kindergartens have only one room and cannot physically offer more hours. "We're not going to get any more community kinders … We've got to keep the ones we have going because they are going to be shut down with these reforms," she said.

Ella Slattery, director and educational leader of a kindergarten in Hawthorn East, said many services already struggle to deliver the minimum 15 hours. She said scaling up to 30 hours would force changes to enrolments, class sizes, or educator shifts, and would eliminate the option of shorter programs that some families prefer.

Parent Sophia Nardone, whose four-year-old son Alessio attends a sessional kinder, said shorter days allow for time together and extracurricular activities. "It can be pretty taxing for the kids," she said.

A Department of Education spokesperson said the government values community kindergartens and works with providers and local governments to understand demand and support access. The 2026-27 state budget includes $548.3 million for early childhood education programs, infrastructure, and regulation.

The University of Melbourne's EDGE study, released in September, found children who received two years of funded kindergarten were five months ahead in language development and two to three months ahead in memory and problem-solving skills by school start, compared with those who had one year. The greatest benefits were seen among children attending 15 hours a week.

Jane Austen, executive director of The Front Project, said the study was a promising sign that high-quality early childhood education can reduce inequality. Early Childhood Australia chief executive Samantha Page said guardrails around public investment, including minimum hours and quality regulation, are necessary. For more vulnerable children, she said, extended hours can be beneficial.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

The reform represents a major expansion of free early education in Victoria, but its implementation could reshape or close community-led sessional kindergartens that offer shorter, part-time programs.
Families who prefer fewer hours for their children may lose that option if services are forced to increase hours to maintain funding.
The outcome will affect teacher workloads, facility planning, and the mix of education and care in early childhood settings.

Background

Victoria's Labor government committed $14 billion to offer free kindergarten: 15 hours per week for three-year-olds and between 15 and 30 hours for four-year-olds by 2029. Sessional community kindergartens are part-time, teacher-led programs typically run by not-for-profit boards, often offering as little as five hours per week. The reform requires services to offer the minimum hours to keep funding, with metropolitan Melbourne kindergartens able to scale up to 30 hours by 2036.

Key Perspectives

MMCKN (Metropolitan Melbourne Community Kinder Network): Says the model is impractical for single-room services and will eliminate family choice. President Amy Merrick warned that some kinders will shut down without support for upgrades and administration.

Ella Slattery, kindergarten director: Supports the idea but says implementation must recognise practical realities. She said scaling to 30 hours would force split shifts and reduce flexibility for families who want two-day programs.

Sophia Nardone, parent: Values shorter kinder days for time with her child and extracurricular activities, and fears that choice will be lost.

Department of Education: States it values community kindergartens and works closely with providers and local governments on demand and access.

The Front Project and Early Childhood Australia: Both endorse the reform, with Early Childhood Australia's Samantha Page saying guardrails on public investment are appropriate and that for vulnerable children, extended hours are beneficial.

What to Watch

Whether the Victorian government provides additional funding specifically for single-room services to upgrade facilities or hire administrative staff.
The number of sessional kindergartens that close or merge in the next two years as the 15-hour minimum takes effect.
Family enrolment patterns: whether parents at home or with part-time work continue to choose shorter programs or shift to longer hours.

Sources

Why some educators think Labor’s $14 billion kinder promise won’t work · The Age
Why some educators think Labor’s $14 billion kinder promise won’t work · The Sydney Morning Herald
Why some educators think Labor’s $14 billion kinder promise won’t work · Brisbane Times

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedVictoria’s $14 billion free-kinder plan may not suit all families.The Age - Latest News: “A network of sessional early educators says more consultation and funding is needed, warning the minimum 15 hours of free kindergarten rolling out across the state won’t suit everybody.”
SupportedThe network says a one-size-fits-all model is impractical for single-room services and risks eliminating family choice.The Age - Latest News: “the one-size-fits-all model is impractical for some communities and schools.”
SupportedThe rollout offers three-year-olds 15 hours a week and four-year-olds up to 30 hours by 2029.The Age - Latest News: “which will offer parents 15 hours of free kinder for three-year-olds, and between 15 and 30 hours for four-year-olds by 2029”
SupportedMMCKN represents at least 25 sessional community kindergartens.The Age - Latest News: “The Metropolitan Melbourne Community Kinder Network (MMCKN), which represents at least 25 sessional community kindergartens”
SupportedAmy Merrick said, “We're not going to get any more community kinders … We've got to keep the ones we have going because they are going to be shut down with these reforms.”The Age - Latest News: ““We’re not going to get any more community kinders … We’ve got to keep the ones we have going because they are going to be shut down with these reforms.””
Partly supportedScaling up to 30 hours would force changes to enrolments, class sizes or educator shifts.The Age - Latest News: “would struggle with further increases without having to reduce enrolments, combine ages or make changes to class sizes.”
Partly supportedScaling up would eliminate shorter programs that some families prefer.The Age - Latest News: ““If we are expecting families to feel as though they have to access 30 hours of four-year-old kinder, that’s eliminating that choice for families,” she said.”
SupportedSophia Nardone said, “It can be pretty taxing for the kids.”The Age - Latest News: ““It can be pretty taxing for the kids,” she said.”
SupportedThe 2026–27 state budget includes $548.3 million for early childhood education programs, infrastructure and regulation.The Age - Latest News: “The 2026-27 state budget provides $548.3 million for early childhood education programs, infrastructure, and regulation.”
SupportedThe EDGE study found children with two years of funded kindergarten were five months ahead in language and two to three months ahead in memory and problem-solving by school start, with the greatest benefits among those attending 15 hours a week.The Age - Latest News: “found children who receive two years of funded kindergarten were five months ahead in language development and two to three months ahead in memory and problem-solving skills by the time they started school compared with those who had a single year. The greatest benefits were among those who attended 15 hours a week.”
SupportedJane Austen said the study was a promising sign that high-quality early childhood education can reduce inequality.The Age - Latest News: “Jane Austen, executive director of The Front Project, an independent early childhood organisation, said the EDGE study was a “promising sign that participation in high quality early childhood education and care can reduce inequality, giving every child a fairer start to school”.”
SupportedSamantha Page said public investment needs guardrails, including minimum hours and quality regulation, and that extended hours can benefit more vulnerable children.The Age - Latest News: “Early Childhood Australia chief executive officer Samantha Page agreed, and said for more vulnerable children that extended to 30 hours. “I think we can’t necessarily have unlimited flexibility. We need to have some guardrails around what public investment is used for. That includes quality regulation as well as minimum hours,” Page said.”