As a parent, you want to give your children the best possible start in life. And that often begins with finding the right type of childcare service. If you're just starting your child care search, you may be amazed at the number of different care options available to you. From long daycare centres to family day care, in-home care and babysitters, all of these options come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages.
Both childcare and preschool are two types of high-quality early education and care services. And while there's some overlap between the two, they shouldn't be confused for the same early childhood education and care service. Keep reading to explore the differences between these types of childcare services to understand where they fit into your child's education journey.
What is childcare?
Childcare, also known as long daycare or a childcare centre, provides early childhood education and child care programs for children from birth through to 12 years of age. Care is available on a part-time or full-time basis depending on the needs of your family.
Childcare centres often offer extended hours, operating for 10-12 hours each day, five days a week, 52 weeks a year, excluding public holidays. Because of this, childcare centres are often excellent options for working parents, making them one of the most popular care services in Australia.
Because childcare centres often cater to a large number of children of varying ages, the children are often split into smaller groups according to their age or developmental stage. Based on these groups, the children are provided with a structured education and child care program, complete with lessons and recreational activities that align with their routines. On a regular day, children participate in a range of activities, including:
- Arts and crafts
- Cooking
- Drama, dance and music
- Games
- Reading
- Sports
- Excursions
Childcare centres are licensed facilities that must meet the legislative requirements for education and care programs set by the Australian government. These requirements relate to the physical environment, staffing requirements, facilities and equipment, among other things. All childcare providers and staff must hold relevant experience and qualifications.
Childcare fees tend to vary depending on the service provider, but there are a number of government payments available to eligible families to help with the cost of childcare, like the Childcare Subsidy (CCS). You can use our Child Care Subsidy Calculator to work out if you qualify for the CCS and how much you could claim.
Many childcare centres also offer a government-approved preschool program, which is delivered by a qualified early childhood education teacher.
What is preschool?
Preschool, also known as kindergarten or kindy depending on where you live in Australia, is a government-supported early childhood education program that's designed to help prepare children for the transition to prep, or their first year of primary school. Preschools offer a space for school-age children to learn skills, gain knowledge, socialise, and prepare for the transition to prep and onto primary school.
Preschool programs have been developed to educate children through play-based learning. This helps them to develop critical skills, including socialising, problem-solving and communicating while helping to boost their confidence, independence and self-esteem. At preschool, the children participate in a range of different educational activities, including:
- Painting and drawing
- Reading books and listening to stories
- Doing puzzles and playing with building blocks
- Music, dance and drama
- Playing on outdoor equipment
- Using computers
- Playing with different materials, like sand, clay, play dough and water
Preschool programs are generally offered on a part-time basis. The hours and routine are designed to imitate the school day to help prepare the kids for their new school routine. They often involve shorter hours of operation compared to childcare centres. Most programs operate in line with school hours during the school term, which is roughly six hours each day (EG. from 9.00am to 3.00pm), five days a fortnight.
Just like childcare centres, preschool programs must also comply with a range of legislative requirements, including the National Quality Framework.
Approved preschool programs are often offered at a number of different childcare services, including some childcare centres, approved preschool and occasional care services.
While it's not compulsory for children to attend preschool programs, there's research to suggest that kids who attend preschool benefit throughout the rest of their education.
What age is preschool?
Preschool programs are designed to cater to children between the ages of three and five. Generally speaking, the preschool age for most children is four.
With this in mind, it can be worth reaching out to your local preschool six months before the start of the preschool year to enroll your child. While some services may accept children at any time, other services might have a waitlist so it pays to be prepared and get enrolled early. You can use our childcare search tool to find local preschools in your area.
What is the cost of preschool?
The Australian government is committed to supporting children's learning and development, which is why it provides top-up funding to the state and territory government to ensure that all children have access to a consistent, high-quality preschool program regardless of where they live or their individual circumstances.
This funding, known as the Preschool Reform Agreement, replaces the previous Universal Access National Partnership (UANP). This new program locks in Commonwealth funding for preschool until the end of 2025. Under this agreement, the Commonwealth will continue to provide a per-child contribution to all Australian states and territories. In 2022, this will be around $1340.
This funding supports the delivery of 15 hours of preschool a week, which is the equivalent of 600 hours a year, for all children in the year before they start school. With that being said, depending on the preschool itself, there may still be out-of-pocket expenses that need to be covered by the parents. The preschool fees depend on the service provider, so refer to them for their individual fees.
Whether you're looking for a childcare centre or a preschool program near you, Care for Kids is here to help. Use our childcare search tool to find and connect with local child care services and providers. You can even filter your search based on the specific type of childcare you're looking for.
