More Places For Children In Our Preschools

Member for Kiama Gareth Ward MP has today announced that more local families will have access to preschools thanks to a new round of funding creating additional places in preschools for children on waiting lists.

The NSW Government is continuing its commitment to increase access to preschool for communities across the state with another round of Start Strong Capital Works Grants for community preschools.

Mr Ward said the NSW Government understands that preschool is incredibly important to a child’s development and their performance later in their schooling.

“Not only are we helping cater to growing demand for more places in preschools with these grants, we’re also supporting jobs in the construction industry during this time of economic recovery,” Mr Ward said. 

Eligible not-for-profit organisations can apply for funding to build, renovate or extend their facilities to deliver a community preschool, or purchase a vehicle for a mobile preschool to cater for increasing enrolments.

The NSW Government has committed $10 million in funding as part of the Start Strong Capital Works Grants program for 2020. This is an increase on the $8.3 million allocated in 2019.

Grant applications from not-for-profit community preschools and mobile preschools operating in areas of the state where there is a demonstrated shortage of places will be prioritised.

“This funding will ensure even more children in NSW have access to 600 hours of quality early childhood education in the year before school, giving them the social, cognitive and emotional skills to transition to school as well as benefiting them in the longer term,” Mr Ward said.

Grants are available in five categories, including: construction of a new centre based community preschool facility, extending an existing centre based community preschool facility, renovating existing or new premises for a centre based preschool, purchase of replacement vehicles for existing mobile preschools, and responding to crisis situations.

Applications can be submitted online from now until Sunday 23rd August 2020.

For more information, visit the Department of Education website at: https://education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-education/operating-an-early-childhood-education-service/grants-and-funded-programs/capital-works-grants.