Victoria’s expanded Free Kinder program and updated inclusion support grants are now in effect for 2025, with changes that carry practical significance for families of neurodivergent children navigating early education and support planning. Here is what has changed and what it means in practice.
Free Kinder Now Covers 15 Hours Per Week
Free Kinder in Victoria now covers 15 hours per week for three and four year olds at participating services, with no out-of-pocket cost at approved providers. For families managing the financial demands of additional support across multiple settings, this represents a meaningful reduction in the cost of early education.
Inclusion Funding Has Broader Eligibility
The Kindergarten Inclusion Support package, available through the Victorian Department of Education, provides funding for additional staff hours and resources at kinder settings where a child requires one-on-one or small group support to participate. Importantly, this applies to children with a range of developmental, sensory, and communication needs, not only those with a formal diagnosis, which is a meaningful shift for families who are still in the assessment process.
NDIS and Kinder Inclusion Funding Can Work Together
Families do not need to wait for an NDIS plan to access kindergarten inclusion funding. The two systems can operate in parallel, meaning that support available through kinder inclusion grants and NDIS funding can work alongside each other to build a broader network of weekly support across different settings.
How Sensory Play Centre Fits In
At Sensory Play Centre in Melbourne, sensory play sessions with one-on-one support and school holiday sensory programs complement what families are accessing through the kinder system, providing consistent sensory-rich play outside of formal education hours in a familiar, supportive environment.
Book a session today to learn more about how Sensory Play Centre’s programs fit alongside your child’s broader support plan.
