about the Preschool Investment & Reform Plan

The NSW Government’s three-stage $85m Preschool Investment and Reform Plan (PIRP) has provided $8.3 million emergency funding in 2005 to assist preschools who were under immediate financial pressure and a further $17.6 million in additional funding and service assistance between 2006-08.

growth phase

In 2009 the Growth Phase begins. $29.8 million per annum will be provided as recurrent funding to enable expansion of preschool programs throughout the children’s services sector.

The Growth Phase aims to create 5,250 new preschool places so that an additional 10,500 children can attend preschool for two days per week in the year before they go to school.

An Expression of Interest process was conducted in late 2008 and two organisations were selected to provide preschools across NSW with development and support services to enable the creation of additional preschool places. These are:

  • ­CareWest Inc (formerly Orange Community Resource Organisation) was selected for the Central West Network and Orana/Far West Networks; and
  • ­Community Child Care Cooperative was selected for all other networks state-wide.

CareWest and Community Child Care Cooperative will begin by conducting research and consultation with the children's services sector to identify services that are most capable of providing new places and identify any barriers to access.

Information gathered will be used to develop an implementation plan that specifies where places should be established.

It is anticipated that these places will be rolled out in stages from mid 2009.

If you would like to know more about how your preschool can participate, information sessions will be conducted around the state. For more information contact the service for your area:

Also see the frequently asked questions.

the new approach to preschool funding levels

The basis of the new approach is to match funding levels to the actual characteristics of the children and community in which the preschool operates and the pattern of usage of services by the community.

See the communiqué – July 2008 and the simple summary of the principles and rates for more information about the new approach.  A more detailed summary of the principles is also available.

For more information on SCAN funding, see the SCAN page.

how funding is calculated

‘Per child’ funding rates will apply to DoCS funded community preschools following the introduction of the new preschool funding model.

See a working model of the new funding approach that includes examples of how the approach works for two sample services.

The new funding approach includes a base rate of funding based on Local Government Area (LGA) incomes.  See a summary of the range of rates for each NSW LGA.

Also see:

Enquiries regarding current funding should be directed to the DoCS Partnership and Planning team in your region or email childrens_services_funding@community.nsw.gov.au 

resource manual

The Service Analysis and Business Development resource manual provides a practical guide for preschool services in planning and managing their service effectively.

See workbook for tools and templates and typable forms.

Preschool Investment and Reform Plan working group

The Plan has been developed under the guidance of the Preschool Investment and Reform Plan working group which comprises industry experts from across the preschool services sector and representatives of DoCS, the Department of Education and Training and NSW Treasury.

To report suspected child abuse or neglect, call the DoCS Helpline on 132 111 (24 hours/7 days)