Families across NSW are set to save thousands of dollars on their preschool costs thanks to more than $1.4 billion over four years in the 2022-23 NSW Budget.
The program will ease cost of living pressures for families and ensure more children receive high quality early education, which is critical for a smooth transition to school and better educational outcomes for their future.
Preschool is where the building blocks for lifelong success are established so it is vital that quality early childhood education is more accessible for families in NSW, no matter what their circumstances or where they live.
From 1 January 2023, all NSW families will be eligible for:
- up to $4,000 per year in fee relief for 3, 4 and 5-year-olds attending a community or mobile preschool
- up to $2,000 per year in fee relief for 4 and 5-year-olds attending preschool in a long day care setting and
- the equivalent of 5 days a fortnight of affordable preschool fee relief for all children in Department of Education preschools.
Funding Boost for Domestic and Family Violence Victim-Survivors
More women and children experiencing domestic and family violence will be supported by $69.6 million in new funding, building on the NSW Government’s landmark $484.3 million investment in housing and related support services as part of the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Strategy.
The funding will be invested in services that support victim-survivors of domestic and family violence, and minimise the trauma experienced during legal proceedings. No-one who has experienced violence and abuse in their own home should have to suffer alone in their time of need.
The Safer Pathway program is all about assisting victim-survivors of domestic andfamily violence to access the services they need to escape violence and rebuild their lives.
The Safer Pathway expansion includes:
- $37.6 million over four years to deliver more case management services to victim-survivors with complex needs and to expand referral pathways into the system;
- $2.3 million over two years to enhance the central database used by NSW Police and other agencies to refer victim-survivors to Safer Pathway service providers for support.
- $3.7 million over four years to develop an online client management system for Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services.
The NSW Government has also allocated $18 million in 2022-23 to expand Audio-Visual Link (AVL) facilities in approximately 50 NSW courts and tribunals, and $8 million over four years on Court Appointed Questioners to ensure domestic violence complainants are not directly cross examined by self-represented defendants.
