5 questions about the Flying Start Program, answered

1. What exactly is the Flying Start program?

At its core, Flying Start is a teacher-led, play-based preschool program designed for 3-year-olds, backed by the South Australian Government. Similar to the 4-year-old Universal Preschool Program, children eligible for the program can access up to 15 hours per week of preschool education, regardless of the parents’ activity hours.

It aims to support children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development, helping them build confidence, curiosity, and readiness for their learning journey.

2. How is this different from regular childcare?

The key difference is the teacher-led curriculum: Flying Start is run by qualified early childhood teachers, who lead intentional, play-based learning experiences with a focus on integrating structured preschool goals such as emotional regulation, independence, and social skills. For many families, the 15 hours of preschool will be embedded into their child’s existing day, so it enhances their care experience rather than replacing it.

The costs for families don’t change for those who are already eligible. Participating in the program incurs no extra fees, and your usual childcare payments remain the same.

3. How does the allied health access work?

One of the unique benefits of the Flying Start Program is the additional support through Preschool Boost funding, which allows children to access allied health services at no additional cost to families.

If a child shows signs of developmental vulnerability (or could simply benefit from extra support) services can be brought into the centre environment, making access easier and more natural. This may include speech pathologists, occupational therapists, dietitians, or counsellors, depending on each child’s needs.

By embedding these services into the preschool setting, children can receive help early, when it matters most.

4. How does it complement the 4-Year-Old Preschool Program?

Confident Kids already runs a high-quality 4-year-old preschool led by an early childhood teacher, and Flying Start is a perfect, seamless addition to deepen learning foundations earlier. Here are some key ways it supports the 4-Year Old Program:

• Children who participate in Flying Start will enter their 4-year-old preschool year already familiar with teacher-led learning, confident routines, and social-emotional strategies.
• It builds continuity of learning: rather than jumping into a more structured program at age 4, children will have two years of guided early learning, supporting stronger transitions.
• Because the program is delivered within our existing centre environment, children remain in a familiar and nurturing space, reducing disruption and building belonging.
• In essence, two years are better than one – starting earlier gives children more time to consolidate skills, confidence, and learning behaviours to set them up for their school journey.

5. Who is eligible and how do I enrol?

Children who are turning 3 in 2026 will potentially be eligible. The program is being rolled out in stages across South Australia from 2026.

At Confident Kids, we have Registration of Interest forms for families. Enrollment will depend on capacity, priority access requirements, and the order in which forms are received.

We at Confident Kids are deeply honoured to be among the first selected services to offer this program from 2026. It’s an incredible opportunity to enrich what we already do, reach more children with high-quality learning, and partner with families in those early foundational years.

We believe in a future where every child has a confident start – and this is one of the ways we can do that, together. If you have more questions or would like to register your child’s interest, please contact your closest Confident Kids centre.