A child's brain undergoes enormous growth during the first five years of their life. By the time they first walk into a school classroom, 90 per cent of their brain is already developed.

Awareness of this critical stage of development has led to increased focus on the value of early childhood education — and was a driving factor behind the newly rolled out South Australian Government Flying Start preschool program.

Three-year-old preschool, explained.

The South Australian Government has made a once-in-a-generation investment in early education, officially launching its universal three-year-old Flying Start preschool rollout in January 2026. Being set up across long day care, government, and non-government preschools, the initiative ensures that by 2032, every child in the state will have the opportunity to access up to two years of quality preschool education.

Effectively, this means that families will be able to access up to 15 hours per week of a teacher-led, play-based learning program from the time their child turns three — news that should be music to the ears of every young family in the Festival State.

Led by the Office for Early Childhood Development, this landmark reform aims to give children a 'flying start' in learning and in life. Under expert support and guidance, these programs are designed to foster creativity, connection, curiosity and confidence, giving young children the dedicated time and space to explore, imagine and grow. 

In just its initial six months of implementation, the initiative has already shown enormous potential, according to Preschool Director Kellie Bails from Port Pirie West Children's Centre.

The educator of over 20 years welcomes this promise of accessibility for every family, irrespective of background or circumstance, and is adamant that it sets children up not just for school, but for a rich and full life.

"For us as educators, it affords us the time to make a real and meaningful difference so that children can be their best selves," Kellie told Mamamia.

What is an 'Integrated Hub'?

Universal access to two years of quality preschool education from the age of three isn't the only groundbreaking aspect of the new initiative. 

The reform also includes the innovative new Integrated Hubs, which are designed to provide extra support to families and children who need it the most.

Local families, prioritised based on need, can access these government-funded early education centres, which bring together preschool with a range of helpful services all under one roof. 

The centre Kellie runs in Port Pirie West is a demonstration site for the new Integrated Hubs model. At its core, the service offers quality early childhood education combined with a range of other helpful family supports and community services, all under the one roof.

"An Integrated Hub is a place where young families can come in and feel well supported — it's a wrap-around service," Kellie explained.

"At our Hub, we offer small things like a food bank or nappies. We run supported play groups. We have occupational therapists.

"Our staff are also engaged with other services in the local area and are there to support families through various challenges they might be facing. For instance, they might tell them about a helpful facility or connect them with existing community services or simply walk alongside them as a support person at various appointments."

The government has set a goal to establish up to 20 Integrated Hubs across the state by 2032.

These Hubs are a way of recognising that early education is only one piece of the puzzle; by offering added support for families that need it, this ultimately improves a child's learning and developmental outcomes. 

The Preschool Plus bonus, explained.

Integrated Hubs also offer access to another important government-backed initiative: the Preschool Plus program.

This program offers three- and four-year-olds from eligible families up to 30 hours a week of teacher-led, play-based education for two years — which is double the amount of hours in the Flying Start program.

Providing these additional hours of early childhood education alongside the 'wraparound services' offered at the Hubs is specifically designed to set all kids up for the best start in life.

Preschool director Kellie adds that the Preschool Plus program makes an enormous difference to vulnerable families who might otherwise encounter financial barriers to accessing quality early childhood education.

Furthermore, Kellie says the "double dose" of preschool attendance hours has the potential to shore up a child's "social, emotional, and language development".

"We know that when there are gaps in these areas of a child's development, it can affect lifelong learning and cause later struggles," Kellie said.

"These additional hours allow us to establish habits like attendance routines and foster a positive mindset around education. Doing this early on can make a huge long-term difference."

How South Australian families can access it.

For all South Australians, this early education initiative heralds an exciting phase for the next generation of young people.

Families with small children, or those planning to have children in the near future, can explore the rollout by using the Preschool Finder tool to locate local services already offering the Flying Start program. You can also view the current list of planned Integrated Hubs. A number of other preschools are also offering the Preschool Plus program to eligible families.

Kellie emphasises that having two years of quality early education is a golden opportunity for every child in the state to be set up for the future.

"This isn't about getting your child reading books or writing long sentences before they start school — that's not our core business.

"Quality early childhood education is about your child learning essential life skills like how to make friends and build relationships, challenge themselves, question the world they live in and develop their own theories.

"And it's also very much about learning routines," she adds. "Building that habit for children, and even their families, around regular attendance, which will prepare them for going to school and later in life going to work."

Ultimately, Kellie says the research in this area is clear: "The longer early learning participation a child has, the greater the developmental gains."

It's a philosophy that underpins this entire state-wide reform, which is driven by an ambitious goal to significantly reduce the rate of South Australian children entering primary school developmentally vulnerable.

As these early years are so pivotal to shaping the rest of a child's life, access to quality early education and care has the profound ability to change entire life trajectories — giving every child the best possible chance to achieve their full potential.

Find your local Flying Start three-year-old preschool partner or Integrated Hub at flyingstart.sa.gov.au

Feature Image: Getty.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SA Government

Starting in 2026, South Australia will begin offering integrated hubs with a Preschool Plus program of up to 30 hours per week for three-year-olds and four-year-olds who will benefit the most. Integrated hubs bring together preschool, health and wellbeing services, and other tailored supports, helping families and children most at risk to access the help they need in one place. This initiative is part of the South Australian Government's investment in quality preschool services to improve outcomes for young children in South Australia, including the roll-out of universal preschool for three-year-olds.