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Childcare in Perth WA 2026, Find Quality Care
Perth childcare guide 2026: find best long day care, kindergarten and pre-primary options. Compare costs, suburbs with availability, and WA government funding explained.
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Childcare and Kindergartens in Perth 2026
Perth's childcare market has tightened as WA's population has grown and demand for early childhood education has surged. The state government funds Kindergarten (for 4-year-olds) through public schools and approved providers, while the federal Child Care Subsidy applies to all approved long day care. education.wa.edu.au/early-childhood
Types of Childcare in Perth
- Long Day Care (LDC), centre-based care for children 6 weeks to 6 years. Perth daily fees: $110-$150 before subsidy. Suburbs with highest demand include the western suburbs (Subiaco, Claremont, Cottesloe, Nedlands) and riverside suburbs (South Perth, Como, Victoria Park).
- Kindergarten (WA Government Schools), government Kindergarten (K) is a free, part-time year for 4-year-olds at government primary schools. 15 hours per week over the school year. Enrol through your local government school. education.wa.edu.au/enrolment
- Pre-Primary (PP), the year after Kindergarten (for 5-year-olds). Also free at government schools. Students enrol before starting Year 1. education.wa.edu.au
- Family Day Care, an alternative to centre care, especially valuable in outer Perth suburbs where centres have waitlists. familydaycare.com.au
Child Care Subsidy in Perth
The CCS is federal and income-tested. Apply via myGov. For eligible families, out-of-pocket childcare costs in Perth can be reduced by 50-90% of the hourly rate cap. servicesaustralia.gov.au
Find Childcare in Perth
Search approved Perth services at childcarefinder.gov.au. Put your name on waitlists at multiple services well in advance, ideally 12+ months ahead for popular inner-Perth services.
This article was compiled by AI and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.