Victoria and New South Wales will give every child an extra year of free schooling for four and five-year-olds in a multi- billion dollar plan announced today.

NSW and Victoria are acting in tandem on the policy, with research showing the first five years of a child’s life are critical for their development and strongly predict not only how they will perform in school, but also their long-term health and their involvement with the justice system.

Early Learning and Care Council of Australia CEO Elizabeth Death told Gareth Parker on 6PR Breakfast the groundbreaking reforms allowed for 30 hours of free pre-school education in the year before school and extending that to three-year-olds, helping to save costs for struggling families.

“If the 90% childcare subsidy were to be brought it at the beginning of next year that would mean in WA all children in long-day services can access their pre-school kindergarten program within the service they are attending,” she said.

Tap PLAY to hear more details of the proposal from Ms Death on Breakfast