Childcare Brisbane 2026: Find Quality Care Near You

Childcare and Kindergartens in Brisbane 2026

Brisbane's childcare sector has grown rapidly as the city's population has expanded. The Queensland government's Kindergarten Funding Scheme provides financial support for the year before school, and the national Child Care Subsidy applies across all approved services. earlychildhood.qld.gov.au

Types of Childcare in Brisbane

• Long Day Care (LDC) — centre-based care for children 6 weeks to 6 years. Brisbane daily fees: $115-$160 before subsidy. Inner Brisbane and near-city suburbs (Paddington, New Farm, West End, Fortitude Valley) have the most competitive waitlists — often 6-18 months.
• Kindergarten (Prep Year Preparation) — Queensland kindergarten is a standalone year of early childhood education before Prep, typically offered at 15 hours per week for 4-year-olds. The Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme (QKFS) reduces or eliminates fees at approved services. earlychildhood.qld.gov.au
• Family Day Care — growing in popularity in Brisbane's outer suburbs (Redcliffe, Logan, Ipswich). Smaller group sizes and sometimes shorter waitlists. familydaycare.com.au
• Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) — before and after school care and vacation care for school-age children. Widely available across Brisbane schools. CCS eligible. servicesaustralia.gov.au

Child Care Subsidy and Queensland Assistance

Apply for the Child Care Subsidy via myGov. For Queensland-specific kindy funding, contact the approved kindy service directly or visit earlychildhood.qld.gov.au.

Find Childcare in Brisbane

Search approved services at childcarefinder.gov.au. Waitlist early — popular inner-Brisbane services fill quickly and may only take new enrolments from existing families or siblings.

This article was compiled by AI and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.