The earlier we can provide educational support and invest in the lives of our next generation the better – and I am proud the NSW government are backing country kids.

Every child in the Oxley electorate should have access to affordable quality education in the year before school and our Start Strong reforms do exactly that.

I am proud this year’s budget invests an additional $217 million to extend Start Strong until 2021 - and to ensure this increase in funding has a real impact upon service affordability; community preschool services must pass on at least 75 per cent of the increased funding to parents as a fee reduction.

For example, before our historic investment in early childhood education, at one preschool in regional NSW - it cost families $15 a day for a child to attend and now it is $5 a day. For disadvantaged children it is now $4 dollars a day.

We know the biggest indicator of how a child will finish their school career is how they start it. We also know two days a week of quality early childhood education in the year before school can make a big difference between a child flourishing or struggling in the first year of school – this is even more important for children growing up in areas of regional NSW, like Oxley.

We also know some community preschools in Oxley have long waiting lists and that is why we have opened up the $10 million capital works grants to build additional rooms or purchase vehicles for mobile services so they can increase the number of places available.

The additional investment, announced in this year’s budget, gives families and preschools in Oxley certainty – because our kids deserve it and our families expect it.

Sarah Mitchell MLC