Need to solve labour shortages (effectively) first above all else

After 7 months and 26 days since the NSW state election, the urgency to address the NSW early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector's worsening labour shortages is ever increasing.

With reports of 71.9% of surveyed NSW-based long daycare services reducing places due to worsening labour shortages, proposals for 100+50 new/upgraded preschools on school grounds and concerns over childcare deserts are ironically consequential attempts to solve the supply problem as well as factors that can potentially make it worse.

Although not exclusively a NSW ECEC sector issue since the COVID pandemic, labour shortages across the NSW economy is also contributing toward inflation and ultimately interest rate increases.

ACA NSW is grateful to the NSW Labor Government for increasing its fund to recruit and retain early childhood educators and teachers. Upon taking office, there was about $250m remaining of the original $281.6m committed toward keeping and expanding NSW sector's workforce. The NSW Labor Government since increased it to $265m of which $22m was earmarked for more scholarships for educators and teachers to attain higher ECEC qualifications. Hence, $243m remain for the recruitment and retention of ECEC educators and teachers.

With very real competition from NSW schools (since 9 October 2023), Victoria's $9,000-$50,000 relocation incentives, as well as other care sectors, a coherent NSW-specific plan to solve the existing labour shortages especially in the immediate and short-term is vital not just for existing services, children and parents, but also for future services, children and parents.

ACA NSW has been consistent and unequivocal with the NSW Government of the extremely urgent need:

• to implement immediate and short-term plans;
• to provide regulatory and non-regulatory solutions or their alternatives;
• to ease regulatory burdens

... that materially solve NSW's labour shortages without increasing risks or sacrificing quality outcomes for children.

Without sufficient cohorts of trainees and qualified early childhood educators and teachers, all of our aspirations for early childhood education and care for children and their families cannot be fully realised.

ACA NSW continues to advocate for relief and confidence building before the end of 2023.

For more information/clarification, please contact the ACA NSW team via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au.

PUBLISHED: 20 NOVEMBER 2023