Productivity Commission's Draft Report released

At 10.30 pm last night, the Commonwealth's Productivity Commission released its (440-page) Draft Report entitled "A path to universal early childhood education and care". 

Amidst its key recommendation for every child (0-5 years old) to have access to up to 3-days (or up to 30 hours) a week of high-quality early childhood education and care, the following (amongst others) have also been recommended:

1. increase CCS to 100% for families earning less than $80,000/year;
2. the need more educators and teachers;
3. relax the Activity Test that ties CCS to the hours a family works, studies or volunteers;
4. increase funding and streamline the requirements for Inclusion Support Program;
5. governments to intervene with additional support in areas where ECEC providers are unlikely to invest;
6. a new National Partnership Agreement for all governments; and
7. a new independent Early Childhood Education and Care Commission should be created to support, advise and monitor governments’ progress towards universal access to ECEC.

The ACA National Committee has issued its media release this morning. And ACA NSW members can access the ACA submission (dated 2 June 2023) via the ACA NSW's submissions page. or the ACA National's submissions page.

The Productivity Commission is inviting feedback by 14 February 2024.

And while consultation will be sought from ACA NSW members (including via an online and in-person What's the Buzz meeting on Monday evening, 5 February 2024), please contact the ACA NSW team via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au for any further information/clarification.

PUBLISHED: 24 NOVEMBER 2023