Preschool Funding for NSW’s 3 and 4-year-old children

For over two years now, the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) NSW has been calling for urgent reconsideration of proper government funding for four-year-old children in long daycare, especially when NSW has the lowest participation rate and arguably the lowest preschool funding arrangements in the country.

NSW, just like the rest of Australia, provides a world-class early childhood education and care service to children aged 0-5 years old. In NSW, four-year-old children in long daycare receive NSW Government assistance of up to $450 per child per year. Yet for example a Victorian four-year-old child in the same setting can receive $3,695 per year. So why do NSW four-year-old children in long daycare in NSW get less?

Federal Labor first to offer funding for 3 and 4-year-old preschool children regardless of settings

And ever since the Lifting Our Game report was released in 2018, Federal Labor was first in announcing that a future Federal Labor Government would provide preschool funding for 3-year-old children who attend early childhood education and care for 600 hours per year.

They have also insisted that such Commonwealth funds to be distributed through State and Territory Governments must only be on the basis that State and Territory Governments must treat all early childhood education and care settings equitably. And if Commonwealth funds received from a future Federal Labor Government are not distributed equitably across all settings, then it is likely that the State/Territory Government will not be allowed to distribute Commonwealth funding at all.

Consequently, ACA NSW has been calling on the NSW Coalition and NSW Labor for proper government funding of all three-year-old children regardless of early childhood education and care settings, in anticipation of probable future Federal-State funding after the upcoming Federal election.

Value of preschool programs at Early Childhood Education and Care services

It is important to note that Australia’s childcare is more than a place for children to be cared for while their parents work. Early childhood education and care provides opportunities for children to learn and have lasting, positive impacts on their future educational, health, social and economic outcomes.

Hence, we should be taking advantage of the existing preschool education infrastructure that already exists across all long daycare services where the majority of NSW families already enrol their children. Providing greater government support will make access easier for this cohort of children by assisting services with the cost of delivering their preschool programs. This will lift NSW up and may even exceed national preschool participation levels.

While there are over 189,000 children in NSW who do not access any type of formal early learning, this subsequently puts pressure on primary schools to support them later instead. It is therefore alarming that far too many NSW parents cannot afford to enrol their children in any type of early learning environment either at all or for additional day or days.

NSW Labor offers significant solutions to legancy and future early learning challenges

ACA NSW is very appreciative of NSW Labor’s promises announced on 4 March 2019 offering to solve a range of legacy and future challenges facing children aged 0-5 years old.

NSW Labor provided a solution to finally and more fairly fund 4-year-old children in long daycare, as well as offering new preschool funding for 3-year-old children in long daycare for the first time ever.

In addition to NSW Labor’s promises of funding all 3 and 4-year-old children regardless of settings, their proposal also encompasses a Little Kids Big Futures fund, Specialist Early Interventions, and improving the Assessment and Rating of services by boosting funding.

Previously with 4-year-old children in long daycare services receiving NSW Government assistance of up to $456 per child per year, under NSW Labor’s proposal, they will instead receive $1,000 per child per year, and 3-year-old children in long daycare will also receive $1,000 per child per year of new funding.

NSW Labor’s proposed Little Kids Big Futures fund, amongst many things, will also be used to conduct Australian-based research so that the benefits of Australian early childhood education and care can be further developed, refined and enhanced in a manner that balances quality, affordability and operational viability.

ACA NSW President Lyn Connolly is particularly grateful to NSW Labor for proposing their Specialist Early Intervention trial as there has long been a very great need to help identify and assist with young children’s developmental challenges well before they go to school. This can only do wonders for them in later life.

Need for proper consultation with the sector by a future NSW Minister

NSW Labor has also agreed to ACA NSW’s request in establishing a Ministerial Advisory Panel that will meet with the Minister at least four times a year, and will receive input not only from peak bodies but also from service providers, parents, teachers and staff, along with academics and experts in the field of early childhood education.

ACA NSW is very pleased that NSW Labor has recognised the importance of getting feedback and input directly from the sector and parents. This is a really positive outcome which we hope will help to foster and strengthen Australia’s already world-class early learning sector, while making it more affordable for parents and accessible for all children.

And what is the NSW Coalition’s proposal and vision of the future of Early Childhood Education and Care in NSW?

ACA NSW, the sector and young families now await the NSW Coalition’s announcement of their future plans and vision for early childhood education and care before 23 March 2019.