Early learning is a hot topic ahead of the upcoming election, and a new scorecard has laid out each of the policies from the major parties on the quality, cost and availability of childcare.
Released today by The Parenthood, the scorecard looks at seven key policy recommendations to deliver a universal high-quality early childhood education and care system in Australia.
Ahead of the Federal Election on 3 May, the scorecard is aimed at helping families make informed decisions around early childhood education and care, which CEO of The Parenthood, Georgie Dent said is “profoundly consequential in the way it affects how families function, how children thrive and the manner in which it underpins communities and the economy”.
Dent noted that “the cost and availability of early childhood education and care will be a key determinant of families’ household budgets from election day and beyond”.
“The cost-of-living for parents of children six and under rose by 27 per cent between 2021-2024, and childcare was the third fastest growing good in the CPI basket,” she said.
Dent says a commitment to delivering universally accessible, high quality early childhood education and care “is simple, equitable and would boost workforce participation and outcomes for children”.
“Neither cost nor postcodes should be a barrier to a child participating in early education or a parent returning to paid work when that is required.”
Where do each of the major parties stand?
The Greens have committed to implementing all seven policy recommendations, while Labor has fully or partially committed to five.
The Coalition has partially committed to two policies: Supporting higher wages for early childhood educators, as well as increasing investment in Aboriginal community controlled early childhood services. The rest of the policies have received no commitment from the Coalition, with “no policy” provided for an increase in childcare places in childcare deserts.
Labor has committed to supporting a three day guarantee for all children to attend early childhood education and care, supporting higher wages for early childhood educators and increasing the number of childcare places in childcare deserts.
Labor has given partial commitment to increasing investment in Aboriginal community controlled early childhood services, as well as capping out-of-pocket fees at $10 a day for three days per week, and making it free for low-income families.
The final two policies that only The Greens have committed towards include investing in the expansion of the Inclusion Support Program and in an inclusion Development Fund, as well as establishing a national body responsible for rolling out a universal early learning system.
An urgent matter
Speaking to the Labor government’s work on early childhood education, Dent said “important progress has been made […] towards a truly universal system”, particularly “the wage rise for educators, funding for childcare deserts and guaranteed access to three days of early learning for all children”.
“The Coalition have shown signs they may be open to funding higher wages for early childhood educators and increasing funding for Aboriginal Community Controlled Centres, but are yet to reveal their positions on all other policy recommendations, despite our prompting,” Dent said, noting that The Parenthood is “open to working with whoever next takes government”.
Australia’s early childhood education and care sector has been under intense scrutiny, following a six-month investigation by the ABC, which showed horrific stories of abuse, injury, and neglect.
In a recent piece for Women’s Agenda, Dr Marg Rogers, a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at the University of New England, broke down the central challenges of Australia’s system.
“The ABC’s six-month investigation revealed what happens when the values and goals of education and care are misaligned with corporate agendas but are fuelled by Government policies and practices,” Dr Rogers said.
“The Government, ACECQA and the state and territory regulators must urgently meet with organisations such as The Parenthood, Thrive by Five and other advocacy groups. They need to meet with educators in both community and not-for-profit groups. They should heed these groups’ recommendations to reform the system.”
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