That ICPA (Aust) advocates to the Minister for Early Childhood Education and the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories , for a special circumstances extension of the Community Child Care Fund Restricted (CCCFR) funding to enable the ongoing delivery of the Remote and Isolated Children’s Exercise (RICE) Playday program beyond June 2027, to ensure outreach and playgroup-style early childhood programs remain as part of the services offered to geographically isolated families.
The RICE Playday program is currently funded through the Community Child Care Fund Restricted (CCCFR) grant, supporting the delivery of early childhood education and social connection opportunities for families living in remote South Australia who cannot access traditional early childhood services due to distance and geographic isolation.
The CCCFR program primarily supports services operating under the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) model. As Playdays are not a childcare service but rather a playgroup-style early learning and family support program, RICE has been advised to consider alternative funding models or transition to a childcare-based service model.
Due to the small and dispersed populations in remote areas, and the distances families would need to travel, a CCS childcare model is not viable for these communities. The current funding agreement will continue until June 2027, when it will be reassessed.
Funding models must recognise the unique circumstances of geographically isolated families. RICE Playdays provide essential early childhood learning opportunities, social connection and family support for children living in remote areas where no early childhood services are accessible. Educators travel to stations and small communities to deliver planned learning experiences aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework, supporting children’s development in identity, wellbeing, learning and communication while also providing important support networks for isolated parents.
Supporting outreach early childhood programs such as RICE Playdays aligns with broader government priorities around school readiness, early childhood development and improving equitable access to services for children living in regional and remote communities.
Without programs such as RICE Playdays, many children living in remote South Australia would have no opportunity to participate in early childhood learning or peer interaction prior to starting school. Outreach programs are often the only practical way to deliver early childhood support in these regions.
If funding cannot be secured beyond 2027, many geographically isolated children may lose their only opportunity to access early childhood learning and peer interaction before beginning formal schooling.
