The 2021 Early Childhood Education and Care Portfolio Briefing Paper provides an outline of the current key issues ICPA (Aust) is advocating for with the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders. Key topics in the Early Childhood Education and Care Portfolio include
- Universal Access to Early Childhood Education
The Commonwealth Government is committed to “Universal Access to Early Childhood Education”.
- Affordability of and access to an early childhood education continues to impede the participation of some rural and remote children.
- The extension of Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Distance Education Allowance to include three and four-year-olds would improve access and affordability.
- Flexibility in the use of school buildings and flexibility in the qualifications of staff would expand the number of accessible early childhood education programs.
- Mobile Playgroups
Mobile Playgroups can be the ONLY early childhood service accessible to some rural and remote families.
- Rural and remote Mobile Playgroups’ funding decreased under funding restructures and continues to be uncertain.
- No provisions for the establishment of new mobile playgroups are evident.
- Some rural and remote families have NO access to an early childhood service.
- Child Care
- In Home Care
- Changes to criteria of Working Holiday Maker and Temporary Work (Skilled) Visas could help alleviate workforce shortages.
- A National Working with Children Check would improve the ease of transitioning child care and education staff between states.
