Why regulation alone won’t fix early childhood quality and safety

Australia must do more than merely respond to incident reports and regulatory failings in the early childhood sector. We should aim higher and build the high-performing, high-trust, high-impact system that our children and our national future deserve.

The costly path to universal childhood education

A new report from the Productivity Commission charts the costly path to universal early childhood education.

Arrested development

There are more children struggling with developmental difficulties than every before in Australia and better early childhood education is only part of the answer.

UNSW Professor Deborah Brennan co-leads inquiry into universal child care

UNSW Professor Emerita Deborah Brennan, pictured here with Jason Clare MP, will co-lead a Productivity Commission inquiry into making early childhood education and care more accessible and affordable.

A big state boost for early childhood education

Whatever the political calculations behind the major investments in early childhood education announced by NSW and Victoria, it’s welcome news for parents, teachers and children.

Early childhood learning through lockdown

Long COVID lockdowns affect children at all stages of the education spectrum, but the Early Start Discovery Space team offers an online program providing high-quality, evidence based early childhood education activities delivered direct to families at home via Zoom.

Early childhood education benefits aboriginal kids

A culturally adapted early childhood program for Aboriginal children has shown promising impacts on their language, development and communication skills, according to a new study.

Children are more than just a return on investment

Early childhood programs and related funding are often justified on the cost-benefit analysis of what children could contribute to the economy when they grow up, but the true value of these schemes lies in enriching children’s lives.

Too much screen time delays school readiness

Too much screen time and a penchant for computers is playing havoc with children’s school readiness, as new research from the University of South Australia shows that modern lifestyles are influencing our young generation’s prevalence of developmental delay.

Early childhood education is everybody’s business

The first five years of life are the most critical for building the foundations for life-long learning, well-being, and health. It is therefore critical we have policy reform and investment in quality early childhood education.