It’s a wake up call: ECEC sector comments on latest State of Early Learning Report

Freya Lucas

Nov 26, 2019

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The latest State of Early Learning in Australia 2019 report, released yesterday, should serve as a ‘wake-up call’ for Australia to get serious about early learning, Goodstart Early Learning Chair Michael Traill AM has said, noting the “sharp differences in access to affordable, high-quality early learning across the country”.

Calling for strong federal oversight in the early childhood sector Early Childhood Australia (ECA) noted that there are “significant pockets of unmet need and problems associated with affordability” identified in the report.

ECA CEO Samantha Page said a less than 2 per cent increase in Federal Government spending on education, from early childhood to tertiary level, would bring Australia in line with other leading English-speaking countries and deliver outcomes “that benefit our nation throughout each child’s educational journey and beyond”.

At the launch of the report yesterday, Mr Traill noted that “while much of the rest of the world is ramping up investment in early learning, the report shows Australia is at risk of falling behind, with Australia’s investment in early learning below the OECD average.”

“This report is a wake-up call that more needs to be done to give Australia’s children the best possible start in life. It should be compulsory reading for every senior government official and business leader in the country,” he stressed.

Lead writer of the report Professor Karen Thorpe said immediate action was needed to address inequality of access to high-quality early learning and work conditions of early educators as outlined in the report.

To read the State of early learning in Australia 2019 report and summary please click here.

For a summary of the report as prepared by The Sector please see here.

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