Over $70m for ECEC Professional Development in second Labor Budget

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) professionals will benefit from $72.4 million of funding allocated in the latest Federal Budget for professional development to support skills and training. 

In an announcement made this morning Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly said the measures have been shaped by the Government’s ongoing engagement with the sector, responding to the needs of the workforce.

“Early childhood education is a wonderful career with a clear path for progression, we’re making sure the workforce can access the development opportunities they need,” she said. 

The funding package will benefit more than 80,000 early childhood educators, with a targeted focus on regional and remote services and First Nations organisations.

Support will enable positions to be backfilled while up to 75,000 early childhood educators, teachers and centre directors undertake professional development opportunities, and will also support 6,000 existing educators upskill by providing financial support to help complete on-the-job teaching placements required by teacher education courses.

Additionally, 2,000 early childhood educators will be supported to undertake a practicum exchange at a different service, with a living allowance for students undertaking a practicum in a rural or remote location.

The funding measures complement the Community Child Care Fund, which from today will allow eligible providers to apply to share in $18 million in funding for grants of up to $900,000 to establish a new centre based day care or family day care service in an area experiencing limited supply.

Further information about how the funding will be allocated and distributed is expected to be shared in the coming weeks. For updates and further information see the Department of Education website, here.