ACA seeks sector wide feedback to monitor enrolment capping due to staff shortages

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) peak body the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) has launched a third survey seeking feedback on the extent of enrolment capping due to workforce shortages across the early learning sector. 

It is the third in a series of surveys planned to document comprehensively just how significant enrolment capping is in the current tight labour environment and importantly how it is evolving over time. 

“We’re seeking your immediate feedback on capping enrolments for the week just past – Monday 9 October through to Friday 13 October – to create a powerful set of statistics that helps to demonstrate the ongoing severity of the problem and the impact on families and the local community,” said Paul Mondo, President of the ACA. 

As part of its advocacy work, which involves working with both Federal and State and Territory governments, the ACA is seeking to call for more effective and impactful policy that supports early learning services during this challenging period. 

Surveys such as this, which are open to all providers regardless of setting and governance type, provide the data to ensure advocacy can be impactful. 

“As an early learning service provider, you would be very much aware that staff shortages are a key issue impacting our sector, with some services impacted more severely than others, depending on their individual circumstances,” Mr Mondo added.

The survey is anonymous and consists of just four questions, taking less than ten seconds to complete. 

The online survey for single service organisations can be completed here.

For those service providers with multiple centres who would prefer to respond using an excel spreadsheet, please email ACA at [email protected] so that you can be sent the document for completion.

The survey will remain open until Sunday 22 October 2023.