ECEC crisis contributing to challenges veterinarians face, inquiry hears

Freya Lucas

Dec 18, 2023

Save

The challenges of the early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce shortages recently played out at a New South Wales inquiry into the challenges of the veterinary profession.

Regional veterinarian Jo Hoad appeared before the inquiry saying that a lack of ECEC in her community was forcing experienced veterinary professionals to move from the area, exacerbating the challenges faced by those who remain.

Dr Hoad, who shared her experiences with the ABC, said she has been the only on call vet for the last 12 months at Uralla Veterinary Clinic, where she is both the director and the owner.

She told the inquiry the pressures being placed on her were typical across the industry, and that they appeared to get worse the further away from urban centres a clinic was.

Veterinary clinics in Inverell and Uralla were already down on staff on the day of the inquiry because staff had no access to ECEC.

One of Dr Hoad’s associates hadn't been able to work for the past 12 months because of the lack of ECEC options.

"There's waiting lists of 200 to 300 kids in Armidale at the moment," she said.

"Even human emergency doctors can't get childcare and are thinking of leaving the area."

Dr Hoad called for many changes in response to the crisis she sees in her sector, including broadening the acceptance criteria for potential veterinary students, and incentives to keep international students in regional areas for the medium to long term after graduation.

To read the original coverage of this story please see here.

Don’t miss a thing

Childcare centres may have clear rules for staff numbers, but there are loopholes to get around them

There is a growing number of “serious incidents” in Australian early childhood services, including day cares.

What Can Australia Learn from Ontario’s Child Care Ratios?

As workforce pressures continue to shape early childhood education and care (ECEC) policy discussions in Australia, international comparisons provide useful perspectives. Canada’s approach, particularly in Ontario, offers a case study in how educator-to-child ratios, maximum group sizes and qualification requirements can be legislated as an integrated framework.

Burnout in early childhood education: Why leadership support is the missing lever

Early childhood educators have one of the most important jobs in Australia. We trust them to keep our kids safe, to educate them in their most formative years, and to care for them when we can’t do it ourselves. And far too often, educators are doing it all on empty.

Workforce planning in ECEC: from compliance requirement to strategic advantage

With workforce pressures continuing across early childhood education and care (ECEC), a structured approach to workforce planning is emerging as a critical leadership tool, not simply an administrative exercise.

National Early Childhood Worker Register: commencing 27 February 2026

The introduction of the National Early Childhood Worker Register from the 27 February, has signalled a significant shift in workforce oversight across early childhood education and care (ECEC).