ECEC attendance growth once again underwhelms despite surge in CCS spending in Q3 2024

The number of children attending early childhood education and care (ECEC) services across Australia in the three months to September 2024 failed to meaningfully grow despite a new surge in child care subsidy (CCS) entitlements spend in the quarter, new data from the Department of Education has shown. 

Total CCS disbursed in the period was estimated to be around $3.9 billion, 9.7 per cent higher than last year, 38.3 per cent higher than two years previously, and remarkably 79.0 per cent higher than that recorded five years ago.

Yet the total number of children attending a CCS eligible ECEC service, which includes family day care, outside school hours care as well as long day care settings, increased just 2.5 per cent compared to last year, 3.0 per cent compared to two years ago and 8.6 per cent compared to five years ago. 

This pattern is also evident in the individual setting data as well, with long day care a 79.2 per cent increase in CCS disbursed over a five year time line yet overall attendance has increased by only 8.3 per cent, 0.3 per cent lower than the sector as a whole. 

Sub trend ECEC attendance growth appears to be becoming the norm across Australia, with the historic relationship between subsidy increases and attendance growth looking more and more tenuous. 

It remains to be seen whether recent lackluster attendance growth is due to families electing to save affordability benefits generated by increased subsidy levels for use elsewhere in family budgets as the “cost of living” crisis rolls on or whether demand for ECEC services is in the process of peaking. 

Either way policy makers, as well as approved providers, will be watching enrolment patterns closely as 2024 wound down and 2025 picks up.