Mildura council exits early years service delivery after nearly 50 years

Mildura Rural City Council has confirmed it will withdraw from directly delivering its Playalong and Family Day Care services, bringing to a close almost five decades of involvement in frontline early childhood education and care (ECEC).

The decision reflects structural changes across the sector, with local governments increasingly reassessing their role as service providers in a more complex and competitive operating environment.

Councillors endorsed a recommendation to exit both services while maintaining a commitment to support children and families through partnerships and other early years initiatives.

Existing arrangements will remain in place during the transition period. Council has committed to a structured transition plan to support families to secure alternative placements with other providers in the region.

Mildura Rural City Council General Manager Healthy Communities Mark Jenkins said the decision followed extensive consultation with families and staff, and acknowledged the significance of the change for the local community.

Playalong and Family Day Care were established in the late 1970s, during a period of strong demand for accessible childcare as workforce participation increased.

Playalong commenced in 1978, followed by Family Day Care in 1979. At its peak in the 1990s, the Family Day Care scheme supported more than 800 children each week and engaged more than 130 educators.

These services reflect a period when local governments played a central role in ensuring access to early learning, particularly in regional areas where alternative providers were limited.

Council identified several factors influencing the transition:

• declining demand for council-operated services as other providers expand
• ongoing financial losses associated with small-scale service delivery
• workforce shortages impacting service viability
• reliance on external funding to sustain operations
• a broader shift away from non-mandated ECEC service provision by local government

Council noted that the services have become increasingly difficult to sustain, particularly in a market where larger providers operate at greater scale.

The transition marks a significant change for families and educators connected to the services.

Council acknowledged the strong relationships built over time and the role these services have played in the community.

For educators, particularly those engaged in Family Day Care, the change may lead to transitions into other schemes or roles within the sector.

For families, continuity of care remains a priority, with transition supports designed to minimise disruption and maintain access to quality early learning.

Mildura’s decision reflects wider developments across the Australian ECEC sector:

• local governments are shifting toward planning, advocacy and partnership roles
• private and not-for-profit providers now dominate service delivery
• workforce shortages and rising costs continue to challenge sustainability
• Family Day Care participation continues to decline nationally

For providers and sector leaders, the transition underscores the importance of sustainable operating models, workforce planning, and responsiveness to changing community needs, particularly in regional contexts.

Source: Mirage News, Council ends early years child care services.