Five not-for-profit preschools in Sydney’s north western suburbs have called on a local council to renegotiate rent for their preschools across the district, with The Daily Telegraph reporting rates are set to “skyrocket” 500 per cent.

The Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle is expanding its early childhood education and care (ECEC) footprint via the establishment of the St Nicholas Pathways initiative in Maitland, which will be the first of its kind in the region.

As land availability continues to present challenges, approved providers are seeking solutions, one of which is to go up, with purpose-built vertical early childhood education and care (ECEC) services becoming more common.

In the latest example of local councils taking a harder line against developers of early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres, Frankston Council has voted against approving an 84 place centre in Frankston South, despite recommendations from council officers to support it.

The advent of “running costs only” long day care (LDC) services in Sydney, provided by the newly established Sydney Catholic Early Childhood Services (SCECS) is “the answer to a prayer” for families accessing the services, The Catholic Weekly has reported.