Families in the Victorian town of Ouyen will soon have access to “bigger and better” early years facilities thanks to funding from the Victorian Government.

A net total of 75 new long day care service approvals were issued in the second quarter of 2019 according to the latest release of the Australian Children’s Education and Care Authority’s (ACECQA) snapshot, representing an increase of 3.9 per cent year on year, and the first quarterly increase since the September quarter of 2018.

A childcare development, co-owned and operated by a school principal and located along a major truck route, has been approved by Maribyrnong Council, in a bid to address “a gaping hole in childcare services” in Maribyrnong city, The Herald Sun has reported.

A review of the ACECQA National Registers as at the end of the first half of 2019 suggests that the number of new long day care centres receiving a license to operate continues to track at levels comparable to last year, albeit slightly lower.

Around 100 families are seeking early childhood education and care (ECEC) in the Monash region of Victoria after the City of Monash’s decision to close a council-run family day care (FDC) scheme due to financial loss.