The operating environment for ECEC providers is changing and government policy, funding and regulation are increasingly shaping the way services can operate.

For owners and operators, understanding these changes is no longer simply about keeping up with policy. It is about understanding what they mean for the sustainability, risk and future direction of an ECEC business.

This opening panel will unpack the policy and funding landscape heading into 2027, examining the reforms introduced over the past year and what they mean in practice for providers.

From workforce funding and wage support to child safety, quality requirements, CCS and affordability, the panel will explore how government settings are influencing the economics and operating models of ECEC services.

The discussion will also look ahead to the evolving role of the National ECEC Commission and the policy changes that could have the greatest impact on providers over the coming years.

The panel will explore:

• What does the post-2026 regulatory environment mean for providers?
• The future of workforce funding and wage support
• Child safety and its increasing connection to funding and provider performance
• The direction of the National ECEC Commission
• CCS, affordability and government funding - fee constraints a thing now
• What policy changes could materially affect business models?
• How should owners plan when policy settings continue to evolve?

For owners and operators, knowing the rules is only the beginning. The challenge is understanding what those rules mean for the way you run your service.

Panelists to be announced soon.

Growth in ECEC is no longer simply about opening another service.

 
For owners and operators, the decision to build, buy, partner or remain independent comes with increasingly complex questions around capital, valuations, due diligence, workforce, regulation, quality and the ability to successfully integrate and operate at scale.

 
As the sector continues to evolve and consolidation creates new opportunities and challenges, what does the right growth strategy look like in 2027?

 
This panel brings together three operators with three very different growth journeys: “I built it”, “I bought it” and “I scaled it” to share the decisions, opportunities and challenges behind growing an ECEC business.

 
From assessing an acquisition target and understanding what a service is really worth, to managing integration, maintaining quality and building the infrastructure required to operate multiple services, the panel will provide a candid look at what it takes to grow successfully.

The panel will explore:

• Operating models are not all equal - what works best and when?
• Building or buying? A time and a place
• Debt in times of inflation - A good or bad thing?
• Managing employees during challenging markets?
• Marketing strategies - social or community? Pare back or double down? 
• The big question - Freehold ownership as a hedge?
• Debt, interest rates and funding
• What makes a centre attractive to investors?
• Is consolidation creating opportunities for independent operators?

“I Built It” - The independent operator who has grown organically.
“I Bought It” - The operator who has used acquisition to grow.
“I Scaled It” -  The multi-site operator who has built the systems and structure to operate at scale.
 
 

The question isn't simply how to grow. It's knowing which growth strategy makes sense for your business and whether you are ready for what comes next.
 
 

Panelists to be announced soon.

The ECEC operating environment is being shaped by forces well beyond the control of individual providers.

Population growth, birth rates, migration, workforce participation, housing development and changing patterns of where families live and work are all influencing the supply and demand equation for ECEC.

For operators, the question is no longer simply “How many places can we provide?” It is “Where will the demand come from and will there be enough people to deliver those places?”

This specialist panel will bring together experts in demographics, migration, labour markets and population trends to examine the forces that will shape ECEC demand and workforce supply over the coming years.

The discussion will look beyond the current operating cycle to understand where population growth is occurring, how migration is changing the demand profile, where workforce supply is likely to come from, and what this means for operators making decisions about capacity, investment, staffing and growth.

The panel will explore:

• What are the major demographic trends shaping ECEC demand?
• Where is Australia's population growing — and where is it slowing?
• How are migration levels and migration patterns affecting demand for ECEC?
• What does the changing birth rate mean for future enrolment demand?
• Which markets are likely to experience oversupply — and where will demand remain strong?
• How are housing development and population growth changing local ECEC markets?
• What does migration mean for the ECEC workforce as well as for demand?
• Where will the future ECEC workforce come from?
• What do labour force participation and changing family work patterns mean for utilisation?
• What demographic and workforce indicators should every ECEC operator be watching?

The specialist perspective

This is the panel that puts the numbers behind the operating environment.

Population. Migration. Births. Workforce. Housing. Demand.

The question is not just how many ECEC places Australia needs but where they will be needed, who will use them and who will be available to deliver them.

Panelists to be announced soon.
 

What does it really take to build an early learning business that stands the test of time?

Behind every successful organisation is a story, often one that starts with a single service, a big ambition, and a willingness to take risks. But building something that lasts involves far more than opening new centres and growing the numbers. It's about making difficult decisions, learning from mistakes, protecting the culture that made the business successful in the first place, and knowing when it's time to take the next step.

For owners and operators, the journey also brings some big questions. How do you grow without losing what makes your organisation special? How do you navigate relationships with investors? And how do you know when to keep building, when to change direction, or when the time is right to sell?

In this fireside chat, we're going to get beyond the polished success stories and explore the realities of building and owning an early learning business. The decisions, the challenges, the lessons and, perhaps most importantly, what these experiences teach us about building something sustainable.

Our guest will share their perspective on the journey of ownership, the mistakes they'd avoid if they were starting again, and what they believe the next generation of owners needs to understand about the sector.

We'll also look ahead. If you were starting from scratch in 2027, what would you do differently? What opportunities would you pursue, what risks would you watch, and what would you do to build a business that lasts?

Fireside Chat guest to be announced soon.