Australian Government's $1 Billion Investment in Early Childhood Education

The Australian Government has announced a significant investment that will impact families across our Catholic communities, particularly those in regional and outer suburban areas where access to quality early childhood education has been challenging.

Building Early Education Fund: Expanding Access to Early Learning

The Government has committed $1 billion to establish the Building Early Education Fund, aimed at building and expanding approximately 160 early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres across Australia. This initiative is expected to create around 12,000 additional ECEC places for Australian families in areas of greatest need.

As Catholic education providers and community members, this development presents both opportunities and considerations for our network.

What the Fund Includes

The $1.03 billion investment is divided into:

• $529.6 million over four years from 2024-25 for targeted capital grants focused on quality not-for-profit ECEC providers and state and local governments

• $500 million provisioned for future Commonwealth investment in owning and leasing ECEC centres

• $2.3 million over two years to develop a business case for the Commonwealth's investment approach

Of particular interest to our Catholic education community is the focus on not-for-profit providers, which aligns with many of our existing educational services.

Potential Opportunities for Catholic Education Providers

This initiative may offer Catholic education providers the opportunity to:

1. Expand existing ECEC services in Catholic schools and parishes

2. Establish new centres in underserved communities where we have a presence

3. Partner with government to ensure these new centres reflect the values and quality education approach that Catholic education is known for

   
   

Addressing Universal Access in Line with Catholic Social Teaching

The Productivity Commission has identified an undersupply of ECEC places as a barrier to access for families across Australia. This reality aligns with Catholic social teaching on the importance of supporting families and ensuring equitable access to education for all children.

As Pope Francis has noted, "Education is an act of hope," and early childhood education plays a crucial role in developing the whole child—spiritually, socially, emotionally, and intellectually.

What's Next?

The Government will be working with state, territory and local governments to identify priority locations in the coming months. Catholic Network Australia encourages our education offices, schools, and parishes to:

·       Assess the early childhood education needs in your communities

·       Consider whether establishing or expanding ECEC services might align with your mission

·       Begin preliminary discussions about potential participation in this initiative

We will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as more information becomes available about the application process for grants and identified priority locations.

For Catholic families, particularly those in regional and outer suburban areas, this investment represents a potential increase in access to quality early childhood education that honours and supports the family as the primary educator of children.

Learn more about the underpinning research that inspired the fund here.