This is ARACY’s submission to the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Cheaper Child Care) Bill 2022.
Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) is an essential service, not only to facilitate workforce participation, but to enhance the wellbeing and developmental trajectories of Australian children, especially those with additional vulnerabilities.
While high quality ECEC is beneficial for most children, it has an enhanced beneficial effect on
children with challenging family circumstances. Children who start school behind, fall further
behind throughout their school years. This can have a profound impact on their lifelong trajectory
and ability participate meaningfully in society throughout adulthood. Yet high quality ECEC has a
beneficial effect on school readiness, associated with half the risk of developmental vulnerability at
school commencement. As such, high quality, accessible, and equitable early childhood education
is one mechanism for addressing inequitable outcomes for Australian children and interrupting
intergenerational disadvantage.