Early Learning and Care Centres

The Australian Government will establish 38 Early Learning and Care Centres across Australia. These centres will provide high quality and affordable integrated early learning and care in a long day care setting that takes into account the specific requirements of the local community. These centres will be located in areas of unmet demand for child care and, where possible, on school grounds, TAFE, university or other community land.

How will the new centres benefit my family and community?

The 38 centres will benefit many communities across Australia. They will be established in locations where there is unmet demand for child care, increasing the availability of convenient child care for families. The centres will provide an integrated and affordable early childhood education program for all children in the year before they start school.

Locations

Funding has been allocated for 38 locations. The $114.5 million funding from the 2008–09 Budget will cover capital and other child care related expenditure, including Child Care Benefit and Child Care Tax Rebate.

The Australian Government will take account of the recent child care market developments in considering how best to deliver early learning and care in these locations.

Six of the centres will provide dedicated early learning and care programs for children with Autism spectrum disorder.

Where will the centres be located? 

The locations are listed below:

Jump to: NSW | Vic | QLD | WA | NT | Tas | SA

New South Wales

  • Faulconbridge
  • Inner West Sydney
  • Queanbeyan
  • Bondi Junction
  • Newcastle
  • South Western Sydney (Autism Centre)
  • Fairlight
  • Killara
  • Milperra
  • Hazelbrook
  • North Ryde

Victoria

  • Bendigo
  • Port Melbourne
  • St Kilda/East St Kilda
  • Upwey
  • Yarraville
  • Melbourne (Autism Centre)
  • Foster
  • Moe
  • Hurstbridge
  • Tullamarine
  • Craigieburn

Queensland

  • Gladstone
  • Townsville
  • Amberley
  • Brisbane (Autism Centre)
  • Weipa
  • Cairns

Western Australia

  • Mirrabooka
  • Darch
  • Perth (Autism Centre)
  • Karratha
  • Port Hedland

Northern Territory

  • Palmerston
  • Darwin

Tasmania

  • North Western Tasmania (Autism Centre)
  • Beaconsfield 

South Australia

  • North Adelaide (Autism Centre)

How will service providers be selected?

In the main, service providers for centres will be selected using a competitive process. Service providers will need to demonstrate their ability to be responsive to local needs, and their ability to be available to, and inclusive of, all children including those with additional needs. They will also be required to provide an integrated early childhood education program, as well as affordable child care.

How do I register my interest for a place for my child at one of the new centres?

It will be the responsibility of individual service providers to advertise, at the appropriate time, that a new centre is taking enrolments.

Where can I find more information?

The Early Learning and Care Centres initiative is being implemented by the Office of Early Childhood Education and Child Care (OECECC), which is part of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). You can find more information on the Early Childhood section of the DEEWR website or via the Fact Sheets available from the Early Learning and Care Centres page of the DEEWR website.

 

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