Ensuring children have the best possible start in life benefits families, society and the Australian economy. The Front Project welcomes the Productivity Commission’s review into the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector and applauds the Australian government’s dedication to ensure ECEC is accessible and of the highest quality for all children and families.

The Front Project commends the Australian Government to:

• Put children at the heart of policymaking and investment decisions to prioritise their learning and development, recognising the impact of universal, high-quality ECEC.
• Reform the ECEC funding system to enhance equitable, affordable, accessible and high-quality early learning and care.
  Abolish the CCS Activity Test to ensure access to ECEC for children who stand to benefit the most.
• Provide a guaranteed 5 days of universal access to children from low-income and disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Ensure the ECEC workforce is properly remunerated and has professional working conditions as a matter of urgency.
• Adopt a system stewardship role to usher in and coordinate the significant reforms required to transform the sector and ensure the ongoing performance and quality of the sector.

The Front Project looks forward to our ongoing engagement with the Productivity Commission to ensure no child is left behind in the early years of their education journey.