Submissions and statements

A core function of Early Childhood Australia is to develop policies on early childhood education and care and advocate for the rights of children. This is achieved through the development of submissions and statements, including consultation with our membership, the early childhood sector and related organisations.

For more information about submissions and current inquiries, please email policy@earlychildhood.org.au.

Recent Reports and Statements

Be You engagement with vulnerable children and families: Participation and possibilities – August 2021

Be You is investigating ways to deepen its reach and engagement with early childhood education and care services that work with vulnerable children and families. The Be You engagement with vulnerable children and families: Participation and possibilities report was prepared for ECA by Victoria University (Mitchell Institute and Centre for International Research on Education Systems) to support this investigation. This report was originally published by Beyond Blue Be You and has been syndicated with permission.

Proposed National Early Language and Literacy Strategy – September 2021

ECA is part of a National Early Language and Literacy Coalition (NELLC) made up of 10 peak bodies in the early childhood and literacy sectors. NELLC developed a Proposed National Early Language and Literacy Strategy which was released on Monday 6 September 2021.

The Coalition is calling on governments to adopt a nationally consistent approach to enhancing infants’ and children’s early language and literacy learning and development before they start school. You can read more here.

‘How to talk about early childhood education and care’ resource – July 2021

ECA has developed this resource, ‘How to talk about early childhood education and care’ to promote the use of consistent, affirmative, inclusive and sector-accepted language about ECEC that supports the professionalism of the sector. This resource was developed with support from the Minderoo Foundation – Thrive by Five.

Download a PDF version here.

State of Early Learning in Australia Report – 2019

The State of early learning in Australia 2019 provides the most comprehensive summary of the early learning sector to date.

Find out more here.

Working Together to Ensure Equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children in the Early Years – Feb 2019
Early Childhood Australia and SNAICC—National Voice for our Children have released a joint position paper: Working Together to Ensure Equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children in the Early Years.

Find out more here.

Statement on young children and digital technologies – 2018
ECA has developed a Statement to guide and inform the early childhood sector, and families and care-givers of young children and decision-makers about using digital technologies with and for young children.

Find out more here.

Statement on the inclusion of children in early childhood education and care – October 2016
This statement explains inclusion. It outlines why inclusion is important, and it sets out what is required from everyone involved in the delivery of early childhood education and care to ensure inclusion of every child.

Find out more here.

CRC25: Australian Child Rights Progress Report – 2020

ECA authored the Early Childhood Education and Care Chapter of the Australian Child Rights Taskforce Report on 25 years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Australia. The report considers the progress for children across a number of key social policy areas including family life, education and care, justice and health, and what this has meant for children. Download the report here.

Early Childhood: Fast Facts – 2021

This resource has been developed by Early Childhood Australia to provide key information on early childhood and useful contacts for matters such as complaints, parenting support and quality ratings. View it here!

Submissions

2021

September	2021 National Quality Framework Approved Learning Frameworks Update
May	The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Early Childhood Strategy
April	Written Submission for the NQF Review Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (CRIS)
February	The National Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy – response to discussion paper Automatic Mutual Recognition of Occupational Registrations: Exposure Draft Legislation – Consultation Paper
January	ECA Pre-Budget Submission 2021-22
January	Streamlining Early Childhood Education and Child Care Approval Processes across Jurisdictions
January	Indigenous cultural competency in the Australian teaching workforce

2020

August	Pre-Budget Submission (revised) from Early Childhood Australia
May	Review of ECEC Relief Package
March	Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Flexibility Measures) Bill 2020
March	Education in remote and complex environments

2019

December	Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health: Draft Report
December	ECA Pre-Budget Submission 2020-21
September	Review of the National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education Inquiry into the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Building on the Child Care Package) Bill 2019
June	Review of the National Quality Framework Review of the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians
April	Early childhood education for every child in Australia Productivity Commission Mental Health Submission
February	ECA Pre-Budget Submission 2019-20

2018

December

ECA Pre-Budget Submission 2018-19

2017

August	Children’s Education and Care Consultation Paper \| Review of qualifications and units of competency
March	Expert Advisory Panel on National Year 1 Literacy and Numeracy Check
January	Response to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee in relation to the Fairer Paid Parental Leave Bill 2016
	ECA Pre-Budget Submission 2017-18

2016

October	Productivity Commission Inquiry into the Education Evidence Base – response to the Commission’s Draft Report Productivity Commission Inquiry into Introducing Competition and Informed User Choice into Human Services– response to preliminary findings report Inquiry into the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Jobs for Families Child Care Package) Bill 2016, and the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill 2016
May	Productivity Commission Inquiry into the Education Evidence Base
February	Submission to the 2016-17 Budget
January	Senate Inquiry into the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Jobs for Families Child Care Package) Bill 2015

2015

December	Draft Inclusion Support Programme Guidelines
September	A review of Child Protection Mandatory Reporting Laws for the Early Childhood Education and Care Sector
July	Child Care Assistance Package – Regulation Impact Statement
July	Nanny Pilot Programme – Draft Guidelines
July	Review of Auditor-General’s Reports Nos 19, 20 and 23 (2014-15)
June	Royal Commission (Victoria) into Family Violence
February	Inquiry into The operation, regulation and funding of private vocational education and training (VET) providers in Australia
February	2015-16 Pre-Budget Submission
January	Regulation Impact Statement for proposed options for changes to the National Quality Framework

2014

September	Response to the Productivity Commission’s Draft Report on the Inquiry into Child Care and Early Childhood Learning
July	Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care Measures) Bill (No. 2) 2014
July	National Quality Framework Review 2014
June	Senate Inquiry into the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care Measures) Bill
June	National Children’s Commissioner inquiry into intentional self-harm and suicidal behaviour in children
June	Australian Human Rights Commission Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
March	Senate inquiry into the the delivery of quality and affordable early childhood education and care services and the Inquiry into the immediate future of the childcare sector in Australia
March	Senate Inquiry into grandparents who take primary responsibility for raising their grandchildren
March	Department of Communication public consultation on enhancing online safety for children
February	Review of the Australian Curriculum
February	Productivity Commission inquiry into child care and early childhood learning
January	Pre-Budget Submission: priorities for the 2014-15 Federal Budget

2013

November	National Commission of Audit
November	Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency review of the Skilled Occupation List (SOL)
May	Paid Parental Leave scheme review
March	Children’s Services Draft Two Consultation: Feedback from Early Childhood Australia
February	Pre-Budget Submission: Priorities for the 2013-14 Federal Budget

Position Statements

Statement on the inclusion of every child in early childhood education and care (Oct 2016)

ECA is committed to the inclusion of every child in early childhood education and care. Inclusion means that every child has access to, participates meaningfully in, and experiences positive outcomes from early childhood education and care programs. This statement explains inclusion. It outlines why inclusion is important, and it sets out what is required from everyone involved in the delivery of early childhood education and care to ensure inclusion of every child.

Copies of the Statement are available for free to download here. Please also find the accompanying Factsheet on The experience of inclusion and exclusion in early childhood education and care available for download here.

Statement of Intent on Supporting Children’s Rights

The Australian Early Years Learning Framework states that ‘early childhood educators will reinforce in their daily practice the principles laid out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child’ (2009, p.5). In 2014, Early Childhood Australia worked with our members, child rights advocates, academics and experts in the sector to develop Supporting young children’s rights: statement of intent (2015 – 2018) . The statement is designed to support teachers, educators, the community, families and children to ethically and authentically support the rights of children in early childhood; to understand and implement child rights education in early childhood education and care settings, and to advocate for children’s rights.

Order copies of the statement here.

Download the statement for free here.

ECA’s free resources on children’s rights are available here.

The inclusion of children with a disability in early childhood education and care

This joint position statement by Early Childhood Australia (ECA) and Early Childhood Intervention Australia (ECIA) sets out our shared commitment to inclusion in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Its purpose is to create a vision for high quality inclusive practices in early childhood education and care.

Download the position statement here.

Evidence Briefs

Evidence Brief on Two Days of Subsidised Early Childhood Education and Care for all Children

This Brief outlines the evidence for providing two days of subsidised quality early learning for all children.

The full Evidence Brief can be downloaded here.

Staff to Child Ratios and Educator Qualification Requirements of the National Quality Framework

This summary has been prepared to support the staff to child ratios and educator qualification requirements contained in the Early Childhood Education and Care National Quality Framework (NQF) currently being implemented in Australia.

ECA believes there is a solid research base that suggests that these two components are critical to achieving quality education outcomes for young children. This summary is a brief review of the evidence rather than a comprehensive review because its purpose is to provide a timely response to questions being raised by a minority of service providers who have not yet embraced the NQF.

Download the full Evidence Brief here.

Commissioned Reports

Distributional Modelling of Proposed Childcare Reforms in Australia

Early Childhood Australia commissioned a report from the Australian National University (ANU) Centre for Social Research and Methods on the effect of the Government’s proposed Child Care Subsidy on children and families.

Download the report here.

Other Papers

Early childhood flexibility practices and patterns report 2014

This Early Childhood Flexibility Practices and Patterns Report highlights recommendations and future directions for early childhood education and care services and governments in providing flexible arrangements for their families and local communities. The contents of the Report are illustrated through case studies, as well as data from surveys of early childhood services.

Download the report here.

Foundations for learning: Relationships between the Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum

This paper, Foundations for learning, responds to requests from early childhood educators working in the non-school and school sectors for an authoritative statement explaining how the EYLF and the Australian Curriculum are aligned.

The paper was developed as a joint project between Early Childhood Australia and the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).

Download the paper here.

Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia: A discussion paper

This discussion paper was developed for delegates at the European Union-Australia Policy Dialogue on 11–15 April 2011.

The aim of this discussion paper is to provide an overview of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Australia and some commentary from Early Childhood Australia (ECA) on key issues for ECEC that arise from the Australian Government’s Reform Agenda for Early Childhood Education and Care.

Download the paper here.

Expert Advisory Panel: Towards a national quality framework for early childhood education and care

The Expert Advisory Panel (EAP) was appointed by COAG to advise on a vision for an integrated and seamless system of licensing and accreditation within a national standards framework for early childhood learning and care services advise on and develop options for draft quality standards for application in ECEC settings, and advise on approaches for an A to E ratings system.

The Report led to the establishment of National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care.

Download the paper here.

A national quality framework for early childhood education and care: A discussion paper

Early Childhood Australia (ECA) paper recommends an increased focus on early childhood learning and care in the Integrated Quality Standards System (IQSS) must reflect the evidence both about high quality effective early childhood services and about broader societal issues that have implications for children’s wellbeing.

Download the paper here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]