More families in rural and regional NSW will have improved access to early childhood education and care (ECEC) when and where they need it most following the launch of a new trial grants program.
With a pool of $20 million over two years, services across the state are encouraged to apply to participate in the Flexible Initiatives Trial (the Trial) which will provide grants to fund new or adapted operating models.
The Trial has been designed to empower providers to better cater to the needs of local families, recognising communities across the state face different challenges when it comes to accessing ECEC.
For example, parents in major regional centres such as Wollongong, the Central Coast, and Newcastle may be commuting to Sydney for work and could benefit from:
- extended hours of care beyond traditional working hours
- flexible pick-up and drop-off times
- improved access to ad hoc care arrangements outside of scheduled hours
In outer regional, remote and very remote areas of NSW, the trial will support the establishment of new family day care services.
Smaller and more dispersed communities could also benefit from:
- funding for staff recruitment
- transport for eligible children to and from care
- partnerships between 2 different service types to provide extended or wrap-around care arrangements.
Acting Deputy Secretary of Early Childhood Outcomes, Mark Barraket, said the NSW Department of Education is committed to making sure all children in NSW get the best start in life.
“To achieve this goal, we must acknowledge and address the unique challenges faced by rural and regional communities across our state,” he said.
“The Flexible Initiatives Trial is a part of our commitment to addressing concerns about choice and availability of quality early childhood education and care experiences for every child.
“The Trial is not a one size fits all model, it is designed around the needs of each community. How it will look in Wollongong or Newcastle is very different to the new or adapted operating models that will be trialled in our state’s west.”
Applications are now open for the first round of the program, and close on 1 December 2023.
