There is a new push to make early education and care more affordable for Australian families. The Productivity Commission is due to hand a major report to the federal government at the end of June on how to give all children under five access to three days of early education a week.
But as the draft report notes, this goal “cannot be achieved” without addressing the critical need for more early childhood teachers and educators. At the moment, the sector is hampered by “relatively low pay and unattractive working conditions”.
The Fair Work Commission is examining the pay for early childhood workers, with hopes of a pay rise in the next 12 months.
