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Marg Rogers, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education; Post Doctoral Fellow, Manna Institute, University of New England

‘I was 170th on their list’. What are the health impacts for families who can’t access daycare?

WHO Australia
Thomas Barwick/ Getty Images

Imagine living in a town where three or more families are competing for a single early learning place. This is the reality for many families in regional, rural and remote Australia. Experts call these areas “childcare deserts”.

A 2024 study found about 24% of Australians live in a childcare desert. This rises to 43% of those in regional areas and more than 80% in remote areas.

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