31/08/2026
It's time to be heard. This is my letter :
Dear Minister,
Re: The need for genuine reform of Australia’s early childhood education and care system
I am writing as an early childhood education and care provider who is deeply concerned that Australia’s current childcare model is no longer serving families, children, educators or the hardworking small and independent operators who make up the backbone of this sector.
The conversation around childcare has become focused on subsidies and affordability, but we need to look much deeper at the structure of the system itself.
Australia says it wants more women participating in the workforce, higher productivity and stronger economic growth. However, our policies often create barriers for families who are trying to build careers, increase their income and contribute to the economy.
I believe the following reforms need serious consideration:
1. Paid Parental Leave should be extended to 12 months for anyone who has been in permanent paid employment for more than 12 months.
Families need security during one of the most significant times in their lives. If someone has committed to their employer, contributed to the workforce and paid taxes, they should have access to meaningful paid leave.
2. Paid Parental Leave and childcare subsidies need to be considered together.
This may not be a popular opinion, but I believe there needs to be a conversation around whether parents receiving paid parental leave to remain at home caring for a newborn should also be accessing subsidised childcare places during that same period.
Childcare places are a limited resource. Support should be targeted towards families who need care because they are returning to work, studying or contributing to the workforce.
3. Stop penalising families who work hard and succeed. Take away means testing.
A system that reduces support because someone has gained qualifications, progressed in their career or increased their income sends the wrong message.
We should be encouraging aspiration, education and workforce participation and not creating a situation where families feel they are punished for earning more.
4. Consider a simpler childcare funding model with a universal or flat-rate subsidy.
The current complexity creates confusion and administration. A simpler model, with increased government investment, would provide certainty for families and services.
This investment would not simply be a cost. It would be returned through:
* increased workforce participation,
* increased tax revenue,
* reduced pressure on welfare systems,
* reduced pressure on Medicare,
* stronger economic activity,
* and potentially increased confidence for families to purchase homes and stimulate the construction industry.
Supporting families is an investment in Australia’s future.
5. Ensure government grants and funding are available based on quality, compliance and community need, not organisational structure.
I am particularly concerned about the increasing influence of large corporate childcare groups and the lack of transparency around funding pathways.
There are organisations operating large numbers of services while presenting themselves under not-for-profit structures, and families and smaller independent providers deserve greater transparency around where government funding is flowing and how it is being invested.
Funding should support genuine outcomes for children, educators and communities, not simply reward size, scale or corporate structures.
Small independent providers often operate on the front line. They employ local people, understand their communities and carry the same regulatory responsibilities as large organisations, yet they often do not have access to the same resources, grants or government support.
6. Strengthen licensing accountability.
I believe approved providers should have a genuine presence and connection to the state or territory in which they operate.
Early childhood education is a community service. Decisions affecting children, families and educators should be made by people who understand the local community, workforce challenges and regulatory environment.
The early childhood sector is too important to continue with a model that focuses only on fee relief. We need a model that values children, supports families, rewards workforce participation and protects quality providers.
The educators who care for Australia’s children deserve a sustainable sector. Families deserve a system they can trust. Independent providers deserve a fair opportunity to deliver quality care.
I urge you to consider genuine structural reform rather than continuing to apply short term solutions to a long-term problem.
Yours sincerely,
Terese Trayhern
Approved Provider
