We have published submissions to our Issues Paper and our survey results
IPART is reviewing the NSW early childhood education and care sector to understand affordability, accessibility, and consumer choice, and make recommendations where necessary to improve them.
In April 2023, we released an Issues Paper and sought feedback via a NSW Have Your Say consultation (including a survey) and submissions to our website. We also held public hearings on 15 and 16 May 2023, and have been meeting with stakeholders to hear their views.
Feedback on our Issues Paper closed on 22 May 2023. Thank you to everyone who made a submission to our Issues Paper, participated in the Have Your Say survey, met with us or attended our public hearings.
We received a total of 31 submissions, including:
- 8 from organisations representing the early childhood education and care sector
- 6 from early childhood education and care service providers
- 6 from organisations representing community interests
- 6 from individuals
- 4 from local governments
- 1 from the NSW Small Business Commission.
These submissions expressed concerns about:
- workforce shortages in the sector
- affordability of early childhood education and care services
- increasing costs of operating early childhood education and care services
- barriers to inclusion of children experiencing vulnerability and/or with additional needs.
We also received a total of 1,144 survey responses to the Have Your Say survey. We have published an Information Paper summarising the survey results.
Next steps
IPART will undertake further investigation and analysis, and will consider all feedback received before releasing an Interim Report in October.
There will also be further opportunities to provide your views before we submit a Final Report to the NSW Government in December this year.