The Minister for Customer Service has asked IPART to assess affordability, accessibility and consumer choice in the NSW early childhood education and care sector.
In June 2022, the NSW Government announced the Early Years Commitment, a $15.9 billion investment over 10 years in the NSW early childhood education and care sector. To ensure reforms and investment result in improved outcomes for children and families, we have been asked to review the market for early childhood education and care in NSW, fees and costs and recommend ways to improve affordability, accessibility and consumer choice.
In December 2022, the Minister provided IPART with a draft Terms of Reference setting out the scope for our review which we sought feedback on via submissions and our Have Your Say survey. In February 2023, the Minister provided IPART with a final Terms of Reference, incorporating changes made in response to the feedback received.
We thank the community and sector for their active engagement with IPART in this first stage of the review, and for providing us with valuable feedback and suggestions. We have published submissions we received on our website.
We will also consider feedback on issues raised in submissions and survey responses further as we progress with the review.
We are keen to continue engaging with the sector as the review moves forward. Our review process will involve ongoing engagement with the community and sector, including opportunities to provide feedback on our Issues Paper and Interim Report, and at our public hearing as the review progresses.