A new report from Victoria University’s Mitchell Institute Unequal from the Start provides compelling evidence that the so-called "achievement gap"—the persistent disparity in educational outcomes linked to socioeconomic background—emerges as early as two to three years of age.
By the time children begin formal schooling, this gap is not only apparent, but firmly entrenched.
Unequal from the Start highlights the need to “integrate, connect, and stack” the early years to ensure services can support families where and when they need it.
CEO of the Front Project, Dr Caroline Croser-Barlow states, “Quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) is a critical layer in the stack. However, the way it’s currently funded means that providers are incentivised to establish services where parents can afford to pay the most.”
Unequal from the Start also notes that quality is less likely to be found in rural, remote, and disadvantaged locations.
Dr Croser-Barlow says, “Australia has a world leading National Quality Framework and providers need to be supported to achieve quality uplift.”
2024 research from AERO shows that children who attend services that ‘Meet’ or ‘Exceed’ national standards are less likely to arrive at school developmentally vulnerable. This proves that quality matters.
Dr Croser-Barlow states, “Quality is not an accident. It is a result of current funding and policy settings. At a provider or service level, it’s about how staff are supported to spend intentional time with children, and how much time they have to plan for play-based learning that supports child development.”
How the Commonwealth funds ECEC also has an impact on quality.
Dr Croser-Barlow continues, “It’s important that we don’t allow the quality of a service to be dictated by what parents can pay. The Commonwealth can make decisions about the level of quality it expects from providers and fund on that basis. It’s a choice.”
Dr Croser-Barlow concludes, “Right now in an election context we have an opportunity to put children - especially those experience disadvantage - at the centre of policy commitments. All children have a right to access quality early learning, and we are looking for commitments that reflect this.”
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