A child in a regional, rural, or remote community is more likely to start school developmentally vulnerable, less likely to have an early childhood education and care (ECEC) service within reach, and more likely to attend an ECEC service that has not yet met the National Quality Standard.

This matters if we care about all children being able to access quality ECEC, regardless of their postcode. But too often these issues of distance, access, quality and developmental outcomes are treated as separate problems but access without it being a quality offering is not genuine access.

This inquiry is an opportunity to understand and address this intersection of factors that impact children and families in regional, rural and remote communities.