Setting up the Building Early Education Fund for success

Five recommendations to tackle entrenched disadvantage and lay the foundations for a universal, equitable early childhood system.

In partnership with members of the National Child and Family Hubs network, we’ve outlined a brief for government, identifying how the $1 billion Building Early Education Fund (BEEF) can effectively address childcare deserts and improve learning, growth and development outcomes by delivering integrated Early Childhood Hubs (ECHs).

Too often, the children who stand to benefit most from high-quality services are the ones who miss out. Children experiencing complex needs or entrenched disadvantage need more than just early childhood education and care.

ECHs offer a scalable, evidence-based mechanism to deliver joined-up, holistic support to families when they need it. By offering integrated services in a welcoming family-centre environment, ECHs can improve access to early childhood education and care, facilitate smoother transitions to school, strengthen parental capacity and foster social connections.  

Here are five key recommendations that are required to deliver a meaningful return on investment that can improve the lives of some of the most disadvantaged children in Australia.

1. Prioritise investment in areas of high child need
2. Build more than childcare: invest in integrated Early Childhood Hubs for new services in areas of high child need
3. Commit to growing a sustainable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled (ACCO) sector, including quarantining reasonable funds for ACCO services
4. Pair capital investment with ongoing funding for integration enablers and operational viability
5. Invest in the conditions for partnership.
   
   

The brief has been developed by the Early Childhood Hubs Working Group of the National Child and Family Hubs Network. SVA is proud to Chair and provide the Secretariat function for this Working Group.