The Australian Government has a range of initiatives to support the early childhood education and care workforce. The initiatives aim to attract, develop and retain high-quality early childhood teachers and educators.
On this page:
Professional development
There are new measures to support the early childhood education and care workforce.
The professional development subsidy, paid practicum subsidy and practicum exchange are designed to strengthen skills and professional experience, improve staff retention and supply, and increase capacity.
Learn about the new early childhood workforce measures
National Workforce Strategy
A 10-year National Children’s Education and Care Workforce Strategy aims to foster a sustainable and high-quality workforce of early childhood teachers and educators.
Learn more about the National Workforce Strategy
National Workforce Census
The National Workforce Census provides quality information for developing and measuring policies and programs for the sector. The census collects data about:
- service use
- children with extra needs
- access to preschool programs
- staffing.
Learn more about the National Workforce Census
Child care discount for early childhood workforce
Providers can choose to offer a discounted fee to educators or cooks they employ whose children are enrolled at one of their services. The discount will not affect the employee’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS) entitlement. This measure will support providers to attract and retain their early childhood workforce.
Learn more about discounts for the early childhood workforce
Support for providers
Find initiatives aimed at providers, including:
- help identifying and preparing job seekers
- help filling entry-level roles
- opportunities to exhibit at a jobs fair
- wage support for apprentices and trainees.
Support for educators and teachers
Find initiatives aimed at early childhood educators and teachers, including:
- financial help for very remote teachers
- relocation assistance
- mental health resources.
See support for early childhood teachers and educators
Case studies
Our case studies showcase successful early childhood education and care programs, including workforce initiatives.