Policy context

Starting from infancy, children need nurturing, engaging, and attentive care to support their early childhood development and well-being. Childcare, which involves looking after a child by someone other than their parents or legal guardians, can take formal forms such as professional childcare providers or informal forms like grandparents, other relatives, friends, neighbours, or nannies.

Children’s participation in formal childcare, as well as early childhood education programs (such as preschool), are encompassed by the term early childhood education and care (ECEC).

In Australia, a preschool program is defined as a structured, play-based learning program, delivered by a degree-qualified teacher, aimed primarily at children in the year or two before they commence full-time schooling. Preschool programs are referred to by a variety of other terms across states and territories. Preschool age entry requirements also differ across states and territories.¹