Report on Government Services 2016

Chapter 3, Volume B

Early childhood education and care

The Early childhood education and care chapter (chapter 3) reports on early childhood education and care for children aged 12 years or younger.

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Key Facts
Indicator Framework
Indicator Results
Indigenous Data

There were 1 188 218 children aged 12 years or younger attending Australian Government Child Care Benefit approved child care services in the March quarter 2015, an increase of 6.9 per cent from 2014.

In 2014, 289 730 children aged 4 and 5 years, or 95.1 per cent of 4 year old children were enrolled in a preschool program in the year before full time schooling, an increase from 90.9 per cent in 2013.

In 2014, 75.4 per cent of 4 year old Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were enrolled in a preschool program in the year before full time schooling. This proportion has increased from 73.9 per cent in 2013 and 65.0 per cent in 2012.

The median weekly cost for 50 hours of Australian Government Child Care Benefit approved long day care increased by 4.9 per cent from 2014 to 2015 and decreased by 0.7 per cent for family day care.

At 30 June 2015, 66.5 per cent of National Quality Framework approved services with a quality rating met or exceeded the National Quality Standard overall.

Total Australian, State and Territory government recurrent and capital expenditure on early childhood education and care was $8.6 billion in 2014-15 — a real increase of $745.6 million (9.6 per cent) from 2013-14.

Early childhood education and care services aim to:

meet the education and care needs of all children in developmentally appropriate ways, in a safe and nurturing environment
provide quality services across a range of settings delivered in an equitable and efficient manner, meeting individual need.

The performance indicator framework provides information on equity, efficiency and effectiveness, and distinguishes the outputs and outcomes of ECEC services. The performance indicator framework shows which data are complete and comparable in the 2016 Report.

An overview of the Early childhood education and care (ECEC) performance indicator results are presented. Information to assist the interpretation of these data can be found in the indicator interpretation boxes in the ECEC chapter and attachment tables.

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Equity — Access indicators

Participation rates for special needs groups in child care

Proportion of 0-12 year olds attending Australian Government CCB approved child care who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, 2015. Compared to community proportion, 2014

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	2.2	0.8	3.1	2.1	1.4	4.6	1.1	7.7	2.1
%	5.4	1.6	7.9	6.3	4.5	9.4	2.8	41.4	5.5

Source: Attachment table 3A.14.

Proportion of 0-12 year olds attending Australian Government CCB approved child care who are from low income families, 2015. Compared to community proportion, 2013-14

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	23.7	27.0	24.8	21.2	22.4	25.1	11.2	13.5	24.0
%	17.8	17.6	16.6	11.9	18.5	24.8	6.1	9.0	16.8

Source: Attachment table 3A.14.

Proportion of 0–12 year olds attending Australian Government CCB approved child care with disability, 2013. Compared to community proportion, 2012.

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	3.8	2.5	2.4	2.1	4.2	2.4	2.8	4.7	3.0
%	6.8	6.3	6.4	7.4	6.7	9.3	7.0	4.0	6.7

Source: Attachment table 3A.14

Participation rates for special needs groups in preschool

Proportion of 3–5 year olds enrolled in a preschool program who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, 2014. Compared to community proportion, 2014

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	4.7	1.4	4.9	5.9	6.5	8.6	2.3	35.4	4.6
%	5.3	1.7	8.0	6.1	4.6	9.6	2.9	38.7	5.5

Source: Attachment table 3A.16.

Proportion of 3–5 year olds enrolled in a preschool program who are from regional areas, 2014. Compared to community proportion, 2014

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	29.2	23.5	33.0	17.5	22.9	98.2	2.8	53.2	27.9
%	25.0	23.7	35.6	17.2	23.6	98.2	0.5	50.8	27.4

Source: Attachment table 3A.16

Proportion of 3–5 year olds enrolled in a preschool program who are from remote areas, 2014. Compared to community proportion, 2014

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	0.8	–	2.8	7.0	4.0	1.8	..	46.5	2.4
%	0.6	0.1	3.5	6.9	3.9	1.8	..	49.2	2.6

Source: Attachment table 3A.16

Effectiveness — Access indicators

Children using child care

Proportion of 0–12 year olds attending Australian Government Child Care Benefit (CCB) approved child care, 2015

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	32.2	31.3	33.2	21.4	32.0	27.7	40.7	19.2	30.6

Source: Attachment table 3A.19

Children enrolled in preschool

Proportion of 4 year old children who are enrolled in a preschool program in the year before full time schooling, 2014

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	74.0	109.3	102.4	100.8	105.0	105.8	112.5	89.7	95.1

Source: Attachment table 3A.25

Proportion of 4 year old Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who are enrolled in a preschool program in the year before full time schooling, 2014

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	64.5	92.6	63.2	102.2	98.7	94.8	95.2	80.4	75.4

Source: Attachment table 3A.28

Children attending preschool

Proportion of 4 year old children who are attending a preschool program in the year before full time schooling, 2014

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	71.3	103.8	98.8	97.1	103.4	104.5	109.9	81.7	91.4

Source: Attachment table 3A.31

Non-standard hours of care in child care services

Proportion of Australian Government CCB approved child care services providing non-standard hours of care, 2015

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	16.2	22.6	52.9	26.1	22.2	15.1	4.8	16.5	26.3

Source: Attachment table 3A.38

Effectiveness — Access — Service affordability indicators

Child care service costs

Median weekly cost for 50 hours of Australian Government CCB approved long day care (LDC) and family day care (FDC), 2015

	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
$ LDC	425	420	363	405	383	395	493	400	400
$ FDC	333	344	362	375	335	435	398	450	341

Source: Attachment table 3A.39

Preschool service costs

Median per hour preschool program cost after subsidies per child enrolled aged 4 and 5 years, 2014

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
$	3.60	2.20	1.90	–	–	–	–	–	2.20

Source: Attachment table 3A.41

Effectiveness — Quality — Staff indicators

Staff quality in ECEC

Proportion of paid primary contact staff employed by CCB approved child care services with a relevant formal qualification at or above Certificate III level, 2013

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	73.5	79.8	76.5	68.9	70.1	75.4	50.6	53.2	74.1

Source: Attachment table 3A.45

Effectiveness — Quality — Standards indicators

Achievement of the National Quality Standard

Proportion of National Quality Framework approved services with a quality rating who met or exceeded the National Quality Standard overall, 30 June 2015

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	57.3	78.7	72.5	56.1	71.4	58.3	46.9	20.5	66.5

Source: Attachment table 3A.53

Substantiated breaches arising from complaints

Number of substantiated breaches arising from complaints per 100 NQF approved services, 2014-15

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
No.	23	9	9	11	5	—	8	5	13

Source: Attachment table 3A.61

Effectiveness — Quality — Health and safety indicators

Hospital separations for external causes of injury

Proportion of hospital separations for children aged 0–4 years resulting from an external cause of injury occurring in 'school', 2013-14

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	2.7	2.3	3.1	2.1	2.8	1.7	5.2	1.4	2.6

Source: Attachment table 3A.63

Efficiency — Inputs per output unit — Dollars per child indicators

Total government recurrent expenditure on ECEC per child in the community

Australian Government and State and Territory government recurrent expenditure on ECEC per child aged 0–12 years in the community, 2014-15

Most recent data for this measure are not comparable but are complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
$	2078	2157	2298	1922	2590	2353	2851	2862	2188

Source: Attachment table 3A.66

Australian Government recurrent expenditure per child attending CCB approved child care

Australian Government recurrent expenditure per child aged 0–12 years attending CCB approved child care, 2014-15

Most recent data for this measure are comparable (subject to caveats) but not complete (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	5830	5787	6050	5784	6070	6344	5515	8987	5951

Source: Attachment table 3A.67

Outcome indicators

Family work-related needs for child care

Proportion of children aged 0–12 years in families for whom additional formal child care was currently required for work-related reasons, 2014

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	4.0 ± 1.2	2.7 ± 0.9	3.1 ± 1.5	3.0 ± 1.3	3.5 ± 1.6	5.0 ± 2.9	np	4.7 ± 3.1	3.6 ± 0.6

Source: Attachment table 3A.68

Proportion of people aged 15 years or over not in the labour force due to caring for children whose main reason is child care service related

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	49.6 ± 6.0	49.4 ± 6.0	54.8 ± 10.5	44.1 ± 7.8	52.5 ± 11.9	na	na	60.6 ± 12.9	49.0 ± 3.6

Source: Attachment table 3A.69

Demand for ECEC

Proportion of children aged 0–12 years for whom additional formal child care or preschool was currently required, 2014

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	10.9 ± 1.7	9.5 ± 1.6	8.4 ± 2.4	10.1 ± 2.4	10.5 ± 2.5	11.0 ± 3.6	13.4 ± 3.4	11.8 ± 4.4	10.0 ± 0.8

Source: Attachment table 3A.70

Out-of-pocket costs of child care

Proportion of weekly disposable income that families with $75 000 gross annual income spend on one child for 50 hours long day care, after child subsidies, 2015

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	11.2	11.1	8.3	10.8	9.5	9.2	13.8	10.2	10.4

Source: Attachment table 3A.72

Proportion of weekly disposable income that families with $75 000 gross annual income spend on one child for 30 hours long day care, after child subsidies, 2015

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	6.4	6.3	4.6	6.2	5.3	5.3	7.9	5.7	5.9

Source: Attachment table 3A.74

ECEC outcomes

Proportion of children who have had ECEC experience that are developmentally vulnerable on one or more domains of the AEDC, 2012

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats (chapter 3)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	19.9	19.5	26.2	23.0	23.7	21.5	22.0	35.5	22.0

Source: Attachment table 3A.76

Legend

^a Caveats for these data are available in chapter 3 and attachment 3A. Refer to the indicator interpretation boxes in chapter 3 for information to assist with the interpretation of data presented in this table.

^b These data are derived from detailed data in chapter 3 and attachment 3A.

^c Some percentages reported in this table include 95 per cent confidence intervals (for example, 80 per cent ± 2.7 per cent).

na Not available.

.. Not applicable. – Nil or rounded to zero.

np Not published.

Performance indicator data for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this chapter are available in the attachment tables listed below. Contextual data and further supporting information can be found in the chapter.

Indigenous early childhood education and care data
Table number	Table title
Table 3A.13	Proportion of children aged 0-5 and 6-12 years attending Australian Government CCB approved child care services who are from special needs groups, compared with their representation in the community
table 3A.14	Proportion of children aged 0-12 years attending Australian Government CCB approved child care services who are from special needs groups, compared with their representation in the community
Table 3A.15	Proportion of children aged 0-12 years attending State and Territory government (only) funded child care services who are from special needs groups, compared with their representation in the community
Table 3A.16	Proportion of children aged 3-5 years enrolled in a preschool program who are from special needs groups, compared with their representation in the community
Table 3A.27	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 4 and 5 years enrolled in a preschool program in the YBFS, by remoteness area, national only
Table 3A.28	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people deferring access to GPs due to cost, 2012-13 (per cent)
Table 3A.29	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 4 and 5 years enrolled in a preschool program in the YBFS, by weekly hours
Table 3A.35	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 4 and 5 years attending a preschool program in the YBFS, by remoteness area, national only
Table 3A.36	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children attending a preschool program
Table 3A.37	Proportion of enrolled children aged 4 and 5 years attending a preschool program in the YBFS, by Indigenous status