The roll-out of the Commonwealth Government’s billion dollar commitment for new services in areas that have become known as ‘childcare deserts’ will take Australia one step closer to a universal early learning system. This article calls on the Australian Government to prioritise service delivery for young children experiencing significant disadvantage, ensuring it is integrated, holistic and builds on community strengths.

The Targeting investment where it counts research report calls out 131 early education priority zones across the country. These communities experience significant socio-economic disadvantage, high levels of early childhood developmental vulnerability and a lack of early learning services (childcare deserts). 

The evidence suggests that to make a difference for the most disadvantaged children in the most disadvantaged communities, service delivery needs to be integrated and holistic – hubs where early childhood education, nurses, speech therapists, psychologists, family and parenting supports can be delivered together, overcoming barriers to access and addressing developmental needs that mean children can learn, build relationships and thrive. 

Quality is critical and childcare alone is not sufficient if the development outcomes that are strived for are to be achieved. Recipient communities of these hubs need to be driving the set up and management process so hubs are locally owned and built on community strengths.