Megan O’Connell and colleagues write in The Conversation (20.4.16) about the urgent need for more effective funding of early education services, to help increase access to quality learning programs in early childhood.
‘There is a mismatch between Australia’s investment priorities and our opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children.
‘We know that access to high-quality early education can change children’s learning trajectories. Yet one in three Australian children do not attend early education for the hours needed to make a difference.
‘The children most likely to benefit from quality early education are the most likely to miss out. Five key changes are needed to improve access to high-quality early education to set all children up for a lifetime of learning.’