The NSW Department of Education is committed to increasing the number of early childhood teachers qualified in providing inclusive education for children with disability and additional needs in NSW community preschools, mobile preschools and long daycare services. To support this commitment, scholarships worth up to $20,000 for eligible individuals.

From the 01 November, for Cert 3 and Diploma Educational Leaders, they will now receive an allowance of $4,022.05 per year.

Fee-free early childhood education and care training are available to any eligible NSW resident, regardless of age, employment status or prior qualifications.

Free Kinder will be available for both 3 and 4-year-old kindergarten programs from 2023. All early childhood education and care providers that deliver a funded kindergarten program in Victoria are eligible to receive Free Kinder funding from 2023, subject to meeting specified terms and conditions.

Due to a rising teacher shortage, more early learning centres are operating without enough qualified early childhood teachers, which could jeopardise the federal government's promise to make daycare more affordable.

Early childhood educators are represented by the United Workers Union (Union), which has called for a strike on September 7 in protest of the wages and working conditions in the industry.

Australia Post is the principal partner of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. They have created the Pen Pal Club teacher guide encouraging children to investigate and share First Nations stories and culture through letter writing.

It is crucial that all providers and service staff ensure children are safe, healthy and protected from harm and risks associated with sleep and rest by complying with all sleep and rest regulatory requirements.

Hundreds of early childhood union members voted to take national action, shut down the early learning sector and take to the streets on Early Childhood Educators Day on September 7.

NSW Health is currently seeing an increase in the number of COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases in ECEC services and is predicting cases to grow over the coming months.