New data shows Albanese Labor Government’s early childhood education plan is working for families and educators

New data released today shows families across Australia have saved up to $2,768 since childcare subsidies came into effect in 2023, as the Albanese Labor Government shores up the early childhood education workforce and moves towards universal childcare.

The data, provided by the Department of Education, shows an Australian family on an income of $120,000 a year paying the average quarterly fee for 30 hours childcare per week has saved approximately $2,768 since September 2023.

This is real cost of living relief, going back into the pockets of Australian families.  

This comes on top of new data released by Jobs and Skills Australia showing workforce vacancy rates in the early education and care sector have plummeted over the last 12 months, with internet vacancy rates down 22 per cent since December 2023.

The decrease coincides with the Albanese Labor Government's commitment last year to fund a 15 per cent wage increase over two years for ECEC workers.

In addition, Goodstart, the biggest ECEC employer in Australia, says completed job applications have increased by 35 per cent year-on-year and expressions of interest are up 50-60 per cent.

More than 50 per cent of services have now applied for Labor’s Worker Retention Payment.

The Worker Retention Payment supports pay rises for up to 200,000 ECEC workers, recognising the important work they do and helping with cost-of-living pressures.

Pay rises of 10 per cent above the award rate started hitting the pay packets of eligible ECEC workers in December, with a further 5 per cent increase due in December this year.

The wage increase will support early education and care providers to give their employees a pay boost, helping to retain the existing workforce and attract new workers to the sector.

We know Building Australia’s Future is about more than bricks and mortar. It’s about investing in people, in skills and education.

That’s why the Albanese Labor Government is committed to establishing a $1 billion Building Early Education Fund from July 2025 and guaranteeing every child access to at least three days of high-quality early education as critical next steps to building a universal early education and care system.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

“We have cut the cost of child care for more than 1 million families. The next step is fixing the pay of some of the most important workers in this country.

“This shows our 15 per cent pay rise for early educators is working. Applications are up and job vacancies are down.

“If we win the next election, we will build more centres where they are needed in the outer suburbs and the regions and guarantee every child who needs it three days of subsidised early education so they start school ready to learn.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Anne Aly:

“Properly valuing the early childhood education and care workforce is crucial to attracting and retaining workers and vital to achieving the quality universal early learning sector Australian families deserve.

“We’re boosting the wages of early childhood education workers, while relieving cost of living pressures on Australian families.

“I urge all eligible early learning services to sign up to this important initiative, so their hardworking staff get the full benefit of this wage increase.”