Royal Far West (RFW) has contributed feedback to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART)which is reviewing the NSW Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector to look at improvements that could be made to affordability, accessibility, and consumer choice.

The early years are the most crucial time in every child’s life.  The foundations established in our early years influences the rest of our lives. Our country kids also face the burden of distance when it comes to finding the support and the unique problems that our country communities face is not an easy task to solve.

The IPART Review of Early Childhood Education and Care is an opportunity to disrupt inequitable health and education outcomes for children living in rural and remote Australia, significantly improving entrenched disadvantage and mental health trajectories. Children who experience disadvantage in the early years need help to navigate a new path to unlock their full potential and have happy and healthy lives for themselves and their families.

RFW recommends research, focus and investment in the following:

1. Unlock wisdom, potential and capacity that already exists in our resilient rural and remote communities across the State
2. Embrace technology and innovation to offer flexible solutions to long standing challenges
3. Fund multidisciplinary teams which “lovingly wrap around parents,” – especially our most vulnerable, who did not receive the right support(s) in their own early years and who are struggling to give their children the best chance in life – with access to trauma-informed supports, knowledge and skills
4. Elevate the recognition, supports and pay for our early educators and reduce the barriers for them to work in rural and remote communities
5. Most importantly, reverse the growing divide between city and country children by ensuring every country child in NSW has access to the services they need to support their early development and enrich their lives. Royal Far West is happy to provide more details and expand on this submission.

If IPART focuses on the above issues, RFW believes these outcomes will help increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the sector.  RFW acknowledges this will require collaboration with the sector and a unified approach across Federal, State and Local Government.

To read the full submission click here

Royal Far West is happy to provide more details and expand on this submission.

To find out more information please email communications@royalfarwest.org.au