Major childcare administration exposes urgent need for national oversight

The voluntary administration of one of Australia’s largest early learning providers has exposed the urgent need for stronger national oversight of the sector.

Edge Early Learning operates 68 centres across Queensland, South Australia and the ACT. Its administration follows a period of rapid expansion and repeated regulatory action at several South Australian services.

The Parenthood Senior Director of Strategy, Campaigns and Community, Tegan Gilchrist, said the announcement would create enormous uncertainty for families and educators.

“When a provider operating dozens of centres across three jurisdictions enters administration, it is not simply a private business matter,” Ms Gilchrist said.

“Childcare is essential infrastructure. Families need to know their children’s care will continue and educators need certainty about their jobs.

“Australia needs a national early learning commission with oversight of provider growth, financial viability and quality.

“We should be identifying risks and planning for continuity of care before families are left to deal with the fallout.

“This is another warning that we cannot continue treating early learning as a collection of private businesses and simply hope the market delivers a stable, safe and accessible system.”

The Parenthood is calling for the federal government to establish a national early learning commission responsible for planning, monitoring provider viability and ensuring families can access reliable, high-quality early learning wherever they live

The Parenthood is Australia’s leading parent advocacy organisation, representing families nationwide and working to make early childhood education and care safer, more affordable and accessible for every child.