Early Childhood Care and Development Policy Partnership Annual Report 2024

Executive Summary

The Early Childhood Care and Development Policy Partnership (the Partnership/ECCDPP) was established in August 2022 under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap (National Agreement) to drive transformative action to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The Partnership supports shared decision-making between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and Australian governments under Priority Reform 1 of the National Agreement, in recognition that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a right to self-determination and are the experts on matters concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

The purpose of the Partnership is for governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parties to develop a joined-up approach to policy that ensures Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are born healthy, supported to thrive with strong families and proud in culture. The scope of the Partnership includes outcomes 2, 3, 4, 12 and 13 under the National Agreement, which span Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander maternal and child health, early childhood education, childcare, child safety and children and families (out-of-home care and family violence).

The Partnership held 4 in-person meetings across Australia in its second full calendar year of operation. During this time, the Partnership focused on building its strong foundation for shared decision-making, leading collaboration, and progressing its priorities for policy reform in the early years. The Partnership worked towards 6 priority areas for action in its first year and has further agreed to 16 new priorities to take forward in 2024-25 and beyond. The priorities reflect the Partnership’s remit and its intention to lead transformation of government, ways of working and join up approaches and initiatives to deliver holistic policy reform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Key achievements during 2024 include:

• Commissioned and delivered 2 pieces of independent research including:

• Funding Model Options for ACCO Integrated Early Years Services Report; and
• Evidence on Optimal Hours of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children Literature Review.

• Provision of both reports to inform the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into ECEC, with the Partnership’s engagement and advice informing the recommendations of the Productivity Commission’s final report. In response, the Australian Government announced in the 2024-25 MYEFO it is replacing the current CCS Activity Test from January 2026. Families caring for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child will be eligible for 100 hours of subsidised ECEC per fortnight, for each child, lifting the current automatic baseline entitlement from 36 to 100 subsidised hours.

• Collaborated with Safe and Supported governance to drive progress towards the establishment of a fully empowered and legislated National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children, which began operations in January 2025 under an appointed Acting Commissioner.

• Delivered the Partnership’s first set of recommendations to Joint Council on Closing the Gap (Joint Council), all of which have been accepted and are being progressed by governments.

• Developed a Probity Framework to support the Partnership in shared decision-making by enhancing transparency, impartiality and accountability.

• Commissioned research to develop an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led Evidence Guidance Framework, to be completed in late 2025.

• Engaged with the Productivity Commission’s Review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, including reporting by governments to the Partnership on their progress in implementing the Review’s findings and recommendations.

• Strengthened the promotion of the Partnership and its work to communities and across government, through a communications and engagement strategy for the Partnership, including commissioning of a custom artwork – ‘Guiding Stars’ by Tovani Cox.

• Agreed 16 priorities and developed a Year 2 Workplan to guide the activities and progress of the Partnership’s next year.

In 2025, the Partnership will continue to identify and progress priorities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children through shared effort and decision-making. This will include making recommendations to Joint Council.