NSW Preschool Funding Cuts Will Leave Vulnerable Children Behind

The Infants’ Home is calling on the NSW Government to reverse its decision to cut $150 million in operational funding from preschool programs delivered in long day care centres. These cuts will strip inclusive support from the children and families who need it most.

The funding, which is due to be removed from 1 January 2027, helps long day care services employ qualified teachers, support professional development and provide the resources children need to get ready for school.

Two-thirds of preschool-age children in NSW access preschool programs in long day care settings. For many families, these services are a vital part of everyday life, combining early education with the extended hours of care that working families rely on.

“For The Infants’ Home, the loss of this NSW Government funding will be devastating,” says Elizabeth Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of The Infant’s Home. “At least 30% of the children in our long day care centres receive additional support due to vulnerability or complex needs, at no extra cost to their families, with this funding’s help. NSW government funding was already insufficient, and its removal will significantly reduce our capacity to provide inclusive support for those children who need it most.”

The Infants’ Home is not alone in facing this funding challenge. Non-profit and community-based providers across the sector have raised serious concerns about their ability to continue supporting children without this operational funding. The Infants’ Home joins our sector colleagues in urging the NSW Government to reverse the cuts.

“Ultimately, this is not about service providers. It is about the children and families who rely on their local long day care services to provide high-quality preschool programs”, Ms Robinson says. “Families value the extended-hours care that long day care settings offer, and children benefit from the high-quality early education and care they provide. We know that quality early childhood education and care, and timely early intervention, are profoundly linked to improved future outcomes for both individuals and for society as a whole. Without sustainable funding and policy settings that recognise the true cost of inclusive care, children risk being left behind.”

The Infants’ Home is asking the NSW Government to protect the funding and policy settings that make inclusive early learning possible, so that every child can thrive.

“Inclusive early childhood education is an investment in every child’s future,” says Ms Robinson. “It is one worth protecting.”

Contact: Elizabeth Robinson
Position: Chief Executive Officer