Almost one in four Australians live in a childcare ‘desert’ – where more than three children vie for every childcare place available.
It also found 700,000 Australians live in locations with virtually no access to childcare whatsoever.
“We know that high-quality accessible childcare has huge benefits, for both workforce participation and helping young children to thrive,” Mitchell Institute Director and lead author, Associate Professor Peter Hurley, said.
“For the first time, we can see the impact of different government policies and how nations compare. The results will affect the lives of millions of families around the world.”
As a nation, Australia ranks fourth in overall childcare accessibility, outperformed by Norway, Sweden, and Scotland respectively. The new research takes into account both long daycare and community preschool places.
While accessibility has improved in many areas since 2020, with 80,000 new childcare places created, some regions still face challenges. In five out of Australia’s eight states and territories, more than two children vie for every childcare or preschool spot available.
Read on to see how childcare accessibility varies across different states and regions in Australia:
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