5 January 2026
The commencement of the 3 Day Guarantee today moves Australia one step closer to universal early learning and care, removing a longstanding barrier to children’s participation.
The Early Learning and Care Council of Australia (ELACCA) welcomes the commencement of the 3 Day Guarantee, which extends access to the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) to all eligible children in Australia, for at least 72 hours per fortnight (three days per week).
‘This new measure is a big step forward in securing every child’s right to learn,’ said the CEO of ELACCA, Anne Hollonds.
‘For three days each week, the Australian Government is prioritising a child’s right to early learning, even if their parent or carer is not in the workforce or has irregular working hours,’ Ms Hollonds said. ‘This is an important cultural shift for Australia, reflecting the critical importance of early learning to all children, separately to support for parents’ workforce participation. It opens the way for genuine universal access to early learning and care.’
‘The extension of the 3 Day Guarantee to 100 hours per fortnight (or four days per week) for First Nations children is especially important, given the urgent need to close the gap in education and health outcomes in First Nations communities.’
Alongside other organisations, ELACCA has long advocated for the removal of the ‘activity test’, which had previously restricted access to the CCS based on parents’ and carers’ participation in employment, study or volunteering. In its 2023-24 inquiry into the early learning system, the Productivity Commission found that the activity test ‘limits access to ECEC for those children and families who need it most, without substantial gains in labour force participation’.[1]
[1] Productivity Commission. (2024). A path to universal early childhood education and care, Inquiry report no. 106, Vol. 1, Canberra, p. 5.
Ends
Contact:
Anne Hollonds, CEO
M: 0411 382 692
Early Learning and Care Council of Australia
PO Box 497
Roseville NSW 2069
About us:
Our 17 CEO members include some of the largest early learning providers in the country, representing both not-for-profit and for-profit services.
ELACCA members operate 2,019 long day care services, 298 preschool/kindergarten services and 70 OSHC services, covering every state and territory. They offer one-quarter of all the long day care places in Australia. Together, our members serve 356,339 children and their families, and employ more than 57,382 staff.
As well as promoting the value of quality early learning and the need for greater public investment, ELACCA advocates for the right of all children to access quality early learning and care, particularly children facing disadvantage. We do this by drawing on the knowledge and practical experience of our members and representing their views to decision makers in government, the media and the public.