11 November 2026   Preschool programs delivered by members of the Early Learning and Care Council of Australia (ELACCA) may be forced to close as a result of funding cuts imposed by the New South Wales Government. ELACCA has collected data from five of its members (not-for-profit and for-profit), showing a collective loss of $8.5 million in preschool funding in 2027. This is spread across 255 long day care services, with communities in regional NSW among the hardest hit. “The scale of this cut is staggering,” said Dr Amanda Walsh, the CEO of ELACCA. “At a time when governments across Australia