The Childcare Leadership Alliance (CLA) was founded in 2022 to address the childcare challenges unique to regional communities, commencing with a pilot of strategies in Moranbah and Dysart in central Queensland.

The CLA is supported by BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA), the largest employer in the region with a volunteer board comprising of representatives from the Isaac Regional Council, local business, the early learning sector, and BMA. If successful, it is hoped these initiatives will be scalable to other regional communities throughout Australia.

Who Are We

The Childcare Leadership Alliance – Supporting the provision of high-quality early learning services that meet the needs of families and communities will set children up for success in school and life.

Address the challenges in the early learning sector, particularly the attraction and retention, ongoing professional development, and wages for qualified Early Childhood Teachers and educators, with a particular focus on the heightened challenges in regional communities.

Addressing the Childcare Challenge in Regional Australia

The communities of the Isaac Regional Council area are facing a significant childcare challenge, which impacts working families, children, local employers, and childcare operators.

There is a shortfall of places in local childcare centres to meet the needs of the community, and there simply aren’t enough educators and teachers. This means centres are unable to operate at full capacity, and it’s having a flow-on effect to working families. Without care, parents’ ability to fully participate in the workforce is limited (which predominantly impacts women); and there’s an impact on business productivity for their employers.

But most importantly, a lack of available places impacts young children, who lose the opportunity to participate fully in quality early learning. The majority of brain development occurs between birth and 5 years of age, and we know those early childhood experiences set the foundations for a child’s future development and learning outcomes. Kids in country Queensland deserve a chance to participate in quality early childhood education, to give them the best start in life.

Addressing the Childcare challenge in Regional Australia Infographic

Strategic and Innovative Solutions

The Childcare Leadership Alliance (CLA) has been formed to work with communities within the Isaac Regional Council area to develop strategic and innovative solutions that will empower childcare operators to attract, retain, and upskill early childhood educators and teachers, commencing with a pilot of strategies in Moranbah and Dysart.

This work requires a whole-of-community approach, and we are drawing on the insights and ideas of the community (including the Isaac Regional Council, mining operators, childcare centre managers and staff, parents and families, and community groups) to help us design long-term, sustainable solutions.

Meet Our Board

Melissa Westcott
Melissa Westcott
Chair
Chris Wright
Chris Wright
Treasurer
Amanda Stephan
Amanda Stephan
Secretary
Jasmine Cadd
Jasmine Cadd
Board Member
Mick Thomas
Mick Thomas
Board Member
Sandy Moffat
Sandy Moffat
Board Member – Dysart Community Representative