Activity details
SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children (SNAICC) has been appointed as Sector Strengthening Partner in New South Wales as part of a commitment to ensure more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families are supported to participate in culturally safe, inclusive, quality early childhood education and care.
The Sector Strengthening Partnership will support the First Steps Aboriginal Children’s Early Childhood Education Strategy 2021-25. It will contribute to key priorities under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap related to building the community-controlled sector as well as targets:
- to increase the proportion of Aboriginal children enrolled in early childhood education in the year before school
- to increase the proportion of Aboriginal children assessed as developmentally on track in all 5 domains of the AEDC.
SNAICC will support Aboriginal community-controlled organisations (ACCOs) delivering childhood education and care in New South Wales for 4 years from 2023–27.
Implementation progress update
There are currently 41 ACCOs in NSW including preschools, multifunctional Aboriginal children’s services and Aboriginal Child and Family Centres.
The First Steps Strategy provides a roadmap to achieving the best educational outcomes for Aboriginal children aged 0 to 5 across NSW. An expanded and enhanced First Steps Strategy will include investment of $10.95 million from the NSW Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund in 2025-26 to support delivery of at least 15 additional ACCO-led Early Childhood Education and Care services, working towards delivering up to 870 new early learning places for Aboriginal children in areas of greatest need across NSW by end of 2028.
More information
- Learn about the National Plan to End Violence against women and children 2022-2032.
- Read the First Action Plan 2023-2027.
- Browse the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan update.