This toolkit is a practical product for developers, industry, local government, business owners and early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers to guide their decisions around establishing an ECEC centre in a co-located environment.

The toolkit provides guidance information that can facilitate increased partnerships between stakeholders and result in more co-location opportunities.  More information is available in the various partnership models shown later.

By enhancing decision making for stakeholders, this toolkit also aims to increase workforce participation in regional NSW as a result of increased ECEC provision and to support young children in their development through high quality ECEC.

Long day care

Evidence from key national and state reviews demonstrates that many parents, particularly mothers, are unable to return to work until their youngest child is enrolled in formal ECEC care, most commonly long day care (IPART, 2023; ACCC, 2023).

Long day care services provide the extended hours and consistency necessary to support stable workforce participation.  These services are especially critical for families without access to informal or flexible care arrangements. Furthermore, undersupply in regional and disadvantaged areas continues to limit parents’ ability to re-enter the workforce, reinforcing the need for strategic investment in long day care infrastructure.

Given these dynamics, this toolkit will focus primarily on the planning, delivery, and co- location of long day care services, which are most closely aligned with workforce participation goals.  However, it will also be instructive for other service types, including occasional care, out-of-school-hours care (OOSH), and preschool programs, where relevant to the various steps of the toolkit.

Long day care services provide the extended hours and consistency necessary to support stable workforce participation.  These services are especially critical for families without access to informal or flexible care arrangements.  Furthermore, undersupply in regional and disadvantaged areas continues to limit parents’ ability to re-enter the workforce, reinforcing the need for strategic investment in long day care infrastructure.

Given these dynamics, this toolkit will focus primarily on the planning, delivery, and co-location of long day care services, which are most closely aligned with workforce participation goals.  However, it will also be instructive for other service types, including occasional care, out-of-school-hours care (OOSH), and preschool programs, where relevant to the various steps of the toolkit.

Regional NSW

This toolkit is location agnostic and able to be used anywhere across regional NSW.  This emphasis is driven by the recognition that child care deserts, areas with little to no access to formal early childhood education and care, are most prevalent in regional, rural, and remote communities (Victoria University, 2024).  These geographic gaps contribute to deepening social and economic inequities, making it critical to support more consistent, inclusive, and accessible planning strategies across all parts of regional NSW.

Co-location of ECEC

This toolkit places a particular emphasis on the co-location of ECEC services, recognising the complex nature of planning and delivering co-located facilities, especially in regional settings where challenges may be amplified.  By focusing on co-location, the toolkit aims to provide greater clarity and support for navigating the planning and decision-making processes that are often less understood or documented.

While the primary focus is on co-located models, the toolkit remains relevant to other forms of ECEC service delivery.  The intent is not to prescribe co-location as the only option, but to highlight its potential benefits and encourage exploration of this approach.  At the same time, it will offer practical guidance for establishing standalone ECEC services, ensuring the toolkit is adaptable to a variety of contexts and planning pathways.