What’s happening?
A major shift in early learning accessibility is coming to Toowoomba, Darling Downs, and Maranoa, with the Australian Parliament passing the Three-Day Guarantee. From January 2026, all children will be eligible for at least three days of subsidised early learning, regardless of their parents’ work or study status.
During a visit to Goodstart Glenvale Road Centre, CEO Dr Ros Baxter met with local parent Cyndel and her three-year-old daughter, Eleanor, to hear firsthand how financial barriers had previously made early learning inaccessible.
Why it matters?
This reform eliminates financial roadblocks that have historically kept children from vital early education, particularly those from low-income families. Cyndel, a single mother, shared how the support of Goodstart’s Early Learning Fund (ELF) was life-changing for her children:
“Without Goodstart’s Early Learning Fund, my children wouldn’t have had the opportunities that early learning provides. The work of their educators and teachers changed their life trajectory, particularly my son Harry, preparing him for school and supporting his socio-emotional regulation.”
Dr Baxter reinforced the importance of this policy:
“No parent should have to fight to access early learning for their children. This guarantee will give thousands of families the opportunity to give their children the best start in life.”
Local Impact
More than 1,060 children across Toowoomba, Darling Downs, and Maranoa will benefit from this policy, with increased access and affordability.
- 470 children will gain improved affordability.
- 590 children will gain increased access.
- All First Nations children will be eligible for 100 hours of subsidised early learning per fortnight, regardless of parental work or study status.
By the Numbers
- 1,060 children in Toowoomba, Darling Downs, and Maranoa will benefit from the reform.
- 107,000 children nationally will gain improved early learning access.
- January 2026 is when the Three-Day Guarantee takes effect.
Zoom In
Families like Cyndel’s have long faced barriers to early learning. When her Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) ran out, she struggled to cover the costs, leaving her eldest son, Harry, without access to early education in his final months before school. Now, her daughter Eleanor is benefiting from ELF, enabling Cyndel to re-enter the workforce.
“ELF changed everything for us. Without it, my children wouldn’t have had access to the learning and support they needed,” she said.
Zoom Out
The Three-Day Guarantee follows recommendations from the Productivity Commission and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which found the existing activity test for the Child Care Subsidy was excluding low-income families from early education.
Dr Baxter highlighted:
“Goodstart remains committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to thrive because all research tells us—early learning changes lives.”
What to Look for Next?
With the guarantee set to begin in January 2026, local early learning providers will prepare for increased enrolments. Goodstart will continue advocating for accessible early education, ensuring that families stay informed about their entitlements.
