Page headerPage header
Weather IconSydney 15º C
Logo
Subscribe
NewsQualityPolicyPracticeWorkforceProviderEconomicsResearch
MarketplaceEventsAbout us

Early education news, events and more

LogoLogoLogo
Logo
NewsQualityPolicyPracticeWorkforceProviderEconomicsResearch
MarketplaceSector Connect+ EventsAdvertise With UsAbout usContactTerms and Conditions
Editorial GuidelinesPrivacy Policy
Page footer imagePage footer image

The Sector - Early education news, events and more

Latest news

All NewsAll News

Latest news

sliderslider
sliderslider
icon
Research
icon
Provider
icon
Practice
icon
Quality

VECRA issues Emergency Action Notice over unsafe sleep practices

Early childhood is a critical period for brain development, which is important for boosting cognition and mental wellbeing. Good brain health at this age is directly linked to better mental heath, cognition and educational attainment in adolescence and adulthood. It can also provide resilience in times of stress.

Therapist with child
iconArticle
Fiona Alston
Mar 04, 2026

Early childhood is a critical period for brain development, which is important for boosting cognition and mental wellbeing. Good brain health at this age is directly linked to better mental heath, cognition and educational attainment in adolescence and adulthood. It can also provide resilience in times of stress.

Don’t miss a thing

The NewsStart your day informed
The PodcastTune in on the go
The MarketplaceKnow what matters
sliderslider
sliderslider
CEO Annie Bryce steps down from leading Edge Early Learning
Provider
Provider
Workforce
Workforce

CEO Annie Bryce steps down from leading Edge Early Learning

Fiona Alston
Jan 27, 2026
Three back-to-school conversations to boost children’s resilience and coping skills
Practice
Practice
Quality
Quality

Three back-to-school conversations to boost children’s resilience and coping skills

Fiona Alston
Jan 27, 2026
VECRA issues Emergency Action Notice over unsafe sleep practices
Research
Research
Provider
Provider
Practice
Practice
Quality
Quality

VECRA issues Emergency Action Notice over unsafe sleep practices

Fiona Alston
Mar 04, 2026
slider
slider
slider
slider

Marketplace

View Allicon
General News
Long Day Care
Marketplace
Property

Expanding Westward: Aspire Early Education Kindergarten Grows Nationally

After 19 successful early education centre openings in their home state of Victoria, Aspire Early Education & Kindergarten has excitedly opened their first interstate service.

Contributed Content
May 15, 2024
Expanding Westward: Aspire Early Education Kindergarten Grows Nationally
Contributed Content
May 15, 2024
Stop scrolling – New videos upskilling parents 
Compliance
Policy
Policy
Practice
Practice
Products
Quality
Quality
Services
Understanding Children

Stop scrolling – New videos upskilling parents 

Contributed Content
Dec 17, 2025
‘By Five’ project wins at the Victorian Government Early Years Awards
Quality
Quality

‘By Five’ project wins at the Victorian Government Early Years Awards

Freya Lucas
Dec 24, 2020
‘Care is in everything we do and everything we are’: the work of Indigenous women needs to be valued
Advocacy

‘Care is in everything we do and everything we are’: the work of Indigenous women needs to be valued

Jason Roberts
Mar 28, 2024
View Allicon
sliderslider
sliderslider

Editor’s Pick

View All
In The Field
Category icon
Practice
Category icon
Quality
Category icon
Research
Understanding Children

Professional bravery in ECEC: How reading the nervous system prevents behaviour escalation

Across early childhood settings, educators are reporting a rise in big emotions, sensory-based distress, and behaviour that seems to escalate faster than it once did. The increase is not due to a lack of skill within the workforce. It reflects the growing complexity of children’s developmental and sensory needs, combined with the heightened expectations placed on educators. In these moments, one skill consistently protects safety, reduces escalation, and strengthens relationships. Professional bravery.

Featured image
FDC-Friendly
Fiona Alston
Dec 02, 2025
General News

$1.5 million in grants on offer in 2021 Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant program

Early learning centres and services around Australia, along with their primary school counterparts, are now eligible for ‘a Bee Bonus’ as part of a broader $1.5million investment by Woolworths into the 2021 Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant program.

Featured image
Freya Lucas
Feb 15, 2021

Keep Exploring

Professional development

$1 million announced for Gowrie Victoria to mentor provisionally registered ECTs

Provisionally registered early childhood teachers in Victoria will have some extra support thanks to a new funding package which will give Gowrie Victoria $1 million to support professional mentoring.

Featured image
Freya Lucas
Jul 11, 2022
In The Field
Category icon
Practice
Category icon
Quality
Category icon
Research
Understanding Children

Professional bravery in ECEC: How reading the nervous system prevents behaviour escalation

Across early childhood settings, educators are reporting a rise in big emotions, sensory-based distress, and behaviour that seems to escalate faster than it once did. The increase is not due to a lack of skill within the workforce. It reflects the growing complexity of children’s developmental and sensory needs, combined with the heightened expectations placed on educators. In these moments, one skill consistently protects safety, reduces escalation, and strengthens relationships. Professional bravery.

Featured image
FDC-Friendly
Fiona Alston
Dec 02, 2025
Featured image
Category Icon News
General News

$1.5 million in grants on offer in 2021 Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant program

Freya Lucas
Feb 15, 2021
Featured image
Category Icon News
Professional development

$1 million announced for Gowrie Victoria to mentor provisionally registered ECTs

Freya Lucas
Jul 11, 2022
View All

For you

Category icon
Research
Category icon
Provider
Category icon
Practice
Category icon
Quality

VECRA issues Emergency Action Notice over unsafe sleep practices

Early childhood is a critical period for brain development, which is important for boosting cognition and mental wellbeing. Good brain health at this age is directly linked to better mental heath, cognition and educational attainment in adolescence and adulthood. It can also provide resilience in times of stress.

Featured image
Tag iconArticle
Fiona Alston
Mar 04, 2026
Category icon
Research
Category icon
Provider
Innovative Research
Understanding Children

Intentional science play: a three‑stage pathway to foster children’s scientific literacy in the early years

If we are truly committed to developing children’s scientific literacy, we must reconsider where science begins for the young, at the block corner, the water tray, and with the magnifying glass in hand.

Featured image
Fiona Alston
Feb 25, 2026
Category icon
Research
Category icon
Quality
Category icon
Practice
Innovative Research
Understanding Children

When heat shapes learning before school: What a major cross-national study means for ECEC practice

Heat management in early childhood services is usually framed as a health and safety issue, sun protection, hydration, rest, and reducing the risk of heat illness. New research suggests it may also be a learning and development issue, with unusually high temperatures linked to lower rates of being “developmentally on track” for some foundational skills in the preschool years.

Featured image
Fiona Alston
Jan 23, 2026
Category icon
Policy
Category icon
Quality
Category icon
Provider
Category icon
Practice
Changes
Compliance
In The Field
Legislation
NQF and Policy Changes
Politics
Professional development
Examples

Looking ahead: What the ECEC sector can expect in 2026

As 2026 begins, early childhood education and care (ECEC) services across Australia are preparing for a year of substantial reform, focused on strengthening child safety and raising the bar on national standards. Following a series of agreements by Education Ministers in 2025, new changes to the National Quality Framework (NQF) and the Education and Care Services National Law will take effect progressively throughout the year. These reforms reflect the shared commitment of educators, families, communities and governments to place child safety and wellbeing at the centre of early learning environments.

Featured image
Fiona Alston
Jan 23, 2026
Category icon
Research
Category icon
Provider
Category icon
Practice
Category icon
Quality

VECRA issues Emergency Action Notice over unsafe sleep practices

Early childhood is a critical period for brain development, which is important for boosting cognition and mental wellbeing. Good brain health at this age is directly linked to better mental heath, cognition and educational attainment in adolescence and adulthood. It can also provide resilience in times of stress.

Featured image
Tag iconArticle
Fiona Alston
Mar 04, 2026
Featured image
Category Icon News
Research
Research
Provider
Provider
Innovative Research
Understanding Children

Intentional science play: a three‑stage pathway to foster children’s scientific literacy in the early years

Fiona Alston
Feb 25, 2026
Featured image
Category Icon News
Research
Research
Quality
Quality
Practice
Practice
Innovative Research
Understanding Children

When heat shapes learning before school: What a major cross-national study means for ECEC practice

Fiona Alston
Jan 23, 2026
Featured image
Category Icon News
Policy
Policy
Quality
Quality
Provider
Provider
Practice
Practice
Changes
Compliance
In The Field
Legislation
NQF and Policy Changes
Politics
Professional development
Examples

Looking ahead: What the ECEC sector can expect in 2026

Fiona Alston
Jan 23, 2026
View All