What is the key to thriving regional communities?
It Starts With Access to Quality, Early Childhood Education & Care
Join a community committed to sharing ideas, resources, and real solutions that make early childhood care more accessible for everyone.
Our Mission
The Future Care Project is dedicated to becoming a powerful resource and inspiring community where you can discover solutions and gain meaningful support in your journey toward establishing better access to quality early childhood education and care. We invite you to openly share your stories or your ideas—the hurdles you've faced, the victories you've celebrated, or the why that has bought you to this space.
Together, we will create a vibrant collective blueprint, driven by passionate community leaders, parents, and committed local advocates who have tackled the barriers and unlocked innovative solutions. There are many remarkable individuals who have already navigated complex regulations, secured crucial funding, established essential infrastructure, trained passionate teams, and overcome the red tape - and here is where you will find those stories.
Instead of working in isolation, let us unite, share our experiences, and pool our strengths to empower each other. By collaborating, we will dismantle longstanding barriers, opening pathways for our regional communities to flourish with greater access to quality early learning education and care.
Your voice, experience, and insights are essential. Be a part of shaping a brighter future, powered by collective wisdom and united by purpose.
Connect with us today to share your journey via email at hello@thefuturecareproject.com.au
Our Story
Our advocacy efforts began in collaboration with the Goondiwindi Chamber of Commerce, which conducted a survey in partnership with the Minderoo Foundation’s Thrive by Five initiative. The survey, distributed among businesses, families, and early education providers in 2024, shed light on the pressing childcare challenges in our region.
The findings underscored the critical role of accessible childcare in supporting local businesses and driving economic growth. Alarmingly, 78% of surveyed businesses in our region reported that childcare shortages had significantly impacted their ability to operate. While the effects of limited childcare availability on families and children are well recognised, this research brought a new perspective—highlighting how these challenges also hinder workforce participation, business sustainability, and the broader regional economy.
This insight has sparked valuable conversations around solutions to improve childcare accessibility, helping to build a stronger and more resilient local workforce. We're excited to share our experiences and collaborate with other communities facing similar challenges—because together, we can create lasting change.
Our Data
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Our Community
Created by Essential Media, this video series explores the far-reaching effects of childcare shortages in the Goondiwindi region, demonstrating how families, providers, and businesses are being affected. It reinforces that our challenges are shared by many regional communities across Australia, making early childhood education reform a national priority. Addressing these issues will not only support local families and businesses but also drive broader economic and social benefits for regional Australia.
Click on each image below to watch the correlating video.
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Our Research
Recent initiatives included here highlight the need to improve Australia's Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) system for better accessibility and workforce capacity. Jobs and Skills released a report with 28 findings and 41 recommendations on ECEC challenges. The South Australian Royal Commission, led by Hon Julia Gillard AC, proposed ways to enhance service quality and accessibility across various ECEC services. Additionally, The Parenthood's report emphasises gaps in ECEC in rural areas, while the Productivity Commission recommends free childcare for low-income families.
Overall, these efforts aim to strengthen ECEC services nationwide and enhance the conversation as to why we need to continue to advocate for change.
Click on the image to access to report.
Our Supporters
Our Acknowledgement of Country
We would like to acknowledge the Bigambul people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work. We honour their enduring connection to the lands, waters, and communities. We also would like to pay our deepest respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures thought Australia;
to Elders past, present, and emerging.