Smart Queensland - Early childhood
2020 Target: All children have access to a quality early childhood education, so they are ready for school
Measure: provision of early childhood education by a qualified teacher (source: Office of Early Childhood Education and Care).
Lead agency: Office of Early Childhood Education and Care.
Queensland's early years education today
While 97 per cent of Queensland children now participate in a full-time preparatory year before Year 1, fewer children attend kindergarten in Queensland than any other state in Australia.
There are currently 53,000 three-and-a-half to four-and-a-half year olds in Queensland.
Only 32 per cent of this age-group attend a quality early education program, delivered by a qualified teacher, up from 29 per cent in 2006. This compares with more than 85 per cent across the rest of the nation.
The majority of the children enrolled in these programs attend a Queensland community kindergarten while around 8 per cent attend a child care centre.
A further 43 per cent are enrolled in long day care or occasional hours care programs not delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher.
The remaining 27 per cent of children are believed to be cared for by parents, grandparents, family day care or other informal services.
Share your ideas
What can you do to share a love of learning in your children? Share your ideas
Last updated Friday, May 28, 2010
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