Publications & resources
Unequal from the start: The achievement gap & the early years
Disadvantaged children who perform well at a very young age are overtaken by their peers from more advantaged backgrounds as they move towards school age.
Childcare accessibility in the United Kingdom
International childcare: Mapping the deserts looks examines how care is being delivered in the United Kingdom.
England is one of the worst countries in Europe for access to childcare
World-first study analysing centre-based childcare and nursery data finds almost half of the population in England (45%) live in a childcare desert.
Childcare deserts: 700,000 Australians with no childcare access
VU's Mitchell Institute has found that around 24% of Australians live in 'childcare deserts', where there are more than three children per childcare place.
Mapping the childcare deserts: Childcare accessibility in Australia
Victoria University's (VU) Mitchell Institute has re-examined accessibility to childcare across Australia, using the most recent available data.
Huge variation across electorates in childhood development & childcare cost & access
New analysis shows which electorates across Australia have the most expensive childcare, least childcare access and the most children that are developmentally at risk.
Childcare deserts & oases: 2022 interactive maps
This story contains data collated in 2022. See the most recent 2024 study. In the first research of its kind in Australia, the Mitchell Institute has examined access to childcare…
More than 1 million Australians have no access to childcare in their area
The Conversation: About 9 million Australians, 35% of the population, live in neighbourhoods where there are more than three children per childcare place.
Childcare deserts & oases: How accessible is childcare in Australia (2022)?
More than nine million Australians live in an area where there are insufficient childcare places for families, according to our comprehensive analysis.
The case for universal, accessible, high-quality preschool
Direct public funding, based on evidence that shows two years of preschool are highly beneficial, is good social and economic policy.
Universal access to preschool: achievements & gaps
The primary objective of the Universal Access National Partnership is ‘to facilitate children’s early learning and development and transition to school.
Not all Australian parents can access quality childcare & preschool
Many early childhood education and care providers are charging above the cap for government subsidies and parents are being forced to meet the costs.