The NSW Government must urgently review its new preschool funding arrangements.
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That is the plea for River Region Early Education, which faces funding cuts of more than $550,000 a year from 2028 that could threaten the long-term sustainability of essential early childhood education services across the region.
And its only one of the early childhood providers across the state impacted by a proposal to replace the Start Strong program funding arrangements with the new Universal Preschool Funding model.
Despite the financial challenges, RREE says all confirmed enrolments for 2027 are secure, with its board and management committed to ensuring local services continue supporting children and families for generations to come.
RREE general manager Felicity Michael said community preschools have played a vital role in rural NSW for generations.
Deniliquin Preschool has been educating local children since the 1950s, while Barham Preschool has supported children and families since the 1980s.
These trusted, community-run, not-for-profit services have helped generations of children develop the confidence, independence, social skills and learning foundations needed for a successful start to school.
Today, RREE provides early childhood education and care for 410 children across four services: Deniliquin Preschool, Barham Early Learning Service, Deniliquin Childcare Centre and the Deniliquin Mobile Children's Service.
Under the NSW Government's new Universal Preschool Funding model and changes to Start Strong Long Day Care funding, Mrs Michael said three of these services face substantial funding reductions.
Collectively it is calculated to be a loss of $277,238 in 2027, rising to $551,314 annually from 2028 as transitional funding arrangements end.
Deniliquin Preschool is expected to lose $93,499 in funding during 2027, increasing to $233,746 annually from 2028.
Barham Early Learning Service faces a reduction of $130,195 in 2027, rising to $264,024 a year from 2028.
Deniliquin Childcare Centre is projected to lose $53,544 annually.
Mrs Michael said the cuts present a major challenge for any community-based, not-for-profit provider delivering essential early childhood education and care in rural communities.
She siad the reductions were particularly concerning given the shortage of alternative early childhood education places in Deniliquin, Barham and surrounding districts.
“In metropolitan areas, families may have a choice of preschool and long day care providers. In rural communities like ours, those alternatives are extremely limited.
“Our communities rely on these services. If rural preschools become financially unviable, families cannot simply enrol their children somewhere else.
“Families need access to reliable, high-quality early education so their children can develop the skills they need for school, while parents can participate in the workforce and contribute to their communities.
“These are not services that can easily be replaced. They have been developed and supported by our communities over decades.”
Mrs Michael said RREE supported the NSW Government's goal of making preschool more affordable and accessible, but was concerned the funding model did not adequately recognise the costs of delivering safe, high-quality education.
“Recent child safety reforms have rightly reinforced that children's safety, rights and best interests must be paramount.
“But child safety requires more than meeting minimum educator-to-child ratios.
“Children need qualified, experienced educators who can actively supervise them, respond to individual needs, support inclusion and provide meaningful learning experiences.
“These things require adequate staffing and resources.
“We cannot expect services to deliver increasingly high standards of child safety and quality education while reducing the funding available to support the workforce responsible for delivering them.”
Ms Michael said the arrangements also failed to recognise the realities of operating in rural communities, including smaller enrolment numbers, limited economies of scale and difficulties attracting and retaining qualified teachers.
“Recruiting qualified teachers in rural communities is already challenging. We need funding arrangements that recognise the real cost of attracting and retaining these essential professionals.
“Children in rural NSW deserve the same access to qualified teachers, safe learning environments and high-quality preschool education as children anywhere else in the state.”
Despite the funding challenge, RREE says it remains committed to maintaining its services and ensuring their long-term sustainability.
The board and management are reviewing operating arrangements, identifying possible cost savings and exploring alternative service delivery models to manage the funding reductions.
Ms Michael said children's safety, wellbeing and quality education would remain at the centre of every decision.
“We want to reassure families that their children's confirmed enrolments for 2027 are secure. We are not making changes to their allocated places as a result of this funding review.
“We understand how important it is for families to have certainty about their children's education and care, particularly in rural communities where alternative places are limited.
“Our board and management are working carefully through the financial implications and exploring ways to ensure our services remain sustainable into the future.
“This may mean changes to the way we operate, but our commitment to children's safety, quality education and supporting our rural communities will not change.
“We are determined to ensure the services generations of families have relied upon continue to be available for generations to come.”
At the smae time, RREE is calling on the NSW Government to review the new funding arrangements and ensure they reflect the real cost of delivering safe, inclusive and high-quality early childhood education in rural communities.
The organisation is seeking:
• Recognition of the additional costs and unique challenges faced by rural community preschools.
• Adequate funding to attract and retain qualified early childhood teachers and educators.
• Funding that supports safe staffing, active supervision, inclusion and quality educational programs.
• Improved transition arrangements to protect the sustainability of existing services.
• Meaningful consultation with community preschool providers before further funding changes are implemented.
Mrs Michael said the late release of funding guidelines and the funding calculator had created additional challenges for services that had already confirmed enrolments and begun staffing and operational planning for 2027.
“Community preschools have been providing essential early education for decades. We support the goal of Universal Preschool, but improving access must include protecting the services and preschool places that already exist.
“Universal Preschool should create more opportunities for children, not threaten the services that rural families already depend on.
“Our children deserve access to safe, high-quality early education, our families deserve trusted and reliable services, and our rural communities deserve a sustainable future.”
RREE is encouraging families and community members to support its campaign for sustainable preschool funding by signing and sharing its community petition, contacting local MP Helen Dalton, Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car and Premier Chris Minns, and sharing why community preschool services matter to their family.