The 29 November 2008 meeting of the Council of Australian Governments agreed on an Early Childhood Education National Partnership to support universal access to quality early childhood education whereby every child in the year before school has access to a pre-school program delivered:

• in the 12 months prior to full-time schooling;
• by a four-year university qualified early childhood teacher;
• for 15 hours a week, 40 weeks a year;
• across a diversity of settings;
• in a form that meets the needs of parents; and
• at a cost that does not present a barrier to access.

For the first time the Commonwealth will be making a major investment in early childhood education for all Australian children ($970 million in Commonwealth funding, over five years to 2012-13) and the States and Territories (the States) have committed to achieving universal access to early childhood education for all children in the year before school by 2013.

Because of the different systems and approaches across the country, each State will be implementing tailored, agreed action plans, with an initial focus on 2009 and 2010.

The Commonwealth has committed $22.2 million over four years to develop a National Quality Framework, including rigorous new national quality standards for child care and pre-school and a ratings system.

Read the National Partnership fact sheet at http://www.coag.gov.au/coag_meeting_outcomes/2008-11-29/docs/20081129_early_childhood_factsheet.pdf

Read the full text of the Agreement athttp://www.coag.gov.au/intergov_agreements/federal_financial_relations/docs/national_partnership/national