Communique - Early Years Committee
The NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) Early Years Committee met on 18 and 19 February 2026.
The Early Years Committee continues to provide strategic advice to the NSW AECG Association Management Committee (AMC) on early childhood priorities. The Committee ensures Aboriginal voices and expertise guide early years policy, reform and service delivery across NSW.
The Secretariat provided an update on the NSW AECG Early Childhood Community Engagement Officers (ECCEOs) and the ongoing impact of the Transition to School (TTS) pilot. The NSW AECG team noted the distribution of over 600 TTS resource bags statewide and strong engagement through recent online presentations. While the impact remains significant, workforce capacity and recruitment in some regions continue to present challenges.
The Committee received an update on the development of the NSW AECG Registered Training Organisation (RTO), including progress toward application submission and the establishment of qualification pathways to strengthen the Aboriginal early childhood workforce. This included discussions regarding Certificate III delivery and how training pathways can better respond to sector workforce shortages while remaining culturally grounded.
The Department provided a comprehensive update on the First Steps Strategy, including the continued rollout of Aboriginal Families as Teachers, confirmation of three-year funding for the Ninganah No More language program, and progress on ACCO-led early childhood sector growth. Members were advised that $9.2 million has been allocated to support ACCO service expansion, with Expressions of Interest underway, and that a dedicated Aboriginal workforce pipeline initiative is set to commence in Term 2.
An update was provided on the cross-agency Brighter Beginnings initiative, including sustained home visiting, digital engagement initiatives and the expansion of Aboriginal Child and Family Centres. The Committee was also advised that Brighter Beginnings is currently progressing work on strengthening its Aboriginal governance model.
The Committee received a detailed update on the Parent and Carer Hub, with discussion centred on school readiness content and speech and language development. Members noted the statistic shared that 45.8% of children in NSW are not reaching key developmental milestones and emphasised the importance of ensuring resources are culturally responsive, visually engaging and accessible for Aboriginal families. The Committee provided direct feedback on strengthening visuals, simplifying language and ensuring the content reflects Aboriginal family realities.
The Committee heard an update on the rollout of the 100 new public preschools, including designated Aboriginal preschools.
Representatives from the Regulatory Authority and Early Learning Commission provided updates on legislative reform, strengthening child safety obligations and proposed refinements to Assessment and Rating processes.
The Committee workshopped the Early Years Strategy, aligning priorities with the NSW AECG Strategic Plan. Focus areas include expanding impact across the early years sector, strengthening workforce development, supporting Local AECGs to embed early years matters, deepening external partnerships and strengthening data and evaluation.