This data set has been developed to support the collection of data under the National Information Agreement for Early Childhood Education and Care. Responsibility for early childhood learning and care is shared between the Australian Government and the state and territory government, and involves a wide range of service providers including government, local government, community, schools and the private sector.
The Agreement provides a framework for cooperation between the Commonwealth, state and territory jurisdictions and information agencies to develop the early childhood education and care (ECEC) information base required for the Council of Australian Government (COAG) early childhood reform agenda.

Data and information in scope of the Agreement include:

• Activity under the National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education (NP ECE)
• ECEC information required to support the information needs of other National Agreements and National Partnerships, including the National Partnership Agreement on Indigenous Early Childhood Development and the National Indigenous Reform Agreement
• Outcomes in relation to the COAG Participation and Productivity Agenda
• Other national reporting purposes, including but not limited to the Report on Government Services, Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage, Report to COAG Reform Council, and National Headline Indicators on Children’s Health, Development and Wellbeing
• Monitoring, research and evaluation related to children, families and early childhood development services under the Early Childhood Development Strategy (ECDS).

Service provider organisations for the purposes of this collection are agencies directly providing services to children at a specific location. This includes organisations providing preschool, and other early childhood education and direct care services.

A preschool program is a structured, play based learning program, usually provided by a qualified teacher on a sessional basis, primarily aimed at children in the year or two before they commence formal schooling, irrespective of the type of institution that provides it or whether it is government funded or privately provided. Programs may be delivered in a variety of service settings including separate preschools or kindergartens, long day care centres, in association with a primary school etc.

The terms most commonly used to describe preschool services in various states and territories are:

• Kindergarten – Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania.
• Kindergarten or Preschool – Victoria, South Australia.
• Preschool – New South Wales, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory.

A preschool program may or may not be delivered in such a way that meets the Universal Access goal. The requirements for Universal Access are listed below.

The National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education is a commitment to joint Commonwealth, State and Territory action to deliver universal access to quality early childhood education in the year before formal schooling.

Universal access means that every child, in the 12 months prior to formal schooling, has access to a preschool program that is:

• delivered by a four year university qualified early childhood teacher in accordance with the National Early Years Learning Framework
• available for at least 15 hours a week, 40 weeks a year
• delivered across a diversity of settings that meets the needs of parents and at a cost that does not present a barrier to participation.