March 2026
In 2023, RDA Mid North Coast found that only 65% of childcare demand across our region was being met — a shortfall costing local families an estimated $384 million in lost wages each year.
Since then, both the Federal and NSW State Governments have introduced reforms to the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector. But here on the Mid North Coast, the question remains: has anything actually changed for families and providers on the ground?
Why this matters for our region
Childcare is not just a family issue. It is an economic one. When parents cannot access affordable and available care, they cannot return to work. That affects household income, local businesses, and the broader regional economy.
The $384 million in lost wages figure from our 2023 analysis reflects the real cost of unmet childcare demand in our region. Not a national average, not a state estimate, but a figure grounded in Mid North Coast data. Updating that picture requires updated evidence, and that is where you come in.
Two surveys, five minutes each
We have launched two short, anonymous surveys to capture current experiences from across the region. No names or contact details are collected.
Are you a parent or family member? If you have tried to access childcare on the Mid North Coast, whether you found a place or could not, your experience is exactly what we need to hear.
Take the Parents & Family Survey
Do you work in or run a childcare service? If you are on the frontline of ECEC delivery in our region, your insight into capacity, workforce pressures and the impact of recent policy changes is invaluable to our advocacy.
Take the Childcare Service Provider Survey
Your voice shapes our advocacy
As CEO Dr. Madeleine Lawler put it:
“RDA MNC’s role is to gather credible regional evidence and put it in front of decision-makers. Community voices from parents who can’t find childcare to providers under workforce pressure are what make that advocacy count. This survey is how those voices are heard.”
Every response we receive goes directly into building the evidence base we take to federal, state and local government when advocating for targeted investment and reform on the Mid North Coast.
Read RDA Mid North Coast’s Media Release here.
Questions? Contact Dianne Wall, Chief Operations Officer, at operations@rdamnc.org.au