PwC has undertaken economy-wide modelling in an effort to explore the value of investing in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in a recent and comprehensive report, Putting a value on early childhood education and care in Australia (PDF, 2.3MB).
Mounting evidence suggests significant gains are likely to accrue from high quality education and care throughout the years of a child’s development. But Australia’s ECEC system is likely to be tested by our government and nation’s ability to recognise the investment case.
The Mandarin‘s Tom Burton hosted an online forum with PwC partner James van Smeerdijk, professor Frank Oberklaid and CEO Julia Davison to give viewers a deeper insight into PwC’s imperative research.
This forum tackled:
- A summary of the key findings and its implications;
- Long-term learning and economic benefits of early childhood education;
- Public policy implications of increased participation of vulnerable children;
- The state of play in communicating to officials unfamiliar with the ECEC sector;
- The benefits of increased female workforce participation;
- Expectations around the Productivity Commission Review on early childhood;
- The research methodology and how the Computable General Equilibrium model works, and;
- The likelihood of the government recognising the investment case.
Moderator
Who is Who
Tom Burton
Tom Burton is publisher of The Mandarin based in Sydney. He has served in various public administration roles, specialising in digital engagement, and was a Walkley award-winning journalist and executive editor of The Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former Canberra bureau chief for The Australian Financial Review.
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