The Australian Childhood Foundation is a national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting children and families affected by abuse, family violence and neglect.
Useful links for Australian early childhood and OSHC organisations
Useful links for Australian early childhood and OSHC organisations
National advocacy organisations for community services and families
Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS)
ACOSS is the peak council of the community services and welfare sector.
Families Australia
Families Australia is a peak promoting the needs and interests of families.
The Parenthood
The parenthood is a movement of Australian parents, carers and supporters working together to bring about positive policy changes that improve the future for all children.
Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS)
VCOSS is the state peak body of the social and community services sector.
Government departments
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)
(Federal government) ACECQA works with governments, providing guidance, resources and services to support the sector.
Australian Taxation Office (ATO)
(Federal government) The ATO is the Government’s principal revenue collection agency.
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV)
(State government) CAV protects and promotes the interests of consumers.
Department of Education (DE)
(Federal government) DE is responsible for national policies and programmes in early childhood education, school education, higher education, vocational education and training, international education and research.
Department of Education Victoria (DoE)
(State government) DoE offers learning and development support, services and resources for all Victorians, from birth through to adulthood.
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
(State government) DHHS supports the health and wellbeing of Victorians through programs on health, housing and children’s services.
Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV)
(Local government) MAV is the peak representative and lobbying body for Victoria’s 79 councils.
The Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP)
(State government) CCYP promotes policies and practices that support the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
(State Govenment) The Commission works to ensure that all Victorians get a fair go (equal opportunity).
Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA)
(Local government) VLGA supports councils and councillors in good governance.
Industrial information
Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)
The ACTU is the peak for Australian unions, representing two million Australian workers and their families.
Australian Education Union (AEU)
The Australian Education Union (AEU) represents Australian public school, early childhood and TAFE teachers, education leaders and education support staff industrially and professionally.
Australian Services Union (ASU)
The ASU represents educators who work in local government.
Independent Education Union of Australia (IEUA)
The IEUA represents all employees working in non-government schools and institutions across Australia.
Jobs Australia
Jobs Australia is the peak for more than 260 not-for-profit employer and related services organisations.
The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman
The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman supports employees and employers in workplaces across the country.
United Voice – formerly the LHMU (Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union)
United Voice is the union representing early childhood and OSHC educators nationally.
Free services, support and news for OSHC and early childhood services
Be You
Improve the mental health and wellbeing in your learning community by exploring Be You, the national mental health in education initiative.
Supply Nation
Supply Nation provides a database of verified Indigenous businesses: search by business name, product, service, area, or category.
The Sector
The Sector provides free early education news, views and reviews.
Victorian Inclusion Agency (VIA)
The VIA assists Victorian education and care services to include children with additional needs alongside their peers. Find inclusion agencies in other states and territories.
Early childhood advocacy campaigns
Big Steps
Big Steps is the early childhood union’s campaign to win equal pay for educators.
Make It Free
Make It Free is a movement led by a group of passionate and predominantly women-led organisations demanding a free and accessible childcare system.
Thrive By Five
Thrive by Five is an initiative of Minderoo Foundation that is campaigning to make our early learning childcare system high-quality and universally accessible.
State peak bodies working in the OSHC and early childhood education and care setting
Children’s Services Coordinators Association (CSCA)
CSCA is a professional association for Victorian coordinators and 2ICs working in community-based early childhood education and care settings. For information, contact csavictoria@gmail.com
Community Child Care Association (CCC) – formerly known as Community Child Care Victoria
We are a professional association working in the early childhood education and care setting. CCC is the Victorian peak body for community-owned education and care, and outside school hours care.
Network of Community Activities NSW
Network promotes quality community-based services for school-aged children, including children with disabilities.
Queensland Children's Activities Network (QCAN)
QCAN is the peak body for outside school hours care in Queensland.
Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA)
VACCA is a state-wide Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) servicing children, young people, families, and community members.
National peak bodies working in the OSHC and early childhood education and care setting
Early Childhood Australia (ECA)
ECA is the peak early childhood advocacy organisation – a voice for children in education from birth to eight years old.
Family Day Care Australia (FDCA)
FDCA (formerly the National Family Day Care Council of Australia – NFDCCA) is the peak for family day care in Australia.
National Out of School Hours Services Alliance (NOSHSA)
NOSHSA is a network of Australian out of school hours care associations. CCC is the Victorian branch, and together we advocate for quality in out of school hours care nationally.
Occasional Child Care Australia (OCCA)
OCCA is the peak body for occasional child care in Australia.
Play Australia
Play Australia is the peak national advocacy organisation for play, and the Australian branch of the International Play Association (IPA), supporting outdoor play by way of inspiration, advice, access to information and professional services.
Playgroup Australia
Playgroup Australia is the national peak and administrative body for playgroups.
Funding for OSHC and early childhood services
Innovative Solutions
Innovative Solutions funds long day care, outside school hours care and family day care services to overcome their barriers to inclusion.
School Readiness Funding
School Readiness Funding provides kindergarten services with extra resources to drive improvement for children.
Indigenous reconciliation organisations
Koorie Heritage Trust
The Koorie Heritage Trust promotes and supports Aboriginal culture and history in South Eastern Australia.
Narragunnawali: Reconciliation in Schools and Early Learning
Narragunnawali works in the early childhood education and care setting, supporting schools and early learning services to develop environments that foster a higher level of knowledge and pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions.
Reconciliation Australia
Reconciliation Australia is the peak for reconciliation in Australia.
Reconciliation Victoria
Reconciliation Victoria is working towards just and respectful relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.
Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC)
SNAICC is the national non-government peak for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.
Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc. (VAEAI)
VAEAI is the state peak Koorie community organisation for education and training.