We’re Putting Community-Led, Not-For-Profit Early Education on the Agenda

At Growing Potential, our focus is on delivering compassionate, community-based early education.

We don’t usually step into political conversations. But with the federal election approaching, we know decisions made now will shape the future for children, families, and the educators who support them.

That’s why we’ve invited every candidate in our region to visit our centres and see firsthand why community-led early education matters so deeply. We believe that when leaders see the care, dedication, and impact within our centres, they will understand why investing in not-for-profit early education is an investment in stronger communities.

We’re putting community-led, not-for-profit early education on the agenda

Ahead of this weekend’s election, we were pleased to host the Hon. Chris Bowen MP, Member for McMahon and Minister for Climate Change and Energy, at our Blacktown Road centre. The Minister’s visit was an important part of our election campaign efforts to highlight the value of community-led, not-for-profit early education.

Our Chair, Ted Wziontek, and new CEO, Karen Graham, met with Minister Bowen to discuss our campaign priorities, specifically:

▪ Properly funding not-for-profit early education so we can keep fees low, quality high, and ensure all families can access care that puts children first.
▪ Delivering the promised ECEC Worker Retention Payment. Our educators were promised a retention payment by this government. We’ve done everything required, including implementing a new industrial tool at significant expense, yet eight months later, we’re still waiting. This payment is crucial to retaining the people who care for the children of Western Sydney.

We emphasised that community-led, not-for-profit providers like ours should be granted a waiver allowing fee increases up to 6.4%, reflecting our actual operating costs. We explained the significant financial pressures from rising expenses like internet (up 34%) and electricity (up 28%), despite having solar energy installed. Our fees remain among the lowest in Western Sydney, ranging from $133 to $144 per day.

We also highlighted that despite these financial constraints, we continue to deliver high-quality services, meeting all compliance and quality standards required by the government, with all our services ISO9001 accredited.

We’re grateful he took the time to understand the issues impacting our sector. Families interested in supporting these advocacy efforts can email their local candidates here:

Email Your Candidate

We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Minister Bowen and other representatives to secure the best outcomes for early education in Western Sydney.