Supporting Early Childhood Education and Care Workforce and Service Quality Through Governance Practices

A high-quality early childhood workforce is essential for positive child outcomes and boosting economic and social productivity. However, the Australian Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector faces significant workforce challenges and complexities. Effective governance practices are key to ensuring ECEC quality and workforce retention. This study examined the governance practices of high-quality ECEC services, using complexity theory to understand how governance impacts workforce and service quality. Subset data were derived from a larger qualitative, multiple case study that investigated long day care centres rated as Exceeding the National Quality Standard, and specifically Exceeding in Quality Area 7: Governance and Leadership. Data were collected through observations, educator interviews, and document analysis and analysed using thematic analysis. Complexity was manifested in the various models of governance structures and, consequently, in some of the governance practices across the participating long day care centres. Key practices supporting job satisfaction, retention, and workforce quality included flexible working conditions; whole-staff leadership; staff capacity building through professional development opportunities; financial capacity building to enable staff to deliver high-quality ECEC; and higher-level working conditions, such as higher qualifications and better educator–child ratios. The findings align with literature highlighting governance as critical to workforce quality and provide insights into governance practices that support workforce and service quality. Recommendations are made for policy levers at both sector and service levels to increase workforce quality and sustainability.