Workforce sustainability emerges as defining challenge at The Sector Workforce and Wellbeing Forum

Workforce sustainability, rather than workforce shortages alone, emerged as the defining challenge facing Australia's early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector at The Sector Workforce and Wellbeing Forum, with sector leaders calling for long-term solutions that support educators to enter, remain and thrive in the profession.

Held in Melbourne, the forum brought together providers, researchers, policymakers and workforce specialists to explore the future of the ECEC workforce through the lenses of policy, workforce planning, wellbeing, leadership and sustainability.

The program brought together a diverse group of sector leaders, researchers, policymakers and practitioners, including Deputy Secretary, Early Childhood Education Bronwen FitzGerald, Paul Mondo, Stacey Fox, Professor Susan Irvine, Amaresh Devanesen, Amanda Hughes, Professor Ben Arnold, Briana Thorne, Justin McDonnell, Belinda Schultz, Lynda Salvos, Louis Hamlyn-Harris and Professor Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett.

Feedback from attendees reflected the value of bringing together a broad cross-section of the sector in one room, with participants noting the strong balance of not-for-profit and for-profit providers, interstate attendees, policy and government representatives, researchers and sector leaders.

The diversity of perspectives contributed to a day of practical, constructive and future-focused discussion, with attendees highlighting the importance of creating spaces where policy, research and practice can be considered together.

While discussions covered a broad range of topics, a consistent message emerged throughout the day: attracting new educators will have limited impact unless the sector can also create the conditions that encourage people to stay.

From workforce shortages to workforce sustainability

A recurring theme throughout the forum was the need to move beyond short-term workforce responses and towards a more strategic approach to workforce infrastructure.

Panellists argued that workforce planning should not be viewed solely as a provider responsibility, but as a shared challenge requiring coordinated action across governments, training providers, employers and sector stakeholders. Workforce sustainability, participants noted, depends on professional recognition, remuneration, leadership development, career pathways and workplace conditions.

Discussions highlighted growing recognition that attraction and retention are intrinsically linked, with several speakers noting that one of the most effective recruitment strategies is retaining and supporting the existing workforce.

Reflecting on the discussion, Lynda Salvos noted that workforce sustainability requires a broader focus than remuneration alone.

“One of my biggest takeaways from the forum was that workforce sustainability is about much more than pay. We need to reduce unnecessary burden, build educator capability and invest in leadership development. The forum provided a valuable opportunity for leaders from across the sector to come together, share ideas and challenge assumptions.”

The discussion also reinforced the need to view early childhood education and care as critical social and economic infrastructure, requiring the same long-term planning and investment applied to other essential services.

Policy certainty remains critical

The forum's workforce policy discussion examined the uncertainty created by delays to announcements regarding the Worker Retention Payment and broader questions about the future funding environment.

Participants acknowledged that remuneration remains a critical foundation for workforce sustainability, while also highlighting the challenges providers face in balancing rising costs, fee caps and workforce expectations. Concerns were raised about the long-term viability of funding settings that fail to reflect the true cost of delivering high-quality education and care.

Discussion also focused on the relationship between workforce policy, affordability and service sustainability, with speakers noting that providers continue to operate in an increasingly complex environment shaped by rising costs, changing occupancy patterns and ongoing reform.

The conversation reinforced the importance of policy certainty, particularly as the sector prepares for future workforce agreements, ongoing reforms and continued service expansion.

Leadership identified as the strongest retention lever

One of the clearest messages from the day was the central role leadership plays in educator retention.

Forum contributors consistently described service leaders as the architects of workplace culture, influencing psychological safety, professional growth, team cohesion and staff wellbeing.

Speakers challenged traditional leadership approaches that rely heavily on individual leaders, instead advocating for distributed leadership models that build capability across entire teams and create more sustainable pathways for future leaders.

The discussion also highlighted the need for greater recognition of leadership roles, particularly educational leadership positions, and the importance of ensuring leaders have sufficient time and resources to fulfil their responsibilities effectively.

Participants noted that retention is often shaped less by organisational policies and more by the quality of day-to-day leadership experiences within services. Investing in leadership capability was repeatedly identified as one of the most effective workforce strategies available to the sector.

Wellbeing must become a workforce strategy

The afternoon wellbeing panel reflected a significant shift in thinking across the sector.

Rather than focusing solely on individual self-care initiatives, speakers advocated for systemic approaches that embed wellbeing into organisational design, workplace structures and leadership practices.

Educator wellbeing was described as foundational to workforce retention, service quality and positive outcomes for children. Discussions explored psychological safety, workload management, professional trust and role design, with participants calling for a move away from reactive wellbeing responses towards proactive workforce strategies.

The panel also explored the importance of creating environments where educators feel valued, supported and trusted as professionals, recognising that wellbeing and workforce sustainability are inseparable.

Louis Hamlyn-Harris reinforced the connection between wellbeing, leadership and workforce sustainability.

“Wellbeing is inseparable from other components of workforce strategy such as recognition, retention and leadership capability. When educators and leaders feel psychologically safe, supported and trusted as professionals, services experience more stability, improved quality and better outcomes for children and families.”

Rethinking documentation and workload

Administrative workload continues to be a significant source of pressure across the sector.

Several speakers encouraged attendees to critically examine practices that have become embedded over time but may no longer serve their intended purpose. The concept of a "documentation detox" generated considerable discussion, with participants exploring ways to streamline documentation requirements while maintaining quality practice and regulatory compliance.
The discussion highlighted opportunities to use technology more effectively, while also challenging the assumption that more documentation necessarily results in better outcomes for children.

Participants were encouraged to focus on intentional teaching, meaningful reflection and quality interactions rather than documentation for its own sake. The message was clear: reducing unnecessary workload is not about lowering standards, but about creating greater capacity for quality practice.

Inclusion, capability and sustainability are interconnected

Across multiple sessions, speakers reinforced the relationship between workforce capability, educator wellbeing and children's outcomes.

Discussions explored the increasing complexity of supporting children and families with diverse needs and the importance of ensuring educators have access to appropriate professional learning, mentoring and pedagogical support.

Participants noted that sustainable professional development must move beyond one-off training sessions and instead create opportunities for reflection, collaboration and ongoing growth within services.

The forum also highlighted the need for stronger alignment between evidence, policy and practice as the sector continues to evolve, particularly in relation to inclusion, workforce capability and quality improvement.

Evidence, leadership and sector transformation

The day concluded with a fireside conversation featuring Professor Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett, one of Australia's most respected early childhood researchers and advocates.

The discussion explored the role of research, evidence and leadership in shaping the future of early childhood education and care, while reflecting on the opportunities and challenges facing the sector during a period of significant transformation.

Professor Neilsen-Hewett shared insights from her extensive work across research, policy and practice, reinforcing the importance of maintaining a clear focus on children's outcomes while supporting the educators and leaders responsible for delivering them.

The conversation highlighted the critical role research continues to play in informing policy and practice, while also acknowledging the need for stronger connections between evidence, implementation and everyday service delivery.

Attendees reflected positively on the opportunity to hear from one of the sector's leading voices in a more personal and conversational setting, with the discussion providing both inspiration and practical reflections for the future.

The fireside chat provided a fitting conclusion to the forum, reminding attendees that while workforce challenges are complex, the sector also possesses significant expertise, innovation and collective commitment to drive positive change.

Looking ahead

The strongest message from the Workforce and Wellbeing Forum was clear: workforce sustainability cannot be achieved through a single initiative.

Whether discussing remuneration, leadership, wellbeing, workforce planning, inclusion or professional development, speakers consistently returned to the same principle, the workforce is the sector's most valuable resource.

As the sector continues to navigate reform, expansion and increasing expectations, supporting educators to remain in the profession and thrive within it will be critical to achieving positive outcomes for children, families and communities.

The challenge now is ensuring that workforce sustainability remains at the centre of policy, funding and operational decision-making in the years ahead.

The sector is undergoing a period of extraordinary transformation. Ensuring educators are supported, valued and equipped to navigate that change will be fundamental to creating a sustainable future for early childhood education and care.