The benefits of childcare and early learning
For most Australian families, childcare is a practical necessity. But it's also more than that. Decades of research show that quality early childhood education affects how children develop socially, emotionally, and cognitively, in ways that follow them into school and beyond.
This article summarises what the evidence shows about the benefits of childcare and early learning, and what to look for when choosing a centre.
Social and emotional development
One of the strongest findings in early childhood research is that children in quality care environments develop social and emotional skills faster than children in isolated care arrangements.
This includes:
- Building friendships and reading social cues
- Negotiating, sharing, and taking turns
- Recovering from disagreements
- Recognising and naming their own feelings
- Recognising and responding to others' feelings
Children who attend quality early childhood programmes consistently show stronger social-emotional development at school entry than peers who didn't.
Language and cognitive development
Quality childcare exposes children to richer language and a wider range of vocabulary than most home-only environments. Educators are deliberate about how they talk to children, the questions they ask, the books they read, and the conversations they sustain.
The cognitive benefits show up in:
- Vocabulary size at school entry
- Early literacy and numeracy
- Problem-solving and inquiry skills
- Working memory and attention
The Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) study, a long-term UK study, showed that high-quality preschool experience predicted higher academic outcomes through to age 14.
School readiness
Children who've been in quality early childhood education arrive at school knowing how to be in a group of children, how to follow a routine, how to listen to an adult who isn't their parent, and how to ask for help.
These “executive function” skills (the ability to manage attention, regulate behaviour, and work with others) often matter more for school success than knowing letters and numbers. Quality early childhood care builds them.
Why 'quality' is the operative word
The research is consistent on something important: it's the quality of care that matters, not just attendance. Low-quality childcare can have neutral or even negative effects. High-quality childcare has substantial positive effects.
Things to look for:
- Stable, qualified educators. Look for low staff turnover and educators with early childhood qualifications.
- Low ratios. The legal minimum is the floor. Centres staffed above the minimum are usually better.
- NQS rating. Look for “Meeting” or “Exceeding” National Quality Standard ratings.
- A real philosophy. A centre that can articulate how they teach, not just what activities they run.
- Warm, responsive interactions. When you tour, watch how educators talk to children. Tone matters more than activities.
Quality at our centres
All four Eikoh centres are rated Meeting the National Quality Standard. St Ives Chase Kindergarten received an Exceeding rating in its most recent assessment. We invest in continuous professional development for educators across all four centres.
If you'd like to see what quality looks like in person, book a tour.