As Aboriginal people are the Traditional Custodians of NSW, we refer to Aboriginal people. The department’s Aboriginal programs and services are available, without question, to Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Following the success of the first 5 years of the First Steps Strategy 2021-2025, it has been renewed for 2026-2030.

First Steps - the NSW Aboriginal Children's Early Learning Strategy (PDF, 654KB) (the Strategy) solidifies the department’s commitment to ensuring the best educational outcomes for Aboriginal children aged 0-5. We want to ensure that every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and family in NSW feels welcomed and that their culture is valued at their early learning service.

Improving access to quality early learning for Aboriginal Children

The Strategy provides a clear roadmap to achieving the best educational outcomes for Aboriginal children aged 0-5, and supports renewed reform under Closing the Gap and the 10-year partnership between the department and the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG).

The department works in collaboration with the NSW AECG to achieve better educational outcomes for Aboriginal children. This has been formalised in our 10-year partnership with the NSW AECG that runs from 2020 – 2030. The Strategy will complement this important partnership.

Evidence shows that Aboriginal children have better educational outcomes when their learning enhances their identity as Aboriginal people. The Strategy demonstrates our commitment to enhancing Aboriginal children’s education from the very beginning of their educational journey and ensuring they are in a safe and nurturing ECEC environment. It is a commitment from the department to provide better education, and to support the early years sector to do the same, to ensure that every early learning service is safe and welcoming to Aboriginal children and families.

Strategy consultation

The Strategy was developed in consultation with members of the NSW Department of Education’s early learning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group, now known as Gudjagang Gulgul, the Aboriginal Early Childhood Education Committee. Their voice and guidance enabled the department to connect the national ambitions of Closing the Gap to the reality of what happens in early learning services and communities across NSW every day.

First Steps Strategy goals

The existing Strategy outlines 3 key goals for Aboriginal children and families in NSW:

• The Child: All Aboriginal children are supported to enrol, access and engage in quality culturally inclusive early learning.

• Family and Kinship: All Aboriginal families and children feel respected in early learning services as their culture is celebrated and nourished.
  

• Early Learning Sector: The sector provides Aboriginal children with access to early learning that drives stronger outcomes through strengths-based approaches.

In the expanded 2026-2030 Strategy there is a focus on supporting the Aboriginal community controlled early learning sector and expanding the Aboriginal workforce in early learning across NSW to develop the cultural responsiveness of the sector.

Targets

The Strategy has 5 performance measures, or targets:

• Increasing the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children assessed as developmentally on track in all 5 domains of the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC).
• Increasing the number of early learning services providing Aboriginal language and culture programs.
• Increasing available guidance and professional learning to support culturally safe and welcoming early learning.
• Growing ACCO-led early learning services and supporting greater Aboriginal child enrolments in the 2 years before school.
• Growing the Aboriginal early learning workforce.

Funding priorities

In June 2025, the NSW Government announced $194 million over 4 years for this expanded First Steps Strategy.

The Strategy focuses on a number of priorities aimed at achieving its goals and targets.

With a continued emphasis on co-designed local solutions, we look to ensure that our sector has culturally safe services and a culturally competent workforce.

The department will continue to work with Gudjagang Gulgul, the Aboriginal Early Childhood Education Committee, ACCOs and other Aboriginal organisations and community groups to develop initiatives under the Strategy. This collaborative structure is a cornerstone of the Strategy and key to its success.

ACCO-led ECEC Sector Growth Partnership program

The department has committed $89.54 million over 4 years to the Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO)-led ECEC Sector Growth Partnership program (AGP), which will increase the number of quality, culturally responsive early learning places for children.

This partnership will further strengthen the sustainability of the ACCO-led early learning sector, while also growing the Aboriginal early learning workforce and uplifting service quality and provision. It is a core element of the First Steps Strategy 2026–2030, and its $89.54 million investment over 4 years will be delivered through the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund.

Through this initiative Stream 1 will allow both existing ACCO-led early learning services, and ACCOs that are entering the early learning sector, to access of up to $800,000 in needs-based expansion support, which can be allocated to substantial infrastructure projects.

Stream 2 will provide existing ACCO-led early learning services access of up to $120,000 in support, which can be allocated to staffing, minor capital works, resources, and language and cultural programs.

Stream 3 will provide $50,000 for one year to assist ACCOs’ progress towards becoming approved early learning providers.

To apply for the program, visit the program guidelines.