Children First Competitors

About us Goodstart is Australia’s largest provider of early learning and care. As a not-for-profit social enterprise, we exist purely to improve the lives of Australia’s children and their families. Goodstart was formed in 2009 thanks to a unique combination of private, public and leading community sector organisations — The Benevolent Society, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, Mission Australia and Social Ventures Australia. We deliver social impact on a national scale by offering evidence-informed early learning and care in hundreds of centres nationally, supporting families and influencing the broader community through our advocacy work, which aims to increase investment in the early years to ensure all children have access to quality early learning. Goodstart is a social enterprise with social purpose at its heart, but our head operates with business discipline to deliver healthy operating margins for continued investment in centres, people and programs to deliver on our vision and purpose. We operate 644 early learning centres in all states and territories of Australia, caring for 70,900 children from 59,500 families and employing 14,900 people. Our vision is for Australia’s children to have the best possible start in life. Our purpose is to ensure children have the learning, development and wellbeing outcomes they need for school and life. We're people with purpose Goodstart is a not-for-profit social enterprise, so we attract people who want to make a difference. We provide enhanced services and multi-skilled teams to meet a diverse range of learning needs. And we offer our people specialist training so they can help all children, including those with additional needs or facing disadvantage. Like to know more? Visit: goodstart.org.au

Barnardos Australia is a leading non-government, non-denominational child protection charity in Australia. We are committed to supporting Australia’s most vulnerable children and their families with quality services. We believe all children and young people deserve caring families in which they can grow safely and fulfil their potential. We work together with children, young people and families to break the cycle of disadvantage, creating safe, nurturing and stable homes, connected to family and community. Our intensive family support programs combat family and domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, mental health, poverty and homelessness, to strengthen families and keep children safe at home. When this is not possible, we also provide safe homes for children through foster care and kinship care to give children a safe place to grow up and reach their potential. Since 1985 we have pioneered open adoption for non-Aboriginal children in NSW, giving children the permanency and security they need, for life.

Early Childhood Australia is a not-for-profit advocacy organisation and specialist publisher focusing on the support and education of young children. Our mission statement: 'Our role in achieving this vision is to be an effective advocate for young children and a champion for quality outcomes in early childhood education and care.' Visit www.earlychildhood.org.au to find out more about our work. You can also find us on twitter and Facebook.