Children with complex needs in Australia are facing significant barriers to accessing childcare services, largely due to funding shortfalls and staff exhaustion. Industry leaders have raised concerns that the federal government's inclusion support program (ISP), designed to allocate additional funding for staffing to assist children with special requirements, falls well short of the necessary financial support. With childcare centres required to cover the gaps, many facilities simply cannot afford to accommodate children who need extra assistance, leading to increased rejections and a growing crisis in accessible childcare.

Parents of these children, such as Nawaz, whose son has been expelled from two Sydney centres due to his speech and behavioral challenges, highlight the distressing realities faced by families. The ISP process itself is cumbersome; it mandates a formal diagnosis for funding eligibility, which can take months to obtain, thereby delaying necessary support. Advocates also argue that the ISP's structure and current funding levels are counterproductive, with some professionals suggesting that the program is suffering from inefficiencies that ultimately harm the very demographic it was intended to support.

With the government proposing a transition to a universal childcare system, industry insiders stress that immediate reforms to the ISP are crucial. Without addressing the present funding inadequacies and the operational burdens on childcare providers, any new initiatives may not resolve the challenges faced by children with complex needs. The situation calls for urgent attention to ensure that all children, irrespective of their needs, have equitable access to quality early childhood education.