As workforce shortages continue to challenge the early childhood education and care sector, innovative, place-based approaches are emerging as powerful ways to strengthen local educator pipelines while expanding access to care for families.

In Devonport, Tasmania, a partnership between Thrive Group and Don College is demonstrating how family day care can play a dual role in supporting local families with much-needed early learning places, while also creating accessible training pathways for students working towards careers in early childhood education and care.

The initiative will see a registered family day care venue established on the Don College campus, transforming an existing community playgroup space into a full-time, regulated early learning environment. Operating under Thrive Group’s Family Day Care Scheme, the venue will be led by a qualified educator and will host supervised Certificate III Early Childhood Education and Care student placements on site.

For many Don College students, accessing placements has been one of the most significant barriers to completing their qualification. Many students come from low-income households, have limited access to transport, or balance caring responsibilities alongside their studies. Completing the required 160 hours of placement in a regulated setting can be difficult for some students, particularly where placements require long travel times or reliance on external services, which can contribute to disengagement from training.

Embedding family day care on campus removes many of these barriers. Students are able to complete placement hours in a familiar, supportive environment, without the additional burden of travel or competing demands. Rather than short-term placements, students will engage regularly with a live education and care setting, building confidence, practical skills and professional relationships over time.

“It’s an invaluable opportunity for students to experience workplace learning at their college, within a professional environment that builds real skills, confidence and networks,” said a Thrive Group representative.

Don College already runs a weekly community playgroup facilitated by Certificate III students, where learners plan and deliver play-based experiences guided by Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework. The strong engagement from families and the confidence shown by students through this program prompted conversations about how the space could be used more effectively to support both learning and community need.

At the same time, Devonport has been identified as a ‘child care desert’ with families facing long waiting lists and limited options for regulated early learning. Thrive Group and Don College recognised that establishing family day care on campus could respond to both challenges – increasing access for families while strengthening pathways into the local early childhood workforce.

With support from a Tasmanian Community Fund grant, the existing playgroup building is being upgraded to meet family day care requirements, including new bathroom facilities, fencing and safety modifications. Once operational, students will engage daily with the service – observing routines, supporting children’s learning and wellbeing, and developing a deeper understanding of professional practice that is only possible through consistent longer-term placement.

For some students, including those navigating early parenthood or trying to break cycles of unemployment within their families, this level of access and continuity may be the difference between completing their qualification or leaving school early. The model supports students to stay connected to education, build confidence and transition more smoothly into employment within the early childhood sector.

By bringing education, training and care together in one place, the Don College–Thrive Group partnership also raises the profile of family day care as a professional, well-regulated and rewarding career pathway. Students gain early exposure to the model, develop practical skills aligned with community needs, and can see a clear pathway into local employment.

The on-campus family day care model has been designed to meet all regulatory and safeguarding requirements. Student participation is supported through appropriate supervision arrangements, with Working with Vulnerable People checks in place where required.

Thrive Group and Don College are also working closely with the Department for Education, Children and Young People to navigate Tasmania’s co-located partnerships framework, ensuring the model is compliant, sustainable and fit for long-term delivery within a school setting.

By responding to local need, reducing barriers and investing in students where they already learn, this place-based family day care model demonstrates what’s possible when education, workforce development and community access are thoughtfully aligned, delivering lasting benefits for students, families and the Devonport community.