The agency's performance
The agency at a glance
3-year-old preschool roll-out
- Over 200 Flying Start preschool partners in long day care services across the state, as well as 45 government services announced to offer 3-year-old preschool in 2026. This is accelerating the roll-out to benefit 6000 children in the first year of the roll-out.
- Local Teams supporting the early childhood education sector with South Australia's early childhood reforms, including the roll-out of 3-year-old preschool.
- Local Team representatives made over 730 visits to early childhood services across SA.
Infrastructure
- South Australian Preschool Infrastructure Strategy launched in December 2024
- $40 million dedicated to preschool infrastructure over 4 years through grants program.
Growing the workforce
- Financial support approved for about 300 people studying early childhood qualifications.
- Immediate Action Plan for Aboriginal Workforce Strategy released, co-designed with Aboriginal leaders, sector experts and Community members.
- $10.9 million invested in a new partnership with Gowrie SA, focused on growing and supporting early childhood career pathways.
Improving outcomes for children
- Aboriginal Co-design Governance Group established to oversee dedicated and universal reforms that ensure Aboriginal children retain and increase the benefits of 3-year-old preschool.
- $13.3 million to expand Child and Family Health Service (CaFHS) so child health checks and development checks reach more families.
- New integrated hubs announced in Port Pirie, Elizabeth Vale (both opening term 4, 2025), Hackham West, Lake Windemere and The Parks (opening term 1, 2027).
- Upgraded Early Years SA App, released in June 2025.
- 22,795+ total downloads
- 3,000 weekly sessions
Click or tap the headlines below to open each section.
| Agency objectives | Indicators | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Deliver quality universal preschool for all 3-year-olds by 2032 | Provide a clear plan for the staged roll-out for 3-year-old preschool, to guide sector action and partnership. | More than 200 long day care services will begin offering the Flying Start 3-year-old preschool program in 2026, alongside 45 government preschools. |
| Unlock potential by providing extra support to children who need it most | Plan targeted initiatives to support children most in need, including integrated hubs and 30-hour preschool places. | Preschool Boost pre-approved online menu of programs and services developed for preschools to buy in child development supports. Three integrated hubs selected for commencement in 2027 in addition to Port Pirie and Elizabeth Vale demonstration sites and open Registration of interest process run for additional partners. |
| Work together to empower Aboriginal children | Support genuine shared decision-making and co-design, backed by additional investment to help Close the Gap. | Statewide community co-design engagement undertaken by Aboriginal consultants, informing scoping of an Aboriginal Early Childhood Strategy and Aboriginal Workforce Strategy in partnership with the South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network and overseen by a specially formed and co-chaired Aboriginal Co-design Governance Group. Launched the workforce Immediate Action Plan that was co-designed with Aboriginal leaders, sector experts and Community members to build a stronger, more inclusive early childhood workforce in South Australia ahead of the longer-term Aboriginal Workforce Strategy. |
| Build a connected early childhood system for the best start | Sector leaders are well connected to the reform agenda and each other. Parents are supported with high quality information and connection to services. | Minister’s Early Childhood Advisory Forum (MECAF) continues as a key channel for consultation and engagement with sector leaders on reform initiatives. Annual Extended MECAF held in June included more the 300 sector representatives coming together in preparation for the first year of the roll-out. Maintain and expand the Early Years app, providing trusted information for parents; reminders to organise child health and development checks, immunisations, dental checks and when to start preschool and school enrolments; and connecting parents with early years providers. A $13.3 million child health and development check expansion investment to build on CaFHS’ existing screening service delivery and increase their reach across the state, funding up to an additional 50,000 checks across three years. |
| Grow and support the early childhood workforce | Co-design a South Australian early childhood workforce strategy to support attraction, qualification pathways, retention and quality. | Approximately 300 students supported to undertake early childhood qualifications. Key initiatives to grow and support the workforce implemented including pathways program to support students from diverse backgrounds; grants to bolster workforce capacity and foster collaboration between professionals and services; support for leadership development; and lifting the quality of early childhood services. |
| Steward the early childhood development system | Establish the Office for Early Childhood Development to act as a steward of the South Australia’s early childhood development system and reduce the proportion of children in the state who are developmentally vulnerable when starting school. | The Office of Early Childhood Development Act 2024 passed through both houses of Parliament formally establishing the Office for Early Childhood Development. |
OECD is committed to being an inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of the South Australian community. As at 30 June 2025, the OECD workforce comprised of:
- 92 per cent women
- 88 per cent female executive
- 4 per cent of employees identifying as Aboriginal
OECD is committed to providing opportunities for the Aboriginal voice to be front and centre in all the work we do. The Aboriginal Leadership Committee (ALC) has been established to:
- provide a culturally safe space to discuss issues that are impacting the cultural responsiveness of OECD and associated projects
- provide a forum for Aboriginal employees to have their voice heard
- provide strategic cultural advice to OECD wide projects
- monitor the cultural safety and appropriateness of the OECD and advise OECD Executive of any concerns
- provide professional network and support structures for Aboriginal employees.
| Program name | Performance |
|---|---|
| Disability Access and Inclusion | The OECD has actively contributed towards the State Disability Inclusion Plan 2025-2029; accepting responsibility for leading and/or co-leading 3 measures within domain 2: Education and Employment. Additionally, the OECD has committed to the State’s Multicultural Ambassador program to take actionable progress against South Australia’s Multicultural Charter Principles. The OECD is committed to a safe, inclusive and diverse workplace proudly celebrating:
|
| Reconciliation | The OECD is in the final stages of drafting our inaugural Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) anticipated to be released 2025. The RAP will strive to build strong foundations, so that the OECD can continue to build and expand on our relationships to engage in reconciliation meaningfully. The OECD proudly adopts Aboriginal Cultural considerations in the workplace through:
Investing in learning and education with Kaurna language sessions and promotion of an acknowledgement of Country that is from the heart. |
Performance management and development system
The OECD’s approach is guided by the Department for Education’s Performance Development Policy and Guideline.
Employees and their managers are expected to engage in regular performance and development conversations, including bi-annual review.
Implementation is monitored via the Human Resource System (HRS).
Performance
As part of the OECD’s establishment, recruitment of the planned OECD structure has seen 75% of the existing workforce recruited in 2024-25 and 45% of the workforce starting in between 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2025.
This scale at pace has focused on induction programs, familiarising staff with the complexity of the reforms, planning & program design.
Subsequently, as at 30 June 2025, 50% of employees had a current performance and development review.
Program name
WHS policies and programs
Performance
The OECD has adopted Department for Education WHS policies and procedures.
To 30 June 2025 there have been no incidents or hazards to report.
| Workplace injury claims | Current year 2024-25 | Past year 2023-24 | % change (+ / -) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total new workplace injury claims | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fatalities | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seriously injured workers* | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Significant injuries (where lost time exceeds a working week, expressed as frequency rate per 1000 FTE) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
*number of claimants assessed during the reporting period as having a whole person impairment meeting the relevant threshold under the Return to Work Act 2014 (Part 2 Division 5)
| Work health and safety regulations | Current year 2024-25 | Past year 2023-24 | % change (+ / -) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of notifiable incidents (Work Health and Safety Act 2012, Part 3) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Number of provisional improvement, improvement and prohibition notices (Work Health and Safety Act 2012 Sections 90, 191 and 195) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Return to work costs** | Current year 2024-25 | Past year 2023-24 | % change (+ / -) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total gross workers compensation expenditure ($) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Income support payments – gross ($) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
**before third party recovery
| Executive classification | Number of executives |
|---|---|
| Chief Executive | 1 |
| SA Executive Services Level 1 | 4 |
| SA Executive Services Level 2 | 4 |
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment has a workforce information page that provides further information on the breakdown of executive gender, salary and tenure by agency.