Leeton contains 3 Long Day Care centres (246 places), 1 preschool/kindergarten facility (80 places) and 1 OSHC facility (50 places). Combined service provision across long day care and preschool/kindergarten services, and the approximate 568 children in the cohort, sees a ratio of children per place of 1.6 - placing the area slightly above the national average for supply per child. Looking at long day care specifically against the under-5 population, the ratio is 2.2 children per place. Further breakdowns by age, to help in identifying the most in-need services, show moderate LDC provision across the infant and toddler cohort (<3yo) with 246 places across 3 facilities serving 321 children while preschool supply is strong with 1 facility providing 80 places (2.7 children aged 3-4 per place compared to the Regional NSW average of 4.4). With projected population growth of 0.1% between now and 2041, and 1.6% in the under 5 age group in particular, 23 new places will be needed to maintain today's ratios. Socioeconomic performance in the area in the way of income and employment figures, including female workforce participation, are broadly in line with national averages.
In assessing child care markets local school supply is a particularly important factor, given school-run convenience, and enrolment vs child care place analysis can provide useful insight into capacity both for parents seeking child care options and child care operators assessing opportunities in an area. The catchment sees a level of school enrolment relative to population of 24.1 per 100 residents with 2,213 enrolments across primary and secondary institutions. This notably elevated rate of school supply suggests many students travel to the area from beyond the immediate surrounds, typically amplifying local childcare demand given school-run proximity. Additionally, the level of school places per child care place (LDC+PSK) is moderate. Proximity analysis saw distances of local residents to their nearest child care centre being longer than typical nationally.
8 school catchments intersect Leeton (note; school catchment data provided for public schools only), in which a combined 896 children aged under 5 reside, served by 652 LDC and preschool places. The overall demand-to-supply ratio across these catchments is 1.4 children per place, with limited variance in this ratio.