Tullamarine contains 2 Long Day Care centres (205 places), 1 preschool/kindergarten facility (31 places) and 1 OSHC facility (80 places) on a resident basis — though likely far tighter supply once significant daily workforce inflows to the area are considered. Combined service provision across long day care and preschool/kindergarten services, and the approximate 368 children in the cohort, sees a ratio of children per place of 1.6 - placing the area above the national average for supply per child on a resident basis, though closer to ~1.9 once estimated daytime workforce inflow is factored in. Looking at long day care specifically against the under-5 population, the ratio is 1.8 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 205 places across 2 facilities serving 224 children while preschool supply is constrained with 1 facility providing 31 places (4.8 children aged 3-4 per place compared to the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6). With projected population growth of 36.9% between now and 2041, and 17.4% in the under 5 age group in particular, 37 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 3.3 per 100 residents with 230 enrolments across primary and secondary institutions. A lower-than-typical rate which suggests pressure might be taken off local services somewhat by school hubs in nearby areas. As expected, the level of school places per child care place (LDC+PSK) is also lower than average.
9 school catchments intersect Tullamarine (note; school catchment data provided for public schools only), in which a combined 10,297 children aged under 5 reside, served by 6,599 LDC and preschool places. The overall demand-to-supply ratio across these catchments is 1.6 children per place, with limited variance in this ratio.