Appendix 2 | Background information on ECEC and school closures during the pandemic in Australia Schools are about much more than the development of literacy and numeracy skills. Beyond teaching, they can also foster students' development of their self-esteem, self-confidence, identity, emotional skills, social networks, and overall well-being. Schools provide places for the delivery of services such as breakfast and lunch programs, health programs, access to the arts, counselling, and other services. Given the breadth of factors contributing to human development that schools influence, it was inevitable that the policy of ECEC and school closures would have direct and indirect negative impacts on the human rights of children. (b) The education system in Australia Formal education in Australia spans 4 educational stages – ECEC, primary education, secondary education, and tertiary education. Tertiary education institutions are universities, technical and further education, and other vocational colleges. • Preschool services deliver a preschool program – structured, play-based learning, delivered by a qualified teacher, aimed at children in the year or 2 before they commence full time schooling. Responsibility for ECEC is shared by the federal government, state and territory governments and, in some cases, local governments.38 In 2020– 21, the Australian Government’s main roles and responsibilities included paying the Child Care Subsidy, generally to childcare providers and:39 • provide funding to state and territory governments to support the achievement of universal access to early childhood education, through the National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education • provide operational and capital funding to some providers. (i) Early childhood education and care Childcare services provide education and care services to children aged 0–12 years. The services include: • • • 44 | centre based day care family day care outside school hours care other care, including services supporting children with additional needs or in particular situations— including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, children with disabilities, and children living in regional and remote areas—mobile services, playschools and nannies. 37 The state and territory government roles and responsibilities vary across jurisdictions but principally include: • providing funding and/or preschool services and, in some case, providing funding to childcare services