❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding childcare service capacity in regional Western Australia reveals closures, openings, expansion applications, and data gaps concerning childcare shortages.

I refer to access to service capacity for the childcare sector in regional Western Australia, and I ask:(a) please table the number of childcare services in regional Western Australia that have closed, broken down by region between June 2023 and January 2026;(b) between June 2023 and January 2026 how many new childcare services have opened in regional WA;(c) since June 2023 how many childcare services in regional WA have applied to expand their licensed capacity since 2023; and(d) as at 1 January 2026, how many regional towns have been identified by the Department as having a shortage of childcare places?

a)      Data has been provided for the period 1 June 2023 to 31 January 2026. Regional WA 2023 2024 2025 2026 Total Gascoyne 0 0 1 0 1 Great Southern 1 2 0 0 3 Kimberley 0 0 1 0 1 Mid West 0 0 3 0 3 Peel 1 2 5 1 9 Pilbara 1 0 2 0 3 South West 1 1 1 0 3 Wheatbelt 0 2 4 0 6 Total 4 7 17 1 29 Regional WA 2023 2024 2025 2026 Total Gascoyne 0 0 1 0 1 Great Southern 1 2 0 0 3 Kimberley 0 0 1 0 1 Mid West 0 0 3 0 3 Peel 1 2 5 1 9 Pilbara 1 0 2 0 3 South West 1 1 1 0 3 Wheatbelt 0 2 4 0 6 Total 4 7 17 1 29 b)      64 c)      44 The Department of Communities does not hold this data.