Childcare leadership alliance
Strategic innovation in
regional childcare
A not for profit working to ensure stable, sustainable, quality early learning and school age care offerings are available for communities in regional Queensland.
Supporting regional communities
In regional and remote Queensland, accessible childcare is essential—it allows parents to work, businesses to operate, and communities to thrive. That’s why the Childcare Leadership Alliance (CLA) was formed. Born in the Isaac region through a collaborative effort between the Smart Transformation Advisory Council (STAC) and BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA), this initiative began in 2022 when Astute won the competitive tender to architect and establish the Alliance’s foundational framework.
Since those successful pilot programs in Moranbah and Dysart, the CLA has evolved into a fully independent, standalone Not-For-Profit (NFP) entity. Today, it thrives via a diversified funding model backed by various industry partners, government grants, and community stakeholders. Guided by a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors, the CLA co-creates practical, place-based solutions designed to help regional services flourish—from pioneering new ways to attract and retain highly-skilled educators to advocating for regional services and families.
highly-skilled educators recruited into regional communities.
houses provided as affordable local accommodation
Leading the delivery
Astute’s Executive Management & Workforce
While the CLA Board provides vital governance and community direction, Astute is the trusted operational partner responsible for translating that vision into real-world impact. Under a comprehensive, long-term Management Services Agreement, Astute provides the Alliance’s executive management and professional workforce. This includes embedding the Executive Officer and Programme Manager to lead the strategic rollout, fully backed by Astute’s centralised specialist staff who deliver the Alliance’s corporate finance, regional marketing campaigns, and intensive international recruitment operations.
Leveraging our history as the Alliance’s original architects, our integrated team designs the ongoing strategy, heads up community engagement, and manages the workforce capability programs transforming regional Queensland’s childcare landscape. This partnership blends the CLA’s multi-stakeholder community backing with Astute’s high-level, end-to-end sector expertise—ensuring regional childcare services remain resilient, reliable, and sustainable for the long haul.
Proven Impact
Milestones & Success Measures
Award winning innovation
Won the prestigious Community, Staff Engagement or EEO Award at the 2024 Queensland Mining Awards in collaboration with BMA, recognising our strategic innovation in regional childcare.
Targeted Housing & Recruitment:
Secured 30 houses for services to provide affordable local accommodation, successfully attracting and settling 40 highly-skilled educators into regional communities.
Operational Excellence
Achieved a tangible decrease in childcare waitlists and a significant improvement in educator retention rates, directly increasing the daily capacity of regional services.
Workforce Upskilling & PD
Coordinated, expanded, and delivered extensive professional development and targeted upskilling programs to a rapidly growing network of regional educators.
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