Access and availability of childcare is an important enabler of a thriving, empowered community, which is one of the six pillars of BHP’s social value framework. Medical professionals, hospitality staff, educators and other critical professions all require reliable, quality childcare in order to provide essential services to the community. Access and availability of childcare is also critical for establishing a safe, inclusive and future ready workforce at BHP, which is another of our social value pillars.  

The BHP Mitsubishi Alliance Childcare Project, consisting of the Childcare Leadership Alliance , and a Family Day Care Project, is a combined approach aimed at working with community and key stakeholders to help address the pressing issue of childcare availability in the Isaac region of Central Queensland.  

A need for increased childcare services 

The local community raised the issue of childcare availability through the Smart Transformation Project. Supported by BMA since 2019, Smart Transformation aims to help future-proof the Dysart and Moranbah communities by implementing prioritised projects focused on community wellbeing, business development, skills and training.  

After the issue was identified by community members on the Smart Transformation Advisory Councils, an assessment was undertaken to quantify the childcare gaps and identify systemic issues affecting the sector, such as worker attraction and retention, pay and cost of living, and the lack of diversified care options. The assessment identified that the growing imbalance between the need for childcare and its availability would further impact the liveability of these communities and limit residents’ capacity to work. 

Based on recommendations from the assessment, Smart Transformation and BMA worked with the community to establish the Childcare Leadership Alliance (CLA). BMA also separately worked on another initiative in setting up a Family Day Care project. Both activities were key to enhancing care options for the community. 

Childcare Leadership Alliance  

The Childcare Leadership Alliance (CLA) was co-created and brings together stakeholders to tackle systemic issues and enhance childcare services. The CLA is designed with the aim of being strategic, sustainable and independent, with financial support from BMA reducing over time, as the CLA seeks to diversify its funding sources.  

The CLA Board comprises representatives from Smart Transformation, Isaac Regional Council, local childcare operators, Astute and BMA, and oversees strategic planning and implementation. This collaborative model seeks to ensure the CLA addresses the key issues affecting the childcare sector within the region and engages with local stakeholders who can help address those challenges. 

Image caption: Smart Transformation and Astute members celebrate the launch of the CLA in Dysart.

Impact on community and workforce 

Since 2023, the CLA has recruited more than 32 new childcare workers to Moranbah through an international recruitment campaign. This has increased availability of care days for children, reduced childcare waitlists and increased occupancies of childcare centres in Moranbah.  

These outcomes help deliver community-wide benefits by providing more support for essential childcare services in the region.  

The Family Day Care Project  

BMA has also partnered with Family Day Care Australia to progress a pilot project aimed at establishing family day care operations in Dysart and/or Moranbah. The project is open to BMA employees and community members interested in establishing a family day care operation in their homes, including in BMA-owned properties. 

BMA has released Expressions of Interest to employees and community members to identify interested parties for a support program to establish a family day care business. Available support includes training, set up grants and professional support from Family Day Care Australia to help applicants through the necessary steps to establish their own business, which includes obtaining a Certificate III in Early Education and Care qualification and routine First Aid Training accreditation. 

Future plans 

The CLA is looking to achieve financial independence and long-term sustainability with BMA's financial support reducing over time. The CLA is growing its funding base through commitments from other companies and organisations.  

The CLA model is designed to encourage and enable geographic expansion of services based on diversified funding, and discussions are underway to progress this. 

The BMA Childcare Project, through the CLA and Family Day Care initiatives, has made significant strides in helping to address childcare availability in the Isaac region. The project's strategic and community-driven approach has led to measurable successes and recognition, benefiting both BMA's workforce and the broader community.