BHP Mitsubishi Alliance Childcare Project

Reliable childcare is an important enabler to support progress against our Thriving, empowered communities and Safe, inclusive and future-ready workforce pillars, metrics and milestones in our social value scorecard. It enables parents and carers - including medical professionals, educators, hospitality workers and  BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) workforce - to work and/or contribute to essential community services. 

The BMA Childcare Project combines the Childcare Leadership Alliance (CLA) and Family Day Care Project to help address childcare availability in Queensland’s Isaac region. 

A need for increased childcare services 

The need for more childcare was raised through the Smart Transformation Project, supported by BMA since 2019 to help future-proof Dysart and Moranbah through projects focused on wellbeing, business development, skills and training. 

A subsequent assessment by Smart Transformation confirmed childcare gaps and systemic sector challenges, including workforce attraction and retention, pay and cost-of-living pressures, and limited care options. It found that growing demand and limited availability could affect community liveability and residents’ capacity to work. 

In response, Smart Transformation and BMA worked with the community to establish the CLA, while BMA also progressed a separate Family Day Care initiative to expand local care options. 

Childcare Leadership Alliance  

The CLA brings together industry, government and community to address systemic childcare challenges and strengthen local services. In 2026, it transitioned into an independent not-for-profit entity governed by a dedicated Board, with a long-term plan to diversify funding beyond BMA’s initial support. 

As a central coordinator, the CLA supports stable, high-quality early childhood and school-aged care through collaborative decision-making,, shared accountability and strong local connection. 

CLA impact on community and workforce 

Since 2022, the CLA has delivered tangible results in Moranbah, including an international recruitment campaign that attracted 40 childcare professionals to the region. 

This has helped increase available care days, reduce waitlists and improve occupancy rates, supporting BMA’s workforce, essential community service providers and local families. 

The Family Day Care initiative  

BMA has partnered with Family Day Care Australia on a pilot to establish family day care operations in Dysart and/or Moranbah. The project is open to BMA employees and community members interested in operating family day care from their homes, including BMA-owned properties. 

Expressions of Interest have been released to identify participants for a support program, including training, set-up grants and professional guidance from Family Day Care Australia to help applicants establish their business and meet qualification requirements. 

Future plans 

The CLA continues to work toward financial independence by growing its regional funding base, supporting its long-term sustainability as BMA’s financial contribution reduces over time. 

The model is designed to be scalable, with discussions underway to explore expansion into other regional communities. 

Through the CLA and Family Day Care initiatives, the BMA Childcare Project is helping improve childcare availability in the Isaac region, delivering measurable benefits for BMA’s workforce and the broader community.