How your early childhood education and care centre can support you

If you are looking at early childhood education and care (ECEC) options for when you return to work, you may want to see how different centres support breastfed babies.   

Some ECEC providers welcome breastfed babies and support mums to keep breastfeeding. Others may be less familiar with caring for breastfed babies or using expressed breastmilk, which can affect how confident they feel.

The following information about the legal obligations of ECEC providers may be helpful.  

It is against the law for an ECEC service provider to treat you unfairly because you are breastfeeding. Your right to breastfeed is protected under the federal Sex Discrimination Act 1984. Each Australian State and Territory also has laws to protect breastfeeding in places such as work, education and the provision of goods and services. 

All ECEC services are covered by these laws, including long day care, occasional care, family day care and in home care. It doesn’t matter if the service is not-for-profit or commercial.

In practice this means: 

• You can keep breastfeeding your baby while they attend the centre. 

• You can provide expressed breastmilk and your child's carer must feed it to your baby. 

• You can breastfeed your baby or express for your baby at the centre.  

• Your ECEC provider needs to support you to keep breastfeeding or giving breastmilk to your baby while they are in care. 

ECEC centres can support breastfeeding in simple ways, such as:

• Letting parents know  they support breastfeeding from the first contact.
• Providing a comfortable place in the centre for mums who want to breastfeed or express milk. 
• Being positive about mothers leaving breastmilk for their baby.   

Find out more about the Breastfeeding Friendly Early Childhood Education and Care recognition program. Share the promotional flyer with your centre.

Breastfeeding and Childcare is a pamphlet put out by Australian Breastfeeding Association and ACT Human Rights Commission. Download your copy below. 

The pamphlet outlines the rights of mother and baby regarding breastfeeding and early childhood education and care.

• Front: Important information for ECEC service providers 

• Back: Important information for parents 

The pamphlet has been translated into the following languages:

தமிழ் (Tamil)    Hrvatski (Croatian)    Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)     हिन्दी (Hindi)      فارسی  (Farsi)
Thuɔŋjäŋ (Dinka)    简体中文  (Chinese)    العربية  (Arabic)    አማርኛ (Amharic)   Burmese    Assyrian      

Translation of this pamphlet was funded by an ACT Government grant.

Access and download Breastfeeding and Childcare

© Australian Breastfeeding Association July 2026