POOR rates of access to early childhood education and care in Gannawarra Shire has been highlighted in a draft Productivity Commission report.

Comparing the number of places in various forms of childcare with the number of children up to age 5, the areas excluding Kerang were found to have fewer than 0.4 places per child.

In Kerang, the rate was fewer than 0.8 places per child, one of the higher...