An Australian national task force examined a number of areas related to achieving educational equality for Australia's Indigenous peoples. This paper looks at early childhood education and identifies issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Chapters cover: (1) the national policy context, Indigenous educational attainment, and demographic data; (2) provision and access to various types of early childhood education and day care, and the low levels of participation by Indigenous families; (3) developmental and learning needs of children aged 0-8, continuing tension between early childhood practices and the primary school curriculum, and school readiness issues for Indigenous children; (4) cultural differences in Indigenous children's experiences prior to schooling, and the need for culturally inclusive schooling that builds on children's cultural capital and encourages bicultural competence; (5) challenges in meeting national numeracy and literacy standards, especially for students who do not speak Standard Australian English as a first language or who come from an oral tradition; and (6) the poor level of interaction between schools and Indigenous communities, and recommendations for community development and capacity building initiatives. (Contains 30 references.) (SV)