Annual Report 2012

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Child Australia Annual Report 2012

25 YEARS

Child Australia Annual Report

Australia 1

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Child Australia Annual Report 2012

s t n e t n Co About Child Australia

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CEO and Chairperson’s Report - The Year in Review

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2011/2012 Overview

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Program Snapshot

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Advocacy and Leadership

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Capacity Building – Early Childhood Professionals and Students

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Service Delivery – Children and Families

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Our Board

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Our Executive

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Management and Governance

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Staff List

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Australia

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About Child Australia

• provide family, parenting and early childhood development support

Child Inclusive Learning and Development Australia (Child Australia) is a leading not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving developmental outcomes for children through education, early childhood services, family support and advocacy.

• conduct research and robust evaluation to increase the early childhood development evidence base

In 2012 Child Australia celebrates its 25th year helping build the capacity of the early childhood sector through education and inclusion support services for early childhood students and professionals.

We were established in 1987 as the Resource Unit for Children with Special Needs (RUCSN) to help educators include children with disabilities into child care services. Since then, we have grown significantly and now offer a wide range of programs and services to support early childhood professionals and families.

In November 2008, the expansion and evolution of our programs and services led to our name change to Child Inclusive Learning and Development Australia (Child Australia).

Our work is built on the research evidence from contemporary early childhood education and care. We: • increase educators knowledge, skills and confidence • provide high quality inclusive education and care • increase access to services for children with additional needs

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We engage directly with families and children through our early learning facilities, mobile services and parent support programs.

We actively pursue opportunities to work with others to integrate early childhood development services across Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

We are sector leaders in our advocacy for high quality, inclusive early childhood development services.

Our Mission To develop the capacity of the early childhood education and care sector, families and the community to support children’s wellbeing, learning and development.

Our Vision We have a vision of a community where children grow, thrive and reach their full potential.

Child Australia Annual Report 2012

CEO & Chairman’s Report – the Year in Review Dear Colleagues, Staff and Child Australia Members It has been another busy and productive year for Child Australia, with an upward trend in growth continuing to characterise the organisation in 2011/12. Consolidated income grew by 25%, primarily as a result of the expansion of our direct service delivery arm, significantly contributing to the organisation’s strategic goal of funding diversification.

Child Australia was particularly active in the Northern Territory and we were proud to successfully tender for, and subsequently open, our second child care service in Darwin. Farrah Early Learning Centre is a marvelous, purpose-built, 57 place child care centre located within the city of Palmerston, which is one of the fastest growing communities in Australia. We also secured a contract to assist the NT Department for Education and Training develop the first phase of an Indigenous Child and Family Centre, which is also to be located in the city of Palmerston.

Staying with the NT, we were also delighted to be able to support and co-host the National Quality Standards conference with Semann and Slattery which was well attended by early childhood educators from around the Territory.

Child Australia also expanded its service delivery capacity in Western Australia, particularly in the area of family support. Three new programs are being established that extend our ability to assist families and educators in regional WA. Parent Pathways is an individual support and outreach program designed to assist vulnerable families access, and participate in, mainstream programs and services. This program will operate in Geraldton, with an initial focus on developing a referral network leading to a multi-agency collaborative project. The Rural Inclusion and Professional Support Program (RISP) supports eligible education and care centres with the inclusion of children with additional needs. We also successfully tendered for a new project as part of the Child Aware Approaches Initiative, an important component of the Australian Government’s commitment under the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children. We will be developing an online e-module to assist early childhood educators build awareness of children experiencing, or exposed to risk of exposure to domestic/family violence, mental illness and sexual abuse.

We are proud to be involved in this important initiative which seeks to better manage the impact of child abuse and neglect and to deliver more targeted services for children.

We are also pleased to announce that we successfully re-tendered for all of our Inclusion and Professional Support Programs, which included our Professional Support Coordinator programs in the NT and WA, as well as the six Inclusion Support Agencies in WA. Retaining these federally funded programs was a true reflection of the excellent work carried out by the staff over the last six years and it also provides ongoing financial security.

2012 is the final year of Child Australia’s three year strategic planning cycle and we are proud to report that we have met, or exceeded, all of the outcomes in our three key result areas of Business Development and Sector Leadership, Advocacy, and Program and Service Delivery. The Board and Senior Leadership Team have now developed our 2012-2015 strategic plan, which will be presented at this year’s AGM.

“Service Integration is best understood as an ecological ‘Integrated Children’s System’ that is centered on the child and their family, served through service coordination, and supported through integrated organisations and agencies.”

Siraj-Blatchford (2009)

One particular and very important aspect of our strategic direction is the work we are doing in the area of integrated early childhood service delivery. This has been a strategic objective, both at the policy, and the program level, for several years and we are beginning to see the fruits of our labour. In collaboration with other NGO’s, Child Australia has been a strong voice advocating for the State Government to move toward integrated early childhood development services. We were extremely encouraged when, in March, the state government announced its commitment to establish 10 new Child and Parent Centres across WA to provide a suite of services combining education, health, parenting and playgroups for families with young children at risk.

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These centers will be the basis for a unified approach to early childhood development service delivery and cross government cooperation on the early years.

We will continue to advocate for integrated service delivery. One of our important initiatives in this area is the establishment of the Altone Early Years Integrated Service Delivery model. Our Early Learning Centre in Lockridge, Western Australia, is a founding participant of this venture in the Altone ward and we chair the project working group. This exciting undertaking is a collaborative partnership with community-based and government early childhood service providers, and furthers our progress towards integrated service delivery in early childhood education and care.

There were important changes and additions to our Board during the year, with the election of three new highly qualified board members. Elaine Pavlos, Bruce McCowan and Partha Nag joined our board and bring with them valuable skills and expertise which is already having a positive impact on fulfilling our strategic goals. In late 2011, we bid farewell to Barbara Macnish, who made an outstanding contribution to the organisation, helping to shepherd in many of the major changes that have taken place. Barbara was on the CA Board for more than a decade, with last three years as the Chair and left the organisation in excellent shape, ensuring her successor a smooth transition.

Of course, none of our successes would have been possible without the hard work and enthusiasm of our dedicated staff and the commitment of our Board.

Board members generously volunteer their time and contribute many hours to sub-committee work or to attending CA functions. Their contribution is both valued and very much appreciated. We have worked

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hard to create a Board with the right mix of skills and experience. The high caliber of the Directors and their positive collaborative relationship with the Senior Leadership Team, have contributed to a successful and productive year.

We are proud to lead such an exceptional group of individuals and we are confident in the knowledge that everyone is thoroughly engaged and fully committed to our mission. While they may face challenges and obstacles, they do so with good grace, humour and professionalism and we are privileged to have them on our team. We would also like to acknowledge the Senior Leadership Team and thank them for their hard work and dedication, always willing to do what it takes to get the job done. With their eye on the big picture they are not afraid to get their hands dirty in the detail.

We believe that we are all “enriching children’s lives” and it is reflected in everything we do.

Nick Cooper Chairperson

Dawson Ruhl CEO

Overview We welcomed the implementation of the National Quality Framework which aims to raise quality and drive continuous improvement and consistency in education and care services. The National Quality Standard sets a new national benchmark for the quality of education and care services and we have embraced these changes in our professional development, training and support programs.

2011/2012

Child Australia Annual Report 2012

We continued our transition to the reforms endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments in 2009, expanded our core capacity building role in the early childhood education and care sector and established new family and children’s services.

Through our ongoing support of the reforms and our commitment to sector advocacy and leadership, we continued to seek opportunities to provide Australian families with high-quality, accessible and affordable integrated early childhood education and child care programs and services.

By investing in the health, education, development and care of our children, their families and the community, we can ensure our children have the best start in life.

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Program Snapshot We have a long and proud history of supporting our community’s children since our inception in 1987. We have now positioned ourselves as a leading not for profit organisation delivering programs and services across Western Australia and the Northern Territory that help build the capacity of the early childhood development sector, provide high quality early and middle childhood learning and development services, and support families to build their knowledge, skills and confidence as parents.

Professional Support Coordinator – Northern Territory Kimberley Inclusion Support Agency

Pilbara Inclusion Support Agency

Consultation Services to Government

Farrar Early Learning Centre Bagot Community OSHC

Community Based Management Support Service

West Pilbara Mobile Children’s Service • Rural Playgroup Support Service Pilbara and Murchison

Central Inclusion Support Agency Professional Support Coordinator – Western Australia Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) North Metropolitan Inclusion Support Agency

Rural Inclusion Support Program

CHILD AUSTRALIA HEAD OFFICE

Child Early Learning Centre Lockridge

AEDI Local Champion Program for Midlands Region

Child Lockridge OSHC Great Southern Inclusion Support Agency South West Inclusion Support Agency

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Child Australia Annual Report 2012

Advocacy and Leadership

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We have capitalised on our position as a respected not for profit organisation and, during the past year, we have participated in a number of national working groups, projects and committees and continue to advocate for sector change and a more holistic approach to early childhood development services and public policy.

• Brain development in the prenatal period and early years affects physical and mental health and learning in childhood and adult life.

Stuart Shanker: 2012 Thinker in Residence

• Parents are ‘the’ strongest influences in determining their children’s life chances.

• Research shows that we cannot achieve our outcomes for children without an investment in families and parents.

The project aims to increase parent’s, carer’s and the community’s understanding of behaviours they can adopt during the early years of a child’s life to enhance brain development and overall life chances of children. Stage 1 of the project identifies key messages from neuroscience for parenting and the most effective means of providing information to parents. A national media campaign, based on 11 key messages, is currently being developed and is expected to be rolled out nationally in 2013.

Altone Place Early Years Integrated Service Delivery Initiative

Child Australia co-sponsored the WA Commissioner for Children and Young People’s 2012 Thinker in Residence initiative. The Commissioner for Children and Young People, Michelle Scott established the Thinker in Residence initiative in 2011 with the intention of inviting an internationally renowned expert to Western Australia each year for a short residency to focus on an important public policy issue that affects the wellbeing of children and young people. Professor Stuart Shanker, a popular Canadian key note speaker was the 2012 Thinker in Residence. Professor Shanker’s focus of the two week residency was self-regulation in children. Dr Shanker’s basic message was that children who can regulate their moods, emotions and behaviours in early learning environments, will grow into more successful adults. Over 2,000 people attended the 35 events and meetings during the residency.

Engaging Families in the Early Childhood Development Story Engaging Families in the ECD Story is a national project supported and funded by the Standing Council on School Education. Child Australia was invited to participate on a national steering group. This project supports the reform priority under the National Early Childhood Development Strategy to engage parents and the community to better understand the importance of early childhood development. The underpinning rationale for the Engaging Families in the ECD story is: 10

Child Australia, in collaboration with the City of Swan and Meerilinga Young Children’s Foundation, has initiated a strategy to support Altone Early Years Child and Family Service. The overall aim of the Altone Project is to develop an integrated service delivery model to improve outcomes for children and families in Altone Ward. A range of government and non-government organisations have begun to establish the relationships required to form an Altone Community Partnership Group. Steps taken include: • Engaging senior representatives from local and regional stakeholder organisations (government, NGOs and private) to develop common ‘in principle’ commitment to service integration in the local area.

• Engaging with the local community members and businesses through face-to-face interactions, community events and information to establish a trusting relationship.

• Securing funding for a formal evaluation framework to provide the foundation for evidence-based planning and the continuous improvement of early years’ service provision through action research.

Child Australia’s Lockridge Early Learning Centre is a foundation member of the Altone Project and provides the coordination and evaluation function.

Lockridge Early Learning Centre Child Health Nurse Project We have begun an innovative pilot project this year which involves a dedicated community Child Health Nurse operating within the Lockridge Early Learning Centre. By co-locating health and education professionals in one area we are better able meet the family’s needs.

Child Australia Annual Report 2012

The aim of the project is to improve the wellbeing and health outcomes of children attending the early learning centre through early intervention. Expected outcomes and objectives include: • Improved partnerships with government and nongovernment agencies to meet the needs of children and their families.

• Generally raise awareness of early childhood development.

• Develop trans-disciplinary service model for clients at the Lockridge Early Learning Centre and surrounding suburbs.

National Disability Alliance in Children’s Services (NDACS) Child Australia, which has a long history working with children with special needs, is the WA representative for the National Disability Alliance in Children’s Services (NDACS). NDACS is the national peak body representing the interests of children with a disability in early childhood settings.

NDACS seeks to: • Ensure that current evidenced-based research and practice contribute to ongoing interactions with governments, child and family service providers and educational bodies.

• Promote and support a common understanding of inclusive practice that informs and supports access and participation of children with disabilities and their families in quality children’s service environments.

• Maximise opportunities to advocate and support the development of policies and programs that recognise inclusive practice is embedded in quality service delivery.

Consultations and Submissions Child Australia have engaged in numerous consultations and made two significant submissions; one in response to the Productivity Commission Workforce Development and the second, the Budget Based Funding review.

National Conferences The Australian Early Years Learning Framework National Conference: Belonging, Being and Becoming in Practice Child Australia, in collaboration with Semann & Slattery and the Northern Territory Department of Education and Training, were pleased to bring the National Early Years Learning Framework Conference to the Top End in October 2011.

The conference brought both inspiration and challenges to the ways in which early years’ educators engage with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). Presenters travelled from diverse states and territories to share their expertise with the audience, leaving many inspired to engage confidently with the EYLF.

The Australian National Quality Standard Conference in the NT: Supporting Practice Through Innovation, Reflection and Quality Improvement

Child Australia Research

This National Conference was organised by Semann & Slattery in partnership with Child Australia and the Northern Territory Department of Education and Training to provide Northern Territory early years’ educators with the opportunity to engage with nationally recognised early childhood specialists on essential learnings relating to the early childhood National Quality Framework.

Child Australia is committed to building the capacity of the ECEC sector by building on the evidence base through action research. One research project undertaken during the past twelve months in partnership with Semann and Slattery was Reflective Practice and Inclusion: Using Performed Ethnography for Reflective Practice with Early Childhood Educational Professionals. One of the many practical outcomes of this research conducted in Western Australia and the Northern Territory was an excellent resource tool for educators to address issues of inclusion, diversity and difference.

This conference provided educators from a range of children’s services with some wonderful opportunities to rethink their approaches to working with children, families and other educators. ECEC educators heard from some of Australia’s leading scholars and practitioners, who shared their thinking, reflections, practices and journeys relating to the National Quality Standards. Further, the conference aimed to bridge the gap between the standards and that which occurs in practice, by providing opportunities for debate and dialogue within the sector, as we journey into the new standard of operating.

• Work in partnership with other organisations to facilitate the inclusion of children with disabilities.

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Capacity Building

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Child Australia Annual Report 2012

Capacity Building for Early Childhood Educators Professionals and Students This year marks our 25th Anniversary supporting and assisting the early childhood sector build their capacity by helping develop their knowledge, skills and confidence by providing education and inclusion support services for early childhood students and professionals.

Inclusion and Professional Support Program Funded by the Commonwealth Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) Child Australia delivers a range of programs and services under the Inclusion and Professional Support Program (IPSP).

The aim of the IPSP is to promote and maintain high quality care and inclusion for all children in eligible child care services by increasing the skill level of carers, educators and management, in line with nationally consistent priorities.

Child Australia delivered a diverse range of services and support under the IPSP program in 2011-2012 as: • the Professional Support Coordinator for both Western Australia and the Northern Territory; and • six of the eight West Australian Inclusion Support Agencies.

Professional Support Coordinator (PSC) Overview The PSC is a state/territory based program designed to build the capacity of Australian Government Approved Childcare Services (AGACCS). We provide: • Professional development activities to enhance educators’ knowledge and skill base.

• Bicultural support to assist the inclusion of children from identified groups (CaLD background, Humanitarian entrants, and Indigenous children).

• Quality assurance support to build readiness in services to meet the National Quality Standard.

• Resource Centres to provide professional development resources to the sector.

• Specialist equipment to support the inclusion of children with a disability.

Snapshot of PSC Delivery In the last 12 months, PSC has delivered wide-ranging support across Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

In WA: • 76% of services in WA accessed support; • 512 workshops were held; • 4858 Educators have attended Professional; and Development workshops NT: • 86% of services in NT accessed support; • 189 workshops were held including 2 conferences • 2948 Educators have attended PD workshops; and • 129 in-service consultancies were delivered In both jurisdictions, extensive follow up consultancies promoted deeper learning and consolidation of concepts. The implementation of NQF support packages provided intense and ongoing support to assist services transition to meet the Nation Quality Standards

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Professional Support Coordinator Program Delivery Areas Professional Support Coordinator (PSC) PSC WA

PSC NT

Bicultural Support (WA & NT) NQF (Quality) Support (WA & NT)

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WA Resource Centre

NT Resource Libraries

WA Specialist Equipment

NT Specialist Equipment

Child Australia Annual Report 2012

Resource Centres/Libraries The PSC operates Resource Centres/Libraries in both Western Australia and the Northern Territory. They complement the professional learning that occurs through the PSC professional development and support services.

The resources are extensive, diverse and relevant to the needs of early childhood education and care services.

All resources are aligned to the new National Quality Framework (NQF) and equip educators with tools to support the NQF change process.

There are 7 titles in the series: • How To Develop Policies Successfully • Work Health and Safety In ECEC • Build Strong Partnerships with Families • Promote Healthy Eating and Nutrition In Young Children • Supporting Children’s Transitions • Create The Perfect Play Space

WA Resource Centre snapshot

• Develop A Curriculum and Assessment Process.

• Located in our head office in Malaga.

Throughout each booklet, there are references to national legislation (the Act and Regulations), the National Quality Standard, the Early Years Learning Framework (Belonging, Being and Becoming) and the Framework for School Age Care (My Time, Our Place).

• Over 20,000 items available for loan.

• Online catalogue for professional members.

• Mailing service or drop-in.

NT Resource Libraries snapshot

Collaborative Resource Development

• Northern Resource Library located in Darwin and managed by Early Childhood Australia.

PSCWA joined with Nutrition Australia, Edith Cowan University, and Anaphylaxis Australia to develop Nourish: A Cookbook for Early Childhood to embed nutrition guidelines into education and care service’s menu planning for 0-4 year olds. This is the first time a cookbook has been developed for 0-4 aged children in education and care settings. These cookbooks will be distributed through food forums facilitated by Nutrition Australia and ECU in 2013.

• Central Resource Library located in Alice Springs and managed by the Children’s Service Support Program.

• Over 8000 items available for loan.

• Mailing service or drop-in.

PSC Annual Highlights We refined our program delivery and focussed on assisting services transition to meeting the National Quality Standards through local support and national PSC initiatives. Of significance in the past year has been our innovative and high quality resource development, and the delivery of support “packages” that encompass professional development with individual consultancy and service mentoring.

National Products Developed Our PSCs have been working closely with the PSC Alliance to develop resources of national significance.

These resources were written and road tested in WA and NT and have now been rolled out nationally for use in all child care services in Australia.

The ‘How To Series’ has been created to offer professionals working in the education and care sector in Australia practical support to implement the National Quality Framework.

The How To series consists of seven booklets promoting key areas of quality service provision.

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Cultural Competence PSC in WA and the Indigenous Professional Support Unit (IPSU) collaborated on the “Joining Hands” project. This project involved a series of workshops in Metro and Rural WA, resource kits of Indigenous resources and face-to-face consultancies. The project was centred around a team meeting package as a consistent tool to assist directors, team leaders and educational leaders to advance their understanding of cultural competency and reflecting on Indigenous culture.

Cultural Connections Forums Our Bicultural Program, in collaboration with Inclusion Support Agencies, Child Australia Training and Research Institute, industry stakeholders and the ECEC sector, developed a Cultural Connections program which included a professional development workshop, cultural connections workbook and a resource bag complete with cultural resources.

PSC planned the delivery of Cultural Connection forums for all target ECEC services throughout WA and NT, coordinating delivery of more than 62 workshops to 462 educators.

Inclusion Support Agency Overview Through our Inclusion Support Agencies we assist Australian Government Approved Child Care Services build the skills and capacity of child care services and their educators to support the inclusion of all children in their setting.

Using a capacity building approach, Inclusion Support Facilitators (ISFs) work with services to identify both their strengths and those areas in which extra support may be required. We respond directly to requests for inclusion support, identify practices that facilitate inclusion, undertake inclusion planning with services and assist them to develop service support plans. We provide a range of other practical supports and link services to the PSC and communities stakeholders.

We continued our participation in The National Inclusion Support Agency Alliance as the rural and remote WA representative. Alliance participation provides us with the opportunity to share the unique Western Australian rural and remote perspective, and gain increased awareness of remote service delivery models in other jurisdictions.

Snapshot of ISA Delivery Over the past 12 months, Child Australia’s ISA programs have delivered wide-ranging support to child care services across Western Australia including: • 761 Inclusion Support Subsidy Applications completed • 2328 referrals for Inclusion Support

ISA Program Delivery Areas Inclusion Support Program Kimberley

WA Inclusion Support Agencies (ISA)

Pilbara

Central

Kimberley

Pilbara

North Metro

Great Southern

South West

Central North Metro South West

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Great Southern

Child Australia Annual Report 2012

Rural Inclusion Support Program The Rural Inclusion Support Program (RISP) provides inclusion support for rural non-Australian Government Approved Child Care Services (AGACCS). This new program commenced May 2012 with funding from Royalties for Regions, Department of Regional Development and Lands and Department for Communities.

This initiative ensures that regional early childhood services ineligible for support through an Inclusion Support Agency receive assistance to include children with additional needs.

Support available through this initiative includes advice and information from an experienced early childhood professional, resources (including membership to Child Australia’s Resource Centre), financial subsidy for additional staff to enable the inclusion of children with high and ongoing needs, professional development opportunities and links to relevant resources.

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Child Australia Training and Research Institute Child Australia Training and Research Institute (CATRI) provide training, consultancy, mentoring, resource development and research services to the early childhood development community. We are committed to providing quality training and consultancy that respond to sector needs. We specialise in customised training and professional development/consultancy that supports the implementation of the National Quality Framework.

During the year, Child Australia Training and Research Institute: • delivered 64 professional development sessions • provided 52 service consultancies • conducted 5 mentoring programs • participated in 17 resource development projects • developed 3 research and evaluation frameworks

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Service Delivery

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Child Australia Annual Report 2012

Children’s Services Child Australia offers a range of high quality innovative services that support children’s development and build family capacity. We work in partnership with children, families and the community to secure better developmental outcomes for all children.

We recognise the importance of quality early childhood development experiences to enable all children to develop to their full potential. We are responsive to children’s needs and reflect their interests in our programs. Our play environments are age and culturally relevant and provide opportunity for children to explore, create, experiment and use their imagination. Our services are underpinned by contemporary research, evidence informed practice and appropriate learning frameworks.

During the year, we expanded our direct service delivery programs and now provide the following children’s services In Western Australia • Child Early Learning Centre Lockridge • Lockridge Out of School Hours Care • West Pilbara Mobile Children’s Service In the Northern Territory • Farrar Early Learning Centre • Bagot Community Out of School Hours Care

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Family Capacity Building Services Through our Family Capacity Building programs, we support parents and carers to better understand children’s learning and development, and gain confidence in their parenting skills. We now operate the following family capacity building programs: In Western Australia • Rural Playgroup Support Service – Pilbara and Murchison • HIPPY (Home Interaction Program for Parent sand Youngsters) - Geraldton • AEDI local Champions (until September 2011) • Parent Pathways – in development In the Northern Territory

“Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand.”

• Community Child Care Support

Chinese proverb

Service Delivery 2011/2012 Throughout 2011/2012 continued implementation of our strategic plan saw increased service delivery to families and children. We developed and opened new services while, at the same time, ensured that our existing family and children’s parent programs remained relevant and meaningful.

Bagot Community OSHC • Successfully tendered May 2010 to operate a 30 place OSHC on Bagot Community, Darwin.

• Service developed in consultation with the Bagot Community.

• Opened September 2011 • Funded by Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Farrar Early Learning Centre • Purpose-built early childhood education and care service for 0 – 5 year olds • Opened in January 2012 • Play-based programs responsive to the individual needs of children and families • Stimulating indoor play studios and spacious natural shady outdoor play area • Caring and responsive educators with up-to-date knowledge of quality education and care practices

West Pilbara Mobile Children’s Service • Mobile early development play and learning program delivered to isolated families and communities who cannot easily access mainstream services – Warralong, Yandeyarra, Youngaleena • Funded by Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) • Two year structured home visiting program that builds the skills and confidence of parents to support their children’s learning and development • Aids school readiness • Licenced from Brotherhood of St Lawrence • Supported by Rangeway Primary School • Funded by Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Rural Playgroup Support Service – Pilbara and Murchison • Assists socially and geographically isolated families become involved in playgroups • Builds parent’s skills, knowledge and confidence • Funded by the West Australian Department for Communities

Early Learning Centre Lockridge • 60 place 0 – 5 year olds • Opened November 2010 • Play based curriculum based on Early Years Learning Framework • Strong focus on family and community engagement • Planned hub for integrated early development services

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Community Child Care Support • Support for28 Northern Territory Community Based Child Care Service volunteer management committees (Parents and Community members – capacity building) • Focus on sustaining a viable community based sector in the Northern Territory • Funded by the Northern Territory Department of Education and Training

Lockridge OSHC • 30 place before, after and vacation care service for school aged children • Opened May 2011 • Co-located with ELC Lockridge • Developing curriculum based on the Framework for School Aged Care

AEDI Local Champion • Midlands Region – Toodyay, Bakers Hill, Northam, Wundowie • Support communities to understand their AEDI results • Promote activities to improve developmental outcomes for young children • Funded by West Australian Department of Education

Child Australia Annual Report 2012

Our Board and Senior Leadership Team

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Our Board Nick Cooper Chairperson Nick was admitted to practice as a lawyer in 1996. Nick has been with Clayton Utz since 2004 and is a Partner in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution department where his focus is major commercial disputes and regulatory proceedings.

In addition to his legal expertise, Nick brings to the board specialist skills in management, strategic planning and conflict resolution.

Susan Male Board Member Susan is currently the General Manager of Strategy at HBF and was previously General Manager – Brand at Home Building Society. Susan brings her wealth of experience in strategy and marketing to the Child Australia board as well as her background in health having worked as an Occupational Therapist in Australia and the USA. Susan has completed an MBA at Bond University and is also a member of the Rocky Bay Board. She has three children and is a keen runner. Susan has been a board member since 2006.

Raeleen McAllister Board Member Raeleen is employed by the Shire of Mundaring, coordinating the Midvale Early Childhood and Parenting Centre, a 67 community-based long day care and parenting centre.

Raeleen has a Diploma of Children’s Services 0-5 years and qualifications in the Protective Behaviours Progam; The Cancer Council - PGR Education and is an accredited Makaton Presenter (WA). She is involved in a number of community projects, including volunteer work for the Salvation Army Emergency Services and has been a Board member since 2007.

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Jason Hughes Board Member Jason is a Partner of international accounting firm KPMG and an Executive Director of KPMG Corporate Finance (Aust) Pty Ltd. Jason has over 14 years advisory experience providing specialist corporate finance advice, focussing on valuation assignments, completing both private valuations and public expert reports to corporations operating in a wide range of industries. Jason previously had over 8 years’ experience in providing corporate recovery and assurance and advisory services in both Perth and Melbourne. Jason has two school age children.

Brad Jolly Board Member Brad is a senior executive in the Western Australian Public Service. He was Director of Child Care Licensing at the former Department of Community Development, and contributed to the National Early Childhood Development Strategy, National Quality Framework and Early Years Learning Framework as Executive Director Policy and Planning with the Department for Communities. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Management from UNSW, an MBA (Advanced) from UWA and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He joined the Board in 2011.

Elaine Pavlos Board Member Elaine is the Chief Executive Officer of Glengarry Private Hospital and has a wealth of experience in Executive and People Management within the health care sector. She has a Master Degree in Nursing and a MBA from the University of Western Australia, and she is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is an active member of The Executive Connection (TEC). She has three adult children, is a budding Masterchef and keen golfer. Elaine joined the Board in 2011.

Child Australia Annual Report 2012

Bruce McCowan Board Member Bruce is Director Resourcing at Harrier who provide strategic HR consulting, managed services and resourcing. He has held senior executive human resources roles including Head of Human Resources for HBOS Australia and Chief People Officer for Bankwest.

He holds graduate and postgraduate qualifications in Education and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Bruce joined the Board in 2011.

Partha Nag Board Member Partha, CPA, Master of Accounting (Curtin University) and B. Bus (University of Notre Dame) is the Executive Director and co-founder of Strategic Business Alliance (SBA), a firm offering innovative consulting and outsourcing solutions to a wide range of clients.

His previous roles include Group CFO for a listed recruitment entity, Divisional Commercial Manager for a listed recruitment company and CFO of one of Australia’s fastest growing ports. Partha has extensive experience in Accounting, Finance, Information Technology, Corporate Strategy, Governance and Risk Management.

He has forged lasting relationships with stakeholders in his senior executive roles, and, in the process, enhanced organisational value. Partha joined the Board in 2011.

The Senior Leadership Team Dawson Ruhl Chief Executive Officer Dawson joined Child Australia in March 2008. With qualifications in Psychology and Social Work, he has worked in the human service field for over 30 years as a family and relationship therapist and more recently in a variety of executive management positions.

Prior to joining Child Australia, Dawson was the CEO of a child and family service in Canberra where he established a suite of early childhood programs including an attachment clinic. He was also the Principal Mediator of the Family Court of Australia and the Director of the Family Court of Western Australia’s Counselling Service.

As a practitioner, he has worked in a variety of sectors including substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, and early childhood. He has been involved in many community development and social justice initiatives including setting up a state-wide domestic violence criminal justice reform initiative in WA and initiating an early intervention child protection service while at the Family Court of WA. Dawson was born in the US and raised in a small midwestern town on the Mississippi river. He has been an Australian citizen since 1977.

Marc Spradbury Chief Financial Officer Marc joined Child Australia in 2007 as the Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for managing finances and support services. Marc has 27 years’ experience in the accounting and auditing field. His career started as an auditor in public practice and then expanded into other senior finance positions within the commercial sector in South Africa and Botswana. His first experience with a ‘not for profit’ organisation was with the YMCA of Perth, holding the position of Finance Manager for 7 years. Marc enjoys the family-friendly culture of the ‘not for profit’ sector and the positive impact it makes to the community. He has a Bachelor of Commerce and is a Certified Practicing Accountant.

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Lee Jeffery

Jayne Hokanson

Executive Manager

General Manager (Northern Territory)

Lee originally joined Child Australia in 1996 and has been associated with the organisation for more than 15 years. As Executive Manager, she is responsible for non-financial corporate services and new business opportunities, and forms part of the executive team. Lee’s career in senior management spans the community, education and health sectors, with additional expertise in small business management gained in a commercial environment. Her professional interests centre on mentoring, organisational development, human resource management, project management and governance. She holds a Bachelor of Psychology, Cert IV (TAA) and post graduate qualifications in business management.

Sara Hinchley Senior Manager Sara has worked with Child Australia since 2006. She is our Senior Manager with responsibility for service delivery in Western Australia and a member of the Senior Leadership Team. She has extensive experience in the Early Childhood Sector as a Qualified Educator, Director, and National Childcare Accreditation Council Validator. She has international experience developing and managing play schemes and sponsored children’s services in the United Kingdom. Her professional interests lie in quality care provision and pedagogical leadership. Sara holds a Dip in Children’s Services, Cert IV (TAA) and post graduate Qualifications in Business (Leadership).

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Jayne joined Child Australia in 2010 as the Manager, Northern Territory, and has since been promoted to General Manager with responsibility for our Inclusion and Professional Support Program across WA and NT, and all NT programs and services. Previously, Jayne has worked in the Higher Education sector for 10 years in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, delivering programs to support students in their transition to study, and managing short course programs and engaging in business development.

Jayne has a long association with the training and education sector, having developed and delivered non-accredited training packages and tertiary units at university level. Her professional interests include a passion for mentoring, instructional design, adult learning and program evaluation. Jayne holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Children & Family Studies) and a Master of Training & Development.

Child Australia Annual Report 2012

Management and Governance

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Over the past twelve months, we have grown in line with our strategic plan. As a direct result, we have increased our scope of operation as well as our headcount. We now operate from an increased number of sites across Western Australia and the Northern Territory and our work force is more diverse. This has stretched our corporate capacity and systems and we have worked diligently to ensure robust monitoring and evaluation of all programs and services.

The Board and Senior Leadership Team have worked together to build skill and capacity to manage an increasingly complex organisation. We have invested in our ICT platform to improve cross organisation communication and remote service delivery capacity. We have also launched a new website to ensure a consistent brand and corporate identify.

Our emphasis on risk management at both a whole of organisation, and individual program level has focussed attention on the strategies necessary to effectively control identified risks. We have consolidated our financial management processes and developed strong cash flow management practices.

Our people are the key to our success. This year, some key long serving staff members retired or moved interstate, creating gaps in our skill and team profiles. To continue to provide high quality services and programs, we have identified and nurtured new leaders and focused on developing strategies and initiatives to build a stable, skilled and passionate workforce. This will be an ongoing focus in the coming year.

Highlights: • Implemented a Risk Management Plan (whole of organisation and individual children’s services) • Successfully tendered for and opened Farrar Early Learning Centre in the Northern Territory • Launched a new consolidated website • Developed evaluation and reporting tools for more effective business management • Sustained a positive organisational culture through a period of growth and transition

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Child Australia Annual Report 2012

Financial Performance

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Child Australia had another challenging financial year generating an encouraging surplus of $42,877 for the financial year ending June 2012 (June 2011 – deficit $88,008). Our related service delivery entity which has been operating for 17 months recorded a reduced deficit of $31,817 (June 2011 – deficit $119,316), which is promising moving forward. Consolidated turnover increased by 27% to 6.2m and associated expenditure by 22%.

Revenue earned was principally derived from Federal and State funding with all programs rolled over into new contracts from 1 July 2012. Revenue increases continue to be below CPI increases, placing additional pressure on organisational program and service delivery expenditure.

Notwithstanding, our investment in organisational capacity continues as we grow our service delivery activities to reduce reliance on State and Federal grants funding.

During the year, an additional loan of 150K was provided to our related entity for the set-up of a new child care centre in the NT. Further investment was made in information technology, staff work space and organisational marketing and branding to improve work place effectiveness and organisational market strength.

Another challenging year lies ahead for the organisation as we continue to expand our revenue base. Overall, our financial position is strong and we are sufficiently robust to sustain our present and planned future activities.

Where our money comes from Funded Programs

4,475,795

Direct Services

1,080,855

Interest Received

172,625 5,729,275

Where our money is spent Staffing Costs

2,943,550

Operational Costs

2,478,762

Administration Costs

732,273 6,154,585

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Child Australia Annual Report 2012

Child Australia Staff Includes all staff members employed within the 2011/2012 Financial Year

Juliette MCFARLAND Kath FINNEY Kathy CRABTREE

Executive

Kelly BROWN

Dawson RUHL

Kristie ARUNDEL

Sara HINCHLEY

Laura WILLIAMS

Jayne HOKANSON

Leanne LEE

Lee JEFFERY

Lynne McCORMILLA

Marc SPRADBURY

Maggie BRACEGIRDLE Margaret BEBAN Margaret WALKER

Corporate Services Jennifer POMPHREY Carolyn BRACK Preeti CASTLE Gillian COLLINS Mitch HOWARD-BATH Jane MARYSSAEL Purnima SILVA Kerryn WEIR

Inclusion and Professional Support Amelia WILTSHIRE Belinda POOL Biserka MUSTAJBEGOVIC Bree COLLARD Carol WARREN Dawn MUDD Denise SKIPPER Gillian LONSDALE Jackie GOODSMAN Jane HANSEN Jane LANDER Jenni BURGESS Jenny LYNCH Jodie NEWTON

Maria TUROY Michelle LOTT Narelle COYLE Penny MAJOR Ralph SOUTHALL Roz BRABAZON Stacey RAYSON Susan HOBBS Sylvia GOH

Children and Family Services Aimee THOMAS Amanda SCIKLUNA Anita PADHI Anita SINFIELD Beverley HOGAN Bronwyn HUTTON Brooke KELLY Caitlyn DEIGAN Carrie-Anne MARTINEZ Chelsea NORTON Cherie WOZNICA Cheryle HALL Christina MARSICH Cory JOHNSON

Judy WALKER

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Children and Family Services (continued)

Lynette Greenlees

Elizabeth CHICK

Maha ANDREW

Emma SHEPHERD

Maria CAEIRO

Evi DANDO

May GODINHO

Fatma ABOELKHAIR

Michelle GARDINER

Heather JACOBS

Natasha SACHS

Heather JACOBS

Natasha SACHS

Jennifer FRAWLEY

Nikki KEEFE

Jennifer MOLLOY

Norma SALAME

Julie MANUKEU

Petula ADAMS

Kali SACHS

Rianna PENSION

Karla MCCORMICK

Robyn CREED

Katrina SOUTHWICK

Ronda DEIGAN

Kellie BOOTH

Samantha CAMERON

Kelly DOWSE

Samantha CAREY

Kerry-Anne HARVEY

Sarah STEWART

Kristine CASTLE

Sharon THOMPSON

Larissa THOMAS

Stacey McGORLICK

Leah SHAW

Tania CUMMINS

Leanne HEARN

Tegan GILES

Lisa BOOTH

Tiffany COLEMAN

Lizzie BONE

Vicki ASHTON

Lydia RUPARANGANDA

Vidya POOJARY

Western Australia Office PO Box 2562 Malaga WA 6944 Telephone: + 61 08 9249 4333 Facsimile: + 61 08 9249 4366 admin@childaustralia.org.au Northern Territory Office PO Box 37645 Winnellie NT 0821 Telephone: + 61 08 8941 4966 Facsimile: + 61 08 8941 6433 pscnt@childaustralia.org.au Visit our website at: www.childaustralia.org.au

25 Australia

YEARS

enriching children’s lives since 1987