Preschool Matters Term 1 2014 by Early Learning Association Australia

The voice for parents and service providers

PRE SCHOOL MATTERS Early childhood education preparing children for life term one 2014

Out & About in the neighbourhood NDIS and young children Celebrating 100 years of kindergarten

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Preschool Matters Term one 2014

in this edition

PRESIDENT’S REPORT I am delighted to present my first report as the newly elected President of Early Learning Association Australia.

The beginning of each year is always an exciting time in our sector as we welcome new children and families into our communities. Early childhood educators, management and committees focus on the year ahead, planning education programs, ensuring quality improvement plans are in place and that colleagues are well resourced and supported. Volunteer of the year awards

As CEO of a regional cluster management organisation and now President of ELAA, I am acutely aware of the need for Commonwealth and State governments to take a longer term approach in relation to early childhood education and care policy and investment. ELAA’s 2014–2015 Budget submission to the Victorian Government, lodged in December, outlines the investment and support required from both tiers of government to fully realise the quality agenda. While we applaud the Victorian Government for the progress made thus far, we think the time is right for government to lead a community debate about the critical importance of early learning to our economic and social development. You can read a summary of ELAA’s Budget Submission on pages 8 and 9.

Out & About: neighbourhood excursions

02 News & Events 04 Training in term 1 08 ELAA’s State Budget Submission 10 Early learning: foundation skills for the future

At our Annual General Meeting last year, we were pleased to welcome Jennifer Westacott, CEO of the Business Council of Australia, as our guest and keynote speaker. Her inspiring address reiterates the importance of investment in high-quality ECEC not only in terms of benefits for individuals’ outcomes, but from a wider economic perspective. We have published an extract of Jennifer’s speech in this edition of Preschool Matters. Preparing children for life is the theme of the 2014 Early Childhood Education Conference in May hosted by ELAA and Gowrie Victoria. We are excited to announce our keynote speaker this year is Professor Iram Siraj, one of the world’s leading researchers in early childhood education. Professor Siraj will be reflecting on the conference theme from the perspective of her research work on the long term impact of early education on children’s achievement and social disadvantage. I hope you enjoy reading this edition of Preschool Matters and I look forward to working with all our members and colleagues throughout the year. Jo Geurts President

CEO Shane Lucas

Printing Mouleprint @ www.mouleprint.com.au

President Jo Geurts Editor Sue Smith

Creative Director Louisa Roubin

Preschool Matters © ELAA 2014. Preschool Matters belongs to ELAA.

Advertising Cass Marxsen

ISSN 1448-9597 Reg No A0024070C ABN 39058205158

Preschool Matters is a quarterly magazine which communicates issues and developments that concern and assist members in the effective management of early childhood services. Disclaimer Early Learning Association Australia and its employees accept no responsibility for the performance of the products and services advertised in this newsletter. The listing of products and services in this publication does not constitute a recommendation. To the maximum extent permitted by law, all warranties, terms, conditions and any duty of care, which otherwise may arise or be imposed on Early Learning Association Australia as well as Early Learning Association Australia’s liability to any person in connection with the products and services advertised in this newsletter, are hereby excluded.

Cover: Box Hill North Primary School Kindergarten. Photo: Phil Roubin.

Level 3, 145 Smith Street, Fitzroy Vic 3065 PO Box 1246, Collingwood Vic 3066 Phone (03) 9489 3500 Rural 1300 730 119 Fax (03) 9486 4226 Email elaa@elaa.org.au Web www.elaa.org.au

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

news & events VECTAA Enterprise Agreement Update ELAA commenced formal negotiations with the Australian Education Union (AEU) and United Voice in July 2013 to replace the VECTAA. ELAA has met with the AEU on a regular basis since then to negotiate a new agreement. ELAA has also been working closely with the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), the employer association representing local government authorities employing early childhood teachers and assistants, in these negotiations.

Connecting Rural Families – the Rural Playgroup Project In November 2013, Playgroup Victoria launched the Rural Playgroup Project, an innovative project which will provide an opportunity for families from the more remote areas of rural Victoria to access and to participate in community playgroups. The project aims to increase children and their families’ connections to early learning opportunities and early years services. Funded by DEECD, the Rural Playgroup Project is a partnership between Playgroup Victoria and ELAA. Playgroup Victoria, as the lead agency, has employed three Playgroup Development Consultants in Ballarat and surrounds, Gippsland and Wimmera regions. The Playgroup Development Consultants will implement the project at the local level, working closely with partners in each local government area to develop and support community playgroups. As well as growing the participation of young children and their families in community playgroups and promoting early learning in the home with parents as their child’s first and most enduring educators, the project aims to ensure a smooth transition between playgroups and other early childhood services. The project’s outcomes will be measured and inform the population level early years outcomes framework being developed by DEECD. Photo: front row (L–R) Amy Marnica (Playgroup Development Consultant – Ballarat and surrounds), Leanne Dhami (Playgroup Development Consultant – Gippsland) and Lisa Gillard (Playgroup Development Consultant – Wimmera); back row (L–R) Jason Doherty (General Manager, Playgroup Victoria), Vivienne Cunningham-Smith (CEO Playgroup Victoria), Shane Lucas (CEO ELAA), Cath Healy (Rural Playgroup Project Manager, Playgroup Victoria).

Until negotiations have concluded, all discussions between the parties are “without prejudice” and confidential. Holding these discussions on a “without prejudice” basis allows both parties to have discussions about clauses, their wording etc. without committing to any one position until agreement is reached. The process of negotiating an enterprise agreement can take some time and will likely involve some months of negotiations before they are concluded. In December 2013, ELAA and MAV also met with DEECD representatives for a preliminary discussion on the government’s position regarding funding for wage increases. This is a critical component of the negotiation process which will impact on the final outcome of the agreement with the Union. ELAA has also been working closely with its IR Reference Group seeking their advice and input on the content of the Agreement, and will communicate regularly with the broader membership through special IR e-newsletters.

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

Advocacy at work – ELAA Productivity Commission submission ELAA would like to thank our members and colleagues who contributed to ELAA’s submission to the Productivity Commission inquiry into Childcare and Early Childhood Learning which was lodged in February. It was the first formal opportunity in 2014 for the sector to argue for the importance of high quality, accessible and affordable early childhood education and care. ELAA, together with Gowrie Victoria, met with Commissioners Wendy Craik and Jonathan Coppel on 13 December 2013. We took this initial opportunity to outline to the Commission the research base that strongly supports the contribution made by affordable, high quality education and care to children’s learning and development, and to parental workforce participation. In outlining the research, we also made the case that the Commission needed to view the question of increased workforce participation and national economic productivity through a ‘wide-angle lens’. We argued that providing affordable and accessible childcare to families is not simply a means of releasing parents into the workforce: it is critical that the care provided be of high quality and that the early learning outcomes for children delivered in various settings (e.g. kindergartens, long day care, family day care, out of school hours care) provide a longer-term and more substantive economic and social dividend to the community. We will keep our members informed of the progress of this inquiry as news comes to hand. To download a copy of ELAA’s Productivity Commission submission please go to www.elaa.org.au.

Benwerrin Kindergarten celebrates a building for the future The staff and committee at Benwerrin Kindergarten spent three years of hard work and applying for grants to improve their indoor and outdoor space, so as to comply with Universal Access and maintain their three year old program. As a result of all the hard work they have made their building and surrounds more environmentally sustainable, accessible to children with special needs, extended their service to offer long day programs and included a space that the community can access for Professional Development days. Photo: (L–R) Sharon Ellis (Mayor of Whitehorse), Gillian Moon (President of Benwerrin), Neil Angus MP (Member of Parliament), Toni Lepore (Director of Benwerrin Kindergarten), Chantelle O’Hara (Grant Officer).

Congratulations to CPS As the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority’s (ACECQA) assessment and rating process continues across Australia it is heartening to learn that some of Victoria’s most vulnerable children and families have access to a service that is of the highest quality. The Children’s Protection Society (CPS) Child and Family Centre in the North East Region of Melbourne have been recommended for an excellent rating, one of the first services to achieve the rating in Victoria. The CPS achieved a rating “Exceeding National Quality Standards” across all seven National Quality Framework assessment areas by ACECQA last September and DEECD have recommended the service for an excellent rating. As of November 2013, 13,676 services had been assessed across Australia; only four (one Queensland and three in South Australia) had achieved an Excellent rating. CPS provide a range of services including a Family Support service for vulnerable children and families, a fathers support service, support for grandparents grandchildren, a sexual abuse counselling and prevention program, as well as a range of referral and assessment services for vulnerable children and families. CPS Child and Family Centre, opened four years ago, gives children and their families that are not in a position to attend universal early years services an opportunity to access high quality early education and care.

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

advice & Training Training in term 1 ELAA provides training, workshops and seminars for managers and educators.

For Committees

For Educators

Roles and responsibilities

Re-imagining documentation – Practicalities and Possibilities

Presenter: ELAA Early Childhood Management Advisors • 19 February, 7–9pm, Ivanhoe • 22 February, 10–12pm, Altona • 26 February, 7–9pm, Camberwell • 27 February, 7–9pm, Greensborough • 4 March, 7–9pm, Croydon • 12 March, 7–9pm, Mildura • 13 March, 7–9pm, Springvale • 27 March, 7–9pm, Shepparton • 1 April, 7–9pm, Essendon Cost: Free

Incorporated Association and Legal responsibilities Presenter: ELAA Early Childhood Management Advisors 5 March, 10–11.30am or 6.30–8pm ELAA Building, Level 3, 145 Smith Street, Fitzroy Cost: Free

Managing Meetings and Decision Making Presenter: ELAA Early Childhood Management Advisors 19 March, 10–11.30am or 6.30–8pm ELAA Building, Level 3, 145 Smith Street, Fitzroy Cost: Free

Team Building Presenter: ELAA Early Childhood Management Advisors 2 April, 10–11.30am or 6.30–8pm ELAA Building, Level 3, 145 Smith Street, Fitzroy Cost: Free

For more information and to register for a training event visit the training section at www.elaa.org.au

Presenter: Catharine Hydon 28 February 9.30am–2.30pm and 12 May 9.30am–3.45pm Fredricks, 980 Mt Alexander Rd, Essendon Cost: (for two sessions) $240 member / $380 non-member

For Assistant Educators Becoming an Educator: strengthening practice, building confidence Presenter: Catharine Hydon 21 March, 9.30am–3.45pm Fredricks, 980 Mt Alexander Rd, Essendon Cost: $120 member / $190 non-member

For Educators and Leaders Being and Becoming an effective Leader Presenter: Jo Lange 5 part series beginning Tuesday 18 February All sessions 7–9pm Karralyka Centre, Mines Road, Ringwood East Cost: (for 5 sessions) $350 member / $600 non-member or 2 part series in Ballarat Saturday 1 March and Saturday 29 March Both sessions 9.30am–2.30pm Midlands Golf Club, Heinz Lane, Ballarat North Cost: (for 2 sessions) $350 member / $600 non-member

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

Our work in action ELAA provides intensive support to help services resolve governance and management issues.

We are trying to finalise our rosters for the term. What are the allocated preparation hours for an assistant educator in a kindergarten? Carrie McCluskey, early childhood management advisor, ELAA The Victorian Early Childhood Teacher and Assistant Agreement 2009 (VECTAA 2009) requires the following two non-contact minimums for Kindergarten Assistant educators: • Time for support duties An employee performing the duties of an Early Childhood Education Assistant under the general direction of an Early Childhood Teacher in a kindergarten program is entitled to 45 minutes to undertake support duties per child attendance period. • T ime for non-teaching duties carried out under the supervision of a teacher Early Childhood Education Assistants shall be allocated time to complete non-teaching duties under the direct supervision of the Early Childhood Teacher on the basis of 5 minutes for each hour, or part thereof, of contact time up to a maximum of 2 hours and 10 minutes per week. Please refer to VECTAA 2009 to ensure that the conditions for assistant educators at your service are compliant. A copy of the VECTAA 2009 can be downloaded from www.elaa.org.au.

SERVICE A

SERVICE B

A large long day care cooperative centre in inner Melbourne sought advice and support from ELAA over a number of years, including a consultancy in 2012. The consultancy was a review of their staffing structure, financial management and viability.

The new president of a large (two rooms) rural kindergarten contacted ELAA regarding conflict between staff. She was becoming aware that lots of small issues were starting to surface between the staff members in the two different rooms. The previous President had stood down due to difficulties with trying to manage the staff.

The board of directors had questioned the Centre Director’s management capabilities. The 2012 consultancy report highlighted the Directors poor operational and financial management and identified several areas where operations could be improved which would result in cost savings. During that period, however, all but one board member had resigned from the cooperative while the Director remained. In early 2013 the board requested that ELAA assist them to engage an experienced management consultant who could help them implement the recommendations in the report with the view to re-structuring the organisation. ELAA recommended the services of a consultant, who undertook a thorough on-site analysis of the Centre, including the operational management and finances. Upon reviewing the report the Board decided that the Director did not have the capacity to improve her management performance and decided to terminate her employment. ELAA stepped in to assist the board with developing an exit package for the Director; dealing with WorkCover claims, payment for unpaid superannuation etc. ELAA also helped the board develop a ‘Deed of Release’ that was eventually agreed to by the Director.

ELAA discussed Professional Development opportunities for staff, which was very limited due to their isolated location, and suggested moving to a new cluster which had just started business in the area. The committee had considered this option, but decided against it, concerned they may lose their ‘community feel’ if they moved to cluster management. ELAA has continued to provide a great deal of support through email (workplace counselling kit, sample letters to staff etc.) and telephone advice. We were also able to recommend options for further assistance and alternative approaches to managing staff conflict. The President has commented that our support has been invaluable and that she has felt empowered to follow through with some difficult actions (including performance management and disciplinary meetings). ELAA continues to provide support to the committee and more recently, the committee has been reconsidering the benefits of cluster management.

ELAA will continue to advise and support the board as they progress with the implementation of the recommendations and get the centre back to being sustainable, both financially and operationally.

Does your service need help with a governance or management issue? Contact ELAA (03)489 3500, rural 1300 730 119 or elaa@elaa.org.au

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

Welcome to new Committee Members As CEO of ELAA, I congratulate all new Committee of Management members beginning this term and invite you to make use of the many services we offer to help you manage an early childhood service. Who is ELAA? ELAA is your peak organisation. We represent the voice of parents and service providers of quality early learning for all children. Our membership comprises more than 1200 early learning providers including independent kindergartens, cluster managers, integrated services, government and independent schools, before and after-school care providers, long day care services, and local governments. We provide members with support, advice, resources, and training on various practical issues: governance, industrial relations, management practice, and family and community engagement. We also undertake projects – such as the Starting out Safely road safety education program, in partnership with VicRoads – that deliver specific learning benefits to children and families, while also building stronger connections between services and communities.

Our team also works closely with services experiencing more complex difficulties, providing intensive case management support, including site visits and face-to-face meetings.

Training and resources We provide contemporary training for committees of management, parents, and managers of early childhood services. We offer training on topics such as industrial relations, governance, team building, communication, conflict resolution, management, leadership, OH&S, road safety, and implementation of the National Quality Framework. ELAA also produces a range of specialist publications which support committees of management and cluster managers to deliver their programs, including the Early Childhood Management Manual and Policyworks – NQF. These are invaluable resources for all committee members and managers of early childhood services.

Advocacy Our capacity to influence policy and funding outcomes for the early childhood education and care sector will be particularly important in the coming year.

Shane Lucas CEO, ELAA

In 2014, the Productivity Commission is conducting an inquiry into childcare and early childhood learning, and the Commonwealth Government will be considering the future of the National Quality Framework and Universal Access. ELAA will use these opportunities and others throughout the year to advocate for the importance of quality in early childhood policy and service delivery. We make submissions – informed by the views of our members – and participate in forums and reference groups that help shape policy and outcomes for children. We are also regularly asked by the media to comment on behalf of the sector regarding early childhood issues.

Again, congratulations to all new members on becoming actively involved in the early childhood education and care sector. I know you will find the experience rewarding and enjoyable; you will be supporting your own family and making an enormous contribution to your community.

And perhaps most importantly, we advocate strongly for funding and policy reform on behalf of families, children and service providers to governments at the State and Commonwealth level.

What we do… Membership Support ELAA’s membership support and advisory service responds to more than 13,000 phone calls and emails per year. Our team fields enquiries on issues such as interpretation and review of constitutions and policies, National Quality Framework requirements and standards, budgets, industrial relations, parent complaints, and the introduction of Universal Access.

Our Vision Excellence in early learning for every child Our Purpose As a national peak body, we champion excellence in early learning for children across Australia to support parents and service providers

Our Values Excellence – Learning – Integrity – Respect – Enabling – Inclusive

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

Cluster managers: working together to influence change By Jo Geurts, ELAA President and CEO Eureka Community Kindergarten Association (ECKA)

As CEO of a large cluster in regional Victoria, I am responsible for the operation of 24 early childhood education services in Ballarat and the surrounding district. I often get asked about the benefits of being involved in a peak membership organisation. I originally joined the ELAA Board because I wanted to help guide the important work of the organisation, and to ensure the needs of clusters were met by the advice, support, resources and advocacy only a truly representative peak body can provide. I am keenly aware of the challenges associated with the day-to-day operations

of both independent kindergartens and of large clusters. I understand the complex task of managing staff, balancing the needs and aspirations of parents and communities, maintaining assets, and working with local government and other stakeholders. I appreciate the importance of staying focused on the provision of high quality early learning outcomes for children. And I know that all these things must be achieved while meeting the requirements of new legislative frameworks, regulations, standards and assessment processes. An ELAA membership is invaluable for a cluster management organisation such as ours in terms of ELAA’s expertise in Industrial Relations and legislation, especially when solving more complex staffing issues. ELAA can customise training and professional development for our staff, and offer resources to support the development of policies and procedures at our services. I chair the quarterly ELAA Cluster Manager Reference Group. Through the Reference Group and other forums, the engagement and input of cluster managers helps us to

represent the early learning sector at the state and national level; and to develop and provide advisory, training and professional development services which are relevant to the needs of multi-service management organisations. Our engagement with members during the time of reform has also enhanced our role as an influential advocate for the sector, and as a representative peak body giving the sector a strong voice at the table with State and Commonwealth Ministers and senior public servants. The coming year presents our sector with many significant policy challenges. The Productivity Commission Inquiry into Childcare and Early Childhood Learning; the maintenance of Commonwealth and State support for Universal Access; the negotiation of a new enterprise bargaining agreement with the Australian Education Union; and the Victorian Government review of cluster manager services all represent significant opportunities for ELAA to influence policy and operational outcomes, and to argue for ongoing funding and support for the early learning sector.

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Preschool Matters Term one 2014

ELAA Advocates on behalf of Members early childhood organisations and this lends more weight to the position we adopt and to the proposals we put to government.

A key part of the of the policy work that we undertake at ELAA each year involves advocacy to government on behalf of our members in the early childhood sector. Central to this work is the annual budget submission presented to the Victorian government. This substantial piece of work is based on advice and feedback received from our members and other sector stakeholders each year. Your

feedback comes to us in many ways – through our annual members’ survey where we ask you to prioritise the issues affecting your services; from the Cluster Managers Reference Group which meets quarterly; from the big picture issues you identify in your regular communications with us and from issue specific surveys that we undertake from time to time. Our concerns also often align with other key

ELAA State Budget Submission 2014–2015 Executive Summary

The following table outlines the six key priority areas for government attention as identified by ELAA members and highlights the investment and support required.

PRIORITY AREA

Fully fund four-year-old and three-year-old kindergarten Investment/Support Required: • full funding for 15 hours of four-year-old kindergarten for all Victorian children in the year before school • f ull funding for a minimum of 5 hours of three-year-old kindergarten for all Victorian children, including those from disadvantaged families • t he State Government to continue to work in partnership with the Commonwealth Government to support the implementation of Universal Access across Victoria • f unding for infrastructure required for the provision of four-year-old and three-year-old kindergarten places in all early childhood settings according to community need.

PRIORITY AREA

NQF implementation support Investment/Support Required: • undertake a thorough assessment of the support needs of services to implement the NQF • b ased on this assessment, provide appropriate funding to resource and support committees of management, clusters and educators to ensure the delivery of programs that meet or exceed the National Quality Standard.

This year, as well as our specific “asks”, ELAA’s budget submission suggests that the time is now right for a broad-based community debate on the issue of compulsory and fully-funded kindergarten for four-year-old children. We all know how

PRIORITY AREA

ECEC workforce a. Workforce strategy b. Qualifications c. Wages d. RTOs Investment/Support Required: • develop and implement a workforce strategy to attract and retain suitably qualified educators to the early childhood sector • c ontinue to provide support to upgrade the qualifications of educators • f ully fund the costs associated with employing educators with higher level qualifications, ensuring that these costs are not passed on to families • d evelop standards for Registered Training Organisations to ensure they produce staff appropriately trained for work in services • i ncorporate early childhood professionals under the auspices of the Victorian Institute of Teaching.

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

The Time

The Time is Now Budget Submission: to the Victorian Government 2014–2015

Now Budget Su to the Vi bmission: 2014–201ctorian Governm ent 5

The voice for parents and service providers

The voice

state sit at around 98%. However, these figures do not reflect ongoing attendance in programs.

for paren ts and servi ce providers

important early learning is to our children’s longer term education and wellbeing and how it shapes their journey into adulthood. As a consequence, we believe that all children need to experience high quality four-year-old kindergarten programs that set them up for life. At present, it would be easy to think that Victoria is doing well and to be complacent about this – kindergarten enrolments in this

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics1 suggests that only 95% of enrolled four-year-old children may actually attend early learning programs. And crucially it is often vulnerable children and families that have lower levels of ongoing participation. There are many barriers to ongoing participation including a lack of available places in services and/or waiting lists, the inability of family support services to identify vulnerable families, extra costs that are not covered by per capita funding and the fee subsidy, tight eligibility requirements, and sometimes the need for additional supports such as transportation to and from services. We believe that compulsory, fully funded four-year-old kindergarten is one measure

that can help to ensure that all children, including vulnerable children, attend high quality early learning programs on an ongoing basis. This will of course also require a commitment from government to fully fund four-year-old programs to ensure that these costs are not passed on to families – and this is Priority 1 in our Budget Submission. Our complete list of budget priorities is outlined below and the full budget submission is available on the ELAA website: elaa.org.au/news_ advocacy/policy submissions ELAA welcomes member contributions to and feedback on our advocacy work around Early Childhood Education and Care policy issues. Please contact us at elaa@elaa.org.au. 1 ABS (2013) Preschool Education Australia: http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/ subscriber.nsf/0/5AED3993A2C5D651CA257 B2C000F62BA/$File/42400_2012.pdf

See the full budget submission on the ELAA website: elaa.org.au/news_advocacy/policy submissions

PRIORITY AREA

Funding model review a. Kindergarten Cluster Management funding b. Per capita funding c. Rural funding Investment/Support Required: • develop a longer term vision for Kindergarten Cluster Management and an appropriate funding model which delivers consistent high quality outcomes for children, and compensates clusters for the full cost of providing services • r eview current per capita rates and develop a funding model that takes account of the actual costs of staffing and enhanced service operation • support rural services by: – developing a consistent definition of a “rural” service – providing a rural funding supplement with a revised unit price reflecting the true cost of service provision – providing ‘safety net’ funding to very small services to meet the minimum cost of providing a program.

PRIORITY AREA

Inclusion support

Vulnerable children and families

Investment/Support Required: • resource and support early childhood services to fully include all children, including children with a disability and those with additional needs

Investment/Support Required: • implement the recommendations of the Cummins Panel contained in the Victoria’s Vulnerable Children – Our Shared Responsibility Strategy, and the Service Sector Reform project undertaken by Professor Peter Shergold

• e nsure early childhood intervention services are accessible to all children who require them by funding Early Childhood Intervention Australia (Victorian Chapter) priorities, including: increased investment and redevelopment of the Kindergarten Inclusion Support and Preschool Field Officer programs, and support to families on waiting lists • s upport and resource ECIA (Vic) to lead Victorian field trials of the Teaching Pyramid in partnership with peak bodies, services, Government and communities.

• g ather attendance data as well as enrolment data to provide a more complete picture of participation rates to support future planning • e stablish a Vulnerable Children’s Fund with an initial quantum of $10 million, to support the children of asylum seekers, those from low income families, and other vulnerable children to access and engage with appropriate early learning programs.

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

Realising the Potential of People through Education and Skills So we are learning also – and through our engagement with Early Learning Association Australia, we are becoming apprised of the critical evidence base that underpins your work.

Early learning research Much of the evidence supporting the importance of early learning is no doubt known to you, but the case is compelling and worth restating. Australian and international research strongly suggests that investment in high-quality early learning improves school performance and opens future pathways to further education and employment.

Jennifer Westacott, the CEO of Business Council Australia, was keynote speaker at ELAA’s 2013 AGM. Ms Westacott presented her organisation’s key policy reform plan, an Action Plan for Enduring Prosperity, in the context of early learning providing the foundation for skills fundamental to Australia’s future prosperity. Follows an edited extract of her speech.

Our starting point is that education provides the foundation skills for individual and societal prosperity. Education and skills are fundamental in ensuring that our opportunities as individuals are not limited by our circumstances.

And we know, the earlier that happens, the more successful we will be as individuals and as a nation. Why? Well, firstly, because they are important for almost every sphere of life. This is not just in the economic sphere but a person’s lifelong capacity to participate and make a contribution to society. Secondly, because a modern economy requires that we attain a higher level of foundation skills than we have in the past. This means traditional literacy, maths and science skills, as well as digital literacy.

In Australia, two recent research reports, based on data from Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children found positive correlations between preschool attendance and the longer-term benefits for children. A 2011 report also concluded that those 4–5 year old children who are attending preschool or a pre-year one program, have on average higher overall development, learning and cognitive and social-emotional outcomes, than those children who do not. And University of Melbourne Research undertaken this year, also based on the same data, shows a significant positive association between preschool attendance and Year 3 NAPLAN scores” where the preschool teacher had a Degree in Early Childhood Education or a Diploma in Early Childhood Education or Child Care.

They are also vital to helping us adapt to change over the course of our lives.

From an economic perspective, it is clear from the research that literacy and numeracy skills have a positive and statistically significant effect on labour force participation and individual salary growth over time.

A skilled and educated population will mean, as a nation, we can grow, adapt and change to maintain and improve our living standards.

Our plan talked confidently about the evidence supporting the importance of foundation skills at the primary school level.

From a wider economic perspective, quality early learning and care for children can lead to real long-term cost savings to the community, particularly in the areas of health, welfare and justice.

But we did not feel we had the expertise to comment on the body of research that specifically supports the importance of early learning to every individual’s life-lasting social and economic outcomes.

US research shows that the economic benefits for governments and communities can be up to 16 times the cost of the initial investment and can halve welfare dependency over time.

Early Learning = Foundation Skills In our plan, we said it is vital to Australia’s future prosperity that our education system gets the foundation skills right.

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

“Innovation and a capacity to adapt... and change and the importance of lifelong education [are} the most important ingredient to get right. If we want serious public policy responses to issues like early childhood learning, we must put it into the broader context of our long-term resilience and creativity as a nation”, Jennifer Westacott, CEO, Business Council Australia.

So what does this tell us – and how do we reconcile what we know about the importance of early learning and the development of foundation skills with the current state of Australia’s levels of literacy and numeracy? Well, we know that things are not as good as they could be. The numeracy standards of Australian school students are significantly lower than students in many of our major trading partners, including Singapore and Hong Kong. For Australian adults of working age, around half have literacy and numeracy skills at levels that are considered inadequate for most jobs. As a nation, we urgently need to improve in these areas. This urgency arises because of some of the challenges we face as a nation. It will be education, skills and creative workplaces that give us the competitive advantage as a nation. Three big shifts are transforming the Australian economy: • The most obvious one is increased technology, particularly digitisation. • The next is the rise of emerging economies, particularly in Asia. • And the third is the demographic change happening in our population.

For our generation, these changes are dramatic and confronting.

• by raising the tertiary entry requirements for teachers

But for the generation you are educating now, these ‘changes’ will simply be the ever-evolving ‘normal way’ of communicating, learning, and being.

• and by supporting ongoing professional development in both subject matters and teaching practice across the profession.

The next big change is the rise of new economies. The emerging economies of Asia present massive opportunities for Australia – but it is no surprise that other countries are putting up some stiff competition. Integration with the economies in our region will see different business models emerge. We will require very different expertise and we need to embrace a much broader concept of ‘cultural literacy’ in Asia than just language skills. The third force is our ageing population. Today, for every person over 65 there are 5 people working. By 2050, this figure falls to 2.7. This means we need to continue to grow the population through migration – and we have got to ensure that everyone who can work is working. Innovation and a capacity to adapt... and change and the importance of lifelong education [are} the most important ingredient to get right. If we want serious public policy responses to issues like early childhood learning, we must put it into the broader context of our long-term resilience and creativity as a nation.

So what do we need to do? Getting our foundation skills right and getting them right early can be achieved in a number of ways. One of the most important ways is quality, particularly teacher quality. In many studies, the evidence suggests that after parental influence, teacher quality is the most important determinant of educational outcomes. We should encourage and support excellence in teaching by supporting initiatives such as the National Quality Framework:

Comparisons with other OECD countries indicates that success in providing high-quality educational settings for all students – regardless of their background – results in higher proportions of students from families with low levels of education entering tertiary education. Clearly, the development of foundation skills in the early years, before primary school, will better prepare children for the formal education system and for life. We need to improve the focus on skills like maths, science and digital literacy early in a young person’s life. We should also think about those skills that allow people to succeed in a rapidly changing, technology-driven world. Things like problem solving, design thinking, collaboration and so on. And to ensure that all Australians have access to rewarding careers, we need to raise the education performance of children from lower socio-economic backgrounds. We all want our children to realise their potential and to make a life-long contribution to our nation. I have discussed the Productivity Commission inquiry into childcare with Shane Lucas, ELAA’s CEO. Our mutual concern was that the initial terms of reference made no mention of the importance of quality early learning environments as part of a comprehensive childcare system. Our two organisations have shared concerns and challenges and, I believe, a shared commitment that every child gets the best chances to succeed at the earliest possible time in their life. I look forward to working with Early Learning Association Australia on these issues.

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

What does the NDIS mean for young children with disabilities? Lauren Matthews, Executive officer of Early Childhood Intervention Australia (Victorian Chapter), looks at how early childhood education and care service providers and Early Childhood Intervention services can work together to ensure young children with disabilities and their families are truly included under the new National Disability Insurance Scheme. ECIA Vic is working with their members on the NDIS trials in the Barwon region.

Early childhood intervention (ECI) is the process of providing a range of supports and services that promote development, wellbeing and participation in the community for young children with developmental delays or disabilities and their families, with a focus on everyday learning. ECI can be therapy, outreach, allied health, Kindergarten Inclusion Support, centre-based or parent support. It is funded by State and Federal Governments and by families. Children and families are at the core of our work in ECI, and we work from a strengths-based, family centered perspective. Children and families are talked about in the NDIS Act and the policy framework. However, in many of the conversations around the NDIS, children appear to have been an afterthought. Will people on the ground understand what young children and their families need to thrive? Will a representative number of NDIS staff have an early childhood qualification to ensure the needs of young children and their families are met? Who will make sure no-one misses out and falls through the cracks because the system is overwhelming, or confusing, or not inclusive to their culture? What if you are on a visa and not eligible for the NDIS? Under the NDIS Act children (who are Australian citizens) who are up to six years of age with a developmental delay in one or more domains will now be able to access early intervention under the NDIS.

This is a great development for which many of us advocated, but what happens when children turn six? Will we need a residual system to pick up those who will not be included? What will be the role of universal services, such as health, early childhood education and care, for these children and for those without a formal diagnosis? What will the role of these universal services be for a vulnerable and at-risk family who falls through the cracks? The early childhood intervention field welcomes the possibilities that an NDIS can bring to children and families, as well as to research and sector development, but we must be careful that we don’t throw the baby out with the bath water and lose the significant system and service model gains that we have made in early childhood intervention, particularly in Victoria. We can’t stop that momentum, nor postpone necessary investment and reform in Victoria until the NDIS is finalised. Another concern is where will ECI sit in this new service delivery world? Under an NDIS, ECI may be seen as a disability service, rather than, as it is viewed here in Victoria, as an early years service within the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. We don’t want to lose the gains that have been made through the worldview of early childhood development. A key part of ECI is the role of universal early childhood education and care services, a focus on universal design and the development of mechanisms that focus on inclusion, such as the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework or the National Quality Standards for ECEC. ECIA, in partnership with Early Childhood Australia, have released a Joint Inclusion Statement for ECEC, illustrating the important role that the inclusion of children with a disability and developmental delay plays in the lives of all children and communities. In it, we ask early childhood services to consider whether they implement real

inclusion practices across their organisations, not just pay lip service to inclusion. • Do you develop services (and funding systems) that are easy for families and service providers to navigate? • Do you provide readily available, accurate and comprehensive information about disabilities and related services for families (and refer families to the right place)? • Do you provide information for the community that breaks down attitudinal barriers? • Do your staff and families make children with a disability and their families welcome? • Are ECIS staff welcomed in your services or do they work with children in a different room? • Are additional staff members (funded through IPSP or through Kindergarten Inclusion Support) seen as ‘integration aides’ who are velcro-ed to particular children? • Are your policies being put into action on the ground or do staff and families not want ‘those children’ in their service? • Do you provide full access to physical environments in services (and in the broader community)? • Can children access and engage in all areas of the service or does the child in the wheelchair have to stay in the babies’ room because it’s the only room with wide enough doors, or does the child with autism get overstimulated in the kinder room? • Do you provide easy access to high quality inclusive ECEC services and programs across all service types? • Do you limit participation in Kindergarten for children with disabilities to KISS funded hours? • Do you have a skilled workforce with relevant skills, experience and knowledge? • Do you have ongoing training about inclusion?

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

“ECIA Victoria, other peak body colleagues and the Victorian Government have worked hard with the Commonwealth to ensure that children are included in the thinking of the NDIS. We have had some positive influence and the Commonwealth has been willing to hear our concerns”, Lauren Matthews, Executive Officer, ECIA (Victorian Chapter).

intervention; we have just always felt it in our bones and known that what we did was working. What I have learnt the most through these early months in Barwon is the importance of working together, not stepping into new markets or service delivery domains because we see business opportunities, but rather collaborating with others to strengthen current services, build best practice models and strengthen the universal platform, whose role is more important now than ever. We need to get better at standing together, promoting our models of early childhood intervention and inclusion in universal settings and our vision for best practice. ECIA Victoria, other peak body colleagues and the Victorian Government have worked hard with the Commonwealth to ensure that children are included in the thinking of the NDIS. We have had some positive influence and the Commonwealth has been willing to hear our concerns. This will need to be ongoing work and we need to be vigilant to ensure children are central to the NDIS. Early childhood education and care services have the power to make the biggest impact on children lives and on the next generation’s attitudes on community inclusion. This is their challenge.

What will be the intersection between NDIS and universal services (health, education, early childhood)? How will inclusion be guaranteed? It is often the universal service system that provides the most inclusive support to vulnerable families, but they are also a source of frustration and exclusion for many families who have a child with a disability and developmental delay. There is a legitimate concern that an NDIS, and a focus on targeted and individualised services, could remove the inclusion mandate from universal services, who see

children with a disability as the NDIS’s ‘problem’. We don’t want to see a move back to a more segregated service system given the gains and the right of all children to access universal services. For service providers on the ground in Barwon, this is an incredibly challenging time. They are facing an uncertain future for their organisations. What do they deliver? How do they adapt from block funding into a market where they have to promote their work and market it? We haven’t done a great job in talking up our model and what we do in early childhood

Lauren Matthews is the Executive Officer of Early Childhood Intervention Australia (Victorian Chapter). * ECIA VC is working with their members on the ground on the NDIS trials in Barwon, and with colleagues across the country, to ensure that the NDIS best meets the needs of young children with disabilities and developmental delays and their families. This article is also published in the VCOSS magazine Insight, Issue 9.

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

Though much has changed, some things stay the same… Isabel Henderson Kindergarten (IHK) celebrated its 100 year anniversary last year with a community party and the launch of a publication created by passionate parents, staff, volunteers and interested historians.

100 years Isabel Henderson Kindergarten – being, belonging, becoming commemorates the Kindergarten’s colourful history which has its roots in the Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria, Melbourne’s early kindergarten movement and philanthropic welfare initiative that focused on rescuing children from poverty, early last century. The Kindergartens namesake, Isabel Henderson, was a pioneer in the education of girls and believed in the importance of early childhood education, especially for under privileged children. Her views remain true today and are now backed by evidential research. Although Isabel Henderson was never involved in the kindergarten directly she was an influential member of the Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria which was established in 1908 by a group of middle-class educated women, including Mrs Pattie Deakin, the wife of Prime Minister Alfred Deakin. “The union had both educational and philanthropic aims: it believed the role of kindergartens was not just to educate preschool-aged children but to instigate social reform. Its practical role was to oversee the training of kindergarten teachers, based on Froebel’s principles, and provide support for kindergartens’ programs, as well as assist them a little financially.”1 IHK started as the Fitzroy Mission Free Kindergarten in 1913 in a church hall and was administered by a committee of women from churches in the wealthier suburbs of south-eastern Melbourne. The Kindergarten committee would often provide clothing, food and other essential items to the impoverished families of Fitzroy who used the service.

During those times the Kindergarten director/teacher would conduct afternoon home visits to establish local families’ needs as well as organise ‘guilds’ which were after-school groups for school aged children. The director also held monthly mothers meetings to give advice about diet, health and hygiene. Like many kindergartens during the early part of the 20th century, the major focus was children’s health, diet and general well-being. “The 1930 annual report from the Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria notes that a doctor who examined all the children attending Melbourne kindergartens estimated that one-third of them were suffering from malnutrition.”2

The Kindergarten continued to offer education and support to their community through the Great Depression and the World Wars, and by 1949 had changed its name and had moved to better premises. Through fund raising and government grants, the committee secured land at its current location and engaged architects to design a purpose-use building for the kindergarten, which opened its doors in 1982. IHK has had many incarnations over the years, taught generations of young children and supported hundreds of families. It has been managed by countless volunteers and employed many teachers. It has always been a place for children to play, learn and thrive.

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

“Over the years, IHK has developed an environment that ensures we are connected to children, families and community. Our ability to support our community’s needs is an important strength for a kindergarten that comes from a parent run, volunteer based management structure”, Nicole Messer, Director, Isabel Henderson Kindergarten.

Our philosophy, and its connection to our children, families and community, has shaped our kindergarten, writes Nicole Messer At Isabel Henderson Kindergarten it is important that a child feels connected to their social and ecological community through early years programs, as it is an important contributor to a child’s sense of being, belonging and becoming. With a passion for community and for natural environments we provide child-led programs that are facilitated intentionally, yet continue to find adaptable approaches that encourage children to exercise independent choice in play, based on their needs and backgrounds.

Link: For more information or to obtain a copy of the book contact IHK at www.ihk.org.au

1 P 14 100 Years Isabel Henderson Kindergarten – being, belonging, becoming Caroline Leitch & Annabel Barker (2013) 2 p 29 100 Years Isabel Henderson Kindergarten – being, belonging, becoming Caroline Leitch & Annabel Barker (2013) 3 pp 148 & 149 100 Years Isabel Henderson Kindergarten – being, belonging, becoming Caroline Leitch & Annabel Barker (2013) Photographs by Marcel Aucar.

Over the years, IHK has developed an environment that ensures we are connected to children, families and community. Our ability to support our community’s needs is an important strength for a kindergarten that comes from a parent run, volunteer based management structure, established in the 1970s. The essence of parent involvement at all levels of our kindergarten ensures our practices continue to evolve as our families’ needs evolve. An example of this was the implementation of our long day kindergarten program in 1990. This decision focused the kindergarten for several years on implementing strong long day kindergarten programs supported by one of the earliest team based

approaches established within a stand alone kindergarten. Since our inception IHK has displayed visionary qualities in the early years profession and we continue to pave the way in providing quality kindergarten programs within a community owned service. Our vision continues as IHK establishes itself as a quality education facility for 3 to 5 year olds. At IHK we maintain our long tradition of being advocates for children, providing learning through innovative team based education, in programs taught by trained professionals, working within a centre managed by a parent-led committee. We have a service that will always be owned by the community, which is increasingly becoming a rare jewel, something worth investing time and passion in for future generations. From these foundations we will continue to increase collaboration with other community services that support families, ensuring our programs smooth the transition process between home, child care, kindergarten and school – this is a key priority for our service. Increasing integration and access to our kindergarten for all families drives our thinking at all levels as we work towards the common goal of instilling a love of learning and fostering a curiosity and creativity that stays with children for life.3 Nicole is the current Director of Isabel Henderson Kindergarten.

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

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Preschool Matters Term one 2014

A fantastic conference for everyone involved in early childhood education from birth to the early years of school. The 2014 Early Childhood Education conference will have a special emphasis on preparing children for life. Over 50 speakers from the wide spectrum of early childhood including academics, consultants, program managers and policy developers will explore the theme and contextualise it in terms of everyday practice and experiences. The conference committee chose the theme preparing children for life to acknowledge early childhood as a vital period in children’s lives. The experiences and quality of interactions in the early years provide the foundation for all subsequent learning and behaviour. High quality early education and care programs benefit children now and into the future, with ongoing health, education, and social impacts. We are thrilled to have an extensive program this year featuring such high calibre speakers including Iram Siraj, Nairn Walker, Karen Malone and many more.

Professor Iram Siraj Professor Iram Siraj worked as an early years teacher for most of the 1980s and has been an academic and researcher for over 25 years, holding positions at the universities of Warwick and London. Her main research focuses on the impact of home learning, staff training, pedagogy, curriculum and assessment on young children’s learning and development, particularly those children and families from vulnerable backgrounds. She is also interested in what shapes learners’ life-course trajectories over time. Professor Siraj has lectured in over 30 countries, co-authored over 60 books and published research reports as well as around 150 refereed journal articles and chapters in scholarly texts.

Nairn Walker Nairn Walker has worked across Australia, New Zealand, the US and the UK with over fifty thousand professionals to raise awareness of issues presented by economic disadvantage in every level of our communities, schools and businesses. She is committed to raising awareness, understanding and outcomes through sharing strategies that make a difference. Nairn co-founded and for five years, chaired the Mt Arthur Centre in Tasmania, dedicated to individual and community wellbeing. She trains professionals, educators, employers, parents and community members in the MESH (Mental, Emotional, Social and Spiritual Health) Support Group Facilitation Program, a powerful experiential model having a most positive and profound effect on participants of all ages throughout Australia in business, schools and community agencies.

Dr Karen Malone Dr Karen Malone is Professor of Social Sciences in the Faculty of Education at University of Wollongong. She is also Asia-Pacific Director of the global UNESCO-MOST Growing Up In Cities (GUIC) project that focuses on children and youth, researching their quality of life. Dr Malone is also Chair of the Child Friendly Asia-Pacific network. In the past ten years Dr Malone has attracted over 1.4 million dollars in research grants, awards and consultancies and has published 5 books, 14 book chapters and over 40 refereed publications focusing on child friendly cities, children’s participation, child and youth environments, environmental education and sustainable development, urbanisation and globalisation, and participatory research methodologies.

Nairn taught Equity and Social Justice at the University of Tasmania (School of Education) for several years.

To register on-line and to find out more about our program and speakers, visit our website www.togetherwegrow.com.au. You can also down-load our new conference app for your smartphone or tablet or subscribe to ELAA’s e-news for regular conference up-dates.

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

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Preschool Matters Term one 2014

McArthur Early Childhood Volunteer of the Year Awards The McArthur Early Childhood Volunteer of the Year award recognises the significant contribution that volunteers make to early childhood services, and celebrates volunteerism as the backbone of our community, and our economy. In 2013, ELAA had a number of high quality nominations, making the job of the selection panel very challenging when shortlisting just five volunteers. The award finalists and the overall winner were announced at the ELAA Annual General Meeting in October 2013.

The finalists Jo Burke, Brookville Kindergarten Jo Burke is the President of the Brookville Kindergarten in Toorak. For the past three years, Jo worked tirelessly to ensure that the kindergarten community is well serviced, and resourced to a very high standard. She had undertaken several projects, most notable amongst which were the enhancement of the three outdoor play spaces, establishment of a highly developed internet and intranet system, supported the teaching staff develop sustainable practice and ensuring OHS standards were met, and developed an appraisal system for staff. Rachel Carbonell, Brunswick Kindergarten Rachel, the Vice President at Brunswick Kindergarten, had also served as President for two years. During Rachel’s four and a half years on committee, her most notable achievement has been undertaking the formidable task of managing a capital works project, and everything that comes with it – including applying for and securing funding, managing the design work and build. She also played a significant role as an advocate in the difficult transition from management of the kindergarten by an external provider back to the committee. Her leadership and tact ensured that the task was achieved as smoothly as possible, and she kept the committee energised during this difficult time.

Photos: (L–R) Rachel Carbonell, Jo Burke, Kylie Riddell, Sonali Le Brocque, Michelle Stirling and Kylie Riddell.

Michelle Stirling, Patterson Lakes Kindergarten Centre Michelle is the Vice President of the Committee of Management. In the two years Michelle has been on the Committee, she has demonstrated exceptional commitment and outstanding leadership, which has made a difference to the kindergarten and the community. Michelle was the main contact person for the kindergarten in a $650K building renovation and re-development project in conjunction with the Kingston City Council. She spent many days, nights, holidays and weekends negotiating and approving plans, addressing utility issues, maintaining, repairing and preserving equipment within the existing building and project managing the move of the entire kindergarten to an alternate location for term 4.

Kylie Riddell, East Brunswick Kindergarten and Childcare Centre Kylie is a committee member and has served on the East Brunswick Kindergarten Committee for five years in various capacities. Kylie led the ‘Outdoor Playspace and Garden Project’ overseeing the planning

and implementation of a wonderful new outdoor space at the centre, which children will enjoy for many years to come. She has embodied the spirit of the National Quality Framework ensuring the voices of staff, parents and children were heard in the redevelopment of the outdoor space.

Sonali Le Brocque, Mansfield Kindergarten Sonali took on the role of President at the Mansfield Kindergarten when she moved to Mansfield from Melbourne in 2011. She has worked tirelessly for the past two years to introduce several improvements to the operations of the kindergarten. She worked to ensure the kindergarten become autonomous of the local Primary School, reviewed and developed PDs for all committee positions, reviewed all policies of the kindergarten to ensure they are up-to-date, developed budgets for the kindergarten and improved alliances with key stakeholders such as the local Council. Ms Annie McArthur presented the Volunteer of the Year award to Sonali Le Brocque, from the Mansfield Kindergarten. Sonali Le Brocque features in our member profile on page 28.

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

OUT AND ABOUT: THE BENEFITS OF WALKING EXCURSIONS By Caroline Milburn provides a rich learning environment to assist children to develop skills and attitudes for safe road use – holding hands, being aware of driveways, road signs and traffic lights – children can participate in their own safety and the safety of others. Those sort of habits last for a lifetime.” Originally developed in 1989, Victoria’s early childhood road safety education program, known as Starting Out Safely, responded to national changes in Australian early childhood education resulting in a renewed program. Since 2011, ELAA has been delivering the new program, and been instrumental in turning research into practice. Starting Out Safely aims to reduce injuries and death to children from road trauma and to support children in being active community participants. The stakes are high, especially for young children.

As child health experts become concerned about sedentary lifestyles among children, a new approach to road safety education is getting preschoolers out on to the streets, exploring their neighbourhoods. Local walking excursions – where educators in early learning services take children on a stroll around the block, to a nearby park or shops – are becoming increasingly popular as a mechanism to teach preschoolers about road safety.

Practices for Early Childhood Road Safety Education, a set of eight practices guiding educators in evidence-based road safety education curriculum. Putting this new research into practice challenges some commonly held beliefs about teaching road safety to children.

The excursions are part of a sea change in early childhood road safety education in Victoria where educators are embedding road safety education into their daily programming, rather than providing one-off activities or experiences.

“Traditionally, what we’ve done as parents and early childhood educators is provide children with a dose of road safety education – you get it for a week and then you’re done,” according to Catharine Hydon, a leading early childhood consultant. “The shift in thinking involves what the research evidence shows about how children learn. They learn through encounters and participation.

The approach is being fueled by new national research which merges early childhood education and road safety evidence. This research, commissioned by the Road Safety Education Reference Group Australasia, resulted in the National

“If we offer them one outing and one activity such as making traffic lights it’s not enough to embed those ideas into their thinking. But if educators and children regularly step out into their community then this real experience

Road trauma is the leading cause of death among children aged 0–14 in Australia and the second most frequent cause of hospitalisation, according to the World Health Organization. In Victoria, on average each year 35 children aged between 0–18 are killed and 839 are seriously injured on the state’s roads, according to VicRoads data. So far under the statewide rollout of the Starting Out Safely program ELAA has delivered road safety education professional development, including resource materials, to more than 1000 educators in Victorian early learning services. The resource materials include a play mat with accurate Victorian signage that reflects what children see outside on the streets. The play mat encourages conversation and learning about road safety. Educators extend on this learning by taking children on walking excursions along the surrounding streets or on other types of excursions using public transport.

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

“Traditionally, what we’ve done as parents and early childhood educators is provide children with a dose of road safety education – you get it for a week and then you’re done. The shift in thinking involves what the research evidence shows about how children learn. They learn through encounters and participation”, Catharine Hydon.

By encouraging services to introduce neighbourhood excursions Starting Out Safely also achieves a key goal of Australia’s national early years learning framework – to help children to be active participants in their community. And in an era of rising obesity rates the excursions have the added benefit of developing healthy exercise habits among children.

Ms Hydon said families and educators liked the idea of neighbourhood excursions but often raised concerns about whether they could be done safely and whether they had educational value. It was therefore crucial that educators consulted thoroughly with parents before implementing such excursions under the Starting Out Safely program.

Neighbourhood walk

Tips for creating a neighbourhood excursions program: • Consult with parents and staff about the concept • B e prepared: provide educational research and other material to answer parents’ questions about the program • E xplain all safety precautions to parents. For example what happens if a child becomes ill on an excursion? • E nsure all staff follow risk assessment procedures before going on an excursion. Educators can download an excursion risk management plan template from the ACECQA website, www.acecqa.gov.au • Take a first aid kit and a mobile phone on every walk

“Parents have a legitimate anxiety about children being out in the world because as a society we’ve done a good job of telling children that the world is a dangerous place,” Ms Hydon said. “But parents are also increasingly receptive to the idea of not wanting to bubble-wrap their children, of wanting them to go out into their neighbourhood and be part of their community. “As educators we need to help parents understand the value of that and how it benefits their child’s learning.” ELAA has collected many examples of neighbourhood excursions, sparked by ideas from children and educators. In a kindergarten in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, a child brought in a real estate brochure showing the new house his family had moved into nearby. It led to a lively discussion. The educator collected more brochures from the local real estate agent and the children brought in photos of houses in their street. They created a map of their neighbourhood, put the houses on the map, discussed the streets and road safety issues and then went on excursions to locate the houses. Other examples involve children drawing up a list of ingredients to cook something and walking to the local shops to buy the ingredients, or walking to the local park to gather sticks and leaves for a craft project. “These are learning experiences dripping with literacy, numeracy, language development and team-work,” Ms Hydon said. “Parents often ask what children are going to learn about literacy and numeracy if they walk down to the shops. So it’s our job as educators to be really clear about the learning that takes place when we take children out into the community.” At Poets Grove Family and Children’s Centre in the inner Melbourne bayside suburb of Elwood, children go on about six neighbourhood excursions each week, with road safety education embedded into each outing.

Photos: Poets Grove Family and Children’s Centre, Elwood.

(continued on page 22)

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

“The more that teachers go out on neighbourhood excursions, the more they’ll be released from the fear of the unknown. Just like children, teachers learn from doing”, Kay Mondon, Manager, Poets Grove Family and Children’s Centre.

“The more that teachers go out on neighbourhood excursions, the more they’ll be released from the fear of the unknown,” Ms Mondon said. “Just like children, teachers learn from doing. “

The 15-minute walk to the nearby beach is one of the centre’s most popular excursions. In spring, children go on daily neighbourhood walks with educators to examine plant growth and flowers blooming in gardens and parks. The centre’s excursions have been operating for more than two years. Its parent management committee established the program because they wanted children to become more familiar with their neighbourhood. Ms Kay Mondon, the centre’s manager, said many early childhood services were reluctant ADVERTISING

to get involved in excursions because of misplaced fears about legal liability issues. “Centres are petrified about legal liability but that legal liability exists whether you’re with the children inside or outside”, according to Ms Mondon, a former co-ordinator of postgraduate education courses at a Victorian TAFE institution. She said feedback from the centre’s staff revealed the excursions progressively became easier to supervise because the children became more knowledgeable about road safety and their neighbourhood after each outing.

Ms Zora Marko, ELAA’s Road Safety Education project manager, said some early learning services are reluctant to embrace neighbourhood excursions. But that attitude is changing as more educators participate in the Starting Out Safely program. The program helps educators consider the benefits and manage the mandatory risk assessments for each outing. Ms Marko said educators and families welcomed the shift to a more holistic approach to early childhood road safety education. “Road safety is more than just teaching children to ‘Stop, Look, Listen and Think’,” she said. “It’s about engaging with families and children, embedding it in everyday life and seeing it as an enabler for children to become active participants in their communities.” LINK: http://www.roadsafetyeducation. vic.gov.au/

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Preschool Matters Term one 2014

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We offer a 24/7 service and guarantee a consultant will be in contact within one hour. So call the Early Childhood team on 9828 6565

Talk to us about rejuvenating your outdoor play areas. From simple makeovers to major upgrades. We offer an extensive range of products and working with you will create a fun filled, action packed, cost effective upgrade for your kinder. • • • • • • • • •

MAXI SAIL SHADE SYSTEMS. Sails and Structures MASTERPLAY FLEXIBLE PLAY SYSTEMS SANDPITS and FITTED COVERS RUBBERFLEX – RUBBER SOFTFALL SOLUTIONS ‘BALINESE’ OPEN PLAY HUTS • SWING FRAMES DRY CREEK BEDS • TEE-PEES • ARBOURS SECRET GARDENS • DIGGING PATCHES DRAMA STAGE and ACTIVITY PLATFORMS LANDSCAPING AND ALL SURFACES Your new playground is only a phone call away phone 9876 4112 mobile 0414 348 188 email pjoe @rabbit.com.au

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

ADVERTISING

ELAA established the Early Childhood Education Foundation to address concerns that many Victorian families were not accessing preschool. Due to financial hardships and other factors many children are not experiencing this vital year of development.

Why was the Early Childhood Education Foundation established?

The ELAA Early Childhood Education Foundation believes that all young children and their families should have access to high quality educational programs. Please help us to help those families in need. Donations will assist us in providing a child with the opportunity of accessing this vital year of development.

To make a donation or to apply for funding, call 9489 3500 or download an application form from www.elaa.org.au and send to PO Box 1246, Collingwood Vic 3066.

Do you have job vacancies? Advertise your jobs!

What is the easiest way to find jobs in the Victorian early childhood sector?

Promote your vacancies to the right people at www.elaa.org.au/jobboard

Jobs in Early Childhood Sponsored by McArthur Find your next job at www.elaa.org.au/jobboard or register for our job alerts to get weekly updates!

This service is brought to you by McArthur and ELAA.

insurance PARTNER: Insurance House

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

MAKE UP PAY INSURANCE You will most likely be aware that any employee who suffers a work-related injury has access to Workcover benefits. These benefits commence at 95% of the employee’s pre-injury wage and reduce thereafter at 13 weeks and again at 52 weeks.

You may not however be aware that within the terms of the Victorian Early Childhood Teachers and Assistants Agreement, you have an obligation to make up the difference between the Workcover benefit payable and the employee’s pre-injury wage. We have negotiated a Make Up Pay insurance product with Professional Risk Underwriting Pty Ltd (on behalf of certain Lloyd’s of London underwriters), which will provide your Kindergarten/Pre-school with insurance protection against your liability to provide this make-up pay to injured workers who receive Workcover benefits.

As an indication of the cost to you, the premiums for various wageroll bands are outlined below: Premium schedule

Total premium payable

Wages up to $50,000

$155

Wages between $50,001 and $75,000

$185

Wages between $75,001 and $100,000

$240

Wages between $100,001 and $150,000

$320

Wages between $150,001 and $200,000

$455

Wages between $200,001 and $250,000

$565

Wages between $250,001 and $300,000

$675

Wages between $300,001 and $400,000

$750

Wages between $400,001 and $500,000

$900

Wages between $500,001 and $750,000

$1,350

Wages between $750,001 and $1,000,000

$1,500

Insurance House Group, with the support of ELAA, recommend that you effect this insurance to enable you to better manage the cost of your obligations to injured workers to maintain their income during prolonged periods of disability. Please contact Jo Broderick at Insurance House on 1300 305 834 for a quotation or to arrange immediate cover.

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Preschool Matters Term one 2014

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ENROL NOW FOR 2014 Gowrie Victoria is a leading training organisation delivering qualifications in early childhood education and care. Enrolments for 2014 courses are now open. Visit our website for course dates and information.

Early Childhood Australia is the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading non-profit early childhood advocacy organisation. For 75 years, we have published a wide range of resources for early years educators and practitioners. View our e-catalogue at: www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/catalogue

gowrievictoria.edu.au @gowrievictoria

WORKCOVER PARTNER: ALLIANZ

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

ELAA Partnering with Allianz Workers’ Compensation Insurance Allianz knows the importance of having peace of mind when growing your business.

Peace of mind when growing your business means making the right choices along the way, including the important one about workers’ compensation insurance. Your workers’ compensation insurance should work as a ‘silent partner’ with your business to protect you and your employees when you need it most. When contacting us to arrange cover, make a change to an existing policy, or to lodge or enquire about a claim, we make it easy for you, exceeding your expectations. As the preferred WorkCover agent of the ELAA, Allianz will provide you with: • A n Account Manager to oversee your Workers’ Compensation program; • C laims management expertise that will return your injured workers to employment sooner; • Occupational Health & Safety support and guidance; • Access to Allianz training courses and events.

2014 National Training Schedule now available To help members of the ELAA begin planning their training requirements for the new year, Allianz’ workers compensation courses for 2014 are now available online.

As well as standard course offerings, three new courses have been introduced. New courses for 2014 are: • I ncident Investigation – This course will provide participants with an overview of incident investigations, reporting, notification obligations and prevention strategies in the workplace; • P revention of Musculoskeletal Injuries in the Workplace – This course will examine the common causes of musculoskeletal injuries, including manual tasks and slips, trips and falls. The course will focus on prevention and provide ergonomic principles and risk management strategies to implement in the workplace. • E nhancing Wellbeing in the Workplace – This workshop will help you understand the impact of health and wellbeing levels on workforce capability and the benefits that a wellbeing program can add to your workplace. It will also assist you to develop and implement a strategic wellbeing program in your workplace. For more detailed descriptions of these new courses and all other courses available go to http://www.allianz.com.au/ workers-compensation/training/

The online National Training Schedule, gives you access to book your training courses 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Other benefits include immediate confirmation for your booked course, email and SMS reminders and the ability to pay for courses via EFT, MasterCard or Visa, that incur a fee. Our 2014 training offerings will be reviewed quarterly to ensure they continue to be relevant and topical. Courses scheduled for the second half of 2014 will be released in March.

For all queries regarding the ELAA/Allianz partnership and the benefits it provides or general queries regarding Workers’ Compensation, please contact your Allianz Business Account Manager, Danielle Hickey, on (03) 9234 3413 or via email danielle.hickey@allianz.com.au.

Preschool Matters Term one 2014

Member profile In this edition of Preschool Matters we catch up with

Sonali Le Brocque President, Mansfield Kindergarten

Why did you volunteer for the Committee of Management? I was new to Mansfield and wanted to become involved with the community. With 3-year-old kindergarten places being so hard to get in Melbourne, and not knowing what the situation would be in Mansfield, I was worried that my son, who was very much ready to go to kindergarten, wouldn’t get a place at the kindergarten. He was fortunate to get a place and when I rang to accept it, I was so overjoyed that I said I was happy to join the committee if they needed someone. The enrolment officer said “You wouldn’t want to be President or Vice-President would you?” I was a bit surprised but said I’d be Vice-President. I ended up volunteering to be President by the time kinder started for the year and we found a Vice-President quite quickly then too.

as an organisation were being met. I also helped to put procedures put in place so that the organisation could run smoothly. There was also planning for the future and helping other committee members fulfil their roles if needed. I saw my role as being there to support the children, staff and parents of the kindergarten.

What does your role involve? My role mainly involved chairing meetings, making decisions and helping to ensure that all requirements of the kindergarten

What is the most rewarding aspect of your role or your involvement with the kindergarten? The most rewarding aspect of volunteering at the kindergarten has been seeing a

How do you manage your dual roles of being a parent and committee member/employer? The staff at the kindergarten are lovely people. They are very professional and certainly know what they are doing. The children are the top priority for them, so as a parent and part of the committee that is their employer, I knew that our priorities were the same and so could have trust and confidence in them as educators and friends.

growth in confidence in people which has seen them take up roles that they might have, in the past, thought they either didn’t have the time or ability to fulfil.

How have you driven changes at your service? I’ve filled in a lot of forms and done a lot of paperwork! I think also changes took place when I helped define roles within the committee of management more clearly, helped to put procedures in place and delegated. I hope I haven’t been too bossy! I’m most inspired by… People who do things that they never thought they could have done – people who make things happen. What makes me laugh… All the funny things that 3–5 year olds do and say. Sonali Le Brocque was the 2013 McArthur Volunteer of the Year.

Have you registered for your free e-News from ELAA? e-News is delivered free each month and features all the latest news from the sector, including information on training and resources. For more information visit www.elaa.org.au/e-newssubscribe

ADVERTISING

Does your committee need some extra help to solve an ongoing issue? ELAAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consultancy service is here to help. ELAA offers a wide range of individually tailored, specialist consultancy services to the early childhood services sector. ELAA has the expertise to provide advice, support and practical solutions for new ways of working. We regularly consult to independent committees of management and cluster managers on a range of projects; OHS compliance and training, staff handbook review, board/committee handbook review, policy review, staff recruitment and retention, program timetabling, staff rosters and much more.

We offer very competitive rates with special discounts for members. To speak to our ELAA Consultancy Coordinator about how we can help you contact us on 03 9489 3500 or email elaa@elaa.org.au or visit our website elaa.org.au for more information.

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