Transcript AEU South Australian Branch Early Childhood Inquiry forum

How do we achieve universal, high
quality early childhood education?
Michaela Kronemann
Australian Education Union
Kaleidoscope: Changing Images of Childhood,
ECA Biennial Conference, 28 September – 1 October 2005, Brisbane
Why does a
qualified
kindergarten
teacher from
Victoria become
a flight
attendant?
Who is the AEU?
The Australian Education Union represents 165,000 teachers and education
workers in public education, from preschools to schools to TAFE institutes,
across Australia.
Early childhood education is a key AEU priority:
1998 AEU discussion paper: Towards a National Plan for preschool education
National Early Childhood Committee of ece practitioners
 ongoing consultations, roundtables, policy development
 2004 Independent National Inquiry into preschool education.
AEU position:
• universal and equitable access to at least one year of free, high
quality preschool education, to be extended to two years.
• national plan needed.
• Commonwealth government has a role to play.
•Early childhood education is a vital part of the education continuum.
And now?
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Some definitions
Where we are up to now
Some of the challenges we face in achieving
ece as a universal right
The (too gentle??) winds of change
Issues to address
Some next steps
Some definitions
Early childhood
education encompasses
0-8 years.
Prime focus today on 3-5
year olds.
“Ideally, early childhood
development programs
and the school system
should be part of a
continuum for children
that extends from the
early years through to
adulthood. The brain
develops in a seamless
manner and what
happens in the first
years sets the base for
later learning in the
education system.”
(McCain and Mustard 1999, Reversing the Real
Brain Drain: early years Study Final Report )
Defining preschool education
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Complexity of structures and
provision in Australia
‘Preschool is a planned
educational program for
children in the year before the
first year of school. Children are
usually aged between 4 - 5 years
of age. A qualified early
childhood teacher, who has
completed a degree in
education, plans the program
and is usually supported by a
teacher assistant.’ (Walker 2004)
OECD 2001: ECEC at the crossroads?
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There is much talk about a ‘rethink’ of the framework (and some
action).
Need shared values or vision of children and childhood in
Australia.
Need strategies to bridge the divides, to overcome
fragmentation.
‘Whether this can occur without some radical restructuring
between State and Commonwealth jurisdictions is
debatable…There is a clear leadership role for the
Commonwealth Government in forging such a strategy across
jurisdictions, and for ECEC sector communities to work
collaboratively to achieve more effective coordination across the
education and care divide.’
Also: pay, conditions and qualifications; inclusion policies;
curriculum development; balancing work-family;
resourcing/quality/access
Where we are now: funding
• Average country expenditure for 3-4 y.o. is
0.5% of GDP.
•Australia spends 0.1% of GDP.
Australia is the lowest
spending of 24 countries.
Commonwealth funding abolished in 1985.
OECD, Education at a Glance 2005
Where we are now: structures of
preschool education
Staffed and funded by Education Departments and:
 integrated with schools in: NT, Qld, Tasmania and WA.
co-located with schools/stand alone mix in ACT
a mix of stand alone and integrated models in SA.
Community Services focus in NSW and Victoria.
Community, private, & local government providers, with a
small number integrated with government schools.
Education departments also responsible
for child care in SA, Tasmania and ACT.
New links emerging between education
and childcare and health in some systems.
Participation in preschool education
•260,100 4 year olds in
Australia in 2004
• 83.7% of 4 year olds
in preschool in year
before school
81.4%
98.1%
96.3%
•around 17.1% of all 3
year olds attend
preschool.
More than 40,000
children are missing out
95.1%
59.1%
83.6%
96.0%
101.0%
Independent national inquiry: major findings
Kathy Walker,
Independent
Inquirer,
2004
“From a national perspective, this
inquiry found that preschool education
is characterised by fragmentation,
varying degrees of quality, no
equitable access, and without a
national vision, commitment or
consistent approach. The number of
different approaches, funding
formulas, terminology, child ratios,
curriculum, costs and delivery hours
and models promote inequity across
Australia for young children in their
preschool year.” p10
“I can’t help feeling like it
really is just the luck of the
draw as to whether or not
you receive a preschool
education. It seems to
depend upon where you
live in Australia and not
that you are Australian
that provides you with
equitable access to a free
quality preschool
education.”
(School Principal)
Key findings
Children most likely to not have equal access:
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Indigenous children
Children living in poverty and or Low SES
Children from Culturally and Linguistically
Diverse Backgrounds
Children with special needs
(Walker 2004)
Major findings
Significant barriers exist in Australia
that prevent equity of access.
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Lack of a national vision and commitment to
preschool education is viewed as a major
barrier to access of high quality preschool.
Walker 2004
Barriers to equity and access
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Geographic location- particularly rural and remote
Inadequate transport
Costs to parents - particularly in NSW and Vic.
Lack of qualified early childhood teachers
in some areas
Lack of adequate funding, resources and
supports for children with special needs
Significant differences in government
funding levels and models contribute to
unequal access.
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Differences in age of entry and
terminology cause confusion and inequity
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Lack of links between services adds
complexity and difficulty for families in
understanding what and how to access
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Different government department
responsibilities create gaps in curriculum
continuity and transition challenges.
Walker 2004
Recommendations
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A national plan for preschool education be
developed between the Commonwealth and
states and territories to ensure equity and
access to high quality preschool.
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A national framework and vision is
coordinated through MCEETYA and DEST.
Walker 2004
Recommendations
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The provision of high quality and accessible
preschool education is free for all children
across Australia and is acknowledged at a
federal level as a universal right.
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The Commonwealth reintroduce dedicated
funding for preschool education and that
Commonwealth and state and territory
governments jointly provide the full costs of
preschool education.
Recommendations
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The Commonwealth and state and territory
governments give priority to ensuring access
to high quality preschool education for
Indigenous children across the country.
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The Commonwealth, and state and territory
governments provide a significant and
immediate increase in funding to provide
adequate supports and resources for children
with special needs.
Recommendations
Preschools and child care centres across
Australia come under the jurisdiction of the
Departments of Education in each state and
territory and provide continuity for children
and families between child care, preschool
and the first year of school.
Walker 2004
The (gentle?) winds of change
The National Agenda for Early Childhood
 Improved national coherence of the early learning
and care system
 Improved access and participation for all, particularly
disadvantaged children and children with disabilities.
 Agreed national goals and access for all seen as
long term aspirations.
 Cross portfolio perspective, but driven by FACS.
 No change to the traditional areas of government
responsibility.
 Currently under discussion with states.
Changes at the system level
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Moves to greater integration of services.
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Efforts to develop cross-portfolio approaches.
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Widespread efforts to improve participation.
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Changes reflect local history and culture – and resourcing
policies of governments.
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Three broad models: ‘care – focussed’; ‘education focussed’; and a more holistic model for education and
care.
NSW and Victoria: ‘care-focussed’ model
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Preschool and school education in separate
departments. Low funding for children’s services.
Best Start/First Start programs to try and bring services
together.
Victorian commitment to children’s hubs – preschool,
child care, other programs – in DHS. Funding for LDC
will increase. Proposal to make teachers and childcare
educators ‘early year’s professionals’ – government
wants ‘quality developmental experiences’ in ‘early
learning centres’. Preschool teachers fleeing to primary.
NSW preschool and child care under common DOCS
regulations. Centres >30 have teacher. Community
centres reported to be in crisis – especially preschools
because of funding freeze. Parents paying $30 per day
on average. 100 preschools attached to government
schools.
NSW and Victoria
Preschool is seen as ‘pre-education’ rather than as
part of the education continuum and there are
limited links to schools.
“Different government department
responsibility for childcare, preschool and
school is a challenge, particularly in Victoria and
NSW. There are huge gaps in curriculum
continuity for children, and transition from
preschool to school is more challenging. Pay
and award differences are significant and often
create debate and division between services.”
(Walker 2004)
Queensland and WA; an ‘education –focussed’
model
These are systems undergoing significant
change, involving substantial changes to
staffing and resources.
 WA has in recent years moved to full time
pre-primary and shifted pre-primary and
preschool onto school sites.
 Queensland is moving from sessional
preschool in government schools to a full
time prep year.
ACT, SA, Tasmania – more holistic views of
education and care
ACT:
Co-locations of preschools, childcare and schools in new areas. Super
schools –preschool to year 10, co-located with childcare, with joint facilities
with communities or independent schools.
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Contours of Learning curriculum for 0-8 links across sectors.
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promotes links between staff and offers greater continuity and flexibility for
families.
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“…co-location itself does not necessarily ensure a productive liaison …”
(Walker 2004 ) – but it opens the possibilities.
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move to12 hours to allow for option of two full days of preschool.
SA:
Report of Ministerial Inquiry - June 2005. Strengthened and integrated
universal services, whole of government framework. 0-8 focus. Education
and children’s services is lead Ministry for coordination.
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Child and family centres - bringing state-funded/employed preschool
teachers into child care centres and child-care into preschool, some of them
school-based.
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Need to upgrade qualifications (4 yr qual for leadership positions in
childcare centres), coordinated professional development, address
other employment/conditions issues eg portability.
Co-location of childcare in Tasmania
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Preschool is an integral part of each school.
Childcare services are increasingly being co-located on school
sites.
Staff work together in professional development, planning and
information sharing
Support for local clusters
Easy accessibility, proximity and continuity for children and
families
Shared curriculum across care and education – Essential
Connections.
“..at the end of the year, they just make the transition across to
the big school with no worries. The teachers already know us all
and we know most of them”
(parent at preschool).
Preschool and childcare on school site
“There is a door with a round window between the
childcare and the preschool. 3 year olds line up
with their bags pretending to be four so they can go
through the Magic Door… There are no transition
issues.”
What do
parents want?
“Parents reported high levels of satisfaction in
communities where there are strong links
between child care, preschool and school and
they are viewed by parents as “all working
together”. These are shared sites or close
locations where early childhood staff across child
care, preschool and school are all known to
families”. (Walker 2004, p. 12)
School as a community hub
“We had a wing at school not being used, we put the
kinder here with a parent room with a one way
mirror, this encouraged other groups to come in, Kid
Safe moved in, other things in the community,
parents with babies etc feel comfortable then to
ease into kinder.
…there were lots of young mothers and single
parents, some hanging around, wanted something
they could do.
So we extended our school so we catered for
everyone. Parents rooms, lounge where they would
relax, coffee, even sleep and we had Internet
facilities.”
(Verbal submission to National Inquiry at Tasmanian forum)
Issues to address
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Serious under-resourcing of early childhood
education in Australia.
($1.6b to provide preschool education to all 3 & 4
year olds to ACT level. Senate estimates )
Divided structures across Australia.
Need to address barriers to participation, especially
for disadvantaged children.
Growing privatisation of services.
The pay, conditions and status of early childhood
professionals.
Lack of shared vision and commitment to universal
preschool education.
Some next steps
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A commitment to universal access to high quality, free preschool
education for at least one year prior to school, moving towards
two years for all (OECD).
A clear vision and policy framework for children from 0-8.
(OECD)
Recognition of early childhood education as a vital part of the
education continuum. The lead ministry (OECD) should be
education. State education ministries could encompass
e.c.services.
A national plan to ensure equity and access, developed in
partnership by the Commonwealth and states and territories.
Reintroduction of Commonwealth funding so governments
provide the full costs of preschool education for all children.
Priority to be given to ensuring access for Indigenous children,
children with special needs and disadvantaged children
 A commitment to quality education for all.
Our next steps
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Talk to each other, find our common ground
Identify the common principles and a vision we can share.
Recognise that there is no one model to fit all systems/needs.
Identify what we want to maintain and what we want to change.
Investigate good international models – UK, NZ, etc
Establish priorities for action at all levels
Involve parents
Lobby politicians
Don’t take no for an answer.
www.aeufederal.org.au
[email protected]