Parents often have different expectations for their three- to five-year-old children when they attend an early learning centre. Some parents expect their child to engage in academic learning activities or “real learning”. Academic activities are associated with formal school-based learning such as writing, reading and knowing their numbers.
Continue reading “What outcomes parents should expect from early childhood education and care”
On Monday, the Commonwealth Government released the draft Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy: 2018 and Beyond for public consultation. The strategy includes actions for the early childhood education and care sector, which may come as a surprise because the sector has not been consulted on the development of the strategy until now.
Continue reading “Spilt milk: Educators’ voices missing from Breastfeeding Strategy consultation”
Australia’s early childhood educators, including those working in community and private childcare centres, will walk off the job on March 27 to demand better pay. Some centres will be closed for the whole day and parents will be asked to keep their children at home.
Continue reading “Low-paid ‘women’s work’: why early childhood educators are walking out”
There has been a spate of recent media reports concerning appalling conduct by workers in United States early education settings. Many of these reports have been picked up and shared by media outlets in Australia.
The new Report Card from ARACY has drawn on a range of national and international data and indicators to provide a snapshot of children’s outcomes in areas such as health, wellbeing and education. We took a look at statistics relevant to National Quality Framework services – here are five charts that demonstrate just how Australia is faring.
Continue reading “Five charts that show Australia’s poor performance in early education”
A new, national radio station overseen by the ABC represents a huge opportunity to shift the conversation in Australia away from “childcare” to early childhood education.
It’s hard to tell which part of Simon Birmingham’s announcement that Federal Government funding for Australia-wide preschool causes the biggest eye-roll.
The two clear frontrunners are: 1) That the Education Minister is seriously using the word “commitment” to describe the fifth short-term shot of funding his Government has announced since they took office; and 2) That the Education Minister seriously expects us to believe the Government values the research and evidence on the importance of early education.
From February 1, a new revised version of the National Quality Standard will be in place for all services operating under the National Quality Framework. Here are the key things educators and leaders need to know.
Continue reading “Revised National Quality Standard: What you need to know”
The movement to change the annual date of Australia Day has grown steadily, now often highlighted with the hashtag #ChangeTheDate. The date, January 26, represents the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788. For many, including many Indigenous Australians, this date represents the beginning of a colonial invasion that decimated communities and a culture that had endured on this continent for tens of thousands of years.
Continue reading “Should NQF services be looking to #ChangeTheDate?”
ACECQA’s National Partnership Annual Performance Report has revealed that families view a service’s National Quality Standard rating as the least important factor when choosing a service to enrol their child in.
