COAG National Reform Agenda Queensland

1

• COAG National Reform Agenda (Queensland)
• It is vital that our investment in early
  childhood promotes integrated services rather
  than traditional 20th century services which
  focused solely and separately on child care,
  education or health care.
• (the COAG reform agenda) presents an
  opportunityto significantly enhance services for
  children and families to further promote their
  integration.
• We are now focused on better integration of early
  childhood education and care servicesto support
  flexible and responsive services to meet modern
  child and family needs.
• Peter Beattie April 2007

2

• Draft Plan April 2007
• Many parents report difficulties in accessing
  preschool (pre-prep) programs because of the
  sessional nature of the programs.
• COAG will promote integration of early childhood
  education and care services.
• the development of a national learning and
  development framework for use in early childhood
  education and care services for children from
  birth to school entry.
• grants will be offered in 2007-08 to assist with
  the establishment of community-based early
  childhood education and care services on or near
  state schools.
• (reforms should)extend the provision of
  preschool (pre-prep) services, particularly to
  those families where the hours of sessional
  (pre-prep) make participation difficult.

3

• Letter to CK 26/04/07
• As part of this reform agenda this department
  will commence a review of the Department of
  Education Community Kindergarten Assistance
  Scheme (DECKAS) to ensure closer alignment
  between the Queensland Governments priorities,
  to increase the quality, accessibility and
  affordability of early education and care
  services, and government funding.
• The department recognises its long standing
  collaborative work with Creche and Kindergarten
  (CK) in supporting quality community
  kindergarten services.
• The department values the work undertaken by the
  community kindergarten sector and is committed to
  working with community kindergartens and
  representative groups to improve access,
  affordability and quality of pre-prep programs
  for Queensland families.
• Rod Arthur Acting Director-General

4

• The objectives of the DETA review are to
• document current state and national trends in the
  provision of early childhood education and care
• examine and report on the current operation of
  the DECKAS policy
• examine and recommend options to realign the
  current DECKAS policy and investment to support
  the provision of quality pre-prep services that
  are accessible and affordable
• recommend funding models for the above options
  including costs associated with service delivery,
  administration, regulation and quality assurance,
  and
• propose a transition strategy to move from the
  current DECKAS policy to the recommended options
  for the future.

5

• Federal government policies
• LABOR
• Early childhood education a federal
  responsibility
• Provide university qualified teachers where
  children are located
• Award based on NSW Early Childhood Award
• 15 hours of preschool program 40 weeks a year
• Funded by state matched grants
• Promote integrated and co-located services
• 5 years to implement
• COALITION
• Preschool education a state responsibility
• Provide teachers (?) where children are located
• Award base?
• 15 hours of preschool program 40 weeks a year
• Funding unspecified but via CCB or tax deduction
  an option
• Implementation time unspecified

6

• Possible impacts for CK kindergartens
• State provision of pre-prep programs?
• 100 funding for teachers via new DECKAS
  mechanism
• No direct funding but via reformed CCB and/or tax
  deduction (as currently with child care)
• Tiered funding mechanism tied to service type
• Direct funding to services (removal of
  affiliation requirement)
• Loss of staff due to reduced Award conditions
• Alternative accreditation and/or consultancy
  support process
• Segregated rather than affiliated kindergarten
  sector
• Removal of key market differentiator
• Increased market competition
• Drift of clientele to long day care

7

• CKs response
• Commission our own review
• Survey affiliated services
• Trialling alternative services in 2007
• Implementing Building Waterfalls
• Develop new childrens portfolio
• Actively establish linkages with allied early
  childhood services e.g. Health
• Enhance kindergartens as child and parent service
  e.g. baby sitting clubs, Nursing mothers, Family
  Planning, ante natal groups, child health etc
• Reposition CK in market
• - promote kindergarten as the physical facility
• - natural environments
• - childrens portfolio
• - experience of staff
• - home visits
• - Building Waterfalls curriculum
• - not-for-profit, children come first
• - parent and community involvement
• - encourage closer integration of sector