Early Childhood

During 2009, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to a wide-ranging package of reforms for early childhood, to ensure they are high quality, easy to access, easy to afford and more integrated with other services.

In response to this reform agenda, the AISSA has appointed Barbara Murray as the Early Childhood Advisor to work with Lynda Secombe, the Assistant Director Educational Services Primary and Early Childhood. Barbara’s role is to provide support to schools as they implement the national reforms in early childhood.

The National Early Childhood Development Strategy developed under COAG includes the:

• National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care and Outside School Hours Care 
   - This will introduce new standards for such things as
     teacher/child ratios and staff qualifications and ratings for
     the quality of services. 
   - The new framework will be implemented progressively
     from 1 July 2010. 
   - From January 2012, this framework will apply to long day
     care, Family Day Care, Outside School Hours Care
     (OSHC) and preschools.  
• Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) 
   - This will help educators focus on the learning and
     development of children aged from birth to school entry
     (usually five years of age).  
• National Partnership for Early Childhood Education   
• Initiatives to provide more and better trained early childhood educators. "Workforce Initiatives in Early Childhood Education and Care" 

AISSA EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE SUPPORT

In order to support schools in meeting these challenges, the AISSA established the Early Childhood Reference Group in 2010 to inform decision making around key issues arising from Government policy directions for education and care for Children 0-8 years of age; 

• The planning and implementation of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF);  
• New state and national legislation and associated regulations;  
• Delivery strategies;

All schools with a preschool or Early Learning Centre can nominate a delegate to join the Reference Group. There is no limit to the size of the Reference Group.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NQF

Please register at www.ais.sa.edu.au/events

For all registration enquiries please contact Barbara Murray email: murrayb@ais.sa.edu.au