Rattler magazine issue 119, 2016

IMPACT OF PREMIUM SERVICES GET MORE FROM YOUR PD SPEND QUALITY IS KEY PUSH DOWN CURRICULUM PET PEEVE + MORE

COMMUNITY CHILD CARE CO-OPERATIVE QUARTERLY JOURNAL 119 SPRING 2016

quality FIGHTING FOR

Rattler is published quarterly by Community Child Care Co-operative Ltd. (NSW) and funded by subscriptions and sponsorship revenue.

Community Child Care Co-operative Diane Lawson Editorial Committee Marie Deverill, Nathalie Dupavillon, Camille Howard, Eddy Jokovich, Diane Lawson, Gerard Moon.

Managing Editor Eddy Jokovich (02) 9310 4955 Journalist/Assistant Editor Camille Howard Art Director Deborah Kelly /Madeleine Preston Production ARMEDIA Printing Pegasus Print Group Contributors Brianna Casey, Bronwyn Hinz, Camille Howard, Tracey Sharp, Fran Press Contributions: By publishing a range of opinions, Community Child Care Co-operative Ltd. (NSW) hopes to stimulate professional development and discussion. You can contact the CEO or Managing Editor to discuss your ideas or send in an outline of your article.

Copyright is normally held jointly by the publisher and the author. We reserve the right to edit submitted material.

Copying: Please email for permission to copy or reproduce any article or part thereof.

ADVERTISING: www.ccccnsw.org.au/advertise SUBSCRIPTIONS (02) 8922 6444 Annual subscription to Rattler $80.00 (4 issues).

THANKS Community Child Care Co-operative gratefully acknowledges the support of Microsoft Corporation in providing Community Child Care with free software under their Community Assistance Initiative.

Registered by Australia Post Print Post Publication No 100001554 ISSN 0819-9132 ©2016 Community Child Care Co-operative.

Disclaimer The opinions expressed in Rattler are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Community Child Care Co-operative Ltd. (NSW).

Office and Postal Address Addison Road Community Centre, Building 21, 142 Addison Road, Marrickville NSW 2204 Phone (02) 8922 6444 Fax (02) 8922 6445 Email info@ccccnsw.org.au Web www.ccccnsw.org.au Facebook www.facebook.com/

RattlerMagazine Twitter @RattlerMagazine ABN 81 174 903 921 2 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

A

editorial

warm spring welcome to all our Rattler readers.

This issue explores a range of matters close to my heart, particularly those relating to sector growth and sustainability. The withdrawal of Australian government funding for professional training is now being felt throughout the community sector. Our recent member survey identified how important professional development is to service operations, and we are working tirelessly to build and deploy affordable training opportunities and a membership offer that will assist you in delivering quality early education and care. A significant component of this is to continue and strengthen our partnerships with other organisations to deliver better value and reduce confusion in the marketplace.

Of course, our activities are always wrapped around our commitment to advocate on behalf of children and families, knowing this is of prime concern and value to you all. Therefore, we will continue to raise our grave concerns about the impact of the Australian Government’s childcare package currently before parliament, particularly in relation to access for vulnerable children.

At a state level, we have been pleased with the impact of our advice in support of increased investment in NSW preschools, with Premier Mike Baird and Early Childhood Education Minister Leslie Williams announcing increased investment through Start Strong. I believe it is a positive step towards increasing access and affordability.

From 1 January 2017, the funding will help services enrol more four- and fiveyear-olds in 600 hours of quality early education in the year before school. We are also particularly pleased with the provision of a Safety Net, a commitment to ensuring a base operational subsidy for services where they are concerned about their viability and ability to provide access to children who might otherwise miss out on quality early education.

Additional funding has also been made available to target equity children and we hope the increased base rate will increase opportunities for services to provide access and quality early education to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in our community.

We acknowledge that words in a policy announcement can make the task ahead look easy and the solutions simple. We know this is never the case when working in the complex social services sector. We received many calls from directors in the 24 hours following the announcement. Some were ecstatic with the opportunity it affords, while others were understandably more cautious.

To address your questions, and in keeping with our commitment to explore productive partnerships, we are working with CCSA to develop an extensive range of supportive communications and resources to assist the sector and our members’ transition to the new funding requirements.

Contact us on 1800 157 818 to speak with our expert advisors or check out www.preschoolsnsw.org.au and sign up for the Start Strong e-hub.

Diane Lawson CEO, Community Child Care Co-operative Cover: Robby McGarvey, Manuka Child Care Centre. Photograph: The Canberra Times/Elesa Kurtz

in this issue 4

THE LOWDOWN

Your guide to what’s up, who’s where, and why.

WIN FOR THE LITTLE GUY

6

Meet the Canberra-based service that took on the government, and won.

Rattler 119 Spring 2016

MORE BANG FOR YOUR PD BUCK 20 How to get the most from your professional development spend.

BOOKWORM

23

We take a look what’s new on the shelves.

PREMIUM SERVICES: AT WHAT COST?

10

FACE2FACE

14

QUALITY IS KEY

24

NEW! PET PEEVE

26

More collaboration is needed from the sector to reduce mismatch between investment & opportunity.

Readers have their chance to stand up and voice their concerns in a brand new section.

What does the continued rise of premium care services mean for the sector?

Get to know Diane Lawson, Community Child Care CEO, and her vision for the future.

PRESSURE TO PERFORM 16 How services can push back against ‘push down’ curriculum.

NQS SPOTLIGHT 28 How to turn your physical environments into quality learning spaces.

Rattler 119 Spring 2016 | 3

who what

THE Lowdown why

what’s on

CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

LIGHTING THE SPARK Community Child Care Co-operative is hosting its second annual Ignite conference at Glenworth Valley, Central Coast NSW, which promises to inspire educators to bring nature and the outdoors into their life with young children.

Ignite offers an opportunity for a weekend of discovery in the outdoors, exploring, building relationships and developing outdoor skills and programming ideas to take back to your service.

Toni and Robin Christie, from Childspace Early Childhood Institute in New Zealand, are both presenting workshops this year.

“Ignite conference is a unique gathering of educators passionate about fostering children’s natural connection with nature. This fully immersive outdoor experience blends concepts of environmental stewardship with

practical ways of engaging children with nature in everyday settings,” the Christies say.

“Set in the stunning Glenworth Valley, the sights and sounds of the plants and animals of the Australian bush truly allow us to pause and appreciate the natural learning opportunities all around us,” they add.

“The Ignite experience fosters amazing creativity in a relaxed and accepting atmosphere, is well organised and well run, and quite simply an enormous amount of fun. The joy of meeting like minds is incredibly stimulating, so please get along, share your stories around the bonfire, and be inspired!”

Where: Glenworth Valley When: November 4–6 Cost: $450 www.ccccnsw.org.au/ igniteconference

EARLY CHILDHOOD AUSTRALIA CONFERENCE

5–8 October Darwin Convention Centre, NT www.ecaconference.com.au

INSPIRE CONFERENCE 14 October Doltone House, Sylvania Waters, NSW ccccnsw.org.au/inspire

KU ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Saturday 15 October Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, Sydney www.ku.com.au/professionalservices

IGNITE CONFERENCE

4–6 November Glenworth Valley, NSW ccccnsw.org.au/igniteconference

4 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

A spot of inspiration Treat yourself or your star educators to a day of purpose with inspirational speakers and motivational thinking at Community Child Care’s Inspire conference.

Inspire is a day for personal growth and reflection that will positively impact on your professional life and your service.

Speakers include author and mentor Shivani Gupta and Stephanie Lorenzo, founder of Project Futures.

Shivani Gupta reveals how to activate passion in the people who drive your organisation via The Passion Map. Passion Mapping enables participants to transform belief systems, enhance performance, staff engagement and

inspire leadership.

Stephanie Lorenzo is an emotive and passionate speaker who captivates and inspires young people through her incredible personal story. Stephanie’s core message is about harnessing the power of purpose in our lives. Through tapping into our talents and the talents of those around us, we can drive action and achieve desired results regardless of the size of the mission.

Where: Doltone House, Sylvania Waters, southern Sydney When: October 14 Cost: $165 www.ccccnsw.org.au/inspire

Children win playground design prize Goodbye and GOOD LUCK! Community Child Care Co-operative recently said farewell to two much-loved friends, with Lisa Bryant and Arian Ploeg leaving to pursue other opportunities.

Lisa has been involved with Community Child Care since 2002, first as an employee (a journalist) and then as a consultant for the last 12-plus years.

Her knowledge of the inner workings of the sector and her passion for advocacy and the work of Community Child Care has proved invaluable during her time with the organisation.

Everyone involved in each issue of Rattler, in particular, will miss her contribution as part of the editorial committee. We wish her every success in the future, and we’re sure she will continue to rattle cages everywhere she goes.

Arian says goodbye after seven years with Community Child Care, initially coming on board as a project officer, then manager of CCCC’s Registered Training Organisation (RTO).

For the past 12 months she has served as manager of Professional Learning.

Arian’s contribution to the organisation has been greatly valued by her team, and Community Child Care wishes her all the very best as she leaves to further her academic studies and continue her career in early childhood.

Marrickville Public School was recently announced as the winner of the national My Park Rules competition, winning $100,000 towards a new play area.

An initiative of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and 202020 Vision, the competition called on preschools, early childhood centres, primary and high schools from around the country to submit ideas on how to reinvigorate their outdoor spaces.

Marrickville students put forward their designs for a greener, more sustainable and playful outdoor area, which they

called ‘the Orchard’, in reference to the school being built on an old orchard.

The Orchard design will help preserve a green corridor for native flora and fauna; provide children with a rare space to explore through nature-based play; offer a peaceful, shady setting; and increase connection to the land, to the food we eat, to local traditions and to others in the local community.

To take a look at the award-winning entry, visit www.myparkrules.com. au/organisation/?Id=114

Aboriginal service named Employer of the Year Bubup Wilam Aboriginal Early Learning Child and Family Centre was recently awarded the ‘Victorian Employer of the year Award’ in the Medium Employer category for 2016.

Announced at the Victorian Training Awards, the award acknowledges the achievements by Bubup Wilam not just in the early learning arena, but in employment and education.

On accepting the award, CEO Lisa Thorpe acknowledged the staff, families and Bubup Wilam board for the passion and commitment to improving the lives of the 75 families currently supported by the organisation.

This award recognises the significant contribution the centre makes to achieving opportunities for Aboriginal people, who are under-represented in the wider job market.

Rattler 119 Spring 2016 | 5

HE RT FO

WIN UY EG TL LIT

When the ACT Government acted to force community based Manuka Child Care Centre to relocate, it could not have anticipated the ensuing battle. Camille Howard shares the David-and-Goliath advocacy tale.

I

t’s a tale we’ve probably heard before: the all-powerful government handing down an edict to force a small organisation from their location.

In this case, Manuka Child Care Centre (MOCCA) was operating on government land, and the government wanted it back.

Led by Robby McGarvey, MOCCA director, a dedicated team of educators, families and the local community stood up to the government, highlighting the strength of a community united.

Such community connections have existed for the life of MOCCA: from the early days when run by volunteers, 6 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

followed by the days of government operation, to the community based outfit it is today. Built in 1955, the building MOCCA has called home for more than 50 years has had a strong connection to the community in Manuka since it became home to Canberra Mothercraft Society in 1963.

As the population grew, so did the building and the needs of the community, with a dedicated group of volunteers providing care for local children until the Australian Government took over the overall operations with paid staff. In 1988, the newly-formed ACT Government

PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY MOCCA

then awarded families and parents the tender for an independently run community organisation, and Manuka Occasional Childcare Centre Association was formed, and has been known affectionately as MOCCA ever since.

With this strong history, then, it came as a shock to the community when, in September 2014, the ACT government announced MOCCA was to be relocated as part of a land swap deal with Canberra Services Club and Defence Housing Australia. (The Services Club had lost its building in a fire several years earlier.)

“We were basically told that the government wants the land back for future development,” says Robby McGarvey. “We weren’t told why, only that we would need to move and relocate to a suitable site.”

Although there was no offer of a provision at that time, the ACT government agreed to help find a suitable location in the local area, and a new site was found nearby.

Unfortunately, it required Telopea Park School to relocate its tennis courts, a fight McGarvey says the school had fought twice before.

“The school weren’t happy about it at all. Even though they were being offered $800,000 to put new tennis courts on their school block, with their growing need they really didn’t want to give up their tennis court. And nor should they.”

Not wanting to push the school off its grounds, MOCCA and the school formed an alliance (alongside other community groups) to fight the move.

It worked, with the government backing down from the Telopea Park School swap in August 2015, suggesting an alternative site for MOCCA’s relocation. But after this new site also faced community objections, the argument for staying put in Manuka became stronger, especially as it was clear that the $5 million cost to move was one that MOCCA was going to have to meet, without financial support.

On the surface, it appeared the government was going to fund the move. McGarvey recalls a local newspaper interview in the early days:

“The interviewer said to me, ‘You must be really happy that you’re going to get a brand new building’,” she says.

This wasn’t the case. “It was just beyond belief that they would think ‘give up the land and do your own thing’,” McGarvey says.

MOCCA was offered two options: to build and operate a new service itself, or lease a new facility from a commercial developer. Neither was financially viable.

So, when meeting with the ACT government’s Land Development Agency (LDA), McGarvey insisted that MOCCA “be given a fair and reasonable deal”, which included asking the government to provide a new site and building for MOCCA. It turns out, the issue of fairness was one that resonated with the community.

Ground roots campaign Like all good community campaigns, the fight to save MOCCA started at a grassroots level, calling on staff, families and the local community to join the Rattler 119 Spring 2016 | 7

“We never ever forgot to mention why we feel we are a benefit to the community. And at every opportunity we would talk about our community, our children, our educators, putting forward what was really important about why we should stay in the community.”

8 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

effort. McGarvey held meetings with committee members and educators, formulating a plan to move forward, and established relationships with community groups.

These community connections proved invaluable. “We had the Inner South Canberra Community Council come to us and ask if they could support us in any way. We got the same support from the Kingston Barton Residents Group and the Griffiths Narrabundah Community Association, plus the Telopea School P&C,” McGarvey says.

The French Australian Preschool also came to their aid, having faced a similar experience.

“Before this started I didn’t know [some of] these groups existed and once we met everyone and started to become connected, we really felt that power and strength in the community.”

The experience from these groups proved particularly influential. “There were very experienced people who had worked with government and also who knew the legalities around zoning and different things that you needed to know about the different sites—what could be done and what couldn’t. Some were in a position to ask questions of the ACT government as well. When you’ve got people on side who actually know the different laws as well, it’s very, very powerful.”

Being respectful and available is also powerful, McGarvey says, as is staying on message and ensuring their advocacy reflected their community roots. “We never ever forgot to mention why we feel we are a benefit to the community.

And at every opportunity we would talk about our community, our children, our educators, putting forward what was really important about why we should stay in the community.”

At the same time, McGarvey says it’s vital to be mindful about what other people need as well. “It was very clear from the beginning what Telopea School P&C needed as well. And having that open mind and not being solely focused on what you need, you then realise that the community is a lot bigger than you are and if you’re working collaboratively I think that’s where the win/win comes in.

“These were people we hadn’t met before but different people on these committees also had prior connections to MOCCA and they were very interested

in ensuring that MOCCA got a fair and reasonable deal.”

The idea of a fair go echoed through the community. “I think the outcry from the community in general was just how unfair it was,” McGarvey says. “We could see that the Canberra Services Club needed a home after theirs burnt down—there was never any argument about that—but we just expected to be treated just as hospitably and charitably as they were. We thought we were worthy of equal attention and support.”

So when the ‘I love MOCCA’ campaign was created, there was buy-in from around the community. “We gave everyone stickers with the I [heart] MOCCA and they’re all around town and all on people’s cars.”

A squeaky wheel To get community buy-in for an advocacy campaign, you need to create plenty of noise about your cause. The ‘I love MOCCA’ campaign worked well here, as did the relationships with other community organisations. But getting media attention gives you an even louder voice when spreading your messages. Widespread coverage in The Canberra Times helped MOCCA reach a much wider audience. The newspaper gave plenty of coverage to the land swap, and came to every event MOCCA held, proving to be a valuable ally.

The story of the David versus Goliath battle captivated the community and McGarvey seized on every opportunity to share MOCCA’s story and draw more support.

So when AFL franchise GWS Giants and developers Grocon had a meeting to discuss plans to update nearby Manuka Oval, McGarvey used the opportunity to raise awareness of MOCCA’s plight.

“Even though the oval had nothing to do with us, I just thought it was a great opportunity actually to speak up for MOCCA,” McGarvey says, “and they passed a motion in support of us, and that MOCCA would be financially supported should we need to relocate.”

News of MOCCA’s predicament even reached the World Forum on Early Care and Education, and MOCCA was subsequently selected to be one of the design projects 2015 World Forum on Design conference in Rotorua, New Zealand. McGarvey used this opportunity to share MOCCA’s story with an international audience.

PHOTOGRAPHY: THE CANBERRA TIMES/ELESA KURTZ & COURTESY MOCCA

Keeping it civil

Check yourself

The key to winning any fight against the government, McGarvey says, is to open up lines of communication with representatives and keep it respectful, even in the face of differences.

“It was a matter of them getting to know us and us getting to know them as people and community members. I think at one stage we also learned about their families, too,” McGarvey says.

“And I can remember sitting in a meeting and saying ‘You know that our ask will always be to ask for more’. It was very honest, very open, but very respectful.”

Because of this mutual respect, people were willing to meet with MOCCA whenever McGarvey called to discuss problems or concerns with the process.

“There was definitely a willingness to work with us, which was fantastic. I don’t know what would have happened had we gone right to the end but there was definitely a certain amount of respect that was developed between MOCCA and the ACT government, plus all the community groups, which is fantastic.”

McGarvey also made sure to keep government supporters close. “There were certain people who we built quite a solid relationship with from the outset and they were willing to come to nearly every community event that we held,” calling out local members Shane Rattenbury and Steve Doszpot, who championed their cause.

“From the outset we knew we had to keep the community connections up and to keep our story in the news and in the media and work with the ACT government as much as we could.”

During a campaign that was full of feeling within the MOCCA community, it became important to keep emotions in check, which McGarvey says presented some challenges. “It can be challenging when working with a group of passionate people, like our committee, who all have different focuses and different drives.”

She says the key was to allow people to have their say, without being rude or disrespectful. “At one stage we had to stop things and prepare a preamble so that people could take stock of things and think, ‘Is this really how we should be treating each other?’ So you have to do those checks and then look at why people are getting upset, what are the challenges, how can we help each other and help ourselves get through this challenging time.”

And keep communication lines open.

“Have as many meetings, coffees, get togethers after work as you need to.

It’s quite a harrowing process. For me personally, working face-to-face with people works best, and we gain so much from having these little meetings and keeping in contact and checking in and making sure everyone is okay. I had wonderful support from my educators.

After a big meeting they would say ‘Are you okay?’. We’d check in and we’d ring each other. It was the same with the committee—we were always checking on each other.”

After each little win, it was important to celebrate, too. When Telopea Park School won their victory, MOCCA also secured a commitment from the government that they were safe from having to move, for five years at least.

“That was the first win and had us all cheering,” McGarvey says. “At least we had five years and now we could plan the future for MOCCA.” That plan involved continuing their fight, and in July this year, their almost two-year campaign ended after an article about the controversial land-swap deal ran in The Canberra Times. “The article broke in the morning and that night the government rang and said ‘We just wanted you to know that we’ve responded to the article this morning and we’ve let The Canberra Times know that MOCCA is no longer required to move, now or in the future, if MOCCA does not want to.”

It was a huge relief to all at MOCCA, though McGarvey will insist on getting an agreement in writing. “We’ll be pursuing a written lease for MOCCA and also upgrades to our building,” referring to a government promise made before the land swap was raised back in 2014.

To top off the triumph, MOCCA was recently awarded an exceeding rating across all quality areas. “We feel valued and we feel loved for the early childhood education and care service we are and for what we provide for the children and for the community.”

The assessments and rating process was lovely, says McGarvey, “because we were able to just focus on what we love about our service and our learning environments for the children”.

And that’s McGarvey’s final piece of advice for any advocacy campaign: don’t let it distract you from your core role.

“The day-to-day has to keep going, and having a strong team that can carry on with it, as well as being a strong and patient leader, will help.” ✹ Rattler 119 Spring 2016 | 9

10 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

premium servıces AT WHAT COST?

The number of premium early childhood education and care services is on the rise, with many parents prepared to pay a premium price. But as Fran Press asks, is Australia developing a two-tiered system of early childhood education and care?

I

n the news recently was a story of one Sydney’s most expensive childcare centres closing down*.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the centre was closing because it had not paid its staff for two weeks. The fee for the centre was said to be an astounding $195 a day. At its opening in 2007, then health minister Tony Abbott, referred to this centre as “the most glorious childcare centre anywhere on Earth”. Described at the time as the BMW of childcare, it was reported to offer European cots and luxury bed linen, a gourmet menu, French lessons and yoga classes.

The families were clearly paying a premium price. However, in light of its subsequent and unexpected closure, the question remains: were they getting a premium service?

Stories such as this point to the complexity of the early childhood education and care ‘market’. Clearly, a high price is not necessarily a proxy for a high quality service. Additionally, in a competitive market it is common for centres to claim to be offering ‘the best’ in care and education. But do these claims, in themselves, indicate the creation of a premium childcare sector?

To explore this question further, this article examines the mismatch that can exist between the level of fees charged, how services position themselves in a competitive market, and the ACECQA ratings of services. It asks whether a premium market is emerging and, if so, what are some key implications for

children’s and families’ access to a good quality early childhood system now and into the future?

A maturing market?

To think about this question, it is worth considering the ways in which the market has changed in the 25 years since the Hawke Labor Government announced the opening up of government subsidies to commercial childcare providers. Prior to 1991, parents using childcare could only access fee subsidies for centres that ran on a not-for-profit basis. Designed to address the ongoing shortage of childcare places, the shift toward funding the use of private services was highly successful in stimulating supply.

The expansion of private, for-profit childcare quickly exceeded government estimates and commercial centres came to be the dominant providers of childcare in Australia.

In the market’s earliest iteration, strong competition in areas of oversupply meant that many services were vying for customers through lures such as vouchers to toyshops or a period of free childcare. During the 2000s, the creation of everlarger childcare chains resulted in one extremely large company, ABC Learning, dominating the provision of childcare in Australia. At its height, ABC Learning ran an evocative, expensive and alluring cinema and television advertising campaign using the Beatle’s tune ‘All you need is love’, no Rattler 119 Spring 2016 | 11

doubt tapping into parents’ desire for reassurance that their children were loved and nurtured when at (ABC) childcare centres. Soon after, however, in late 2007, the company collapsed, threatening the loss of thousands of childcare places and triggering a multimillion dollar Australian Government bail-out to keep the company solvent while arrangements were made for other providers to take over. Although private providers still predominate, none appear as monolithic as ABC Learning. It appears that both commercial and not-for-profit centres are now less inclined to spruik how big they are, and more inclined to claim how good they are.

The sales pitch Arguably, focusing on the quality of early childhood education and care is a good thing. The websites of some childcare chains still contain offers for free childcare, but in many others the sales pitch is made by appealing to parents’ aspirations for their children.

This aspirational appeal often includes the utilisation of specialists—additional to early childhood educators—such as yoga teachers, sports science psychologists, ‘leading’ nutritionists and health professionals. Services may also claim to offer ‘state-of-the-art facilities’, with access to such spaces as dance and performance studios or technology kiosks.

12 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

But do such claims mean that there is a premium childcare market? To answer this, it is important to think about what ‘premium’ might mean. Of course, accoutrements such as ‘highend’ furnishings and finishes and so-called ‘state-of-the-art’, ‘cutting-edge’ facilities can add the aesthetic appeal of centres, but they do not assure high quality early education. Arguably, the quality of the setting should be the most important measure. So for the purposes of this discussion, ACECQA ratings are used to explore this question further.

Does rhetoric match reality?

Claiming to be ‘the best’ is not uncommon in advertising. But are claims to be the best (or at least very good!) matched by ACECQA ratings?

ACECQA’s report on Quality Area 1 of the National Quality Standard (2016) provides some interesting insights.

Quality Area 1 (QA1) pertains to educational program and practice and is the quality area outcome that services are least likely to meet.

The assessed services more likely to be rated as ‘exceeding’ for their educational program and practice were overwhelmingly from the notfor-profit sector. These included 46 per cent of assessed local government run services; 35 per cent of assessed community managed services; 27 per cent of assessed services managed by departments of education; and 25 per cent of ‘other’ not-for-profits. In the for-profit sector, only 16 per cent of services were rated as exceeding.

Notably, however, 48 per cent of early childhood education and care services run by independent schools were rated as exceeding in QA1.

What about the services that ACECQA rates as excellent overall?

Of the 45 centres currently rated ‘excellent’, the vast majority are run on a not-for-profit basis, either by local government, parent committees, umbrella organisations or departments of education. Of the remainder, three are Montessori schools; nine are attached to private schools; and five are for-profit centres (from the ACECQA website, as we go to print).

What does this tell us? First, that advertising rhetoric is not always matched by reality. That is, services’ claims to provide the best in education and care are not always reflected

in their ACECQA ratings. Second, in general terms, the not-for-profit sector is performing disproportionately well in relation to the ACECQA quality ratings. However, further digging reveals some interesting emerging trends. One is the performance of ‘high-end’ independent schools. Just over half of assessed services provided by grammar schools have an overall rating of exceeding the national standard, with a further three rated as excellent. In other words, just over two-thirds of these services are rated highly in relation to quality. In addition, although it is clear that many services that charge high fees or claim to be the best are not ‘premium’ in relation to quality, some high fee paying services appear to be performing well. For instance, Only About Children (OAC) reportedly charges fees in some of its centres of over $160 a day. Twelve of its 22 assessed services are rated as exceeding.

Are we developing a two-tiered system?

It is well established that the cost of providing high quality early education and care is expensive. The question is, of course, how much of this cost should (or can) be born by families?

There is no doubt that childcare fees prevent many families from accessing services. According to Deborah Brennan and Elizabeth Adamson’s 2014 report, ‘Financing the Future: An equitable and sustainable approach to early childhood education and care’, for families with a combined weekly income of $2,000 or more, “52 per cent of 0–14-year-old children regularly participate in childcare, compared with 25 per cent in families with a weekly income of $800 or less”. It is clear that the cost of childcare can prevent children of low-income families from participation in an early education program.

It then becomes necessary to consider whether the socio-economic status of an area bears any relationship to the quality of early education and care families can access. According to ACECQA’s report on QA1, 26 per cent of services in the most disadvantaged areas (as determined by the SEIFA index) have an exceeding rating for QA1, compared to 34 per cent of the least disadvantaged. This is a discernible difference. This trend is consistent with the assertion of the

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) that “AEDI data suggest that participation in high quality early childhood education is skewed towards more advantaged populations”.

PHOTOGRAPHY: AMANDA JAMES

So what?

One of the reasons governments support children’s participation in early education and care is because of its potential to have a positive impact on children’s development and longterm outcomes. Importantly, high quality early education and care can have a significant positive impact on outcomes for children who might be at risk of school failure. That means it can play an important role in mitigating disadvantage. But if the best early education increasingly goes to more highly resourced families, we place this policy objective at risk.

This taps into another, broader consideration. What role does education play in contributing to the type of society we want to live in? John Dewey, an advocate of public education and child-centred educational reform, published Democracy and Education in 1916 in the wake of the outbreak of World War I. The centrality of education to a just society is continued in Article 29 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which

So-called ‘state-of-the-art’, ‘cutting-edge’ facilities can add the aesthetic appeal of centres, but they do not assure high quality early education.

Arguably, the quality of the setting should be the most important measure. states that the education of the child shall be directed to “the development of the child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential”, and “the preparation of the child for responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples”.

In this century, the second OECD ‘Thematic Review of Early Childhood Education and Care, Starting Strong 11’ recommended that governments “aspire to ECEC systems that support broad learning, participation and democracy”.

Unlike many countries, Australia does not have a formal entitlement

to free early childhood education and care before school. Many children gain access to a formal early education program through their formal childcare experience and there is no doubt that early childhood education and care has become an integral part of Australian society. This means we have to pay close attention to whether the system we create reduces or exacerbates inequality. At the moment, it is a mixed picture. The point is not to lower the bar of quality centres so that all centres are the same, but to resource the system in a way that ensures access to high quality for all. ✹ *In July this year, Sally’s Place in Mosman, North Sydney, was forced to close its doors due to non-compliance issues. The landlord, Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, engaged Community Child Care Co-operative to undertake due diligence on the service.

Children’s Services Community Management (CSCM), a wholly owned entity of Community Child Care, was subsequently appointed interim approved provider and re-opened the long day care service at the end of August as The Lookout Early Education Centre.

Dr Fran Press is associate professor for the

School of Teacher Education (SOTE), Research Institute for Professional Practice, Learning and Education, at Charles Sturt University.

For a full list of references visit ccccnsw.org.au/rattlerresources Rattler 119 Spring 2016 | 13

Rattler catches up with the new CEO of Community Child Care Co-operative, Diane Lawson, to find out a little bit more about her and the future of Community Child Care.

Can you tell us a little about your life before Community Child Care Co-operative?

I’ve recently returned from a three-year stint in the UK and three years in the Middle East working on reviewing and establishing national standards and leadership frameworks in legal services, health, education and social care. It’s been an exciting and interesting journey where I have been in a wonderful position to learn new things, meet some great people and make a real difference.

Flying into Afghanistan to work on a vocational education project did however give me pause for thought about whether I was really up for making a difference in a war zone.

I was pleasantly surprised to find while working in the UK that requirements for cultural diversity in the workplace through the Equality Act 2010 had a profound impact in the workplace.

Consideration of equality issues must influence the decisions reached by public bodies, including many associations or non-government organisations receiving government monies. Many organisations employed a cultural diversity lead director, reporting to the CEO. It was very positive experience and a most powerful impact of this for 14 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

me at a personal level was the culture shock of returning home to Australia to the very non-diverse cycle of mainstream Australian TV. The response I received from many when exploring my discomfort at the homogeneity compared with the UK television was “that’s what SBS is for”. I am now on a personal crusade to increase diversity on Australian television.

How has this prepared you for your new role?

I have held several CEO positions in not-for-profit and membership and training-related organisations across the health and social care sectors, and have gained extensive experience of business operations, policy development and influence, training and development, and building member value. For seven years I was the spokesperson for Australia’s community services and health workforces, as CEO of the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council.

Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, speaks to my passion for the work that I do: “Education promotes equality and lifts people out of poverty.

It teaches children how to become good citizens. Education is not just for

a privileged few, it is for everyone. It is a fundamental human right.”

I believe in the power of education and strong policy to underpin healthy societies where individuals and communities flourish.

I bring these insights and passion to a sector that forms the foundation of high-quality early education that has significant long-term benefits. As CEO of Community Child Care, I aim to ensure we deliver a world-class association that is a must to join for all early childhood education services and individuals.

What has been the most surprising thing you’ve found out about the sector since becoming CEO? I’ve been most surprised by the complexity of the sector: the number of children’s services systems and funding models, the myriad organisations working towards the same end goal, and the resulting potential fragmentation of sector leadership to deliver a vision for Australia’s early childhood education and care. The optics of this seem to be that while delivering excellent services, the sector is ripe for change. Perhaps it’s time to accept that power sits with a collective voice, acting in unison towards the same goals of advocacy and best outcomes for children, families and the sector’s workforce.

As well as the complexity of the sector, I’m impressed by the demands on early childhood education services, directors and educators to work productively within their profession, while addressing change in policy, resourcing and practice. I believe that greater focus on personal development to complement professional development of these individuals is crucial for success and fulfilment.

And the most surprising thing about Community Child Care?

In its 38 years of operation, Community Child Care has had some extraordinary successes in advocating for quality outcomes for children, delivering a multitude of professional development courses, information, support and products that simplify what can otherwise be complicated regulatory, financial and management requirements.

In my experience, it’s rare to find such an experienced team of experts in any given field in one organisation: many of the Community Child Care team

have worked as educators, directors and leaders in their field and can therefore offer in-depth understanding of sector specific issues.

What is your vision for Community Child Care’s future?

I have been recruited to bring some new business perspectives to Community Child Care operation. Yes, I use the word ‘business’ to describe our endeavours because while we are not-for-profit, we must continue to be fit for purpose and deliver value for our members’ and government’s investment in our operations.

My vision for the future lies in a solid and sustainable association that is ready to face change and respond to challenges, while still providing reliable and positive outcomes for its members and the wider sector. I believe we can be the model for services and the sector— one that is financially sustainable and looks after the professional and personal wellbeing of its community, while achieving best outcomes.

Over the coming months, we will deliver a new approach to what we do.

This will combine a vision that not only drives and supports professional success but one that also encourages focus on personal success. Early childhood educators are constantly faced with responding to changes in governance, politics, societal and technological changes, with little time and support to stop and access the impact of these demands on the individual. We intend to provide this added support and training to our membership.

And your CEO vision for next five years?

The vision is one of a sustainable association that provides an extensive range of meaningful services, support and advocacy. An association that encourages its members to be actively involved in providing information, feedback and data that enables Community Child Care to act as the sector voice, based on knowledge in the areas of advocacy, product and service planning and government advisory. In short, that Community Child Care is the go-to, must-be-a-member-of, effective association for the early childhood education and care sector in Australia.

I envisage a membership that includes community managed, not-for-profit and for-profits, of an association that offers

“The response I received from many when exploring my discomfort at the homogeneity compared with the UK television was ‘that’s what SBS is for’. I am now on a personal crusade to increase diversity on Australian television.” professional development on a national basis, empowering services to effect real and meaningful quality outcomes to children, families and the sector.

Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?

At a professional level, I would like to see CCCC transition along with the sector, delivering sustainable services to members and the sector that underpin an evidence based, sustainable early childhood business model that meets the needs of children and families.

I’d also like to further influence the Middle Eastern social care agenda. The past three years have highlighted the value of our education and governance systems in Australia and how they can be applied in a supportive manner in the Middle East to benefit the most vulnerable in society. Having forged alliances over the past three years, I would like to be able to continue the relationships and influence.

At a personal level: a happy and healthy wife, mother and grandmother, surrounded by a healthy family.

How do you like to relax?

Walking, going to the gym—I am a Fitbit addict. I also love the movies and lifestyle TV shows, mostly about home renovations.

What is a little known fact you can share about yourself?

I am a huge Star Trek fan and, yes, I went to a Star Trek convention in London titled ‘Meet the Captains’, and loved it. I was in the room for a Guinness World Record for the most Trekkies in costume in one room. Live long and prosper!

Rattler 119 Spring 2016 | 15

PRESSURE TO

PERFORM As new players enter the early education marketplace, services are facing increasing pressure to boost academic outcomes and follow a school-based curriculum. Camille Howard reports on the dangers of the ‘push down’ approach.

W

e all know that high quality early learning involves rich, engaging early learning experiences that build upon a child’s interests and inspires them to better understand themselves as learners and promote deeper understandings of their world.

Unfortunately, standardised testing in schools has led to a trend towards push down curriculum, whereby formal school learning is pushed down into preschool or pre-kindergarten rooms in an effort to have children ‘school ready’ and to boost results in later years.

What’s best for the child gets lost in debates around school readiness and curriculum.

We’re also hearing from services that are facing competition from local private school prep rooms, or pre-kindergartens, who are making attendance in the prep class a condition of kindergarten enrolment. Although the move is purely a grab for enrolment numbers, the message is delivered to parents with the promise that their child’s ‘learning’ starts early, and is focused on school readiness and learning outcomes, particularly around literacy and numeracy.

As a result, the expectations of some families have changed, and services are noticing a push from families towards more formal learning in early childhood settings.

16 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

“The school that I work at, they don’t encourage push down curriculum,” says Jackie Baxter, director of Mary Bailey House, a community based long day care centre on the grounds of Santa Sabina College, a private girls school in Sydney’s inner west. “It’s actually the families who raise more questions around literacy (particularly around literacy and some about numeracy) wanting to know how we actually teach the children how to read.”

They were questions Baxter admits she wasn’t asked in other community based services. “Parents look for measures, they look for outcomes and that’s what I’ve found being a long day care early childhood service within the school context. ‘Play’ is very hard to explain to parents.”

In her local area, there are several private school prep rooms set up to feed into kindergarten, as well as competition from other Catholic Education schools, as well as greater pressure from parents about children’s outcomes.

“We’re not big on NAPLAN but we realise it’s a measure that the parents use in their assessment and their critique of school, so we are pressured,” Baxter says.

Early childhood consultant Luke Touhill suggests this parental pressure for more structured early learning comes from a lack of understanding about what ‘school’ looks like, often based around our own (out-dated)

school experiences, which usually focuses on literacy and numeracy.

“Sometimes I think the danger for children in early childhood settings is we get something that wouldn’t even be appropriate in the school setting,” he adds. “It’s not so much the content that’s the problem, it’s more the way that it’s delivered.”

Instead, services need to be informed about what is appropriate curriculum and what are appropriate teaching strategies for young children, Touhill says.

Inappropriate delivery of a curriculum, no matter if it’s delivered in an early learning or school environment, will lead to children disengaging from learning experiences, he adds. “It ends up being demotivating because it’s not an enjoyable experience for them.

It’s just about memorising facts or memorising information and then regurgitating that rather than actually being a genuine, meaningful, interestbased learning experience.”

Pushing back For Baxter, rather than bend to the pressure and change the service’s practice and curriculum, she realised her team needed to come up with a better way to explain why they do what they do. For many years, they promoted literacy as social practice, based on Literacies, Communities and Under Fives, co-authored by curriculum expert Leonie Arthur. But this didn’t seem to satisfy families.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALEX WISSER

“We want to have powerful, competent, capable children, and powerful, competent, capable children have to be able to take risks in learning. They’ve got to be confident learners.”

—Jackie Baxter

“The families were constantly questioning me ‘How are you teaching literacy? How are you teaching reading?’ and they weren’t satisfied about literacy as social practice,” says Baxter.

“They were taking their children out of my long day care setting and then putting them into these preparatory classes at other schools which did more closed experiences that parents could understand. They felt that a stencil, a structured program, indicated that there was learning going on.”

So after consultation with Arthur, Baxter conducted her own research and set about writing a literacy policy that reflects current research into how children develop reading skills.

The research took about 12 months, and involved using a graduate teacher, who was just finishing her degree, to

work on the research two-to-three days a week. “She did all the research and she started to help scaffold the literacy policy. We invested some money in it because I couldn’t do it all myself.”

Baxter recommends that teachers take the lead on such research, drawing on their critical research skills developed at university. “Whoever the educational leader is has to commit to and engage with research.”

You’ve got to have people who are motivated to be reflective practitioners, who are constantly researching, she adds. “And they’ve got to be members of groups and associations where they can access good research material.”

Keeping families informed throughout the process is important, too. “I wrote to the parents, saying we’ve developed this policy in response to

ongoing questions about how we teach literacy, how children acquire literacy in the early years.”

The parent committee, many of who were schoolteachers themselves, were also invited to offer feedback as the policy was being developed. “I actually shared the policies through its various draft forms with the parent committee and invited them to take it away to offer resources, to critique it.”

Express yourself When it comes to delivering your educational program, developing good communications skills to explain research and best practice to families is paramount. “As early childhood educators, I don’t think we’re always as good at explaining what we do as we could be,” says Touhill.

Rattler 119 Spring 2016 | 17

He suggests all educators need to be able to articulate the evidence behind why good early childhood practice is good practice. This skill should start from the top down, with the director or educational leader.

“If the director is saying very strongly this is what we do and why we do it, that flows through to the others,” Touhill says. “If that’s not happening from that leadership role, it becomes harder for people who aren’t at that level to feel that they can necessarily justify what they’re doing and why they’re doing it.”

In creating their literacy policy, Baxter says her whole team have improved the way they articulate to parents why they do things. “We were all speaking the same language, we were all talking about research, so when parents came to us with questions, we had a good response that satisfied them.”

Baxter also relies on newsletters and room displays to keep parents informed during the term. And she provides families with literacy assessments for the four-year-olds. “Having a policy and having a separate literacy assessment, a summative summary, has answered lots of those parent questions.”

Parents have access to the literacy policy all the time, she adds, and at the end of each term, parents get a summary. “Teachers meet with children three times a year to talk about their 18 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

learning and their development and set goals together. So there are structures in place and ongoing opportunities for dialogue and discussion.”

Another flow-on effect, Baxter adds, is an improvement in her team’s ability to assess how children are progressing.

“We’re better at identifying where children are developing in their sound recognition, in their speech, and we’ve made referrals because of it. So it’s been really positive for us as a team.”

The impact on children At all times, what’s best for children needs to be at the centre of all discussions, policies and practices.

And with announcements such as the Tasmanian government’s plans to reduce the school starting age (to as young as three-and-a-half) in a bid to address the state’s low education standards, there are alarm bells about what this will mean for children in the long term.

“The current research says that when children start high quality early childhood education earlier, you do see better results down the track. But I think sometimes that gets taken as ‘Let’s start school earlier’, which means doing ‘school things’ at a very young age,” Touhill says.

And while there might be good initial results from a push down curriculum at a young age, Touhill warns that the gains fall away by the time a child is nine or 10 years old.

“There is a correlation between that very directive early academic approach and a later drop off in achievement, because children aren’t learning to enjoy learning, they’re just doing it because it’s something they’ve been told to do.”

Baxter reminds services to keep focused on the end goal. “We want to have powerful, competent, capable children, and powerful, competent, capable children have to be able to take risks in learning. They’ve got to be confident learners,” Baxter says.

If you are presenting closed, ‘schoollike’ experiences, such as stencils, she explains, it suggests to children there may be only one way to perform a task.

“If you place children in structured learning and they don’t meet the expectation, they feel they’ve failed and it can affect their sense of self.”

And if services are pressured to deliver particular outcomes, such as reading, there is a risk of missing out on greater understanding and learning outcomes. “Okay, they might learn how to sight read,” Baxter says, “but if you ask the child a question about the actual text they’re reading, if you ask them the who, what, when, why questions, can they actually comprehend what they’ve read?”

“If families are worried about literacy and numeracy,” Touhill suggests, “then doing some really good quality professional development around what that actually looks like in early childhood settings is going to help you counteract what families may be asking for. Suddenly you can open their eyes and show them actually you do ‘do’ maths, for example, and this is how it happens and this is what their child is learning.

“If you’ve got a really high quality program running, where children are doing really interesting things, I think often parents end up being surprised by what their four-year-olds or three-yearolds are capable of,” Touhill says.

“So if you can point that out to families I think you counteract a bit of that what other people might be touting themselves with in terms of the academic credentials,” he explains.

“That comes down to how you then share stories with families of what children have been doing and what children are learning, so they actually get an appreciation of that.” ✹

MORE BANG FOR YOUR

PD BUCK

Funded professional development has gone, so where do we go from here? We know there is a case for why the government should fund PD, so until things change (back), services need to ensure they are getting the most of their professional development spend. We asked providers and practitioners for their thoughts on how services should be spending their PD money, and what they should look for in a PD provider. By Camille Howard Wilma Murdoch, manager, Funded Programs, Community Child Care Co-operative “There are so many different courses or qualifications, and so many different styles, from webinars to workshops, seminars to info sessions.

“There are many organisations out there who want to provide training and PD and it can be a very complex decision for an educator. Start with: what areas am I interested in or passionate about?

20 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

Who is providing the course? What will I learn and do afterwards to make changes in my practice?

“Of course, there is also how much does it cost, but this is not what you should ask first.

“Educators need to remain committed, firstly, to improving their skills and knowledge so they make a difference.

Second, they need to be focused on one thing at a time, and making sure they think about how to take what they learn

and put it into practice and share with their team.

“PD providers should be trustworthy and reputable. I think they should then provide you with the program/ workshop/training as expected. For example, if it’s a ‘lunch time bite’ webinar that promises to be ‘practical and leave you feeling inspired to make changes’, it should do that. If it is a weekly program with four sessions ‘to improve your skills in documentation’, that’s what you should get. The description should be clear, and you should know what to expect. The outcome should be explicit, and the educator should have expectations they will be informed, influenced and inspired along the way.

“Similarly, educators should ideally know what PD they need (maybe based on their own PD plan done with an educational leader, or even in their service Quality Improvement Plan) so when they are looking for support, they know exactly what they want to be able to do to make a difference with children and families in their service.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALEX WISSER

Liam McNicholas, senior manager, Business Development and Quality Assurance, Northside Community Service “We’re still in the induction phase of the National Quality Framework that goes from 2012 to 2020. The NQS stats are pretty clear, we’ve got a lot of services not meeting the National Quality Standards and I think it’s a very poor decision to take [funded professional development] out at this time.

“One of the benefits of the whole Inclusion and Professional Support Program was the acknowledgement that alongside inclusive practice you need very rigorous, credentialed professional development that is funded by the government, using the best people to do the work that we know is going to be aligned to the National Quality Framework—so that’s going to be a huge loss.

“We’re fortunate in the ACT in that we’re a fairly small jurisdiction and the organisation that was the Professional Support Coordinator is continuing to provide professional development, at least until the end of the current financial year.

“The problem in Canberra is there is no other option aside from the organisation

with the PSC funding. If they decide not to continue funding, it would be a serious deficit in Canberra, because no one else does it in a reputable or intensive way.

“Unscrupulous operators deliberately market themselves as ‘We will solve all your problems around the National Quality Standards’—the claims are complete garbage. As a service, I would be looking out for the warning signs: any course that promises to solve all your problems with the EYLF, with documentation, or guarantee you will pass the National Quality Standards, these are huge red flags.

“I would be looking for providers that demonstrate their engagement with the National Quality Framework, and which highlight the areas the course or workshop will work through with you.

The ones that promise a ‘tick and flick’ are really dangerous, and [unfortunately] I think there are going to be a lot more of them.

“As well as going to the workshops that are well targeted and reputable from organisations you know, I’d also recommend developing relationships with people who could come in and focus on multiple things in your service.

People who come in and do onsite work in centres, at ground zero, that’s where the work is happening and where educators need to be most supported

to do the day-to-day interactions and engagement with children. And it’s a very good way to get bang for your buck.”

Tina Holtom, executive manager, Professional Learning and Communications, Child Australia “Professional development, whichever way we look at it, it is still a critical element and one that can’t be taken lightly. You may ask ‘why’, but I would ask you ‘why not’?

“Why wouldn’t it be vital that practitioners working with children ensure they are the best possible version of themselves, that they are knowledgeable, skilled, caring and highly respectful of the preciousness that is each and every child in front of them?

Why would we expect anything less?

“How does a service ensure that they are getting the most out of their PD spend? There are so many PD options out there to choose from; some more extravagant than others, some ridiculously flamboyant, and some very mediocre, to say the least. But here’s the thing: I challenge everybody who engages in a PD session, workshop or junket across the country to ask yourself how it’s all working out for you.

“Sure, it might be fun and energising for the first couple of days post PD, but long term, what did it change? What real

Rattler 119 Spring 2016 | 21

tangible benefits can you see? Can you make sustainable changes within your setting that will influence and develop quality practices? Can you see changes that benefit the children?

“Child Australia has spent many years researching, refining and developing a process that can truly instil positive change for practitioners and ultimately improve the outcomes for children in their care.

“So here is the winning formula that Child Australia has developed: quality, engaging content + onsite coaching and mentoring = embedded practice + increased professionalism.

“For services, the key is commitment.

Regardless of the type of PD that you engage or participate in, without individual commitment and wholeof-staff commitment, your spend is worthless. The team needs to be on the same page, with clear direction on expectations. Not only will this ensure a unified whole-of-service approach, it drives commitment, it drives excellence.

“Our children deserve the very best and our commitment to professional development is the least we can do.”

Wendy Shepherd, director of Mia Mia Child and Family Study Centre “It makes little sense to defund professional development, especially when the goal behind the NQF and accreditation and so on is the professionalisation of the sector.

“For us, it means that we fall back on our own resources, and having to do the research ourselves and mentor each other. So we have specific action research projects going most of the year around different things to upgrade our knowledge and information. And we also have an annual retreat, where we develop the [retreat’s] program from what our professional development goals are.

“Every service always needs to have a very flexible and tailored professional development program, and that’s the good thing about Community Child Care Co-operative and other organisations offering PD: you can tailor it to your group of people.

“Apart from that, you could develop partnerships beyond the early childhood sector. For example, you could

22 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

connect with a work, health and safety organisation and someone could come in as part of their community outreach role to assist you in ensuring your procedures are up to date.

“I’ve just been to a conference in Melbourne and their PD for early childhood is so outrageously fabulous and the partnerships for people in early childhood in Victoria are great. In NSW, it’s fairly limited and not as linked in and it’s left up to us to have to try and source and find things. You just have to gather information from wherever you can.

“When researching PD providers,

look for their track record, and look at the presenters and find out their track record. For example, many I’ve looked up have been primary school teachers, or other kinds of ‘train the trainer’ people, with very little early childhood experience and knowledge.

“I will always go with an organisation I know and trust. And even if I’m tempted sometimes because a topic sounds interesting, if you do pare back the layers, you realise they have not been in this business long, and they’re just entering the market because they’ve realised there’s a buck to be made.” ✹

WHAT ABOUT PRESCHOOLS?

Melinda Gambley is director of Clunes Community Preschool. As a statefunded community preschool, Clunes Community Preschool has never received funded professional development, so they have learned some innovative ways to tackle PD. “With the issues around funding to preschools in NSW, many preschools have had to cut their PD budgets right back. In my service, and others, educators are limited to free or very cost-effective PD.

“The other issue is how this will impact on early childhood teachers working in state-funded preschools, now that they have to complete a minimum number of PD hours to maintain their accreditation. With funds very tight in preschools, who will pay for this PD: the teachers themselves or the organisation in which they work?

“Our budget for four educators for this year is $700! The educators that can afford it sometimes pay for their own PD, but of course not everyone can manage this.

“It’s terribly frustrating to be scraping together money for professional development when we hear about other services with so much money they don’t know what to do with it.

“My inbox is constantly flooded with advertising for a lot of great professional development, even more so after long day care services received their professional development funding, but we can’t access it due to cost. With some of the professional development that is in the city or the big conferences, the minimum you’d be looking at, for one person, is $700, and that’s not counting travel and accommodation for those of us in regional areas.

“Webinars are pretty low cost to us, and some providers offer low cost PD that comes out to the regional areas.

“We started the Northern Rivers Preschools Alliance here on the north coast, and we have about 40 preschools in the group now. We started the group because some preschool staff, directors and admin people were feeling a bit isolated, and we wanted to support each other.

“But what’s come out of that is we’ve been able to provide some professional development ourselves. Either we’ve used the expertise of the people within our group for professional development, or we’ve been able to pool our funds and attract speakers or PD providers, at a pretty low cost to ourselves. We’ve been able to have some quite well known speakers come up from Sydney and Melbourne and we’re sharing the cost of that between 40 preschools.

“Sometimes innovation comes out of difficult situations!”

book worm In Rattler’s literary roundup,

we preview what’s new on the shelves…

This is a Circle

By Chrissie Krebs Random House Australia RRP: $24.99 “This is a circle. This is a square. This is a wild-looking one-eyed bear.” And so begins Chrissie Krebs first foray into children’s books.

As well as introducing readers to some everyday shapes and objects—plus the wild-looking bear—this wonderfully silly book also features a song-singing cat, a tap-dancing goat and a pants-wearing fox. Preschool children should certainly appreciate the (mis)adventures this rag-tag crew will get up to in this fun rhyming yarn.

Raising Your Child in a Digital World

By Dr Kristy Goodwin Finch Publishing RRP: $29.99 (eBook: $9.99) Raising Your Child in a Digital World investigates the most current research on new technology, busts myths, explores the educational benefits of technology and helps parents to successfully guide their

children to balance ‘screen time’ with ‘green time’. In doing so, Dr Goodwin provides concrete advice on how to develop healthy digital habits in your children and protect their emotional and mental health.

The book is shaped around the seven essential building blocks for young children’s development: attachment and relationships, language, sleep, play physical movement, nutrition and executive function skills.

“My aim is to arm parents with evidence-based information about how technology is changing the ways young children learn, develop and play and

how we can leverage it to meet their developmental needs and minimise any potential harmful effects,” says Dr Goodwin.

policy and practice—driven by a new way of thinking fuelled by advances in science and a new way of working that embraces the culture of innovation,” the report states.

“Our goal is nothing less than breakthrough impacts for children facing adversity … Leveraging what we are learning from science to generate and test new ideas is a critical, untapped key to unlocking these dramatic improvements.”

From Best Practices to Breakthrough Impacts: A sciencebased approach to building a more promising future for young children and families The Centre on the Developing Child, Harvard University.

Free download: www.developingchild. harvard.edu/resources/from-bestpractices-to-breakthrough-impacts The Centre on the Developing Child, Harvard University, has released its From Best Practices to Breakthrough Impacts report, to highlight how science can be applied to ensure no child is left behind.

The Centre believes a science-based approach to early childhood education and care is needed now to create the best practices of tomorrow. “We propose an R&D platform that will catalyse a new era in early childhood

My Perfect Pup

By Sue Walker and Anil Tortop New Frontier Publishing RRP: $24.99 Milly and Max are looking for the perfect pup. Milly wants one she can brush, primp and preen, while Max is searching for a clever pup so he can teach it tricks.

They both decide Tiny is the perfect pup.

It turns out, though, Tiny is looking for the perfect friend, and Max and Milly might not be the right fit after all.

This sweet story, with illustrations to match, will suit children aged over two years, read in a group or one-on-one.

Rattler 119 Spring 2016 | 23

Quality is The impact of quality early learning is well documented, yet Australia still lags behind other advanced nations.

As Dr Bronwyn Hinz reports, a more collaborative approach between the sector and key decision makers is needed to reduce the mismatch between investment and opportunity.

24 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

key T

he evidence is clear. High-quality, developmentallyappropriate early education is one of the most high impact investments that governments can make for the future of their citizens and nations. It provides benefits to all children and is a key strategy for overcoming the impact of early disadvantage. This is because the first five years of life are a critical window for laying the foundations to enable all children to become creative, resilient and capable learners. Children are learning from the moment they are born. Secure and responsive relationships first with their parents and families, and later from other caregivers and educators, are the foundation from which they explore, develop their skills, deepen their knowledge and understanding.1 Australia has made great strides forward in the last decade, especially since the introduction of the National Quality Framework (NQF) in 2012.

But despite the rapid expansion of funding, access and provision, Australia still lags behind other advanced nations when it comes to young children’s access to early learning. We still have a mismatch between investment and opportunity when it comes to early learning.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALEX WISSER

One third of young Australians still do not access enough early learning to make a lasting difference, and children in poorer communities have fewer high quality services available to them.

More than one-in-five children start school with vulnerabilities that can make it hard for them to take up the opportunities that school provides.2 This has long-term consequences for these children and the nation.

The growing gap between the most advantaged and least advantaged children, in both learning and wellbeing, creates significant challenges for an education system already struggling to reduce the gap in achievement.3 Unequal access to early education and difficult transition into primary school also contributes to increased risks around early disengagement from school, the incidence of mental health issues, substance misuse and involvement in juvenile justice.

Early childhood education and care must be high quality to have a positive effect on children’s short and long term outcomes. Quality early learning environments are made up of process elements and structural elements. Process elements refers to things such as children’s interactions with caregivers and other children, and the learning opportunities such as language stimulation, while structural elements refers to factors that facilitate these interactions and activities, such as ratios, group sizes, and the training and qualifications of caregivers.4 The NQF seeks to measure and enhance both these elements, for instance: Teachers with greater knowledge of early childhood development have been shown to be more attuned to children’s communication and emotional cues, lower carer-to-child ratios permit more responsive interactions and one-on-one interaction, centres with better qualified staff are more likely to score well on quality rating scales, high quality centres are more likely to result in improved outcomes for children.5 Also crucial to quality is the developmental appropriateness of the learning environment, particularly the use of play-based and inquiry-focused learning activities, with pedagogical practices which allow children to take the lead in the learning, supports

language development (through the use of conversations, narratives, song and rhyme) and provide opportunities to move and be physically active.6 In contrast, an overly structured, academic focus in preschool can prevent children from developing the social and emotional skills they need for school and beyond.7 High quality care benefits cognitive development, improves concentration, and fosters better intellectual development, enhanced vocabularies and greater sociability. It places children’s social and emotional development at the forefront, and requires positive child-toeducator relationships. In contrast, poor quality care is associated with deficits in language and cognitive function for very young children, and has been associated with poorer social and emotional development.8 Priority areas for the future

Education program and practice is the Quality Standard that approved early childhood service providers across Australia struggle with more than any other. As recently as March 31 this year, 22 per cent of services that have been assessed are “working towards” this vital standard, which focuses on embedding children’s individual learning and exploration in everyday practice, as well as critical reflection by staff on bolstering this learning. Around the country, many services find it difficult to develop and document effective curriculums and programs to do this or to communicate this to children’s families.9 More can and should be done to support and value educators and teachers in this vital and complex work, to build their skill sets and capacity to learn alongside the children in their care.

Early education must be delivered in a way that, as far as possible, reduces barriers to access for the children who stand to benefit most. Priorities include shifting family and community perceptions about the importance of early education and delivery models that prioritise assertive outreach, engagement with families, cultural appropriateness and additional support for families where needed.

Early education must also be delivered with a level of quality and an intensity that is proportionate to need, which will require additional investment in the communities the Australian Early

Development Census indicates need more support.

We can also learn from overseas experience. The United Kingdom extended subsidised ECEC to all threeand four-years-olds in 2004 and 1998 respectively, and to the 40 per cent most disadvantaged two year olds in 2012. However, evaluation of the UK’s expansion of free ECEC to all three- and four-year-olds has not had an impact of the size expected. It appears that the primary reasons for this are related to the quality of the services provided and the fact that although all children can benefit from early education, the biggest gains to be made are through uptake from the most disadvantaged families.10 There are clear lessons here for Australia: current policy settings will only yield improvements in populationlevel outcomes through a simultaneous focus on quality and access.

The new federal parliament provides an opportunity to revisit the Turnbull government’s proposed ‘Jobs for Families’ package and make critical improvements to focus more of the developmental needs of children, and to maximise access and quality of early childhood education and care services for all children, regardless of their family circumstances.

High-quality, developmentallyappropriate early education (preschool programs) in the two years prior to school must be a core component of national investment to secure the health, wellbeing and education of our children and to secure positive futures for them and for the country.

Working together, educators, services, researchers and government can make quality early education for all a reality. But it requires sustained attention, collaboration and investment proportional to the need and opportunity. ✹ Dr Bronwyn Hinz is policy fellow at Mitchell

Institute for Education Policy. This article draws extensively from The Mitchell Institute report Quality Early for All (April 2016), written by Megan O’Connell, Stacey Fox, Bronwyn Hinz and Hannah Cole, which aims to inform the priorities for action for the next five years to ensure all Australian children can benefit from a quality, early education. The report and fact sheets can be downloaded from www.mitchellinstitute.org.au

For a full list of references visit ccccnsw.org.au/rattlerresources Rattler 119 Spring 2016 | 25

PET peeve I

In a new segment for Rattler, we’re calling on readers to stand up and voice their pet peeves or concerns within the sector. This is your chance to be heard, to shout even, and generate respectful discussions with your peers. The aim is to present alternative views, ideas or practices that we hope will stimulate debate, promote reflection and foster best practice outcomes to continue to drive quality within the sector. In this issue, Brianna Casey, former CEO of Australian Childcare Alliance NSW, laments for a sector that too often stands divided when it should instead come together to force change.

am one of those people. An early childhood education and care advocate from the private sector.

While you digest that horrifying introduction, some context: I very recently completed a three-year stint as chief executive officer of Australian Childcare Alliance NSW, the peak body for privately-owned long day care services in NSW. Prior to that, I spent 15 years working in agricultural peak bodies in both NSW and Queensland, in the highly fragmented (though improving), dog-eat-dog world of agripolitics. I’m a self-confessed policy wonk and political junkie. I am a firm believer in evidence-based policy, and am not afraid to challenge the status quo.

One of the main reasons I joined ACA NSW was that I saw an enormous opportunity for our sector to get on the

26 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

NEW SECTION

front foot and become thought-leaders, particularly in a policy sense. I saw gaping holes in government policy, and a sector that urgently needed to come together to help write the agenda for the years ahead. I also saw government rubbing its hands together with glee at the various messages being delivered by stakeholders right across the sector, as they mastered the art of one of the oldest political tricks in the book: divide and conquer.

One of the greatest challenges I faced when entering the early childhood sector was a deeply entrenched ‘them and us’ mentality, with community sector representatives openly expressing their disdain for the for-profit sector, taking to the media at any given opportunity to throw private operators under the bus.

I’m not suggesting for a minute that it wasn’t a two-way street. I have heard

many a private operator criticise the lack of level playing field in our sector, from ‘peppercorn rents’ to payroll tax exemptions to inconsistent government funding. I have been criticised by private and community representatives alike for trying to bridge the divide across the sector, let alone trying to achieve consensus.

At what point do we acknowledge that we all play a part in the pursuit of world-class early childhood and start working together to ensure all levels of government start delivering on their promise of quality, affordable and accessible early childhood?

Following years of Senate Inquiries, Productivity Inquiries, reviews, reforms and ministerial reshuffles, and an increasingly disengaged sector suffering from reform fatigue, one thing is startlingly clear to

me: all levels of government are letting us down. And we’re letting them.

Funding is inadequate, inconsistent and poorly targeted. The policy reforms currently before the Australian parliament have massive potential, but unquestionably need work to ensure we leave a legacy that we’re proud of.

Despite the rhetoric of ‘once in a generation reforms’, we are looking down the barrel of history repeating itself, mostly because we continue the in-fighting and fragmented approach to advocacy and policy development, playing right into government’s hands.

I care deeply about this sector, and the need for us to get it right for generations to come, so I implore you to put the philosophical differences to one side and think about what organised and consistent sector-wide advocacy could achieve. Stop the infighting, stop the

duplication of effort and start working together. Otherwise, another early childhood education and care advocate will be sitting at a computer in a few years time, ranting away in a not dissimilar fashion about lost opportunities and reform fatigue, and we will have no one to blame but ourselves.

* Do you have your own pet peeve, dream wish or gripe that you’d like to have heard? We’d love to hear from you. Send your ideas to rattlermagazine@armedia.net.au You can remain anonymous, if you wish.

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Rattler 119 Spring 27/11/15 4:21 PM2016 | 27

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Quality Area 3

Physical environment Element 3.2.1: Outdoor and indoor spaces are designed and organised to engage every child in quality experiences in both built and natural environments.

1 Let’s get physical!

There are many questions raised by services when considering their physical environment. But as Tracey Sharp suggests, the key question you should be asking is when do our physical environments become learning spaces?

H

ow can I make my room look better? What can I buy? What style do you think we should use?

What do other centres do to make their room’s look aesthetically appealing? What can we do with our outdoor area with no money?

These are questions that I hear on a regular basis from early childhood educators questioning what high quality physical environments look like. While I love that the physical environment has become a priority on the agenda of early childhood education and care, I believe a deeper understanding of why it is so important is imperative to creating these environments.

Learning through play takes a carefully considered environment with purposeful play spaces that invite children to explore, investigate, question and examine. These learning spaces should encourage children to manipulate, predict, test and hypothesise to provoke play-based learning.

The question should instead be: when do our physical environments become learning spaces?

The early childhood sector is in agreement about several things: play based learning, meaningful interactions and supportive relationships underpin quality early childhood education and care centres. We also know that knowledgeable, caring educators, who are authentic advocates for the 28 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

significance of early childhood education, impact on the quality of learning. The physical environment has the power to affect those educators and the children they are caring for.

Our physical environment underpins everything that happens within a centre. It has the power to affect interactions and relationships, alter behaviour and modify moods. The implications of this cannot be overlooked when you are talking about environments that are expected to engage, inspire, care, teach, welcome and contribute to ideas, interests and questioning. Adults and children, families and educators; each individual is susceptible to the physical environment they are positioned in.

The physical environment should be a learning space when educators engage in continual critical reflection, questioning, professional development, and communication with children, families and co-educators, as well as their quality improvement plan. As Jim Greenman notes in Caring Spaces, Learning Places: Children’s environments that work, “Good space for children (and adults) is the result of asking the right questions to establish goals and thinking through the important feelings and behaviours that are to be supported.”

Identifying those questions comes from discussions and reflections by committed educators, families and children.

While beautiful and aesthetically pleasing environments

PHOTOGRAPHY: INGRID MAACK

When a space is welcoming, inclusive, engaging, inviting and speaks to the community within your centre, then a learning space is being created.

and carefully considered presentations of experiences reflect respect for children, on their own they do little to increase the learning that can occur on the space. Copying spaces or determining a formula for rich meaningful spaces will not promote an individual learning space. A deeper understanding and thinking process from educators must occur to create effective learning environments that suit the needs and interests of all of the stakeholders within the centre.

Globe Wilkins Preschool in Marrickville received an exceeding rating over all seven quality areas, and then received an excellent rating in 2014 for outstanding work in the community and ongoing commitment to improving quality outcomes for children. Within the first half an hour of meeting with the educators at the preschool, it was clear to me why they received this rating: critical reflection, communication and collaboration.

The eight passionate and committed educators at Globe Wilkins Preschool have an underlining value of holistic learning. The educators meet for half an hour before they open every second day to discuss, debate and engage in pedagogical critical reflection, which of course includes the physical environment. The educators have created an environment that supports the diverse needs, interests, passions and learning styles of children, educators and families that utilise the preschool. They have achieved this over time, with robust discussions, planning, critical reflection and, most importantly, by listening and conversing with children.

The team talk about Child Navigated Play Spaces to articulate why their physical environment works for them.

“We came up with the term Child Navigated Play to try explain what was already happening here. Which is that,

we as the educators work as a team to create the learning environment and to work together to decide on our pedagogy,” says educator Rose Maguire. “This foundation of works creates a road map for children to navigate. They have the choices where to go but we set up the particular activities or we have the groups that follow up on interests, so that children have the freedom to make those choices. But we actually supported those choices to be made”.

The physical environment at Globe Wilkins Preschool demonstrates the depth of learning that can occur through child led research and projects. Utilising intentional teaching, scaffolding techniques and listening skills, the educators facilitate and support children through the learning by pulling everything together for enriched meaningful play.

Valuing their environment has led the team to organise their three rooms into specific learning spaces. They have moved away from traditional grouping, choosing to base rooms on interests. They have created their environment to ensure there is little need for regular interruptions by structuring their spaces into specific play based rooms, with a key focus in each one. Educators are stationed in each room permanently, rather than children being allocated a room.

“The reason that we have set educators in each space is due to the attachment theory; it’s really important to find an educator when needed and have that connection with the educator. Although we are in that space, we can move around,” explains educator Carol Gini.

There is flexibility within the structure, the educators communicate with each other and the children to inform what is happening on that day, like ongoing projects.

The rationale for placing educators in specific rooms was also to align educator passions with a specific space. This Rattler 119 Spring 2016 | 29

CRITICAL REFLECTIVE QUESTIONING

Continue your physical environment journey through continual reflection and questioning. Here are a few questions to reflect on: ✦H ow many learning spaces do you have in the room? ✦A re the learning spaces/areas diverse in their learning outcomes? ✦A re they relevant to your current work and the children’s current ideas and what makes them happy? ✦A re their opportunities for individual and small group exploration in these spaces? ✦H ow do you currently elevate the level of learning that occurs in each of the spaces? ✦H ow do you critically reflect, evaluate and document each of the spaces?

ensures that when children have a passion for a particular space they can share that with an educator who is equally passionate. “In this environment, we work to our passions, and when as an educator you are able to work to your passions, you just bring so much energy and enthusiasm into your daily work,” says educator Marcia Nadar.

“I think the beautiful thing about the environment, is that it does feel like a community of learners. As we do have a passion for natural materials, our families are engaging in bringing in things that reflect what we are doing. They notice things that we are working on and add to,” Nadar adds.

The art space

The art space is a place of beauty and visible learning. The opportunities to explore, research, investigate and create are abundant. Children’s exploration of the creative and expressive arts is evident through resources and wall displays. It is also observed through the language and interactions that occur.

The space facilitates the diverse range of learning experiences that the skilled educators hope to achieve in visual arts, music and movement, dance, drama, dress ups, musical instruments, sculpture, clay work and technology. “The art studio is about the creative arts as a whole, we see learning as a holistically process,” explains Maguire. “It’s not just one isolated learning experience, we are bringing all those things together in that learning experience.”

The construction space

The construction space provides opportunities for children to choose their own form of interaction with construction play. The environment, educators, physical set up and the personal interactions encourage children to engage in child led construction play. This play can be extended through art experimentation and children can then broaden their experience into a project. The educators extend this learning and respect for children by discussing with them the documentation process of the project. They then encourage children to take the level of experimentation through to other spaces, including the outdoors. The educators take on a responsive approach to learning and will never know where the project can lead them, as they wait for children to lead and discover.

The dining space

The dining space is a social space, where you get together and share a meal. It provides opportunities for social interactions 30 | Rattler 119 Spring 2016

and the simple pleasures and stimulation individuals gain from meal times. Family values and community underpin the pedagogical practice in this space. Being together, reading, talking and sharing are key components to the dining space.

The outdoor space

The outdoor space is all about the natural environment and independent exploration. Clear pathways and transitions guide children through various areas of exploration.

Rose Maguire explains how the spaces relate to each other within the preschool: “While there is an area that is the art studio, things are not confined to that space. Our environment is so free flowing; things do flow from space to space. And also from outside the preschool, so there is a reciprocal meaning making of expression and communication between us and the families.”

Creating learning spaces

“A prescriptive formula for what makes a good physical environment does not exist—this would not sit comfortably with, nor serve, the rich complexity and spontaneity of childhood,” writes Michele Zini in Making Space: Architecture and design for children and young people. While it is true that there is no prescriptive formula, there is, however, several guiding principles that educators can use in conjunction with deep and meaningful discussion within their community to create learning spaces.

Determine goals by: ❖ working collaboratively ❖ accepting differences ❖ working towards continuous improvement ❖ documenting ❖ using the quality improvement plan ❖ critically evaluating existing spaces.

And create spaces that: ❖ are comfortable and inviting ❖ focus on lighting, both natural and mood lighting ❖ include individual spaces ❖ include small group spaces ❖ include meeting areas ❖ include relaxation spaces ❖ have lots of natural air flow ❖ have appropriate storage, display and resources for the area ❖ f oster creativity and individuality rather than productivity and group accomplishments.

The indoor and outdoor environment influences learning, supports relationships and interactions and can challenge behaviours. The physical environment becomes a learning space when educators promote defined spaces for a diverse range of learning opportunities, and then children are encouraged to choose, be challenged and play on their own terms. When a space is welcoming, inclusive, engaging, inviting and speaks to the community within your centre, then a learning space is being created. ✹ Tracey Sharp is an early childhood interior architectural designer and

consultant for ECFgroup. With degrees in interior architecture and teaching, Tracey has 21 years experience in early childhood, working as a teacher, director, area manager, facilitator and designer.

For a full list of references, visit ccccnsw.org.au/rattlerresources

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