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Anna Targowska
Edith Cowan University
Sherry Saggers
Kate Frances
Curtin University
The focus in this article is on licensing and regulation requirements of Indigenous
childcare services and the impact they may have on the provision of quality child care
for the children, families and communities being served. Specifically, it focuses on key
factors that both contribute towards, and serve as barriers to, the provision of quality
care through licensing and regulation requirements. The paper draws upon a national
consultation funded by the Australian Government and conducted throughout 2005 and
2006 to respond to this issue. In recognition of the heterogeneous nature of Indigenous
communities and families, the research methods included focus groups, community
consultations and interviews with other stakeholders in the childcare sector nationally
in order to identify these key factors.
An analysis of national and international literature
on the research theme was conducted. The research findings highlight a number of key
factors in the licensing and regulation requirements that serve as barriers to the provision
of quality care for Indigenous children. These include the lack of culturally appropriate
child care that capitalises on Indigenous knowledges (including the contextual nature of
‘quality’) and community capacity building, the lack of flexibility required to address some
of the unique needs of different communities in Australia, and the lack of adequate support
and resources.
Australasian Journal of Early Childhood – Volume 35 No 4 December 2010
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