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Sep 2003 NCSF discussion of the National Agenda for Early Childhood |
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The National Children Services Meeting - 15 August 2003
THE NATIONAL AGENDA FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD
Background:
The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, the Hon. Larry Anthony, released the consultation paper Towards the Development of a National Agenda for Early Childhood on 20 February 2003. The paper was endorsed by a number of Commonwealth Ministers, including the Hon Kay Patterson, Minister for Health and Ageing.
This consultation paper was prepared by the Commonwealth Task Force on Child Development, Health and Wellbeing to start discussion and debate about the development of a National Agenda for Early Childhood. The Task Force was established in 2001 to coordinate a whole-of-government approach on early childhood issues for the Commonwealth.
While there are many areas for potential action, the consultation paper outlines three broad action areas for national attention - early child and maternal health; early learning and care; and child-friendly communities. Research has shown that these action areas are the most likely to bring greatest benefit for individual children, families and society.
There is already significant investment in the area of early childhood across the different levels of government and outside of government, by community and non-government organisations. While these overall efforts and investments are large, the programs and services provided are not always integrated or well coordinated. In some cases there is duplication of effort, while in other areas there are gaps. The lack of national coordination can mean that families most in need can miss out.
The aim of a National Agenda for Early Childhood is not to alter the traditional areas of Commonwealth, state and territory responsibilities in terms of early childhood. Rather, it will provide a guide to working together to achieve common goals, objectives and desired outcomes for Australian children.
Consultation process
Roundtable discussions with peak bodies across a broad range of sectors including child care, children's welfare, family and children's support, education, health and the criminal justice system were held in Canberra (26 March), Melbourne (1 May) and Sydney (9 May), Mackay (19 May), Mt Gambier (23 May), Bunbury (26 May) and Lismore (10 June).
State FaCS offices also held local discussions with service providers, advocacy groups, and key individuals working in the relevant sectors. Indigenous-specific consultations were convened in Brisbane (16 May), Darwin (19 May), Alice Springs (23 May), and Dubbo (26 May).
The consultation paper invited written submissions, 183 in total have been received, including from governments, non-government organisations, academics, service providers and individual citizens.
Additionally, 20 parent focus groups were held in nine locations across three States during August in recognition of the primary role of parents in the lives of children and to gain an understanding of their particular needs and experience of the early childhood system. A range of family types was selected to get an adequate cross-section of views.
Preliminary findings from the consultations and submissions
There has been a groundswell of support for the development of a National Agenda for Early Childhood.
Participants have supported the need for services to adapt to the needs of families today, for example, introducing more flexible arrangements to accommodate working mothers and becoming more accessible for, and inclusive of, fathers and grandparents.
There is general agreement that although there are some very good programs and services out there, these are not always well connected and many of the most at risk families do not access them. Participants are keen to see health, education, care, and family support services more closely linked at the same level so that families with young children find it easier to access appropriate support at the right time and do not fall through the gaps.
At another level, discussion has been on the infrastructure required to support a sustainable and more integrated early childhood system - for example; better monitoring on a range of short and longer term child outcomes, consistent and accessible information for families, and national workforce development.
Much of the debate has also been around getting the right balance between valuing children in their own right now and preparing them as the future generation for the benefit of society as a whole.
Related to this have been calls for more recognition of the importance of developing social competence and skills for life-long learning, rather than a focus on the skills needed to succeed at school or narrowly measured in terms of literacy and numeracy.
Another key message coming through is the need to focus on the broader contexts impacting on children, not only systems - such as: the primary role of parents in raising well-adjusted children; and the family, community, and socio-economic environments in which children live.
Raising public awareness of the importance of the early years will generate support for greater investment in this area and increase the value placed on young children, parents, and those who work with families.
Key Messages regarding Service Integration
Many believe that building on existing infrastructure, rather than adding to this complexity, is the best way forward. The primary health and child care systems in particular are seen to have unrealised potential for improving cohesion and accessibility. The role of child care centres as neighbourhood hubs, providing a first point of contact for families seeking assistance, and 'one-stop shops' or multipurpose early childhood centres are also popular ideas.
Other strategies to improve cohesion and access are:
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Reaching out to families in need, including assisted transport and home visiting programs;
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Keeping services affordable;
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Improving referral mechanisms and increasing the availability of specialist services;
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Reducing competition between service providers, particularly for funding, to encourage greater collaboration and sharing of resources; and
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Providing greater opportunities, including time and resources, for networking and planning across and between sectors.
There was general agreement that universal access to health, learning and care services, particularly in disadvantaged areas, is the best strategy for reducing stigma and ensuring a minimum standard of care for all young children.
Some expressed concern about the capacity of mainstream services to provide for families with 'high' needs. A tiered approach is preferred: universal services; some targeted programs for those at risk; and specific interventions for children and families experiencing problems.
People feel strongly that children's services should be community based and have the flexibility to respond to local needs and priorities. A top-down and bottom-up approach is favoured to support best practice and continuous improvement yet not impose a 'one-size-fits-all' model or stifle innovation.
Workforce Issues
There has been a call for greater reward and recognition of professionals working with young children and their families, in particular, child care workers. At present it is argued these workers have low status and wages, limited opportunities or incentives to undertake professional development, and unrealistic work loads. There is also seen to be a need for more standardization in qualifications and competencies required for early child development work across States and Territories and across disciplines so that there is consistency in understanding and practice. All these factors contribute to recruitment, retention, quality, and affordability issues for the provision of services.
Next Steps:
A consultation feedback document will be produced in September outlining the key messages from the consultations. This will help guide a Federal Government response to the National Agenda, as well as providing a useful basis for further discussion with State and Territory Governments.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 27 September 2005 )
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