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Recent calls for comprehensive preschool education for all children in the year before school have been widely welcomed and supported. Internationally, there is overwhelming agreement that the early years shape later social and academic outcomes and that young children require rich, nurturing learning opportunities to optimise social and intellectual development.
Calls for universal preschool are especially timely because recent evidence shows that educational disadvantage is established early in life and the significant socio-economically linked learning gaps at school entry are difficult to close without targeted early interventions.
Improving early developmental outcomes for children in economically disadvantaged communities is largely dependent on the quality of early childhood programs, along with parenting support. To date, access and affordability are continuing problems in Australia and quality is variable.
The link between quality and outcomes is now clear. Evidence demonstrates that experiences and pedagogy impact on children’s wellbeing and development and that early childhood practitioners have a central role in promoting quality experiences and environments for young children. However as yet, the clear connections between staff competence and outcomes for children have not been reflected in improved preparation for practitioners, course accreditation or more nationally consistent curricula or learning programs.
Should universal preschool in the year before school become a reality, this is likely to change.
However, while good early childhood education can help close early developmental gaps it should not have to shoulder the entire weight of deeply entrenched societal problems that impact on young children’s early development.
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As former head of the OECD’s education sector Professor Barry McGaw said recently, ‘ignoring inequities in the education system has enormous implications for the future workforce’.
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Everyone must share responsibility for building a just and equitable education system. Strong programs are needed to boost learning in the preschool years, but if developmental gaps exist at school entry they must be closed with targeted interventions. Blaming preschools or hiding behind deficit theories won’t solve problems. Successful education is a joint family, community, school and government responsibility.
The current interest in strengthening family capacity and optimising early learning requires a strong and united public commitment to universal, integrated approaches to care and education.
Early childhood programs must capitalise on the diversity of children’s backgrounds and experiences. Simultaneously they must strengthen social and cognitive outcomes to facilitate smooth transitions to school and build strong foundations for school learning.
And here is a problem. Nationally, there is no agreement about what learning experiences and outcomes could and should be expected, what a ‘preschool’ curriculum might look like and about ways children’s learning and development should be monitored and reported. Continuity of experience and information sharing between preschools or child care centres and schools are rare.
The quest for universal education programs in the year before school signals the need to boost professional preparation for early childhood educators. As preschool education requires degree-qualified early childhood educators, university training capacity must be expanded. For the last decade or so, universities have fought to maintain strong, specialist early childhood degrees but they struggle to attract places and students in the face of competition from ‘sexier’ courses.
Young people are spoilt for choice when it comes to careers. The low pay, low status and shift work in child care is hardly a drawcard. There will need to be real incentives to lure graduates to the many new positions that will be created if universal preschool education goes ahead.
Nationally, early childhood care and education is in need of an ‘overhaul’, and any plans for comprehensive preschool provision must be in light of families’ needs for child ‘care’ and ‘education’ and what we already have that works well.
But, even if there is a preschool place for every child, children cannot reach their full potential unless they are healthy. Good nutrition and exercise are central to healthy, happy children. Yet, an apparent epidemic of overweight, undernourished and sedentary children is threatening both the ability to learn and longer-term health. Active healthy children become active healthy teenagers and adults. Physically and mentally healthy children want to learn and have the energy needed for positive engagement with learning.
Helping children become healthier means working in partnership with their families to promote healthy eating, physical activity and safe homes and communities. In this issue of Every Child we raise a host of issues around healthy environments for children. Some of the ideas will readily translate to practice; others relate more to policy. What is important for all children, is that we as parents and early childhood practitioners model healthy eating, lifestyles and activity patterns.
Alison Elliott
Editor
Every Child
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