| The following ECA position statements are not current. They are for archival purposes only.
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ECA position statement: Integrated Services
‘Integrated Services’, include services that operate two or more of the following programs: preschool, long day care, occasional care, out of school hours care, vacation care and in some instances health care, speech pathology and others. They focus on a seamless service delivery for children and families and have assisted in the improved access and equity for smaller and remote communities. Differences in nomenclature and combinations of programs seem to exist across Australia.
It is not ECA’s intention to promote one model of service delivery over others, merely to propose principles for best practice for this service type.
Values and Beliefs
The Australian Early Childhood Asssociation in its Code of Ethics, states its belief in and describes its commitment to the following: - The well being and uniqueness of individual children and the impact of self esteem on development
- The needs of children in the context of the family, its culture and society.
- That practice will be based on sound knowledge, research and theories of early childhood education and care, while at the same time recognising the limitations and uncertainties of these
- Members work to fulfill the right of all children and their families to services of high quality.
Principles
Many of the quality principles associated with other services, also apply to Integrated Services and ECA in its advocacy role for young children, recommends that the focus of Integrated Services includes:
Children: - Programs reflect children’s individual needs, their social, emotional and cultural identities as well as extending their cognitive and physical development.
- Experience consistency and continuity in their learning and social environment.
- Have opportunities and choice to experience free flow and child initiated play for extended periods of time, with mixed age groups as well as peer groups.
- Develop trust and attachment.
Staff: - Are part of a qualified team, which includes early childhood teachers, child care, health professionals and support workers.
- Numbers are calculated with a generous allocation of trained staff and a focus on diversity of qualifications and training. When calculating qualified staff and adult child ratios reference must be made to ECA policy ‘Standards, Staff Qualifications, Adult/Child ratios’.
- Collaboratively develop and implement pedagogy, curriculum and programs for the centre
- Have regular access to training and development as a team, as well as individuals.
- Are appointed following a selection process in which the applicant has demonstrated commitment to the concept of an integrated approach and ability to work in these services
- Development includes a focus on positive ongoing relationships with children, families as well as other staff.
Environmental and Facilities:
Siting of services is compliant with ECA policy: ‘Planning the Location of Centre Based Early Childhood Services’ and ‘Physical Environments for Centre Based Early Childhood Services’ and needs to take into account health, safety, environmental, architectural as well as aesthetic principles. In addition: - Proximity to other related services and areas of interest, in order to provide children with the opportunity to experience life outside the centre.
- Services are established with generous space allocation, both inside and out. Current minimum licensing standards may be insufficient to meet the more complex requirements for mixed age groups as well as staff meeting and planning rooms.
- Appropriate facilities are provided for different group size, age group and needs.
Leadership and Management:
Directors must have a tertiary early childhood qualification, and demonstrate the essential knowledge, competencies, and attitudes.
All centre Directors require, in particular: - A passion and ability to inspire and excellent interpersonal skills
- A demonstrated ability to lead and manage a diverse range of staff with varying degrees of knowledge, skills and experience and covered by different awards.
- A commitment to initiate and focus on positive relationships with families. The ability to manage a diverse range of resources, complex systems and processes.
- Recognition of the need to participate in and support regular opportunities for training and development.
Funding and Accountability:
These principles are outlined in the ECA Children’s Services – Funding Policy.
As for other children’s services it is important that common frameworks are adopted to ensure consistency across states and territories. These could include: funding of services, common agreement of standards, nomenclature, responsibility for services, sponsors, etc.
Implementation Strategies:
Members of ECA and others in the community can promote quality in these services by: - Encouraging colleagues to be accepting and value the significance of a range of early childhood qualifications and the different service types in meeting the diverse needs of families.
- Using the principles as a basis for discussion to evaluate the quality and identify the changes in attitudes and/or practices that may benefit the children in your centre.
- When communicating with parents and/or the community, put children’s needs and their perceptions of ‘what constitutes quality’ to the fore.
This policy ratified January 1999
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