No images? Click here Making news this fortnight...Guide to the National Quality Framework (NQF) updated; new report on the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) Activity Test; abolishing ParentsNext; join the NSW Election Forum; surveys on mental health in education and understanding linguistic diversity; and upcoming calendar days. Scroll down to read more, find the latest in state and territory news, and discover what ECA teams have been doing. Guide to NQF updated Guide to the National Quality Framework gets an update. It now includes the new transportation requirements for center-based services and the latest version of the national Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), among other updates. Access here. Join the NSW Election Forum Today’s NSW Election Forum in Sydney is your chance to hear key politicians—Hon Sarah Mitchell MLC, Ms Prue Car MP and Ms Abigail Boyd MLC—outline their parties’ policies and commitments relevant to young children, families and early childhood educators. Get involved. New report on CCS Activity Test The latest report by Impact Economics and Policy reveals abolishing the Child Care Subsidy Activity Test can deliver a huge boost in women’s workforce participation, and up to $4.5 billion per year in increased GDP. Download here. Mental health in education survey As a professional working or studying in the education sector, Be You invites you to participate in The National Mental Health in Education Survey. Complete the survey and have a chance to win a $500 EFTPOS gift voucher. The Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services’ interim report into ParentsNext recommends abolishing the controversial program. The report advises replacing the program with a more supportive service to help vulnerable parents. Read more. Survey on linguistic diversity Researchers at Western Sydney University invite linguistically diverse families to take part in a short online survey. The survey aims to explore the families’ diverse views and decisions around language and literacy for children aged three to five. Take the survey. Upcoming calendar daysExplore these calendar dates and consider acknowledging them in your service this month: National Close the Gap Day (16 March), Harmony Week (20–26 March), and Earth Hour Schools Day (24 March). State and territory news ACT The ACT Government is offering families the Future of Education Equity Fund to help cover the costs of educational expenses such as school uniforms and excursions, sport equipment and activities, and tuition and music lessons. Apply here. NSW Starting mid-2023, the University of Wollongong will offer an accelerated pathway program for the Bachelor of Education—The Early Years. The program will offer diploma-qualified early childhood educators the ability to upskill their qualifications in two years instead of four. Learn more. Parents with children enrolled in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 in NSW can now access high-quality learning resources online, allowing them to better engage with their child’s education at home. Access here. A cohort of 200 high-achieving public school teachers across NSW will be the first to earn salaries of up to $152,000, as per the NSW Government’s Rewarding Excellence in Teaching Program. This is expected to expand to 600 teachers over the next four years. Details here. NT Charles Darwin University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Remote Indigenous Parents Australia National Indigenous Corporation to create more connected and inclusive schools and communities in the Northern Territory through positive learning experiences. Learn more. SA The SA Royal Commission into ECEC has announced its final call for submissions from parents, caregivers, families, organisations, educators, members of the community, experts, and unions on key areas under the Terms of Reference published on their official website. Learn more. The Royal Commission’s inquiry is looking into Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) to understand the accessibility, demand, structural barriers, and governance of OSHC as part of the broader education system. The first roundtable will be held on 23 March. Read the issues paper. TAS The Tasmanian Government is conducting workshops with parents, community members and service providers to co-design its universal access to early learning for all three-year-old children in Tasmania. ECA’s Tasmanian branch members were also a part of the Co-Design Planning Group. Details here. VIC Victoria’s first intergenerational early learning centre, The Herd, has been launched. The centre will deliver richer early learning experiences for children in Victoria while engaging elderly Victorians of the same facility to participate in early learning activities and experiences. Learn more. ECA PodcastAlmost a quarter of families in Australia speak a language other than English at home. In a special two-part episode of the ECA Podcast, Jo Grimmond joins us to explore how to foster positive and respectful relationships within our learning communities. Now available on your favourite streaming platform. ECA Reconciliation SymposiumAttend the ECA Reconciliation Symposium in Hobart from 9 to 10 June and hear from leaders in the sector and beyond. The Symposium is where inspiration, leadership and commitment come together to shape the future of Australia. Secure your spot today. New on The SpokeThe recent Early Years Summit—convened by Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth MP and Minister for Early Childhood Education and Care Anne Aly MP—brought together 100 people to begin work on the National Early Years Strategy. Read ECA CEO Sam Page’s reflection on the summit. 2023 Early Years Planners—20% off!Our popular planners for early childhood educators and teachers are back! The practical layout includes writing space for recording reflections, notes, meetings, focuses, interactions and learning experiences. Get your planner today. Exploring play-based digital learningThe ECA Communities of Practice are 10-week online learning communities for early childhood professionals who want to elevate their learning on a specific topic. Access modules, publications and live events, and connect with like-minded professionals around the country. Sign up today. Therapeutic Storytelling webinarLearn more about using stories to support children through challenging times with the Birdie’s Tree team, from the Queensland Centre for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health. Join our In Focus webinar on 23 March. Pedagogical Documentation in Early Years PracticeThis resource offers guidance, support and inspiration to early childhood educators on implementing meaningful and sustainable child-focused observation in the early years context. Buy your copy here. © Early Childhood Australia 2023 www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au If you have questions about our products or services please contact us at marketing@earlychildhood.org.au |