EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION DIRECTORATE€¦ · Page 2 1. About the Early Childhood Education Directorate 2. Changes to the National Law 3. A workforce plan for the ECE Sector 4. Disability

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION DIRECTORATE

October Consultation Session

© NSW Department of Education Page 1

AGENDA

29 November 2017© NSW Department of Education | October Consultation SessionPage 2

1. About the Early Childhood Education Directorate

2. Changes to the National Law

3. A workforce plan for the ECE Sector

4. Disability program implementation in Community Preschools

5. Start Strong (for Community Preschools)

ABOUT US

Page 3© NSW Department of Education | October Consultation Session

Regulatory Policy

Regulatory Strategy and Performance

Business Improvement

Legal Regulatory Reporting

Compliance & Investigations

Program Design & Implementation

Programs and Strategic Projects

Strategic Projects

Access & Equity Aboriginal Programs

Review & Evaluation

Policy

Policy Insight and Engagement

Data & Insight

Sector & Workforce Stakeholder Engagement

Communications

Statewide Network

Statewide Operations

Information, Approvals & Services

Six hubs across NSW

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

Page 4

Universal access

Choice & sustainability

Quality through

risk-based regulation

Participation for diverse

needs

Quality learning

environments

Increase the number of 4 and 5 year olds enrolled in ECE programs for

600 hours

Support parental choice and foster sustainability and quality in the ECE

sector

Implement risk based regulatory

reforms to support

continuous improvement

Lift the participation of

Aboriginal and low SES children, and children with

additional needs in preschool programs

Improve teaching and educational practice for the long term benefit

of children

© NSW Department of Education | October Consultation Session

EVIDENCE BASED APPROACH:HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION MATTERS

Page 5

Studies show that children, especially children from disadvantaged backgrounds, experience greater benefits from a moderate level of participation in a preschool program

Young children develop behavioural

and learning skills, as well as building new

relationships

Children arrive at school equipped with the social, cognitive

and emotional skills to engage in learning

Adults continue to benefit from

downstream outcomes such as educational

attainment, economic participation and family and social

wellbeing

Improvement in NAPLAN and PISA

assessments, and a more productive, skilled workforce


PARTICIPATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

Page 6

Participation in early childhood education has grown rapidly in

recent years – but not all children are enrolled for 600

hours

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

564,284

661,200

The number of 0-5 children in NSW is projected to

increase by 100,000 from 2011 to 2022

81.9%

100.00%

29.0%

85.10%

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Year before school enrolments

600 hours enrolments


THERE IS CURRENTLY A QUALITY GAPLong day care centres lag behind community preschools in offering high-quality early childhood education

29 November 2017© NSW Department of Education Page 7

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Working Towards NQS Meeting NQS Exceeding NQS/Excellent

LDCs are significantly less likely to meet the National Quality Standards than community preschools

Children who were enrolled in LDC achieve lower scores than children in community preschools in NAPLAN

And in years 3 and 5, children who attended community preschools

scored higher on NAPLAN reading and numeracy

assessments than children who attended LDCs

At kindergarten, students who attended preschools had higher

Best Start results compared to children who attended LDCs

PreschoolLDC Department of Education, Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation, Relationship between ECEC participation and school outcomes, 2017

NQF CHANGES

Implementation of changes to the National Law and Regulations

29 November 2017© NSW Department of Education | NQF Changes Page 8

KEY AIMS OF CHANGES

Page 9

Improve oversight

and support

Provide greater clarity

Cut red tape

© NSW Department of Education | NQF Changes

PROVIDING GREATER CLARITY


• A new Guide to the National Quality Framework is

available on the ACECQA website

• An updated version will be released in early 2018

SECTOR-WIDE CHANGES

Removal of supervisor certificates Multiple nominated supervisors can be

nominated Appointment and notification responsibilities (in

day-to-day charge) Holders of First Aid qualifications NotificationsWaivers Sleep and rest Child protection training


FAMILY DAY CARE SPECIFIC CHANGES

• Service-to-Educator caps• Mandatory minimum coordinator-to-educator

requirements• Approvals• Maximum children numbers as service

approval conditions• Powers of entry• Notifications• Registers


CUTTING RED TAPE

Removal of supervisor certificates


CUTTING RED TAPE


Multiple nominated supervisors can be

appointed

CUTTING RED TAPE


Appointment – in day-to-day charge

CUTTING RED TAPE


A staff member (not only an educator) or nominated supervisor can be the person immediately

available with first aid qualifications



Incidents and allegations of physical and sexual abuse

Changes to NQA ITS for

notifications

Meaning of ‘serious incident’

Reg 12

Notifications

Complaints –serious incidents

or breaches



Waivers• A waiver may now be

granted subject to conditions



Sleep and rest• The approved provider

must now ensure sleep and rest policies and

procedures are in place



Child protection training• Each nominated supervisor

and person in day-to-day charge of the service must have completed approved

child protection training


29 November 2017© NSW Department of Education | NQF changes Page 21

Educator breaks• Law has not changed (Reg 122)

• Flexibility to take a short break e.g. for personal hygiene

• Must remain on premises and be immediately available

• No NSW-specific regulations for Educator breaks

IMPROVING OVERSIGHT AND SUPPORT


Service-to-educator caps• A maximum number of full time educators

with a family day care service as a condition on the service approval

• NSW already applies a cap on new FDC services of 1 service: 12 Educators

• These caps will continue to apply in NSW and will not change



Mandatory minimum FDC coordinator-to-educator requirements

• Introduction of a mandatory minimum co-ordinator to educator ratio applies to

ensure FDC educators have adequate support

• In NSW, a ratio of 1:15 already applies to all new FDC services and will continue to

apply after the first 12 months of operation



Family Day Care Approvals

• Service approval required in each jurisdiction that service is

operating• Need approval to operate from a

venue



Powers of entryAuthorised officers may enter a FDC residence to

investigate the service if: • they reasonably believe that an approved service is

operating at the residence at the time of entry, or • the register of FDC educators indicates that the service is

operating at the residence at the time of entry, or • the occupier of the residence has given written consent to

the entry and inspection. • An authorised officer would only do this if they reasonably

suspect an offence has been or is being committed against the National Law.



NotificationsFamily day care educators must notify the approved provider of:• A serious incident• Any complaint alleging that a serious incident has occurred or

is occurring or that there has been a breach of the National Law or National Regulations

• Any renovations or changes which pose or could pose a risk to the health, safety or wellbeing of children

• Any changes in the persons aged 18 and over residing at the residence.

• New monetary penalties will apply to family day care educators if they fail to notify this information to the approved provider.



Register of FDC educators, co-ordinators and assistants

TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS


Transitional staffing and qualification arrangements extended in NSW to January 2020

239A: Rural & remote ECT access

242: Persons taken to be an ECT (for services with less than 29 children)

NQS CHANGES

Revised National Quality Standards

© NSW Department of Education Page 29


September 2016

ASSESSMENT AND RATING APPROACH

95%

80%

September 2017

NSW is leading the nation in proportion of services with 1st A&R visit

ASSESSMENT AND RATING

Change to scheduling of assessments and ratings from mid-November to ensure:• All reports under the current system can

be finalised by 8 December 2017• Authorised Officers can receive training on

the changes to the National Law and Regulations

• Consistency in the ratings process• Upgrade the eSam reporting tool process

so that all reports reflect the changes29 November 2017© NSW Department of Education | NQF Changes Page 31

REVISED NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD


Commences 1 February 2018From18 to 15 standardsFrom 58 to 40 elementsConceptual overlaps removedNew concept column added Clearer language

EXCEEDING RATING – CHANGE FROM 1 FEB 2018


All standards in a Quality Area must be rated Exceeding for that Quality Area to be rated ExceedingApplication of 3 themesNo changes to overall rating

calculation for Exceeding NQS

EXCELLENT RATING – CHANGE FROM 1 FEB 2018


To apply for an ‘Excellent’ rating, all standards must be rated ‘Exceeding’Now no fee to apply for an ‘Excellent’

rating from ACECQA

MINOR ADJUSTMENT POLICY


No change to the law Further guidance provided in the Guide to the

NQF Minor matters that are able to be addressed

quickly and easily Providing evidence of rectification does not

guarantee being assessed as having met the relevant element or standard

SUPPORT AVAILABLE


http://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf-changes

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION DIRECTORATE

Workforce Strategy Development

© NSW Department of Education | Workforce Strategy Page 37

EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE: WHY WE ARE HERE

© NSW Department of Education | Workforce Strategy Page 38

Strategic Priority

Focus on Quality

Workforce Strategy

Child Outcomes

EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE IN NSW: WHAT WE KNOW

Page 39

Source: 2013 and 2016 Early Childhood Education and Care National Workforce Census

48,000

66,400

Total workforce in

NSW

2013 2016

94% 91%

Female dominated workforce

2013 2016

56% 54%

Part time employment

2013 2016

5600

7500

Degree qualified teachers

2013 2016

80%83%

Formal qualifications

2013 2016

© NSW Department of Education | Workforce Strategy

EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE: LITERATURE REVIEW

Page 40© NSW Department of Education

Recruitment and retention

Professional status and recognition

Support and development

Qualifications

Meeting growing demand

EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE: CURRENT STATE

Page 41

Early Childhood

Teacher Accreditation

National Law and

Regulations

Limited ECE Workforce

Data


Quality Educational

outcomes for Children

EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE: FUTURE STATE

Page 42

Promotion and Support

of the Workforce

Workforce Strategy

Improved Data on the Workforce

Focus on Quality


YOUR FEEDBACK

Page 43

Work in groupsDiscuss each

question after we introduce it

Share feedback from groups

Feedback informs Strategy

development


CONSULTATION AND FEEDBACK

Page 44

What strategies have been

successful in attracting and

retaining a highly qualified and

sustainable Early Childhood Education workforce?

What mentoring and support have you received as

an educator/teacher or provided as an

employer?

What is required to develop effective

leadership skills in the Early Childhood Education

sector?

What changes are required for

the current vocational

education and university systems to provide a

workforce that is fit to practice?


FURTHER COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK

Page 45

More information on our website

ECE Workforce Literature Review

If you think of something else please share it with us

Email: [email protected]


EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Disability and Inclusion Program Reform

6 October 2017© NSW Department of Education | Disability Funding Program Reform Page 46

DISABILITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAMAddresses ECE Disability Round Table priorities and sector feedback

6 October 2017Page 47© NSW Department of Education | Disability Funding Program Reform

2016 ECE disability round table priorities

May 2017 sector consultation feedback New model

Access for 3 year olds with disability

Funding for 3 year olds with disability

Priority of access and funding for 3 year olds with

disability

Mentoring Program More training and local support is required

Effective and Skilled Workforce

Resource Platform The current process is too onerous

Accessible Educational Settings

Develop Practice Standards The current program is not aligned to Start Strong

Priority of Access

Funding should not be tied to 600 hrs, and an NDIS Plan should be

mandatoryMeaningful Participation

PROGRAM AIMS

6 October 2017© NSW Department of Education | Disability Funding Program Reform Page 48

Access for 3 year olds with disability Capacity of ECE sector to include children with disability on the same basis as all

children

Streamline disability funding for preschools and families

Bring disability funding under the Start Strong banner

Align with the NDIS to target funding to children who need it most

Shift the focus from funding provision to upskilling the sector over time

DISABILITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAM COMPONENTS


2. Additional funding for

children with high level learning

support needs(Includes minor capital

works funding)

1. Start Strong Equity

Funding

3. Sector Capacity Building Program

4. Early Childhood

Intervention Scholarships

REFORM COMPONENT 1Start Strong Equity Funding

6 October 2017Page 50

Equity funding for 3 year olds with disability and

additional needs $6,600 per child

Access on the same basis as an equity child – fully funded

Equity funding for 4 & 5 year olds with disability and

additional needs$6,600 per child

Access on the same basis as an equity child – this represents a top up on the

per child base rate

© NSW Department of Education | Disability Funding Program Reform

REFORM COMPONENT 2High Level Learning Support Needs Funding


Aim

Funds the specific learning support requirements of children with high level

learning needs to enable them to participate in the educational program on

the same basis as children without disability

Funds up to 600 hrs At a rate of

$23 p/hr

reflective of the average hourly rates of employing and backfilling educators

REFORM COMPONENT 3Sector Capacity Building Program


Hub

Early Childhood Intervention Services

and other qualified organisations as

contracted, pre-approved providers creating clusters of best

practice throughout NSW

Online Resource Platform

Best practice, evidence-based

research, training and resources

Accredited Professional

Learning Program

Online Self Assessment of Inclusive Practice toolstarting point for

assessing preschools needs

Coaching and

Mentoring Program

Preschool site visits

and support identify and

deliver support and training

needs

Early Learning

Transitions research and

pilot

REFORM COMPONENT 4Scholarships: Post Graduate Certificate In Early Childhood Intervention

8 September 2017Page 53

Up to 40 scholarships per

calendar year from 2019

Course content developed with a University partner

© NSW Department of Education | Disability Funding Program Reform

Aim

Post Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood

Intervention for ECTs working in community preschools, and Early Childhood Intervention

professionals without an early childhood specific

degree in special education

REFORM IMPLEMENTATION

Page 546 October 2017© NSW Department of Education | Disability Funding Program Reform

Start Strong equity funding for 3, 4 and 5 year olds with a disability will apply from 1 Jan 2018

There will be a transition period

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Start Strong and Sector Support

6 October 2017© NSW Department of Education | Start Strong and Sector Support Page 55

BACKGROUND

© NSW Department of Education | Start Strong and Sector Support Page 56

Start Strong is a needs-based funding investment aimed at making 600 hours of preschool participation more affordable.

Per-child base rates have

increased across all socio-

economic bands, starting at $4,250 and increasing to

$6,600

Preschools must pass on 75 per

cent of the funding increase to

reduce fees, with priority given to

Aboriginal or low-income families

Full implementation

of 600 hour funding model

from 1 July 2017

A Service Safety Net of $132,000,

has been introduced for

eligible regional services. 66 services are

currently receiving this funding.

UPDATE: CENSUS

1 June 2017Page 57

Next Annual Preschool census

in August 2018

© NSW Department of Education | Start Strong and Sector Support

BK4

Slide 57

BK4 August census will be backdated to 1 July? We may want to insert a timeline here!Brown, Kristie, 19/10/2017

UPDATE: FEES

Page 58

Fees will be expected to be maintained at 2017 fee levels,

adjusted for CPI, in 2018

Preschools that are still working towards fee pass-through will be expected to continue efforts to lower fees as far as possible in

2018.

Daily fees for equity children must continue to be lower than non-equity children’s daily fees.


START STRONG SECTOR SUPPORT PROGRAM

Page 59

The Start Strong Sector Support program provides assistance to services transitioning to Start Strong

Fee pass through

Alignment with Start Strong

Service Safety Net

348 preschools are participating in the

program


SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM – PRIORITIES FOR 2017/18

Page 60

Ngroo Walking Together program

Start Strong Community Safety Net

Professional Development

grants


BK5

Slide 60

BK5 Need to check the purchse of actiity from approved provider or serviceBrown, Kristie, 19/10/2017

Documents

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION DIRECTORATE€¦ · Page 2 1. About the Early Childhood Education Directorate 2. Changes to the National Law 3. A workforce plan for the ECE Sector 4. Disability