Early childhood education policy should be given a major focus by all parties in the lead up to the federal election on 2 July.
As advocates for children and the profession teachers can play a role by asking their candidates what their policies are and where they stand in relation to early childhood education. Point out the disparities in funding provision between the states, and call for more investment in early education because it will add to the future prosperity of Australia as a whole.
Constantly highlighting the professionalism of early childhood teachers as we do in this journal will help remind politicians of your importance. In NSW and the ACT, early childhood teachers must now sign up to be accredited. Details of this process are outlined on pages 6 and 7.
Across Queensland, members are continuing to campaign for affordable, quality early childhood education ahead of the election. There are serious concerns following the federal government’s announcement to delay additional investment in childcare until 2018 along with uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the future of state government programs. All levels of government must provide clarity when it comes to supporting children with a disability and vulnerable families. A recent conference has proposed ways to boost attendance for the disadvantaged, see pages 14 and 15.
In this issue we also look at the latest research on play based learning on pages 10 and 11, and there’s practical advice and up to date research on sleep practices on pages 12 and 13.
We always welcome your feedback and ideas for the journal. Contact us at bedrock@ieu.asn.au