Dear early childhood education and care services,
Welcome to another edition of Early Childhood Update. I trust you are all settling into the year, and enjoying building or continuing your relationships with the children in your service and your colleagues.
March means Cultural Diversity Week (Saturday 11 to Tuesday 21 March 2023). In this edition, we’ve included resources to respectfully promote access to and participation in kindergarten programs for children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. One of our key goals outlined in the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework is promoting cultural awareness in all children, including fostering a greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being.
In February, I attended the Best Start, Best Life 2023 Educational Leaders Conference, along with more than 2,000 participants (virtually and in person), who were inspired by the presentations from our local and international expert speakers. It was a wonderful occasion that allowed us to celebrate early childhood leadership, unpack the evidence, and explore the most effective ways to capitalise on big reform to lift outcomes for children.
If you missed the conference, videos of the key presentations will be available to view soon. Look out for a link in a future edition of EC Update.
The future of early childhood in Victoria – have your say
The Best Start, Best Life Taskforce Advisory Group (BSBL-TAG) member consultations are underway! These consultations provide opportunities to share your feedback and ideas to inform the design and implementation of the Best Start, Best Life reforms.
The department has been working closely with BSBL-TAG members to identify and promote consultation opportunities through their networks and members. I encourage you to look out for these opportunities and to get involved, as your knowledge and expertise – and that of your colleagues – will be critical to enabling the success of the Best Start, Best Life reforms.
More than 600 attendees have already participated in sessions run by the department in collaboration with BSBL-TAG members such as the Australian Education Union, the Community Child Care Association, Early Learning Association Australia, Independent Schools Victoria and the Municipal Association of Victoria. We look forward to hearing from more early childhood professionals in upcoming sessions with the Australian Childcare Alliance, Early Childhood Australia, the Early Learning and Care Council of Australia and the United Workers Union among many more. We are also engaging directly with the early childhood workforce through Early Years Learning Network meetings.
If you would like to help shape the future of early childhood education and care in Victoria, look out for consultation opportunities that are being offered by your peak body or other representative organisation across March and April. You can also complete the expression of interest form to be notified of other opportunities to give direct feedback as they come up.
Kim Little
Deputy Secretary
Early Childhood Education
Updated