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On 14 February 2024, Family Day Care Australia (FDCA) made a submission to the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Early Childhood Education and Care’s “A path to universal early childhood education and care: Draft report”.
The Commission has been tasked by the Australian Government to make recommendations that will support affordable, accessible, equitable and high-quality ECEC that reduces barriers to workforce participation and supports children’s learning and development, including considering a universal 90 per cent Child Care Subsidy rate.
The Inquiry will be the most significant driver of sector ECEC reform over the coming years and draws on the findings of a sustained period of review from other government funded inquiries such as that undertaken by the ACCC into ECEC markets and pricing, the In-Home Care and Inclusion Support Program Reviews, along with the 10-year National Workforce Strategy.
To view FDCA’s submission, click here.
FDCA’s submission reiterates several long-held advocacy positions, but also introduces a number of new concepts, effectively pulling together a broad strategic vision which, through innovation, and program, regulatory and funding reform, the capabilities of family day care could be leveraged to better support many key policy and political objectives of government, and ultimately, better support children and families across Australia.
As stated in the submission, FDCA has made emphasis of the fact that “for many families, family day care is their only choice, for many more it is their option of choice. A truly universally accessible ECEC system that meets the needs of children and families is unattainable without a robust and growing family day care sector.”
FDCA CEO Andrew Paterson has also been asked to appear as witness at the Commission’s Public Hearing on 27 February 2024 where he will reiterate our key positions on behalf of the sector and respond to any questions the Commissioners’ present.
The Commission will provide its final report to the Australian Government by 30 June 2024.
The newest JiGSAW Magazine, edition 104, is now live online. You can access it via your Member Zone.
This edition will be printed and mailed out to all members however, if you would like to view it digitally you can do so via the above link.
As always, we endeavor to bring you quality content from within the sector to help keep you informed and up to date. This edition includes an array of inclusions from educators, services, and stakeholders, as well as the final wrap up of the 2023 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards and look at how FDCA can help you kick-start 2024.
A special thank you to everyone who contributed to this bumper edition!
We Want to Hear from You!
Our members are always doing incredible things within their communities, going on exciting excursions, hosting fun incursions and teaching their children wonderful new skills and we want to hear all about it!
We are on the lookout for stories to include in upcoming editions of JiGSAW. If you have a story you feel needs to be told in JiGSAW, please reach out to hannah.vicary@fdca.com.au.
FDCA has shared another Scholastic Storytime Giveaway on the FDCA Facebook page, and we encourage members to get involved.
To go in the draw to win a fantastic book pack for your family day care simply comment on the post with your favourite activities from summer, bonus points for sharing images.
This giveaway will close on 22 February, 2024.
Are you an educational leader or family day care coordinator looking to support educators’ understanding of pedagogical practice? Perhaps you’re a family day care educator looking to expand the horizons of your pedagogical approach?
Either way, you’ll love our professional learning and development resources, available within your FDCA Member Zone: A Short Guide to Early Childhood Pedagogy and the accompanying Companion Resource.
These publications extend on FDCA's resources to support critical reflection and enhance professional practices and programming, complementing FDCA’s Critical Reflection in Practice Guide and Companion Resource.
A Short Guide to Early Childhood Pedagogy and the accompanying Companion Resource will assist educational leaders, family day care coordinators and educators to promote and support a culture of professional enquiry, challenge the status quo and generate new thinking to support continuous improvement.
Created as part of our ongoing commitment to support our members, you can access the Short Guide and Companion Resource through your FDCA Member Zone.
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