NSW Government Early Childhood Initiatives
The Department of Education is funding new programs to support more children to access quality early childhood education and care across the state.
The initiatives include:
- Universal Preschool – 50 new non-government preschools. Investing $60m in 50 new and expanded preschools at non-government schools in high-needs areas. More information can be found here.
- Early Childhood Education and Care Workforce – Up to $28.5 million over five years to help address workforce shortages and support business capability in the early childhood education and care sector. More information can be found here.
- Early Childhood Education and Care Scholarships – Applications for the 2023–24 ECEC scholarships program are now open. The program will reduce the costs of studying by up to $25,000 for eligible Early Childhood Teacher students (Bachelor or Master ECT qualification) and up to $15,000 for Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma students.
- $500 fee relief – An additional $500 fee relief for 3-year-olds attending eligible preschool programs in long daycare centres. More information can be found here.
- Flexible Initiatives Trial – The Flexible Initiatives Trial is a new program that will make grants from a total pool of $20 million to all types of ECEC service providers in 2 rounds over two years from 2023-2025. More information can be found here.
Regulation and Policy Environment
The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), through the National Quality Framework (NQF), quality assures early childhood education in prior-to-school services.
National Quality Framework (NQF)
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Assurance (ACECQA)
Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)
Lifting our Game Report
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for families and carers – The Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) approach is available to all children aged under 7 with a developmental delay or disability.
Australian Early Development Census (AEDC)
The Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) data helps schools plan for the needs of children arriving at school. It assists schools in identifying areas where children and families in the community need additional support to achieve positive outcomes in the areas of:
- physical health and wellbeing
- social competence
- emotional maturity
- language and cognitive skills
- communication skills and general knowledge
Public data can be found here: https://www.aedc.gov.au/data/data-explorer
2024 Data Collection
Schools with kindergarten students participate in the census. Kindergarten teachers in all school sectors across NSW will complete a research tool in term 2, 2024, based on observations of the children in their class.
A list of key dates for the 2024 data collection can be found here.
Find out more at www.aedc.gov.au or contact the AEDC Helpdesk
Phone: 1800 092 548 (free call)
Email: helpdesk@aedc.gov.au
Early Years Teacher Accreditation
For information about Early Years Teacher Accreditation, please contact NESA.
Early Years Foundations for Learning Project
The Early Years Foundations for Learning project has been established in response to the Non-Government Reform Support Fund and NSW Bilateral Agreement focus area – Supporting students, student learning and achievement and in particular, boosting early achievement in literacy and numeracy.
The project has been established to engage families in early literacy and numeracy development by targeting home/school learning.
The project has been developed for families and educators and aims to
build the understanding that foundational literacy and numeracy skills happen through ‘everyday’ activities
The project is premised on:
- Valuing families as the first educators of their child
Reinforcing that what parents are already doing matters - Using evidence-based advice and key messages to encourage learning opportunities in everyday experiences
- Building the home/school learning partnership
You can visit our Early Years Foundations for Learning resources here: www.csnsw.catholic.edu.au/foundationsforlearning