Shining a Light on Early Childhood Education: The Need for Accountability and Recognition

This is a change from my usual blogpost themes of positive culture and educator wellbeing but I feel the need to respond to The ABC's Four Corners program this week, that was confronting for many but necessary to shine a light on. This episode investigated persistent failures among some early childhood service providers to meet national standards. The investigation highlights significant lapses in regulatory oversight, providers consistently failing to meet standards continuing to operate, suggesting a need for more stringent enforcement and accountability measures.

To me (and I know many others) the most alarming issue is substandard care which directly affects children's development and well-being, which we know has long-term implications for children’s learning and development.

It is hard for families to maintain a level of trust in the early childhood education system despite most (90%) services providing high-quality care and education with countless educators going above and beyond what is required, and certainly what is renumerated in their roles.

Whilst this investigation has highlighted the need for reforms to ensure that early childhood services meet established standards and that funding mechanisms promote, rather than hinder, the delivery of quality care and education, it would also be refreshing for the media to highlight the services providing enriching learning environments that support children and families to thrive with many dedicated and hard-working professionals being greatly undervalued.

There are many organisations doing fabulous advocacy work to make changes in this space for children and families such as The Parenthood, The Front Project and Early Childhood Australia.

I invite you to show your support for educators who on a daily basis uphold high ethical standards and champion environments where children can thrive, and families are supported and experience high levels of trust.

#highqaulitycareandeducation #buildtrust #earlychildhoodeducation #ethicalstandards