With so many important developments currently happening in our sector, it can be challenging at times to decide where our focus should be. Right now workforce issues and funding guidelines are our priorities, and I am pleased to be able to report on some recent advances in these areas.
Last week I was invited to attend a meeting in Melbourne lead by Early Childhood Australia CEO Sam Page and the Australian United Workers Union. Key stakeholders and representatives from across the early childhood sector gathered to focus directly on workforce issues and solutions. It is a good starting point to see sector representatives from across all states and territories, and all service types, meet to work together. We focused on immediate solutions, considered longer term solutions, and discussed how we can collectively unite and advocate for our sector. Further information will be released in the coming days and I will keep our members up to date. CCSA will also continue to consult with our members as suggested solutions and opportunities come to hand.
Funding is always a focus of our conversations, meetings and advocacy, and I and relived that the NSW Early Years Commitment Start Strong Program Guidelines for Community Preschools and Long day Care services for 2023 have finally been signed off and released. We have spent the morning unpacking the information with our team. There is a great deal of detail to work through with the sector, and we look forward to the NSW Department of Education providing clarification and further support. We appreciate changes may affect our members in various ways and we have already flagged this in several meetings. We look forward to supporting further conversations across the sector and our membership to ensure clear understanding and application of the guidelines. As always, we will ensure that your voices are heard and your stories are shared; both where the guidelines are supporting better outcomes for children in your community and also where services experience unintended consequences from funding changes.
We recognise this a very busy time in the early childhood sector calendar with planning for 2023, new enrolments, end of year activities, transition to school programs, recruitment and support of staff and management committees conducting annual general meetings. Please remember we are here for you, so don’t hesitate to call us for support and information.
Meg Mendham
CEO