The Commissioner convened two roundtables to consider 3-year-old preschool and the aspirations for South Australian children in their first 1000 days of life.
On 1 February, stakeholders from across South Australia, representing early childhood services, unions, researchers, public health, sector peak bodies, government agencies, statutory functions and non-government support services all came together to provide their wisdom and insight to the Royal Commission.
On 3-year-old preschool, stakeholders agreed on the importance of universal delivery with access to supports and the value that preschool can bring to not only children but their families as well. Stakeholders also noted the importance of planning for implementation, and sequencing rollout at a pace that allows services and workforce to develop.
In the first 1000 days of life, stakeholders agreed how important families are as a child’s first teacher, and they also agreed that allied health, prenatal health and the health and wellbeing of parents as well as children are critical to successful engagement in ECEC.
In both roundtables, there was strong agreement about placing children at the centre of system design and delivery, ensuring that we don’t create barriers or systems that are hard to navigate or which block access. Stakeholders also the importance of community engagement with ECEC to connect with families and services and for ECEC to be part of a community.
Roundtable members reflected on the powerful role ECEC can play, particularly in the first 1000 days, to disrupt the impacts of disadvantage, poverty and other social determinants of health. Members also acknowledged that there was a need to directly address disadvantage and inequality.
Stakeholders also noted the challenges of delivering services in regional areas, where it is harder to maintain a workforce, the challenges of isolation and distance from supports.
Attracting, training and retaining a quality workforce was discussed as vital to success and this will be examined during 2023 by the Royal Commission.
Stakeholders will come together again in March 2023.
