Early Childhood Sector Newsletter, Term 4, 2010

SUPPLEMENT TO THE AEU NEWS • NOVEMBER 2010

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EARLY CHILDHOOD SECTORNEWSLETTER

Shayne Quinn vice president, early childhood

INTRODUCING the AEU’s new vision for public education, Education for Everyone’s Needs: New

Decade, New Commitment, New Investment, branch president Mary Bluett noted that while much has changed for the better since the Kennett era — when the first AEU vision was launched — there remains a lot more to do.

While the Bracks and Brumby Governments have acted on much of the detail in our previous three vision statements, much is still to be achieved.

The state election on November 27 provides each and every one of us with a valuable opportunity to actively pursue our vision.

Members will have read in June’s AEU News the key elements of our vision statement. For early childhood it remains focussed on:

• Access and equity• Quality• Effectiveness and sustainability.To achieve access and equity, we need free

and universal preschool for all 4-year-olds and for 3-year-olds from a disadvantaged background;

free access for children with additional needs and integration support; and a long-term plan for ageing infrastructure.

To lift quality, we need to recruit and train more teachers; and provide a broad suite of training and resources to staff to support ongoing professional development.

And to build effectiveness and sustainability, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Devel-opment must become the employer of all teachers and assistants, and provide greater resources for time release, networking and PD to implement new initiatives such as the transition project.

Our vision provides the basis for good policy; however, as its title indicates, a critical element to the delivery of that vision is new investment.

Regardless of political persuasion, politicians

now speak of the importance of early childhood education. The election provides a prime opportunity to remind them not only of that importance but also the necessity for them to provide the funding to deliver good policy.

To air these issues, the AEU is holding a series of Public Education Forums to allow our members and the public to question candidates on their policies.

As you read this some will have taken place, but others are yet to occur (see below). The AEU campaign will be strengthened by strong member-ship support, so take the opportunity to attend and hear candidates from each of the three parlia-mentary parties speak about their commitment to public education and respond to questions from the audience. ◆

Our vision, our goalsThe state election is a chance for us to pursue some of our long held goals and achieve education for everyone’s needs.

PUBLIC EDUCATION FORUMSDATE & TIME VENUE ELECTORATESWednesday November 17, 4.30pm–6pm TBC — Call (03)9417 2822 for

detailsIvanhoe

Thursday November 18, 4.30pm–6pm AEU Office, 112 Trenerry Crescent, Abbotsford

Melbourne, Richmond, Northcote and Brunswick

ON NOVEMBER 2, Children’s Minister Maxine Morand announced that the State Government

will provide $6.4 million to ensure a smooth transition to the expanded kindergarten program in 2013.

The money will go to local councils and kinder-garten cluster managers in grants over the next two years, to support preschools in planning for the 15 hours program.

The Government says that the package is in recognition that “the move to 15 hours is a signifi-cant change” and that it wants to make sure that preschools are supported to plan properly for the change.

When details are known of the guidelines

Funding flows for universal access

associated with the planning grants, we will advise members.

The grants are part of the $210m Victoria received from the Federal Government under the National Partnership Agreement on early childhood education and care, to provide 15 hours a week of

kindergarten to all 4-year-olds by 2013.Consistent with the agreement and the

18-month review process (see AEU Early Childhood Bulletin of July 22), Minister Morand indicated that the Commonwealth was reviewing the roll-out of 15 hours and the adequacy of federal funding, at the Brumby Government’s request.

She also underlined her government’s desire to make sure that preschool is properly resourced for this roll-out and said Victoria was in discussions with Canberra regarding funding. ◆

— Shayne Quinn

2 Early Childhood newsletter | november 2010

CERT III IN CHILDREN’S SERVICESFor those already working in kindergartens

TLN in partnership with Victoria University will offer a Certificate III in Children’s Services in 2011, designed specifically for those already

employed in kindergartens.The program will: • Recognise prior learning, ensuring knowledge you already have is

credited• Offer alternate methods for completing the 0–3 component — a

childcare placement is not compulsory• Deliver most coursework via video stream over the internet• Give you access to full VU student support (including library

access).An information session will be held at the AEU building in South Melbourne on November 19 at 2pm. To register, or for more information, contact Max at TLN on (03) 9418 4993 or [email protected]. ◆

Shayne Quinn vice president, early childhood

WITH planning well underway for the 2011 preschool year, our conversations with

members about options for delivering the longer program time have increased.

In all this, we have to consider not only the policy decision to increase child attendance time, but also the provisions of our new agreements, VECTAA and LGECEEA, and the Children’s Services Act.

The Victorian Kindergarten Policy, Procedures and Funding Criteria 2010–2012 states that in order to be eligible for preschool funding:

The qualified staff members who plan and deliver the kindergarten program to each eligible child at each children’s service from which the program is offered must hold an approved early childhood teaching qualification.

It also states that:From January 2011, the service provider must offer a minimum of 10 hours and 45 minutes per week.DEECD recently confirmed that when timetabling

the attendance of children (ie, establishing session/attendance period times) compliance with the funding criteria requires that any period of child attendance time/program delivery must be staffed by a qualified early childhood teacher.

This means the qualified teacher’s meal break

will not count toward the 10 hours and 45 minutes required by the funding criteria if they are replaced by:

• A qualified staff member who is not a qualified teacher, or

• An unqualified staff member (in accordance with the Ministerial exemption).

The same applies where wraparound care is delivered by a diploma-qualified staff member before or after the session.

If your timetable relies on a teacher taking a break from the group, unless replaced by a qualified teacher, the child attendance time may need to be extended by the length of the teacher’s break.

The “must do” list in our August Newsletter urged you to check the proposed timetable against the requirements of your new agreement — particularly those covering hours and breaks.

Some employers have been attracted to the option in the agreements which provides that “where an assistant may be required to supervise children during a meal break, such a meal break shall be of 45 minutes duration and shall be counted as time worked and paid at ordinary rates” (clause 49 of VECTAA and 37 of LGECEEA).

The attraction for them is obvious — there is no need to bring in other staff to cover for the assist-ant’s meal break.

However, some significant questions arise. What

would be the nature of the assistant’s supervision? What would be the impact on the program of a variance in the nature of the assistant’s supervision in this time? How would staff and children respond to this? Would the changes to program, practice and expectations (of children, families and staff) be possible or acceptable?

Furthermore, would the nature of supervision meet the requirements of the Children’s Services Act for children to be “adequately supervised”?

Neither the Act nor the regulations define adequate supervision. However DEECD Practice Note 12 “Supervision” (May 2010) makes a number of points which suggest that application of this provision is in practice impracticable. We have discussed this with KPV, who have similar reserva-tions to ours.

We have raised this with DEECD and await a response to our question of how, in the depart-ment’s view (as the licensing and regulatory authority), supervision of children during a staff member’s meal break would sit with the require-ments of the Act for “adequate supervision”.

We will advise members as soon as we receive a response. In the meantime, if your employer is contemplating this approach, members should raise the issues canvassed in this article and suggest they discuss the proposal with KPV if the employer is a member. ◆

Making a meal of itNew funding criteria, the Children’s Services Act and our new agreements all have implications for timetabling meal breaks in 2011.

Share your great ideas!THE 2011 AEU early years conference will include a forum for teachers to share some innovative aspect of their practice or the findings of recently undertaken research.

If you have an interesting idea to share or research you’d like others to know about, please contact Max at TLN on (03) 9418 4993 or [email protected].

Presentations should be no longer than 20 minutes. Those selected will be given free, full registration for the conference. ◆

www.aeuvic.asn.au 3

Teachers are doing it for themselvesA new group is providing professional and personal support to preschool teachers in the northern suburbs. Preschool field officers Jenny Scammell, Maria Egzelos, Kylie Mack and teacher Jo Greaves explain how it came to be.

This is a good example of the vision, commitment and capacities of early childhood staff to support one another.

We would like to hear from other AEU members about the ways in which they are supporting one another to deal with day-to-day issues and the changes, challenges and promise of the early years agenda.

Contact Shayne Quinn on (03) 9417 2822 or email [email protected].

THE 2009 bushfires provided the final nudge for a trio of preschool field officers to set up

a dedicated support group for early childhood teachers.

Jenny Scammell, Maria Egzelos and Kylie Mack, who work for Broadmeadows UnitingCare in the Whittlesea, Banyule and Nillumbik area, had often considered such a move, inspired by the support they received from their own fortnightly group meetings.

“The 2009 bushfires and the impact upon kindergartens, staff and families in our region provided us with the impetus to further investigate and establish an early childhood teacher support group,” says Jenny.

Jo Greaves of Kangaroo Ground Preschool, one of those who attends the new group, says: “The professional life of a preschool teacher is often quite a solitary one, so this group provides a valuable setting for us to share some of the issues we all face on a day-to-day basis in a supportive environment.”

The group aims to encourage participants to:• Consider the difficulties and additional needs

of children in the preschool years• Explore parent and family issues that impact

on family life and their child’s development• Consider the stresses and tensions that affect

children’s services staff• Reflect on their own professional identity and

their own aspirations and stresses in the workplace

• Realise how such a group can be a vital support and a medium in which to explore different perspectives in situations that are regularly faced in our professional roles.

Maria says: “In the aftermath of the bushfires we approached St Michael’s Uniting Church through the Cairnmillar Institute to facilitate a teacher support group for early childhood teachers working throughout the Northern region who had been impacted by this event.”

The church, in conjunction with the institute, funded the group on a fortnightly basis throughout 2009, facilitated by experienced psychologist Dr Glen Hosking, who works with children and families at Cairnmillar.

It was Cairnmillar co-founder and psycho-therapist Dr Francis McNab who had facilitated the PSFOs’ own fortnightly professional and supervision kindergarten field officer group that Jenny, Maria

and Kylie had found so valuable.Early in 2010, Broadmeadows Uniting Care also

acknowledged this need and supported the PSFOs’ advocacy to DEECD for funds to continue to employ Dr Hosking to facilitate the group.

Diamond Valley and Eltham Kindergarten Teachers Association, together with Whittlesea Kindergarten Teachers Association, have also provided funding for the group to continue.

The group meets every three weeks on a Friday afternoon at a local venue, and all preschool teachers in the Whittlesea, Banyule and Nillumbik areas are welcome to attend.

“The group varies from 3 or 4 participants to up to 10 and a strong sense of camaraderie has developed in the group, as we support each other and offer our own experiences and advice to the discussions,” Jo says.

“Dr Glen contributes a professional viewpoint, often encouraging us to address issues in a way we had not previously considered, and his wisdom is very much appreciated and valued.

“The group has helped many of us work through an issue that we have found difficult to deal with effectively in the workplace, by offering strategies or solutions, and Dr Glen has equipped us with skills and a fresh outlook to enhance our own wellbeing, and to manage our work/home life balance.

“It has provided an invaluable opportunity to establish new friendships, form local networks, share information and skills with other profes-sionals in our local area and offer encouragement and camaraderie to each other, as we continue to provide quality early childhood education to the children and families attending our preschools.” ◆

L-R Julie Lees (Whittlesea Preschool), Jo Barker (Eltham Preschool), Dr Glen Hosking (The Cairnmillar Institute), Jo Greaves (Kangaroo Ground Preschool), Carol Doran (Yallambie Preschool) and Wil Coles (Greenhills Preschool).

4 Early Childhood newsletter | november 2010

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INTRODUCING your early childhood councillorsThis issue’s members of the AEU’s early childhood sector council are from the SE3 region.

While two members lodged expressions of interest to join sector council in the last round of nominations, we still have a number of vacancies on sector council and invite any interested member to contact Shayne Quinn on (03) 9417 2822 or email [email protected].

JO BIRD

James Cook Kindergarten, Endeavour Hills

I HAVE been an early childhood sector councillor for about

12 months.I stood because I wanted a say in the way our

profession is heading. As of this year I am also a member of branch council and I see where early childhood fits in the big education picture.

I want to see early childhood respected as the important and valued part of the education system we all know it is. This will happen when early childhood is under the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (in more than just name) through employment and support.

It will also be when early childhood teachers are registered with the Victorian Institute for Teachers like our school sector colleagues.

We are on the way to achieving this through pay parity and I look forward to being part of future changes in the sector. ◆

SUE PATRICK

Brentwood Park Kindergarten, Berwick

I JOINED sector council in 2007, building on my long history as

a representative on the KTAV council prior to its amalgamation with the AEU.

I became a councillor to continue working to improve the conditions for our profession — to fight for the rights of teachers, assist-ants, children and families; to help maintain a fair system of preschool education for children without huge costs.

At present the focus on public education is important to me so that we have the best system of education for all children. I would like to see all teachers and assistants employed by the DEECD so as to have a fair system for us all to work under.

I am concerned about the continuing workload that we are under as changes take place in our workplaces, and the best way to find solutions to this and support us in dealing with it is through the AEU.

I do have a life outside work (involvement in rhythmic gymnastics as a floor manager) and like all members want to see achievement of that important work/life balance become a reality. ◆

ANN MURRAY

David Collins Kindergarten, Endeavour Hills

I HAVE been a sector councillor for about eight years.

While currently only on sector council, over the past few years l have also been an early childhood representative on branch council, executive and the AEU’s Victorian Trades Hall Council delegation, where l have gained an understanding of issues in the other sectors and the union movement more broadly.

I joined the union after graduation and attended meetings in the area, but as time went on l felt l wanted to be more informed and have a say in decisions that were being made. By being involved with the union l have been able to discuss issues and ideas with other teachers from throughout the state, and feel part of the overall kindergarten teachers’ network as a result. ◆