RESEARCH AROUND THE WORLD

     I chose to explore Early Childhood Australia (ECA) because I love the country and their culture and I especially love their accents! 

Early Childhood Australia (ECA) is a non-profit organization that promotes and works towards what is best for children and the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector. Since 1938, ECA’s main focus has been advocacy, influencing many significant issues relevant to the care, wellbeing and education of young children in Australia. We develop projects in the sector and produce a variety of resources by way of subscription-based publications for our members and the broader sector which includes early childhood educators, services, academics and students. Our vision is that every young child is thriving and learning. 

     One of their current international research topics is “Supporting literacy learning in the early years.”

The book explores the connections between speaking and listening, reading and writing and offers practical advice and reflections on how to incorporate literacy learning into everyday practice.

     

As I perused the media segment I found the article, “Restricting access to Paid Parental Leave will leave children worse off, interesting because it discusses how unfair the government is being to parents who desire to take maternity leave to bond with their newborn child(ren). They are proposing  restrictions on the Paid Parental Leave Scheme to remove so called ‘double dipping’ which in essence is parents receiving both government and employment funds during leave. Ms Samantha Page, CEO of ECA says ‘The level of attachment formed between parents and their children in the first year is critical to children’s long-term development and family wellbeing.’ ‘We totally reject that mothers and fathers are “double-dipping”.

These are parents that are cobbling together enough time to do what is in the best interest of their family—forming a relationship with their newborn children (Early Childhood Australia, 2015).’ 

     Another article I read that I found noteworthy discussed Australia’s Family Package budget that has just received another $3.5 billion over the next 5 years.

 It would make access to early childhood education and care more affordable for a majority of working families from 2017 but the concern is for the families that will be affected by the stringent requirements or activity tests, particularly:

• Children in families where both parents aren’t working / don’t meet the activity test—will only have access to 12 hours subsidy (currently have access to 24 hours Child Care Benefit)
•  Children in families earning over $65 000 and less than around $150 000 where only one parent is in work—will have no access to subsidies (currently have access to 24 hours of Child  Care Benefit per week).
•  Children in families where one parent doesn’t work sufficient hours (under eight hours per fortnight)—will lose access to 24 hours of Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate.

     It is not surprising that Australia contends with the same issues as the US when it comes to child care costs and government funding.  It there is money available to the severely disadvantaged but it’s the middle class that needs it most and unfortunately, they make just enough to be disqualified from services.  As ECE we must continue to advocate for equity and inclusion for all children and families.

References

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/