The National Quality Framework for early childhood education and care: Information for families

2013 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
National Quality ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Care Information ◽  
Quality Framework

Supporting Parents’ Informed Early Childhood Education and Care Choices through Playgroups

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 14-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tina Stratigos ◽  
Marianne Fenech
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
National Quality ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Quality Framework ◽  
A Site

PROVIDING INFORMATION TO FAMILIES about quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) is important for supporting informed choices. The Australian Government has attempted to build parents’ capacity to make informed choices through the National Quality Framework and the National Quality Standard (NQS) rating system. Many families, however, have limited or no knowledge or understanding of the NQS. This study investigated the potential of playgroups as a site for raising awareness about quality ECEC and the NQS ratings among families. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six supported playgroup coordinators, and focus groups were held with families from seven playgroups. Findings suggest that playgroups could be an effective avenue for disseminating information about quality ECEC. For supported playgroups, the informal and trusted approach of the playgroup coordinator may play an important role in raising awareness about quality ECEC, and they could be better supported in this role through accurate, up-to-date information and resources that are respectful of families’ diverse backgrounds and needs.

scholarly journals Comparing regulatory and non-regulatory indices of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) quality in the Australian early childhood sector

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (75) ◽  
pp. 958
Author(s):  
Iram Siraj ◽  
Steven J. Howard ◽  
Denise Kingston ◽  
Cathrine Neilsen‑Hewett ◽  
Edward C. Melhuish ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Childhood Environment ◽  
National Quality ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Early Childhood Environment

<p>Este estudo analisa as associações entre as pontuações provenientes de processos regulatórios de avaliação da qualidade da educação infantil australiana (Early Childhood Education and Care – ECEC) do National Quality Standard (NQS)2 e das duas escalas de avaliação de qualidade (SSTEW – Sustained Shared Thinking and Well Being; e ECERS-E – Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Extension). A amostra consiste em 257 unidades de ECEC em três estados australianos. Os resultados indicaram: associações positivas modestas entre as pontuações do NQS e das escalas; alguma especificidade entre as áreas de qualidade do NQS (aspectos do projeto e práticas pedagógicas para as crianças; relações com crianças) e de uma escala de avaliação – a SSTEW; variabilidade das pontuações das escalas de qualidade dentro de cada classificação do NQS; e atenuação dessas associações quando  o tempo  entre  as avaliações  ultrapassa  24 meses. As conclusões sugerem que o NQS e as escalas de avaliação indicam um núcleo comum de qualidade, mas capturam aspectos diferentes da qualidade, sugerindo que ambos poderiam ser usados para melhorar os padrões de qualidade nas pré-escolas australianas, onde as escalas de avaliação potencializam a qualidade ainda mais do que o NQS.</p><p><strong>Palavras-chave:</strong> National Quality Standard, ECERS-E, SSTEW, Qualidade, Pré-Escola, Regulamentação</p><p> </p><p><strong>Comparando índices regulatorios y no regulatorios de calidad de la educación infantil en Australia</strong></p><p>Este estudio analiza las asociaciones entre los puntajes provenientes de procesos regulatorios   de evaluación de la calidad de la educación infantil australiana (Early Childhood Education and Care – ECEC) del National Quality Standard (NQS) y de las dos escalas de evaluación de calidad (SSTEW – Sustained Shared Thinking and Well Being; y ECERS-E – Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Extended). La muestra consiste en 257 unidades de ECEC en tres estados de Australia. Los resultados indicaron: asociaciones positivas modestas entre los puntajes del NQS y de las escalas; alguna especificidad entre las áreas de calidad del NQS (aspectos del proyecto y prácticas pedagógicas para los niños; relaciones con niños) y una escala de evaluación –  la SSTEW; variabilidad de los puntajes de las escalas de calidad dentro de cada clasificación del NQS; y atenuación de dichas asociaciones siempre que el tiempo entre las evaluaciones supera los 24 meses. Las conclusiones sugieren que el NQS y las escalas de evaluación indican un núcleo común de calidad, pero capturan aspectos distintos de la calidad, lo que sugiere que ambos se podrían utilizar para mejorar los estándares de calidad en el sistema preescolar australiano, en el que las escalas de evaluación potencian todavía más la calidad que el NQS.</p><p><strong>Palabras clave:</strong> National Quality Standard, ECERS-E, SSTEW, Calidad, Sistema Preescolar, Reglamentación</p><p> </p><p><strong>Comparing regulatory and non-regulatory indices of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) quality in the Australian early childhood sector</strong></p><p>This study examines associations between Australia’s regulatory ratings of quality in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) – the National Quality Standard (NQS) – and two research-based quality rating scales. The analytic sample consisted of 257 ECEC services across three Australian states. Results indicated (1) modest positive associations between NQS ratings and scale scores; (2) some specificity between NQS quality areas (educational programs and practice; relationships with children) and one research scale – the Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional Wellbeing (SSTEW) scale; (3) variability in quality scales scores within each NQS designation; and (4) mitigation of these associations when the time-gap between ratings exceeded 24 months. Findings suggest NQS and research scales tap some common core of quality, yet capture different aspects of quality, suggesting both could be used to raise standards of quality in Australian preschools, where the research scales potentiate raising quality to even higher levels than NQS.</p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: National Quality Standard, ECERS-E, SSTEW, Quality, Preschool, Regulation</p>

‘Belonging’ in Australian early childhood education and care curriculum and quality assurance: Opportunities and risks

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 340-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Sumsion ◽  
Linda Harrison ◽  
Karen Letsch ◽  
Benjamin Sylvester Bradley ◽  
Matthew Stapleton
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Learning Framework ◽  
Care Services ◽  
National Quality ◽  
Education And Care

This article considers opportunities and risks arising from the prominence of the belonging motif in Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework and, more implicitly, in the National Quality Standard, against which the quality of the early childhood education and care services is assessed. A vignette constructed from case study data generated in the babies’ room in an early childhood centre in an Aboriginal community in rural Queensland is used to illuminate some of these opportunities and risks.

scholarly journals Inspiring Environmentally Responsible Preschool Children through the Implementation of the National Quality Framework: Uncovering what Lies between Theory and Practice

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 12-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krista Pollock ◽  
Jane Warren ◽  
Peter Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
National Quality ◽  
Environmentally Responsible ◽  
Quality Framework

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FOR environmental sustainability (ECEfES) has become significant in the early years, as highlighted by the inclusion of ECEfES in Australia's first and current National Quality Framework (NQF) for early childhood education and care (ECEC). This article reports on the major findings from a case study (Pollock, 2014), which aimed to uncover what lies between theory and practice, as ECEC educators attempt to support young children to become environmentally responsible, through the implementation of the NQF. This article discusses some of the findings from an analysis of the documents central to the NQF as well as semi-structured interviews with three university-qualified educators. Thematic analysis revealed that although challenging educators in some respects, the introduction of the NQF has enhanced their sustainability practices. This has emphasised the importance of listening to the voices of young children, a ‘whole of settings' approach, and engaging in reflection.

Employers’ perspectives of how well prepared early childhood teacher graduates are to work in early childhood education and care services

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-227
Author(s):  
Wendy Boyd ◽  
Sandie Wong ◽  
Marianne Fenech ◽  
Linda Mahony ◽  
Jane Warren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Child Outcomes ◽  
Early Childhood Teachers ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Early Childhood Teacher ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
National Quality ◽  
Education And Care

With an unprecedented number of children in early childhood education and care in Australia, demand for early childhood teachers is increasing. This demand is in the context of recognition of the importance of the early years and increasing requirements for more highly qualified early childhood teachers under the National Quality Framework. Increasingly, evidence shows the value-added difference of university-qualified teachers to child outcomes. Within Australia there are multiple ways to become an early childhood teacher. Three common approaches are a 4-year teaching degree to teach children aged birth to 5 years, children aged birth to 8 years, or children aged birth to 12 years. There is, however, no evidence of how effective these degree programmes are. This paper presents the perspectives of 19 employers of early childhood teachers in New South Wales regarding how well prepared early childhood teacher graduates are to work in the early childhood sector in Australia. Although participants noted the strengths of new graduate early childhood teachers, they also identified several areas in which they were less well prepared to teach in the early years.

Mutuality and Reciprocity in Parent–teacher Relationships: Understanding the Nature of Partnerships in Early Childhood Education and Care Provision

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Rouse ◽  
Deanna O'Brien
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Performance Standards ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Care Provision ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
National Quality ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
The Way

THE EXPECTATION THAT EDUCATORS will develop partnerships with parents is a key principle in early childhood education and care provision. This is particularly so in Australia where policy guidelines and quality standards list parent partnerships as key indicators of quality practice. However the language used across the two key policy documents, the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standard, is inconsistent in the way these partnerships are defined and intended to be enacted. This has resulted in an ambiguity in the way teachers and educators are engaging in partnerships in their work with families. Drawing on a framework for examining partnerships that positions the notion of mutuality and reciprocity in the centre of the relationship, and examining this through Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological perspective, this paper presents findings of a small scale case study that explored the extent to which these characteristics are reflected in the relationships between the teacher and parents. The study found that while the teacher was meeting identified performance standards, that a true partnership underpinned by mutuality and reciprocity was not evident in the relationships between the teacher and the families.

Reframing early childhood leadership

2012 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 42-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Stamopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Early Childhood Leadership ◽  
National Quality ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Teacher Aides ◽  
Outcomes For Children

RAPID CHANGES IN AUSTRALIAN education have intensified the role of early childhood leaders and led to unprecedented challenges. The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011), mandated Australian National Quality Framework (NQF) for Early Childhood Education & Care (DEEWR, 2010b) and the National Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) (DEEWR, 2009) have heightened the need for leaders to guide and move the profession forward. Leaders need to build professional knowledge, pedagogical capacity and infrastructure in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce in order to deliver reforms and achieve high-quality outcomes for children. Yet research on early childhood leadership remains sparse and inadequately theorised, while the voice of the early childhood profession remains marginalised (Woodrow & Busch, 2008). In this paper I draw on my previous research in leadership and change management which investigated principals', early childhood teachers' and teacher-aides' conceptual and behavioural positions on educational changes in work contexts. I present a model of leadership that connects to practice, builds professional capacity and capability, and recognises the importance of relationship building and quality infrastructure. The model calls for robust constructions of leadership and improved professional identity that will reposition the profession so that it keeps pace with the critical needs of early childhood professionals. Within this model, tertiary educational institutions and professional organisations will play their role in guiding the profession forward as new paradigms evolve and federal and state initiatives begin to surface.

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