Media Release.
21 May 2013
Early education and care services in regional, remote and Indigenous communities will share in a pool of $1.47 million to better plan and deliver quality programs while a review into how they operate and serve their communities continues.Early Childhood and Child Care Minister Kate Ellis said the extra funding would help more than 340 services improve their quality through additional educational resources and equipment.
She said the move was part of stage two of the review into Budget Based Funded child care services which receive Australian Government funding as they are in locations where the market would not normally allow services to operate, particularly in Indigenous, regional and remote communities.
In addition, the annual funding for Budget Based Funded child care services, worth $62.7 million, will continue through 2013-14 to allow the completion of the review.
"Our Government understands that high quality early childhood education and care gives all children a better start at life, but it's particularly important for children in hard-to-reach locations," Ms Ellis said.
"During consultations in 33 communities across Australia last year, early childhood providers showed a commitment to maintaining and improving the quality of early childhood services funded under the program.
"In recognition of the commitment to quality, the Government will invest an additional $1.47 million to support Budget Based Funded services in rural and remote areas to improve the quality of early childhood education and care for vulnerable children.
"From July 2013, service providers will also be encouraged to undertake a voluntary self-assessment against the National Quality Standard and to develop a Quality Improvement Plan."
Indigenous Professional Support Units and Professional Support Coordinators will be funded to help providers complete their self-assessment and Quality Improvement Plan.
Ms Ellis said the extension of funding agreements under the Budget Based Funding program until 30 June 2014 would give providers certainty for next year.
"The continued funding will give services the opportunity to forward plan their operating budgets for next financial year while we continue to review the program," she said.
"In recognition of the complexity of the issues raised in the consultations and the importance of working with the sector, I have also asked the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations to begin stage two of the review by establishing an external stakeholder reference group to work through some of these issues and provide advice."
The first meeting of the reference group is planned for June 2013.
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