Child Australia welcomes & congratulates the Australian Government on their commitment to the Educator workforce in Early Childhood Education & Care (ECEC) ahead of the budget being delivered next week.
The Albanese Government has announced that they will deliver $72.4 million over 5 years to support the skills and training of Educators in the sector. Predominantly funding subsidised Professional Development and practicum placement, this commitment is a great acknowledgement of the crucial importance in nurturing and developing ECEC professionals across the Country.
We know that much more needs to be done…but todays announcement of a historic 15% wage increase for the aged care sector to the tune of $11.3 billion over 4 years, tells us that good things are on the horizon. The “Care” sector is rightfully being prioritised and this a huge step in the right direction.
We congratulate the Government for acknowledging that our most vulnerable citizens…our children and our elderly, must be given the best possible care, and this starts with ensuring highly qualified, committed, and passionate professionals.
With the current level of activity in the ECEC sector, from Productivity Commission Inquiry, ACCC Inquiry, through to the development of an Early Years strategy, we can see strong indicators of a Government that is making solid commitments for real change.
As a society, we have a collective responsibility to prioritise and value the critical work that ECEC professionals do each day. By advocating for significant investment in the ECEC sector, we can help ensure that every child has access to high-quality early childhood education and care that will set them up for a bright future. Let’s continue to work together to build a thriving ECEC sector that benefits both the children and the broader community.
by Tina Holtom, Child Australia CEO
Read the original LinkedIn post here
