Educational Leaders supported with new ACECQA release

After feedback from educational leaders around the country, and in recognition of the important and complex role that educational leaders play in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings, the Australian Children’s Educational Care and Quality Authority (ACECQA) have developed and released a ‘comprehensive and contemporary’ resource, designed to support educational leaders in their role.

The resource, titled The Educational Leader Resource, has been developed to help clarify what is expected of the educational leader role (Part One), show how the educational leader role supports continuous improvement (Part Two), and provide other ideas for personal development and reflection (Part Three). At the end of the resource, there is information about the many authors who contributed to the development of the resource for ACECQA.

Gabrielle Sinclair, ACECQA CEO, said that, by sharing insights into the quality outcomes the educational leadership role delivers for children, and by inspiring the educational leaders of tomorrow, the value of quality education and care is reinforced, both within and outside the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector.

ACECQA said that inspiring people who work within the ECEC sector to become educational leaders is ‘in our national interest’.

“Building their confidence, skills and knowledge, and continuing to grow creativity and innovation across the sector will embed a culture of continuous quality improvement. In turn, developing and supporting teams will support the sector in achieving the best outcomes for children, which is at the very heart of educational leadership” a spokesperson said.

National Educational Leader for ACECQA, Rhonda Livingstone, articulated the value and nuance of the role, saying that “The role’s focus is on outcomes and relationships, and the National Quality Standard (NQS) provides flexibility for educational leaders to be creative and innovative, to best support quality outcomes for the children, families and educators at the service. “

The resource is ‘a collection of practical advice, research and reflections to guide and support the capabilities and responsibilities of the exciting, yet potentially challenging role of educational leader.’

It has been developed in conjunction with service and educational leaders from all service types as well as academics and sector leaders, and seeks to:

• clarify what is expected of this important role, from both the educational leader and provider perspective

• demonstrate how the role supports quality outcomes for children and families

• provide ideas for professional development and reflection.

Designed with a ‘highly practical’ approach in mind, the resource includes case studies, activities, links to helpful resources, reflective questions and a range of models to ‘unpack’ and understand the guidance given.

The resource also contains a collection of templates which educational leaders can use within their service. ACECQA said that, alongside the practical content, the resource is ‘complemented by inspirational images, colour coding, ‘bite-size’ information and comprehensive referencing.’

In line with the requirements of NQS element 7.2.2, the resource will assist providers in selecting and supporting educational leaders, and provide a focus on guiding and supporting educational leaders to confidently and creatively undertake and shape the role to reflect the unique context of each service.

The resource is relevant for experienced educational leaders and those either new to, or considering, taking on the role, and is available to download from the educational leader page of the ACECQA website.

Printed copies of the resource will be made available to purchase later in 2019.