QLD announces first review of ECEC funding

The Queensland Government has announced that it has commissioned its first comprehensive review of early childhood education funding and delivery arrangements in 10 years.  The review is designed, according to the announcement, to ensure that the State is well-positioned for any future national reforms or funding offers that may transpire from the Australian Government with regards to universal access to kindergarten. 

The review will focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children experiencing vulnerability, and children living in rural and remote Queensland, with any conclusions drawn to be used to guide the Queensland Department of Education’s future investment decisions and support the development of contemporary funding and delivery arrangements that optimise outcomes for children. 

Deloitte Access Economics has been appointed to conduct the review and will be responsible for engaging with key stakeholders. A report encompassing both phases of the review will  be presented by 31 October 2019. 

Terms of reference provide details on two phase program

The terms of reference released by the Queensland Department of Education highlight that the review will be broken into two phases. 

Phase One – Kindergarten will focus on understanding:

• The efficiency and effectiveness of current Queensland funding and delivery arrangements for kindergartens in the year before school;
• The impact and implications of current and future Federal Government priorities and funding arrangements for kindergarten delivery in Queensland;
• Opportunities for increasing current kindergarten participation and attendance; 
• Principles to guide and prioritise future investment to achieve the Queensland Government’s objectives for early childhood education;
• Key design features of a preferred future funding model for kindergarten that delivers on the Queensland Government’s objectives, supports quality, provides value for money and optimises outcomes for children. 

Phase Two – Early Years Services will focus on understanding: 

• The efficiency and effectiveness of current funding and delivery arrangements for early years services’ programs and activities;
• Principles to guide and prioritise future investment across the early years services funding categories to achieve the Queensland Government’s priority to give all children a great start; 
• Key design features of preferred future funding arrangements for early years services programs and activities;
• Innovative and contemporary approaches to service delivery models and strategies to maximise engagement with early learning and development programs;
• Methodologies for piloting and evaluating suggested funding and delivery models and strategies.

Consultation kicks off with survey for services, families, educators and teachers

The review process will commence with Deloitte Access Economics inviting a range of stakeholders including services, families, educators, teachers, peak bodies, Government Agencies and community organisations to participate in the review by way of interview or survey.

Early childhood services will be contacted directly via email with a link and instructions on how to access a service-specific online survey. 

Families, educators and teachers can access an online survey should they be keen to express more general views on funding and service delivery of kindergarten in Queensland. 

The survey is open until 9 August 2019.