COVID-19

VIC Dept of Education updates ECEC on ‘Roadmap to Reopening’ and more

Jason Roberts

Sep 14, 2020

Save

The Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET) have released a comprehensive update for the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector that includes resources and information to support services through the upcoming transition out of lockdown as outlined in the Roadmap to Reopening released on 6 September 2020.

Details of Reopening Key Dates for ECEC

From the period 13 September 2020 to 27 September 2020 DET has confirmed that:

ECEC services in Metro Melbourne will remain open for children of permitted workers (under the Permitted Worker Permit Scheme) and vulnerable children only.
ECEC services in Regional and Rural Victoria with a COVIDSafe Plan will remain open for all children to attend on-site, with appropriate risk mitigation measures in place (unless instructed by DHHS to close).

With respect to ECEC services in Metropolitan Melbourne, the Worker Permit Scheme will remain in place with the following actions:

If businesses have issued permits with future date ranges, they do not need to reissue permitted worker permits
businesses can edit and add to the dates on the permitted worker permits they have currently issued to workers if required
a new childcare permit does not need to be issued for permitted workers who have childcare permits.

From the period 28 September 2020 assuming Public Health Advice allows the transition to the second step of the reopening Roadmap, DET has confirmed that:

ECEC services in Metropolitan Melbourne, (except for outside school hours care (OSHC) and vacation care), with a COVIDSafe Plan can open on-site for all children, with appropriate risk mitigation measures in place (unless instructed by DHHS to close) and Permitted Worker Permits to enable on-site attendance will no be longer required.
ECEC services in Regional and Rural Victoria (except for outside school hours care and vacation care) a COVIDSafe Plan will continue to remain open for all children to attend on-site, with appropriate risk mitigation measures in place (unless instructed by DHHS to close).

From the period 5 October 2020 (the start of Term Four), assuming Public Health Advice allows the transition to the second step of the Reopening Roadmap, DET has confirmed that:

Sessional kindergarten programs are to be open for all children’s attendance on-site, with appropriate risk mitigation measures in place (unless instructed by DHHS to close)
Children will be able to continue to attend OSHC only if they are eligible to attend school. As children recommence on-site schooling in line with public health advice, they will also be eligible to attend before and after school care.

For Vacation Care during Term Three school holidays from 21 September to 2 October in both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria services will be able to operate for students who were eligible for on-site supervision at school in Term Three.

Students are able to attend vacation care at a school site that is different to their own school if vacation care is not available at their own school.

Details of key resources provided by the Department of Education and Training

The Department has provided a range of different resources to support services through the transition periods.

A hygiene best practice document that includes key areas of mandatory and suggested practices for ECEC services.
A template letter for services to communicate road map changes to families. .
A webinar with a range of information including how to support children returning to a service after a period of absence and how to help with transitioning to school and more.
A template letter for services to share with families who are requesting their children repeat a year of kindergarten due to interruptions from COVID.
Mental health and wellbeing resources can be found at Beyond Blue, Headspace and the Black Dog Institute website.

Don’t miss a thing

‘Pandemic babies’ turn 5: Here’s what research tells us about their development and remarkable resilience

Early brain development lays the foundation for lifelong health and success. But disruptions to a child’s early environment can leave a long-lasting imprint on their development and success.

COVID research highlights impact of restrictions on children younger than six

The COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequent restrictions such as social distancing, school closures and business disruptions attracted large swathes of research, much of which focused on school aged children.

In WA, it’s school time for the ‘COVID babies,’ with teachers worried about social skills

In Western Australia children can start their first year of compulsory schooling (known as pre-primary) in the year they turn five by 30 June.

Tech time, pandemic pauses and fewer books is causing speech to diminish

Teachers of children in their first year of school are noticing marked changes in children’s speech, placing the blame on more time spent using technology, children listening to fewer books, and the isolation of the COVID-19 lockdowns as the cause.

COVID-19 caused a cascading effect of economic stress in many families

Economic insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a cascading effect of connected problems for some families, researchers from Ohio State University have found, making links to higher levels of depressive symptoms for parents, which was then associated with poorer relationship quality for the couples, and poorer mental health outcomes for their children.

‘Pandemic babies’ turn 5: Here’s what research tells us about their development and remarkable resilience

Early brain development lays the foundation for lifelong health and success. But disruptions to a child’s early environment can leave a long-lasting imprint on their development and success.