New Expert Advisory Group to focus on preschool outcomes launched

Federal Minister for Education and Youth Alan Tudge has announced the convening of a new panel of experts that will advise the Government on delivering the best possible preschool outcomes for children and their families. 

The Preschools Outcomes Measure Expert Advisory Group will be tasked with developing options to measure the impact of preschool for Australian children and comes in the wake of the Government’s commitment to fund Universal Access to Early Childhood Education via the National Partnership for four years made in the 2021 Budget.  

“Children who engage in quality early childhood education are better prepared to start primary school and enjoy better educational and lifelong outcomes,” Minister Tudge said.

“We want to ensure that all children get the full benefit associated with quality preschool and are better prepared to start school.”

As part of its responsibilities the group will review existing research, evidence and strategies from Australia and internationally, and advise on potential new measures, or the adaptation of existing measures.

The information gathered will support active collaboration between the Commonwealth, state and territory governments and the early childhood sector to build on existing understanding of what works for Australian preschool children.

Membership includes diverse expertise across early childhood development and education

The eight members of the new group bring a broad range of experience, both domestically and internationally and have been announced as follows: 

• Professor Sharon Goldfeld: Director of the Population Health Theme, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Director of the Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children’s Hospital

• Professor Sally Brinkman: Co-Director of the Fraser Mustard Centre, an initiative of the Telethon Kids Institute and the South Australian Department of Education and Child Development

• Professor Leslie Loble: Industry Professor, University of Technology Sydney and Fellow of the Paul Ramsay Foundation

• Dr Dan Cloney: Senior Research Fellow, Education Policy and Practice Program and Member of the Centre for Global Education Monitoring, Australian Council for Educational Research

• Dr Stacey Fox: Manager at Dandolo Partners

• Dr Anne Kennedy: Fellow of the University of Melbourne, Graduate School of Education 

• Dr Suzan Mentha: Lecturer, University of Melbourne, Graduate School of Education.

To learn more about the eight members of the panel please see here.