THRYVE appointed as Sector Strengthening Partner for early childhood education

THRYVE – the NSW body of SNAICC (the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care) – has been appointed as a Sector Strengthening Partner for early childhood education and care (ECEC) following a competitive tender process by the Department of Education New South Wales.

 

THRYVE will work to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are better supported to participate in high-quality, culturally inclusive ECEC.

 

The organisation will provide practical assistance including workforce planning, design and delivery, and other forms of support to the Aboriginal community-controlled organisations (ACCO) running ECEC services in NSW. It will also act as a collective voice on critical issues.

 

This partnership will help the NSW government to meet its commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap by supporting a stronger, more robust ECEC sector.

 

SNAICC’s work will also complement the Department of Education’s 10-year partnership with the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group.

 

“In NSW, there are 36 Aboriginal community-controlled organisations delivering [services to the] ECEC sector – and we expect this number to grow through this partnership,” said Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car.

 

“The first five years of life are when the seeds are sown for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to develop into the next generation of leaders. This appointment shows the depth of the government’s commitment to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families can access culturally safe, inclusive, and quality early childhood education and care, and it will help us make real progress on Closing the Gap goals.”

 

For THRYVE Director Renee Leslie, the appointment means that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services will be empowered, and better placed to elevate their voices and provide practical support to help them optimise children’s learning, development and connection to culture so they are ready for school.

 

The appointment of a sector strengthening partner for ECEC forms part of the First Steps Aboriginal Children’s Strategy. The strategy provides a total of $23 million in funding from 2021-2025 to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in NSW.

 

Learn more about the First Steps Aboriginal Children’s Strategy here.