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First stage of comprehensive property audit completed in Tasmania as part of ECEC plan
Freya Lucas
Jul 19, 2024
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The first stage of a comprehensive property audit has been conducted to identify Government land that could be used for the expansion of early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in Tasmania as part of the Tasmanian Government’s 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future.
As well as early childhood services the audit included land which may be used for Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) and vacation care.“Our focus is on giving children the best possible start in life,” Minister for Education, Jo Palmer, said.
“That is why our Government is introducing a range of initiatives to address the childcare needs of Tasmanian families, and through the audit we have identified a number of sites that may have the potential to support such services.”
The next steps will be for the Government to work with ECEC providers to further understand locational demand and capacity. Separate from this process the Department of Education, Children and Young People has also engaged with all Government primary and district schools to understand their current OSHC services and identify which has a need for a new or expanded service.Of the 80 Tasmanian schools that already offer OSHC, 17 have indicated they would consider increasing their services, while 30 schools that do not offer OSHC have indicated they would be interested in exploring the option.“This has been great feedback to get from schools and school communities,’’ Minister Palmer said.Following this extensive engagement, the Government will now work closely with service providers and schools to determine a final list of possible new ECEC and OSHC sites, with those selected to be the subject of an open expressions of interest process.For more detailed information, please visit: Outside School Hours Care and Early Years Learning.
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