tag:theconversation.com,2011:/africa/topics/early-childhood-educators-71653/articlesearly childhood educators – The Conversation2023-04-17T20:03:00Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2025132023-04-17T20:03:00Z2023-04-17T20:03:00ZEarly educators around the world feel burnt out and devalued. Here’s how we can help<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520414/original/file-20230412-28-t5cbl5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5184%2C3437&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Anne Nygard/Unsplash</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>South Australia’s royal commission into early childhood education led by Julia Gillard has <a href="https://www.royalcommissionecec.sa.gov.au/publications/interim-report">released an interim report</a>. The key recommendation is <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-17/sa-early-childhood-education-royal-commission-interim-report/102230702">preschool for all three-year-olds </a> (in a move similar to other states). But the report notes one of the critical considerations around this change will be the early education workforce. </p>
<p>SA’s report comes as the Productivity Commission begins a <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/media-releases/productivity-commission-inquiry-consider-universal-early">wide-ranging inquiry</a> into early childhood education and care in Australia. </p>
<p>As part of this, the commission is looking at the workforce. We already know there are high rates of <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/mitchell-institute/early-learning/early-childhood-educators-are-leaving-in-droves-here-are-3-ways-to-keep-them-attract-more">turnover</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-feel-burnt-out-and-undervalued-heres-what-we-can-do-to-help-170091">burnout</a> among early childhood educators. This makes it difficult for people to make a sustainable career in the sector.
It also makes it harder for services to find staff and for families to <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/mitchell-institute/early-learning/childcare-deserts-oases-how-accessible-is-childcare-in-australia">find a childcare place</a> for their children. </p>
<p>Our <a href="http://www.iier.org.au/iier33/ng.pdf">new research</a> looks at why early childhood educators are burning out and how we can fix this. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-1-million-australians-have-no-access-to-childcare-in-their-area-179557">More than 1 million Australians have no access to childcare in their area</a>
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<h2>Educator turnover</h2>
<p>Like <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-great-resignation-didnt-happen-in-australia-but-the-great-burnout-did-201173">other essential sectors</a> the issue of <a href="http://www.iier.org.au/iier33/rogers.pdf">burnout</a> in early education has become <a href="http://www.iier.org.au/iier32/sims.pdf">more pressing</a> since the beginning of the pandemic. </p>
<p>A 2021 a <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/73-of-early-educators-plan-to-leave-the-sector-within-three-years/">union survey</a> of 4,000 educators revealed 73% planned to leave the sector within the next three years due to excessive workload, stress, low pay and status, lack of professional development and career progression.</p>
<p>It <a href="https://bigsteps.org.au/report-shows-early-education-workforce-in-crisis/">also found 82%</a> “always” or “often” felt rushed when performing key caring tasks in the past month. </p>
<p>As of, 2022, educator job advertisements had <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2022/05/31/ecec-job-advertisements-have-doubled-since-covid-19-illustrating-the-depth-of-staffing-crisis/">doubled since the pandemic</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-chaos-has-shed-light-on-many-issues-in-the-australian-childcare-sector-here-are-4-of-them-174404">COVID chaos has shed light on many issues in the Australian childcare sector. Here are 4 of them</a>
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<h2>What is burnout?</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.darlingdowns.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/our-stories/feature-articles/signs-you-might-be-experiencing-a-burnout-and-how-to-regain-balance-in-your-life">Burnout is complex</a> and can involve many things, including:</p>
<ul>
<li>ongoing physical and mental fatigue</li>
<li>low sense of personal achievement</li>
<li><a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/why-cant-we-value-and-pay-for-the-emotional-cost-of-caring/">emotional exhaustion</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/dissociation-and-dissociative-disorders/about-dissociation/">depersonalisation</a>, where you feel separate from your body or true feelings. </li>
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<p>Burnout matters, because it harms <a href="https://blog.une.edu.au/hasse/2021/12/07/early-childhood-educator-staff-welfare-tales-of-burnout-and-hope/">educators’ wellbeing</a>, the <a href="https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2/62964/grant-journal-article-chaos-and-commitment.pdf?sequence=1">quality</a> of children’s education, leads to <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/224034/">educators leaving</a> and then the ability of parents to work (especially women), and businesses to thrive.</p>
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<img alt="An educator in a sandpit with children and plastic buckets." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Early educators report feeling rushed and stressed in their work.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<h2>Our new study</h2>
<p>We wanted to understand what causes educator burnout, with the aim of helping policymakers and governments plan better support for the sector. </p>
<p>To do this, <a href="http://www.iier.org.au/iier33/ng.pdf">we reviewed</a> 39 studies about the drivers of early childhood educator burnout from 13 countries, including Australia. </p>
<p>This type of a study – called a “<a href="https://www.elsevier.com/connect/authors-update/why-systematic-reviews-matter">systematic review</a>” – is a powerful way for researchers to provide a full and clear summary of what we know about a topic. </p>
<h2>What leads to burnout?</h2>
<p>We found educator burnout can be driven by a range of factors.</p>
<p>Certain personal circumstances make an educator more likely to experience burnout. For example, those with lower household income, or those with increased family responsibility report higher feelings of burnout. This category includes those who are single, widowed, divorced or separated.</p>
<p>Younger, less experienced educators were particularly vulnerable to depersonalisation. Male educators were more likely to experience burnout than their female colleagues. </p>
<p>Educators said poor mental health (particularly depression and mental distress) played a crucial role in their burnout. More socially connected educators who are supported by friends, family and/or their faith were less likely to experience burnout.</p>
<h2>How services treat staff matters</h2>
<p>Educators from services where there was little or no focus on wellbeing were more likely to report burnout. </p>
<p>This included services with scarce emotional support strategies – such as being able to debrief with peers, or access counselling or coaching. These services also showed a lack of respect for educators’ work-life balance – such as demanding they do extra <a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-are-slaves-to-the-demands-of-accreditation-167283">unpaid hours</a> or not being flexible about leave for family reasons. </p>
<p>Educators discussed the fatigue caused by “surface acting”, where they had to pretend they were (or were not) experiencing certain emotions to please children, staff and parents. For example, an educator might be feeling exhausted and overwhelmed due to their workload, but they had to pretend to feel energetic and enthusiastic when engaging with children and families.</p>
<p><a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/09/14/accreditation-effects-on-early-childhood-educator-morale/">Poor professional relationships</a> were associated with feelings of stress. This included feeling undermined by parents, teaching children with behavioural challenges, and negative relationships with colleagues and directors.</p>
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<p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-a-canadian-program-that-helps-educators-thrive-not-just-survive-could-help-address-australias-childcare-staff-shortage-193954">How a Canadian program that helps educators 'thrive' not just 'survive' could help address Australia's childcare staff shortage</a>
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<h2>Funding and status</h2>
<p>Our research showed educators experienced stress when they had <a href="https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=11840">few resources</a>, but very high expectations to produce “<a href="https://www.iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/1447/532">quality</a>” learning environments and experiences for children. </p>
<p>Some work was more likely to <a href="https://educationhq.com/news/managerialism-is-driving-the-crisis-in-early-childhood-education-117618/#">cause exhaustion</a>, such as constantly trying to <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/10/25/bound-for-burnout-early-childhood-educators-are-swimming-against-a-gendered-micromanaged-tide/">prove to authorities</a> they were providing a “quality” service by <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1365480216651519">collecting data</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/smile-and-wave-ladies-the-attempts-to-silence-grace-tame-mirrors-the-plight-of-early-childhood-educators/">Inadequate income</a> can push educators to leave their positions. It can also lead to reduced motivation, and increase the number of sick days.</p>
<p>Educators’ feelings of burnout were also linked to a belief they had a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2020.1836583">low status</a> in society. This was more pronounced if they taught younger children, or if they had been working in the sector a long time. </p>
<p>Both groups reported being affected by a lack of professional development and opportunities for promotion.</p>
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<img alt="A woman reading to a baby." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Educators who taught younger children were more likely to feel like they had a lower status in society.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lina Kivaka/Pexels</span></span>
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<h2>How can we reduce burnout?</h2>
<p>Our review showed there are some effective ways to improve educators’ wellbeing, prevent burnout and keep them from leaving their jobs. </p>
<p>These include coaching, so educators can get feedback and develop their careers, <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2022/10/27/the-cost-of-what-the-budget-doesnt-address-will-cost-us-all-in-the-long-run/">peer mentoring</a> so they know they are not alone and counselling, so they have an emotional outlet to reflect on their work.</p>
<p>If we want to keep educators in these <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-96977-6_4">vital roles</a> we need to actively support them to stay. </p>
<p><em>The author acknowledges the work of Joanne Ng (lead researcher) and Courtney McNamara for their research on the systematic review.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202513/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marg Rogers is a Research Fellow with the Commonwealth-funded Manna Institute that builds place-based research capacity to improve mental health in regional, rural, and remote Australia through the Regional Universities Network (RUN).</span></em></p>Our review explored what leads to early childhood educator burnout in 13 countries, including Australia.Marg Rogers, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education, University of New EnglandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1939542022-11-24T19:05:36Z2022-11-24T19:05:36ZHow a Canadian program that helps educators ‘thrive’ not just ‘survive’ could help address Australia’s childcare staff shortage<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496652/original/file-20221122-18-hbzhmj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=5%2C29%2C3982%2C2299&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Makus Spiske/Unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>On Wednesday, federal parliament <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7990519/cheaper-child-care-one-step-closer/?cs=14264">passed</a> Labor’s bill to reduce childcare fees for many Australian families. </p>
<p>More affordable childcare for families is great, but it will not solve all the issues in the sector. Schools are not the only ones with a teacher crisis. Early childhood services are also hit with <a href="https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=11840">chronic staff shortages</a>.</p>
<p>As of October, there were about <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-17/breaking-point:-the-real-cost-of-australias-worker/14087284">6,800 advertised positions</a> for early childhood educators in Australia. The pandemic has not helped. There was a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/babysitters-make-45-an-hour-nanny-rates-soar-as-childcare-centres-in-staffing-crisis-20220524-p5ao1f.html">40% increase</a> in job ads between April 2021 and April 2022. </p>
<p>Before COVID-19, there was about <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0022185618800351">30% annual turnover</a> in the sector, and up to 45% in rural and remote areas. A 2021 <a href="https://bigsteps.org.au/crisis-report/">union study</a> of more than 3,800 educators revealed 74% said they wanted to leave the sector in the next three years. The top reasons for wanting to leave were excessive workload, low pay and feeling undervalued.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-chaos-has-shed-light-on-many-issues-in-the-australian-childcare-sector-here-are-4-of-them-174404">COVID chaos has shed light on many issues in the Australian childcare sector. Here are 4 of them</a>
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<p>This turnover can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK189908/">impact upon</a> children’s wellbeing, development and learning.</p>
<p>To find out more about the challenges educators face, how it impacts upon their wellbeing and learn from other countries, our <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/09/14/accreditation-effects-on-early-childhood-educator-morale/">international study</a> explored the experiences of early childhood educators around the world.</p>
<p>This article looks at the Australian and Canadian components of the study. </p>
<h2>Australian educators’ experiences</h2>
<p>As part of our research, we surveyed 51 early childhood educators in Australia in 2021, which found parts of their job threatened their wellbeing. They painted a picture of an important job that is not valued <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/why-cant-we-value-and-pay-for-the-emotional-cost-of-caring/">financially</a> and not <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/smile-and-wave-ladies-the-attempts-to-silence-grace-tame-mirrors-the-plight-of-early-childhood-educators/">respected</a> by the broader community. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Childcare workers on strike." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496656/original/file-20221122-17-lo7xs3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496656/original/file-20221122-17-lo7xs3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496656/original/file-20221122-17-lo7xs3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496656/original/file-20221122-17-lo7xs3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496656/original/file-20221122-17-lo7xs3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496656/original/file-20221122-17-lo7xs3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496656/original/file-20221122-17-lo7xs3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Australian early childhood educators went on strike in September over pay and conditions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Joel Carrett/AAP</span></span>
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<p>They talked about work being done “from the love of your heart”, rather than being rewarded with adequate <a href="https://au.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/lowest-paid-jobs-in-australia">pay</a>. They also spoke about early childhood services exploiting the goodwill of educators. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>All those extra toys you see in rooms, fancy art shows, are all topped up and financed by [staff].</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Educators talked about the <a href="https://educationhq.com/news/managerialism-is-driving-the-crisis-in-early-childhood-education-117618/">pressure</a> to meet the needs of parents and children and government regulations.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>All of us have stressful days […] managing behavioural issues, parents’ demands and a lot of routine tasks.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Meanwhile, there was an “obscene” amount of <a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-are-slaves-to-the-demands-of-box-ticking-regulations-167283">administrative</a> work and repeated stories of staff fatigue and <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/10/25/bound-for-burnout-early-childhood-educators-are-swimming-against-a-gendered-micromanaged-tide/">burnout</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We are burnt out and leaving the industry in droves because rather than having quality educators we are getting pushed for quantity. Children are being seen as a commodity and it needs to stop.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>What could we learn from Canada?</h2>
<p>Our study also surveyed educators involved in a <a href="https://ecepeermentoring.trubox.ca/research/">program</a> in Canada, where peer support has been used to boost the wellbeing of early childhood educators. </p>
<p>Up to <a href="https://ecepeermentoring.trubox.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/700/2021/08/Mentorship-as-a-Strategy-to-Address-Recruitment-Doan-Gray-2021-2.pdf">50% of early childhood educators</a> in British Columbia had been leaving the sector in their first five years. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://journals.uvic.ca/index.php/jcs/article/view/18778">Peer Mentoring Program</a> began as a pilot project in 2016 and expanded across the province of British Columbia to 17 sites in 2019. Currently, the program is used in 25 locations across British Columbia. </p>
<p>In the <a href="https://ecepeermentoring.trubox.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/700/2021/02/Reflections-on-the-Peer-Mentoring-Project-for-Early-Childhood-Educators-in-British-Columbia-1.pdf">program</a>, educators were organised into groups of 12 (six more junior, six more experienced) and one or two facilitators. </p>
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<img alt="Small children playing in the sand." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496658/original/file-20221122-16-b8skj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496658/original/file-20221122-16-b8skj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496658/original/file-20221122-16-b8skj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496658/original/file-20221122-16-b8skj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496658/original/file-20221122-16-b8skj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496658/original/file-20221122-16-b8skj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496658/original/file-20221122-16-b8skj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">As of October, there were nearly 7,000 ads for early childhood educators in Australia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mick Tsikas/AAP</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>The groups meet in person once a month to talk and share experiences. They may invite a guest speaker, depending on the group’s interest, and each group receives funds for this purpose. They can also organise professional development as part of their meetings as opposed to a one-off workshop.</p>
<p>In addition to the monthly face-to-face group gatherings, junior and mentor educators are paired up and meet weekly, either face-to-face, online, or by telephone to support each other.</p>
<h2>Why is it effective?</h2>
<p>In 2020, we conducted 17 focus groups with approximately 200 early childhood educators who were part of the peer mentoring program.</p>
<p>Participants in the program said it gave them a space to talk without judgement or recrimination. Participants said they felt safe, and mentally refreshed. </p>
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<p>I would describe the […] program as going home, being with a group of people who […] allow you to be the best version of yourself.</p>
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<p>One educator <a href="https://ecepeermentoring.trubox.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/700/2021/08/Mentorship-as-a-Strategy-to-Address-Recruitment-Doan-Gray-2021-2.pdf">said</a> the program allowed her to “thrive” instead of just “survive”: </p>
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<p>you’re actually thriving and you have the enriching connections and conversations […] if we want to honour children’s time with their [play and educational] materials and with one another, we also need to honour our time with one another as well, to have that rich conversation.</p>
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<p>Another mentor said it was empowering to be among other women. </p>
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<p>I was like ‘do I get on the board?’, like I needed to be immersed in strong women, strong leadership […] just empowered people that are passionate about the same things that I’m passionate about.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Is it retaining staff?</h2>
<p>Overall, educators say they have increased their connections to other educators, all of which has helped to sustain them in the field, avoiding burnout. </p>
<p>While retention of educators continues to be an issue in British Columbia, educators reported greater levels of confidence in their own abilities.</p>
<p>Anecdotally, educators and services have reported greater retention and a formal survey has been created to capture the data in 2023.</p>
<h2>What now?</h2>
<p>Australian governments and early childhood services are spending a lot to <a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/training-and-support-early-childhood-professionals">attract</a> and <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2022/09/08/inclusive-education-scholarships-now-available-in-nsw-up-to-20000-on-offer/">train</a> educators. </p>
<p>As part of this, some of the money would be well spent supporting the ongoing <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35317528/">wellbeing</a> of educators to keep them in this vital workforce.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193954/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marg Rogers is a Research Fellow with the Commonwealth-funded Manna Institute that builds place-based research capacity to improve mental health in regional, rural, and remote Australia through the Regional Universities Network (RUN).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Laura K. Doan receives funding from the Government of Canada through the Canada - British Columbia Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Navjot Bhullar currently receives funding from the Australian Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), Forrest Hill Grant via the Foundation of Graduates in Early Childhood Studies, and The British Academy.</span></em></p>A Canadian peer support program for early childhood educators is helping staff feel valued and avoid burnout.Marg Rogers, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education, University of New EnglandLaura K. Doan, Associate professor, Thompson Rivers UniversityNavjot Bhullar, Professor of Psychology (Research-focussed), Edith Cowan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1852992022-06-21T02:16:16Z2022-06-21T02:16:16ZHow the early childhood learning and care system works (and doesn’t work) – it will take some fixing<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469722/original/file-20220620-25-glwfff.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5533%2C3899&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Recent Victorian and New South Wales government <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-16/nsw-victoria-plan-for-new-preschool-year-education/101155350">announcements</a> may signal the first steps in a profound change to Australia’s early childhood sector.</p>
<p>And it’s been a long time coming. Over the past 30 years there has been a big increase in the use of early learning. There are more parents in the workforce and more children in formal care <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/publications/child-care-package-evaluation-final-report">than ever before</a>.</p>
<p>And our current system is struggling to cope. Access to childcare can <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/mitchell-institute/early-learning/childcare-deserts-oases-how-accessible-is-childcare-in-australia#:%7E:text=A%20childcare%20desert%20is%20a,and%20in%20all%20capital%20cities.">depend on where you live</a>. </p>
<p>Low pay and poor conditions have <a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-are-leaving-in-droves-here-are-3-ways-to-keep-them-and-attract-more-153187">led to major problems</a> with attracting and retaining the skilled workforce we need to deliver early learning and care services.</p>
<p>The state governments’ promises are significant. They follow the new federal Labor government’s <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7725480/albanese-seeks-legacy-through-child-care">promise</a> to investigate how to introduce universal high-quality childcare.</p>
<p>But a lot of work needs to be done for Australia’s early childhood sector to live up to the promises being made by governments.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-15-billion-promise-of-universal-access-to-preschool-is-this-the-game-changer-for-aussie-kids-185211">A $15 billion promise of universal access to preschool: is this the game-changer for Aussie kids?</a>
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<h2>How does the current system work?</h2>
<p>Australia’s early childhood sector is better thought of as several systems operating under a single <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework">national quality framework</a>.</p>
<p>Services funded by the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) are the largest part of the system. These include what is traditionally thought of as “childcare”.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/high-childcare-fees-low-pay-for-staff-and-a-lack-of-places-pose-a-huge-policy-challenge-183617">High childcare fees, low pay for staff and a lack of places pose a huge policy challenge</a>
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<p>These services use a subsidy-based funding model where providers set their price and charge parents a fee.</p>
<p>The federal government supports the cost through a subsidy, based on family income and paid directly to the childcare service.</p>
<p>A major part of the NSW and Victorian government announcements is an expansion of preschool programs.</p>
<p>Whereas childcare can cater for children aged 0 to 5 years, preschool is more focused on the year or two years before school. Preschool involves structured play-based learning in a range of settings. These include schools, standalone centres and, increasingly, alongside childcare services in centre-based day care.</p>
<p>By expanding access to preschools, the state governments are offering to create more places, particularly for children aged 3 to 5.</p>
<p>Like the school sector, they will use a direct funding model. This is where governments pay a pre-determined amount directly to a centre based on enrolments. </p>
<p>The NSW and Victorian government also announced measures focusing on the supply-side of childcare. </p>
<p>The Victorian government is promising to establish <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/kindergarten-to-get-a-9b-overhaul-with-more-places-and-longer-hours-20220615-p5atzl.html">50 government-operated childcare centres</a>, bucking a trend of relying on non-government providers to deliver childcare.</p>
<p>NSW will <a href="https://www.treasury.nsw.gov.au/childcare-fund/affordable-and-accessible-childcare">create a fund</a> to support an increase of 47,000 childcare places at non-government providers. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/more-diversity-can-help-solve-twin-problems-of-early-childhood-staff-shortages-and-families-missing-out-185205">More diversity can help solve twin problems of early childhood staff shortages and families missing out</a>
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<h2>What are the problems with the system?</h2>
<p>The current early childhood system has strengths, but many weaknesses too.</p>
<p>The total amount of subsidies provided is large – about A$8.5 billion per year. But so is the cost to parents. <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/mitchell-institute/early-learning/election-2022-early-childhood-education-care-policy-brief">Estimates based on federal government data</a> suggest the current average out-of-pocket cost for the first child in centre-based day care is A$5,000 per year.</p>
<p>Access is another big issue. Recent <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/mitchell-institute/early-learning/childcare-deserts-oases-how-accessible-is-childcare-in-australia#:%7E:text=A%20childcare%20desert%20is%20a,and%20in%20all%20capital%20cities.">Mitchell Institute research</a> highlights the extent of the problem of “childcare deserts”. These are areas where there are more than three children vying for every available place. </p>
<p>About 35% of Australians live in a childcare desert. And 1.1 million Australians do not have access to a childcare centre at all.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-1-million-australians-have-no-access-to-childcare-in-their-area-179557">More than 1 million Australians have no access to childcare in their area</a>
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<p>Unlike the school system, governments do not have an obligation to provide access to childcare. Instead, providers choose where to operate. Price plays a central role in the system’s design, and weak or unstable demand means it can be too risky to operate in certain locations.</p>
<p>Providers can be encouraged to go where there is more demand and where they can charge more.</p>
<p>Finding the workforce to enable increased supply will be a further challenge to the proposed expansion. The sector is experiencing <a href="https://labourmarketinsights.gov.au/our-research/internet-vacancy-index/">record workforce shortages</a>. </p>
<p>A high-quality workforce is a <a href="https://theconversation.com/greatest-transformation-of-early-education-in-a-generation-hinges-on-qualified-supported-and-thriving-staff-185210">major component</a> of a quality system. Attracting skilled workers and retaining them will be very important.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/greatest-transformation-of-early-education-in-a-generation-well-that-depends-on-qualified-supported-and-thriving-staff-185210">'Greatest transformation of early education in a generation'? Well, that depends on qualified, supported and thriving staff</a>
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<h2>What’s driving the need for change?</h2>
<p>Behind the flurry of announcements are long-term demographic shifts. The proportion of children in formal childcare has increased by 75% since 1996. About 66% of three-year-olds were in a subsidised service in the <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/early-childhood/resources/june-quarter-2021">July 2021 quarter</a>. Nearly <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cws/69/australias-children/contents/education/early-childhood-education">90% of eligible children</a> were enrolled in a preschool program in the year before they started school. </p>
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<p>If home is where we start from, some form of early learning is where most children will end up next.</p>
<p>Making sure that families are supported in a way that meets their needs and matches a child’s stage of development is vitally important.</p>
<p>The early childhood sector is only part of the response. Meeting the needs of families and children also <a href="https://cpd.org.au/2021/11/starting-better-centre-for-policy-development/">requires reform</a> of parental leave, maternal and child health services, and other wraparound services.</p>
<p>The announcements made by the federal, NSW and Victorian governments set the scene for the next stage of reform in the early childhood sector.</p>
<p>Designing a system that delivers affordable, accessible, high-quality early childhood education and care will require a lot more work, and a lot more resources than what has just been announced.</p>
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<p><em>This article is part of The Conversation’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/breaking-the-cycle-119149">Breaking the Cycle</a> series, which is supported by a philanthropic grant from the Paul Ramsay Foundation.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185299/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Hurley works for the Mitchell Institute who receive funding from Minderoo's Thrive By Five to undertake research into early childhood education and care. This article is part of The Conversation's Breaking the Cycle series, which is about escaping cycles of disadvantage. The series is supported by a philanthropic grant from the Paul Ramsay Foundation.</span></em></p>The system has several elements and many problems. Making it fit for purpose will take a lot of work and even more resources than those that have just been announced.Peter Hurley, Policy Fellow, Mitchell Institute, Victoria UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1852102022-06-20T19:57:36Z2022-06-20T19:57:36Z‘Greatest transformation of early education in a generation’? Well, that depends on qualified, supported and thriving staff<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469636/original/file-20220620-26-pcgbyf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=18%2C0%2C5961%2C4016&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australia’s two most populous states, New South Wales and Victoria, have set the target of delivering an extra year of learning for all children before they start school. Billed as “the greatest transformation of early education in a generation”, last Thursday’s <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/joint-commitment-transform-early-education">announcement</a> follows close on the heels of the new federal government’s <a href="https://anthonyalbanese.com.au/media-centre/budget-reply-2022">legacy vision for childcare</a>, with an extended childcare subsidy to increase access. </p>
<p>These moves are well justified. There is compelling evidence that such investments could lift productivity by increasing parent employment and children’s development gains and improving life chances for the most disadvantaged. </p>
<p>Realising the promise of these gains, however, depends entirely on the <a href="https://theconversation.com/low-paid-womens-work-why-early-childhood-educators-are-walking-out-91402">availability of a qualified, supported and thriving workforce</a>. We can’t deliver high-quality learning without them. Developing such a workforce must be an urgent priority given Victoria’s target date for the new program is 2025 and NSW’s is 2030.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-15-billion-promise-of-universal-access-to-preschool-is-this-the-game-changer-for-aussie-kids-185211">A $15 billion promise of universal access to preschool: is this the game-changer for Aussie kids?</a>
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<h2>What do we mean by high quality?</h2>
<p>Not all early education programs deliver on the promise of promoting children’s development and learning. “<a href="https://anthonyalbanese.com.au/media-centre/labors-plan-for-cheaper-child-care-budget-reply-2022">Cheaper childcare</a>” may enable parent workforce participation. But it is unlikely to deliver the long-term benefits of promoting children’s learning and closing equity gaps. </p>
<p>Quality matters. The first five years of life are a critical period in human brain development. The quality of experiences in these years lays the foundations for lifetime achievement and well-being. </p>
<p>For this reason, research seeks to identify the essential components that go beyond child-minding to delivering high-quality early childhood education and care.</p>
<p>More than two decades of research has shown the interactions between educators and children are the critical element of optimal child learning. Policy-regulated features, such as physical resources and staff qualifications, help support higher-quality learning. Yet they alone are not enough to deliver on the promise of improving children’s life chances and reducing the stark inequities among children starting school, as documented by the 2021 <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/early-childhood/announcements/report-now-available-2021-australian-early-development-census">Australian Early Development Census</a>. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/preschool-benefits-indigenous-children-more-than-other-types-of-early-care-149724">Preschool benefits Indigenous children more than other types of early care</a>
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<h2>What really matters for early learning?</h2>
<p>For this reason, researchers in this field focus on identifying the qualities of educator-child interactions that best support children’s learning and well-being. Our Australian research has examined the long-term effects of instructional, organisational and emotional qualities of interactions. </p>
<p>Instructional qualities are focused on teaching content and language interactions. Organisational interactions are focused on setting behavioural expectations and maintaining predictability. Emotional interactions are focused on relationships between child and educator, including regard for the child’s perspective. </p>
<p>Analysing data from <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-016-2985-1">E4Kids</a>, Australia’s largest study of early childhood education and care quality, the emotional qualities of interactions emerge as the critical factor. <a href="https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cdev.13811">Our study</a> published last week in Child Development, tracked 1,128 children across three years of early education to ask how change in instructional, organisational and emotional qualities of educator-child interactions was associated with each child’s rate of learning. </p>
<p>We found instructional and organisational aspects of interaction did not reliably predict child learning. Changes in the emotional environment did predict language development. </p>
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<p>Further, in <a href="https://research.qed.qld.gov.au/#/manage-findings/99cc245e-3055-4282-9ea7-c71d6af25df6/">a study</a> for the Queensland government, we linked the qualities of the early learning environment at age four to the subsequent school achievements (maths, science, English, NAPLAN) of the children participating in E4Kids. Again, the emotional quality of interactions was the key predictor of outcomes. We could still see the effects in secondary school.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/more-diversity-can-help-solve-twin-problems-of-early-childhood-staff-shortages-and-families-missing-out-185205">More diversity can help solve twin problems of early childhood staff shortages and families missing out</a>
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<h2>It all depends on a stable and supported workforce</h2>
<p>Emotionally positive early childhood education and care environments require a stable and supported workforce. Globally, there is a <a href="https://www.oecd.org/education/good-practice-for-good-jobs-in-early-childhood-education-and-care-64562be6-en.htm">shortage</a> of qualified early childhood educators. Australia is no exception. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10833-020-09382-3">workforce study</a> included a national survey and detailed study of services in metropolitan, regional and remote locations. We found one in five educators intended to leave the sector in the next year. In tracking a cohort of educators, each year one in three left their service. In remote settings the attrition rate was one in two. </p>
<p>This represents a serious loss of relationships for children and their parents. As educators leave, they take with them their depth of knowledge of each child and family. </p>
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<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/low-paid-womens-work-why-early-childhood-educators-are-walking-out-91402">Our research</a>, and a <a href="https://bigsteps.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Exhausted-undervalued-and-leaving.pdf">2021 survey</a> by the United Workers Union, found those who stay are often stressed. They feel unable to deliver the optimal emotionally supportive environment. </p>
<p>Early childhood workers are paid well below average weekly earnings. Many struggle financially or depend on spouses or family members for financial support to continue in the job they love. Those studying for a degree are often doing so to move to the school sector where pay, conditions and status are better. </p>
<h2>Need to boost workforce is urgent</h2>
<p>Without significant investment in the workforce, the new early education strategies will lack solid foundations and may well fall short on the promise they offer.</p>
<p>A workforce strategy for the next decade, <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-workforce-strategy">Shaping Our Future</a>, was published in September 2021. It acknowledges the need for better pay, conditions and professional recognition to grow and sustain the workforce. The strategy also recognises their well-being as important, though it emphasises individualised supports for well-being, not systemic change. </p>
<p>However, the stated strategy to remedy the crisis is to “investigate options” for improving pay and conditions and well-being supports by 2025. That’s when the extra year of preschool learning is due to begin in Victoria. Our research, and the timing of the announced changes, suggests an urgent need to move from investigation to immediate action to stem the exodus of qualified early childhood educators and enable those who stay to thrive.</p>
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<p><em>This article is part of The Conversation’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/breaking-the-cycle-119149">Breaking the Cycle</a> series, which is supported by a philanthropic grant from the Paul Ramsay Foundation.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185210/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Karen Thorpe receives funding from the Australian Research Council as a chief investigator on the Centre of Excellence for Children and Families across the Life Course ( CE200100025) , the Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child (CE200100022) and a current Discovery Project (DP190102981). She has also been funded by the Queensland Government and Commonwealth Departments of Social Services, Education and Health to undertake studies of early child development. This article is part of The Conversation's Breaking the Cycle series, which is about escaping cycles of disadvantage. The series is supported by a philanthropic grant from the Paul Ramsay Foundation.
</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Azhar Potia's research is supported partially by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (Project ID CE200100025). He has also received funding from Government departments such as the Queensland Department of Education and the Department of Health, and NGOs such as the Former Origin Greats, Social Ventures Australia and Beyond the Broncos.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Rankin's research was supported (partially or fully) by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (Project ID CE200100025). He has also been funded by the Queensland Government and Commonwealth Departments of Social Services and Education.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sally Staton has previously received research funding from the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council, from the Queensland Government Department of Education, and from NGOs including Social Ventures Australia and Early Childhood Australia. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr Sandy Houen's research is partially supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (project ID CD 200100025) and the Australian Research
Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child (project ID CE200100022). She has previously received funding from the Queensland Government Department of Education and Social Ventures Australia.
</span></em></p>Research confirms that a focus on restoring the well-being of educators is vital to deliver the gains promised by huge new investments in early childhood learning and care.Karen Thorpe, Professor, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of QueenslandAzhar Potia, Research Fellow, Institute for Social Science Research, The University of QueenslandPeter Rankin, Research Fellow in Statistics and Developmental Psychology, The University of QueenslandSally Staton, Senior Research Fellow, The University of QueenslandSandy Houen, Research Fellow, Institute for Social Science Research, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1852112022-06-17T03:52:49Z2022-06-17T03:52:49ZA $15 billion promise of universal access to preschool: is this the game-changer for Aussie kids?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469399/original/file-20220617-25-2lqs96.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=77%2C12%2C8666%2C5747&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Celebrations greeted Thursday’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jun/16/what-the-new-year-of-preschool-education-means-for-parents-and-children">co-ordinated announcement</a> by the NSW and Victorian governments that they will invest $6 billion and $9 billion, respectively, to provide 30 hours a week of play-based learning for all children in the 12 months prior to primary school. It’s a promising indication of growing public and political support for valuing our children and the voices of women and families. </p>
<p>There is clear evidence that quality early childhood education and care benefit children not only <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/0034654319837540">at the time they attend</a> but is likely to have an enduring <a href="http://www.thefrontproject.org.au/initiatives/economic-analysis">life-long impact</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/play-based-learning-can-set-your-child-up-for-success-at-school-and-beyond-91393">Play-based learning can set your child up for success at school and beyond</a>
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<h2>Investment in children is worth it</h2>
<p>This investment in resourcing children with opportunities for play-based early childhood education is likely to have positive impacts on children’s learning and development. The benefits include:</p>
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<li>social and emotional well-being</li>
<li>cognitive development</li>
<li>communication and language development</li>
<li>physical development. </li>
</ul>
<p>This week’s announcements are extremely important for the nation’s children as <a href="https://www.aedc.gov.au/data-explorer/">2022 data</a> from the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) show that 21% of children in NSW and 19% in Victoria are assessed as “vulnerable” in at least one area of development when they start school. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/report-finds-every-1-australia-spends-on-preschool-will-return-2-but-this-wont-just-magically-happen-120217">Report finds every $1 Australia spends on preschool will return $2, but this won't just magically happen</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>But beware ‘schoolification’</h2>
<p>Australia’s mandatory national curriculum framework, the <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-02/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf">Early Years Learning Framework</a> (EYLF), states:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Play-based learning is a context for learning through which children organise and make sense of their social worlds, as they engage actively with people, objects, and representations.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Within the framework there is: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“a specific emphasis on play-based learning [that] recognises the importance of communication and language (including early literacy and numeracy) and social and emotional development”. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Children have a <a href="https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention">right to play</a>. Care needs to be taken to ensure this right is upheld with the rollout of 30 hours a week of early childhood education.</p>
<p>Early childhood educators need to be fully versed in the power of play. They will have to take care to ensure this “play-based” approach does not result in “<a href="http://www.oecd.org/education/starting-strong-2017-9789264276116-en.htm">schoolification</a>” of our early childhood programs. It will be essential to <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-outcomes-parents-should-expect-from-early-childhood-education-and-care-94731">assure parents</a> of the importance and value of play. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1537192674729414656"}"></div></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-failure-at-6-data-driven-assessment-isnt-helping-young-childrens-learning-169463">A failure at 6? Data-driven assessment isn't helping young children's learning</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How does Australia compare to other countries?</h2>
<p>Provision of 30 hours-a-week access to early childhood education and care for all children is termed universal access. It’s deemed to be the gold standard for early childhood service provision. </p>
<p>In addition to the state governments’ initiative, the newly elected federal government has commissioned a Productivity Commission review of early childhood care and education to support a universal 90% childcare subsidy. Access to good-quality and affordable early education and care is regarded as a fruitful investment in children. </p>
<p>Equitable access in the Nordic countries is one reason they are renowned as world exemplars of excellence in early childhood services. A 2017 UNICEF report on quality education ranked Finland first and Norway ninth. <a href="https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/890-building-the-future-children-and-the-sustainable-development-goals-in-rich-countries.html">Australia was 39th</a> of the 41 countries. </p>
<p>This suggests Australia has a long way to go to reach international standards used by UNICEF to determine if programs are meeting all preschoolers’ needs.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/more-diversity-can-help-solve-twin-problems-of-early-childhood-staff-shortages-and-families-missing-out-185205">More diversity can help solve twin problems of early childhood staff shortages and families missing out</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1171919733224091648"}"></div></p>
<h2>Children will still miss out for years to come</h2>
<p>Based on the NSW and Victorian governments’ plans for a new free year of preschool <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-16/nsw-victoria-plan-for-new-preschool-year-education/101155350">from 2030 and 2025</a> respectively, is Australia finally on the road to achieving authentic and universal access to excellent early childhood education and care? Or does our slow approach throw up other problems that may become barriers to achieving quality early learning experiences for all children now and in the future? The extended rollout period means many children may miss out. </p>
<p>Our children and parents deserve more than just promises. If it is truly universal access, it should be available at no cost to all children across all ages in the years before school. </p>
<p>Many key issues must be considered before rolling out free preschool. Factors such as ensuring equity in attendance, meeting demand, and <a href="https://childcarecanada.org/publications/other-publications/22/04/more-spaces-creating-universal-child-care-norway">evenly distributed availability</a> are critical for flexibility and choice. </p>
<p>The NSW government <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-15/nsw-governments-$5b-childcare-plan/13929738">announcement</a> included measures to provide for better access. Equitable access arrangements will <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ejed.12007">enable mothers and fathers to participate equally</a> in the workforce. This means parents can fully engage in paid work with suitable hours for children and their paid work. </p>
<h2>Don’t compromise on quality</h2>
<p>Parents also need to feel assured their children are getting good-quality education and care, so the focus on quality must be maintained. </p>
<p>Resourcing of the sector has to be carefully considered to safeguard free access when rolled out. A recent <a href="https://childcarecanada.org/publications/other-publications/22/04/more-spaces-creating-universal-child-care-norway">report</a> on Norway emphasises that to sustain a quality play-based preschool program it must be underpinned by:</p>
<ul>
<li>clear values and principles</li>
<li>appropriate level of resources to ensure long-term viability</li>
<li>inclusivity</li>
<li>a well-qualified, engaged and supported workforce.</li>
</ul>
<p>However, there is already a <a href="https://labourmarketinsights.gov.au/our-research/internet-vacancy-index/">shortage</a> of qualified teachers in the early childhood education and care sector. A key reason is they suffer <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1836939119841456">poor work conditions</a> compared to primary school teachers. </p>
<p>Attending a quality play-based program for 30 hours a week will provide children opportunities to develop and enhance their development. To achieve those outcomes, it is imperative that the newly announced initiatives are genuinely resourced for quality learning experiences and equitable opportunities. </p>
<p>If that happens, we’ll ensure Australian children thrive during their childhood and have a seamless and positive transition to school. And that will set them up for the life we all want for them.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185211/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>This story is part of The Conversation's Breaking the Cycle series, which is about escaping cycles of disadvantage. It is supported by a philanthropic grant from the Paul Ramsay Foundation.
</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michelle M. Neumann does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The two biggest states have jointly committed to a huge investment in early childhood education and learning over the next decade. But delivering high-quality universal preschool access won’t be easy.Wendy Boyd, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, Southern Cross UniversityMichelle M. Neumann, Associate Professor in Early Childhood Education, Literacy and Digital Technology, Southern Cross UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1852052022-06-17T01:29:21Z2022-06-17T01:29:21ZMore diversity can help solve twin problems of early childhood staff shortages and families missing out<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469380/original/file-20220617-22-q2za9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1140%2C745%2C4035%2C2700&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://www.cela.org.au">Early childhood education and care</a> is facing <a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-are-leaving-in-droves-here-are-3-ways-to-keep-them-and-attract-more-153187">serious staff shortages</a> in Australia. Thursday’s announcements by the <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/nsw/a-game-changer-nsw-to-introduce-an-extra-year-of-education-20220615-p5au02.html?js-chunk-not-found-refresh=true">New South Wales</a> and <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/kindergarten-to-get-a-9b-overhaul-with-more-places-and-longer-hours-20220615-p5atzl.html">Victorian</a> governments that they will provide an extra year of education for three-and-four-year-olds (by 2030 and 2025 respectively) will only add to these pressures.</p>
<p>These multibillion-dollar commitments are in addition to the new federal government’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/high-childcare-fees-low-pay-for-staff-and-a-lack-of-places-pose-a-huge-policy-challenge-183617">plan to reduce childcare costs</a> with a higher subsidy that will benefit more families. While these announcements are welcome, the increase in places and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jun/16/victoria-and-nsw-to-announce-overhaul-of-preschool-education">doubling of hours</a> for early learning mean many more staff will need to be trained and employed. Even now, <a href="https://labourmarketinsights.gov.au/our-research/internet-vacancy-index/">thousands of advertised positions</a> need to be filled.</p>
<p>In particular, to meet the needs of all families in multicultural Australia, staff will have to be recruited from culturally and linguistically diverse populations. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1366662189659025409"}"></div></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/high-childcare-fees-low-pay-for-staff-and-a-lack-of-places-pose-a-huge-policy-challenge-183617">High childcare fees, low pay for staff and a lack of places pose a huge policy challenge</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Lack of diversity is a barrier for families</h2>
<p>Many families from these groups are <a href="https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/9955415/PID33504postpub.pdf">not using early childhood services</a>. The result is poorer academic outcomes compared to English-speaking families, as our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391221104353">commentary</a> this month in Australasian Journal of Early Childhood explained.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-014-0291-8">Research</a> has also shown that having culturally diverse carers and teachers benefits children as they can identify with those who have similar backgrounds to develop their own identity. Children from the dominant culture <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211057292">benefit</a> too. Seeing adults from different cultures co-operating and working together develops tolerance and cultural awareness. </p>
<p>However, many young children from different backgrounds find going from home care to childcare difficult. They are often unfamiliar with spoken English. They also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/183693910102600303">struggle with differences</a> in expectations from adults and playing with other children, as well as differences in cultural practices of eating and sleeping. </p>
<p>Parents from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds sometimes encounter difficulties finding places for their children. The expense of preschool is of course a major barrier for many refugee families. But they have also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2020.1707368">reported</a> a lack of interpreters if needed to enrol their children and that preschools do not accept bilingualism. </p>
<p>In addition, many migrants, refugees and asylum seekers <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/183693911403900212">value different experiences</a> for their children than the childcare workers and teachers. Parents wanted their children to learn to conform. Teachers wanted the children to learn assertiveness and valued individuality. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/preschool-benefits-all-children-but-not-all-children-get-it-heres-what-the-government-can-do-about-that-117660">Preschool benefits all children, but not all children get it. Here's what the government can do about that</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What are the obstacles to a diverse workforce?</h2>
<p>Thus, employing more diverse workers would seem logical. But there are difficulties to overcome.</p>
<p>At the moment, many culturally diverse childcare workers <a href="http://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2020.1707940">are unskilled</a>. They are working in early childhood settings as their tertiary professional qualifications in other areas are not recognised in Australia. </p>
<p>However, the domestic enrolments of culturally and linguistically diverse student in higher education <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/data/">has increased</a> as the percentage of the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/30-australias-population-born-overseas">Australian population born overseas</a> increases. </p>
<p>These students <a href="https://studentsuccessjournal.org/article/view/483">face many challenges</a>. Educational practices are often very different from their country of origin so they can have difficulty navigating tertiary study. Some struggle with a lack of finances and friends. </p>
<p>These students unfortunately seem to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2012.650011">fail their teaching practice more often</a> than their Anglo-Australian peers when undertaking tertiary studies in early childhood teaching and care. It appears they have added struggles during the practicum or teaching experience required for their training. The students are often very <a href="https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.v7i2.339">worried about</a> talking to parents of the children, what to say to them, parents speaking too fast for the student to understand and parents not understanding the student.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1424906577564241931"}"></div></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-education-system-is-one-of-the-most-unequal-in-the-oecd-but-we-know-how-to-help-fix-it-177059">Australia's education system is one of the most unequal in the OECD. But we know how to help fix it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How can we increase the sector’s diversity?</h2>
<p>There are many things, however, that we can do to help culturally and linguistically diverse students overcome such barriers and traumas. First, as in NSW, a program could be conducted for migrant and refugee children in years 9 to 11 to explain employment networks and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2021.1978003">help them make vocational choices</a>.</p>
<p>Second, training programs for practicum supervisors can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1359866X.2019.1644610">enhance the experience</a> for the students as well as pre-practicum programs themselves. Students have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1038416219843628">appreciated support programs</a> that improved their experience of placements. </p>
<p>However, paradoxically these programs try to have these students <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60058-1_4">change to fit in</a>, to be fixed to the Australian model. This approach implies they are the problem. Yet what we want to achieve by inclusive practices is diversity that better reflects Australian society today.</p>
<p>The most logical change would be for tertiary lecturers and trainers to teach in a culturally aware way to assist culturally and linguistically diverse students in both their tertiary education and in their practicum. Cultural awareness isn’t just language, food, dress and religious differences. There are deep cultural differences such as child-rearing practices, educational practices and concepts of beauty, modesty and justice. </p>
<p>To be <a href="https://qut.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma991009649426804001&context=L&vid=61QUT_INST:61QUT&lang=en&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine">culturally competent</a> one needs to be aware of culture differences and have knowledge and skills that are demonstrated by one’s behaviour and attitude to teaching students from different cultural backgrounds. </p>
<p>Australia needs to promote and support an educated diverse workforce in early childhood education and care as <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/research/completed/university-report-card">acknowledged</a> by the Productivity Commission. We should see diversity as a strength to attract and retain diverse workers by bridging courses and different career pathways.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185205/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>This week’s announcements will add to the need to train more early childhood workers and to ensure they are more diverse in a way that better reflects our multicultural society.Marilyn Campbell, Professor, School of Early Childhood & Inclusive Education, Queensland University of TechnologyYan Qi, PhD Candidate and Assistant Researcher, School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education, Queensland University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1836172022-05-30T20:32:14Z2022-05-30T20:32:14ZHigh childcare fees, low pay for staff and a lack of places pose a huge policy challenge<p><a href="https://www.alp.org.au/policies/cheaper-child-care">Cheaper childcare</a> was Labor’s largest single election promise, at an estimated cost of A$5.4 billion a year. Anthony Albanese went so far as to outline <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7725480/albanese-seeks-legacy-through-child-care">universal childcare</a> as one of his new government’s three main policies for economic reform.</p>
<p>While the cost of childcare for families is a major concern, many other issues confront the sector. Foremost among these is a <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-1-million-australians-have-no-access-to-childcare-in-their-area-179557">lack of childcare places</a> in many parts of Australia and <a href="https://au.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/lowest-paid-jobs-in-australia">low pay</a> for childcare workers, who are increasingly <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/07/13/child-care-flagged-as-occupation-in-national-shortage-with-strong-future-demand-in-latest-nsc-skills-priority-list/">in short supply</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-1-million-australians-have-no-access-to-childcare-in-their-area-179557">More than 1 million Australians have no access to childcare in their area</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1529292080773726209"}"></div></p>
<p>With the election now behind us, how do the new government’s promised polices compare to the challenges the early learning sector is facing?</p>
<h2>What was promised?</h2>
<p>Labor has committed to increasing the subsidy to up to 90% for the first child in childcare from July 2023. There will also be higher subsidies for families with more than one child in childcare, including school-age children in care outside school hours.</p>
<p>Labor predicts 96% of families who use childcare will be better off under the new policy. </p>
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<p>Labor has also promised to task the Productivity Commission and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) with ensuring further reform.</p>
<p>The ACCC will be directed to develop a mechanism to regulate the cost of childcare, with the aim of making it more affordable.</p>
<p>The Productivity Commission will be tasked with a review of the early childhood system, with a view to supporting a universal 90% childcare subsidy for all families. But it is not clear exactly what the review will examine. The terms of reference are not yet known.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-chaos-has-shed-light-on-many-issues-in-the-australian-childcare-sector-here-are-4-of-them-174404">COVID chaos has shed light on many issues in the Australian childcare sector. Here are 4 of them</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What are the other problems?</h2>
<p>There are many other issues in the sector. One of the biggest is access. Many families struggle to find the care they need.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/mitchell-institute/early-learning/childcare-deserts-oases-how-accessible-is-childcare-in-australia">Our research</a> shows around 35% of Australians live in regions classified as a “childcare desert”. This is where more than three children aged four and under are vying for every available childcare spot.</p>
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<p>Rural and regional areas have the worst problems with finding childcare places.
Of the 1.1 million Australians with no access to centre-based day care within a 20-minute drive, almost all are outside major cities.</p>
<p>Areas with the highest fees generally have the highest childcare availability. This better access suggests providers establish services not only where there is demand, but where they are likely to make greater profits.</p>
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<p>When it comes to work, mothers with a child aged under five years who live in a childcare desert have lower levels of workforce participation.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/if-governments-were-really-concerned-about-tax-and-the-cost-of-living-they-would-cut-the-cost-of-childcare-182669">If governments were really concerned about tax and the cost of living they would cut the cost of childcare</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>As for workers within the early learning system, there are widespread problems with low pay and retention. Attracting staff is becoming increasingly difficult. The <a href="https://lmip.gov.au/default.aspx?LMIP/GainInsights/VacancyReport">latest employment data</a> show vacancies in childcare occupations are at a record high.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://bigsteps.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Exhausted-undervalued-and-leaving.pdf">2021 survey</a> of almost 4,000 early childhood educators showed 37% do not intend to stay in the sector long-term. Of this group, 74% intend to leave within the next three years and 26% within the year. </p>
<p>Pay and conditions as well as professional recognition and professional learning opportunities all influence the attraction and retention of early educators. Regional, remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforces are the <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-10/ShapingOurFutureChildrensEducationandCareNationalWorkforceStrategy-September2021.pdf">worst affected</a> by these issues. </p>
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<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-are-leaving-in-droves-here-are-3-ways-to-keep-them-and-attract-more-153187">Early childhood educators are leaving in droves. Here are 3 ways to keep them, and attract more</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How do the promises stack up against all these problems?</h2>
<p>While Labor has committed to making childcare more affordable, the other systemic issues that riddle the sector have been neglected. </p>
<p>Early learning has an important role to play in overcoming disadvantage. But it is the most disadvantaged communities that have the least access – focusing on cost alone will not improve access for those in childcare deserts. There is not yet enough information about the scope of Productivity Commission review to determine whether these issues will be identified and rectified. </p>
<p>If Labor is serious about moving towards universal childcare, access will be an important barrier to overcome.</p>
<p>Also unclear at this stage is whether the review will look at alternative methods of funding childcare. Australia’s childcare system is funded using a parent-subsidy-based model. Governments pay part of the cost of childcare through a means-tested subsidy.</p>
<p>There is some evidence that direct funding of services can improve early childhood services. This is where governments fund providers directly for each child, as happens for preschools and schools. According to <a href="https://www.oecd.org/education/school/startingstrongiiearlychildhoodeducationandcare.htm">the OECD</a>, direct public funding models can bring “more effective governmental steering of early childhood services, advantages of scale, better national quality, more effective training for educators and a higher degree of equity in access compared with parent subsidy models”. </p>
<p>The issues of attracting and retaining staff in the early learning workforce are complex. Increased pay and better conditions must be front of mind for any real progress, accompanied by career pathways and support for professional learning, regardless of location. </p>
<p>The new government has an opportunity to take a strong stance on early learning and deliver a system that works for children, families, educators and the economy. It won’t be easy, but meaningful action for long-term change will deliver benefits for everyone.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/183617/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hannah Matthews works for the Mitchell Institute who receive funding from Minderoo and the Thrive by Five campaign to undertake research on Australia's early learning sector.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Hurley works for the Mitchell Institute who receive funding from Minderoo and the Thrive by Five campaign to undertake research on Australia's early learning sector.</span></em></p>Cutting the cost of childcare for families won’t help them if there are no places available at local childcare centres or people to staff them.Hannah Matthews, Policy Fellow, Mitchell Institute, Victoria UniversityPeter Hurley, Policy Fellow, Mitchell Institute, Victoria UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1752102022-05-02T19:44:31Z2022-05-02T19:44:31ZKindergarten educators with children at home struggled during the pandemic — mental health supports are needed<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/444414/original/file-20220203-27-gk4drm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C1%2C1094%2C689&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Kindergarten teachers were tasked with adapting a hands-on, play-based curricula in a virtual environment – a nearly impossible task even without parenting one's own children at the same time. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Concerns about the effects of school closures and COVID-19 disruptions over the past two years are still very much a concern for educators — including well-placed <a href="https://doi.org/10.47326/ocsat.2021.02.34.1.0">worries about how school closures have affected young learners</a>.</p>
<p>It is important to recognize that school closures have also significantly impacted educators and parents — critical figures and caregivers for children. Our research has examined how educators who are also parents have fared with teaching from home with their children underfoot.</p>
<p>Among the most affected educators have been the teams of kindergarten teachers and early childhood educators responsible for implementing Ontario’s <a href="https://www.ontario.ca/document/kindergarten-program-2016">full-day learning curriculum</a>. </p>
<p>Kindergarten in Ontario focuses on hands-on, play-based and interactive learning — activities that are nearly impossible to re-create in an online environment. </p>
<h2>Survey of kindergarten educators</h2>
<p>Our team at the <a href="https://offordcentre.com/">Offord Centre for Child Studies</a> at McMaster University surveyed kindergarten <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103735">teachers and early childhood educators</a> representing almost all of Ontario’s school boards in the spring of 2020, when schools first shut down. </p>
<p>Ontario’s kindergarten model <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-team-approach-makes-full-day-kindergarten-a-success-113339">is a team approach with both professionals in classrooms</a>. Study participants included 1,790 educators in Ontario — about three-quarters were kindergarten teachers and about one-quarter were early childhood educators.</p>
<p>We wanted to know if educators who had to balance teaching from home with caregiving responsibilities for family members reported poorer mental health than their colleagues who did not. The survey data we gleaned <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103735">strongly suggested they did</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/443892/original/file-20220201-17-1o2egnt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Bars of a graph in light orange, dark orange and brown show comparative rates of depression and comparable rates of anxiety among people who had responsibilities for child care, shared responsibilities and no responsibilities for child care" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/443892/original/file-20220201-17-1o2egnt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/443892/original/file-20220201-17-1o2egnt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443892/original/file-20220201-17-1o2egnt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443892/original/file-20220201-17-1o2egnt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443892/original/file-20220201-17-1o2egnt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443892/original/file-20220201-17-1o2egnt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443892/original/file-20220201-17-1o2egnt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Child care: Differences in depression and anxiety in educators that reported no responsibilities for child care, shared and primary responsibilities for child care. Numbers refer to the score on a depression and anxiety scale for each group.</span>
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</figure>
<p>Our findings show that those who were primarily responsible for the care or learning of their own children self-reported poorer mental health than those who did not have these responsibilities or those who could share them. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/443895/original/file-20220201-18-1v8etcr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Bars of a graph in light orange, dark orange and brown show comparative rates of depression and comparable rates of anxiety among people who had responsibilities for child learning, shared responsibilities and no responsibilities for child learning." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/443895/original/file-20220201-18-1v8etcr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/443895/original/file-20220201-18-1v8etcr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=351&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443895/original/file-20220201-18-1v8etcr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=351&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443895/original/file-20220201-18-1v8etcr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=351&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443895/original/file-20220201-18-1v8etcr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=441&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443895/original/file-20220201-18-1v8etcr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=441&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443895/original/file-20220201-18-1v8etcr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=441&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Child learning: Differences in depression and anxiety of educators who had no responsibilities for child learning, shared responsibilities and primary responsibilities for child learning. Numbers refer to the score on a depression and anxiety scale for each group.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Caregiving for older adults also</h2>
<p>Previous research from Ireland involving more than 600 adults suggests <a href="https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/bjhp.12450">an association between taking care of children in the pandemic and positive emotion, although the same study found an association between schooling children at home and negative emotion</a>. Our study suggests caring for children in the pandemic may have only been positive for parents if the responsibilities are shared. Those who could share their responsibilities for childcare or learning fared better in terms of depression and anxiety than those who did not have any such responsibilities.</p>
<p>Our findings also indicated that educators who, during the early stages of the pandemic, reported being responsible for the care of an older adult also had higher depression and anxiety levels compared to those who did not have this responsibility.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/443896/original/file-20220201-19-sf08d0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Bars of a graph seen in bright and dark orange compare rates of depression and anxiety among people who had adult care responsibilities and those who didn't." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/443896/original/file-20220201-19-sf08d0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/443896/original/file-20220201-19-sf08d0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443896/original/file-20220201-19-sf08d0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443896/original/file-20220201-19-sf08d0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443896/original/file-20220201-19-sf08d0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443896/original/file-20220201-19-sf08d0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/443896/original/file-20220201-19-sf08d0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Differences in depression and anxiety between educators who reported no adult care responsibilities and those who did. Numbers refer to the score on a depression and anxiety scale for each group.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Women’s pandemic realities</h2>
<p>These findings are not only important when thinking about educators and how they can be best positioned to respond to young student needs, but also about working professionals in general. </p>
<p>Given that <a href="https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/dai/smr08/2014/smr08_190_2014#a5">most kindergarten educators are women</a>, these findings further support the idea that the COVID-19 pandemic has been having a larger impact on <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epub/10.1080/15487733.2020.1776561?needAccess=true">working women with children than on men</a>.</p>
<p>These findings stress the importance of providing adequate mental health supports for teachers and early childhood educators to ensure they can in turn provide optimal support to our youngest learners. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/new-cross-canada-research-highlights-an-early-childhood-educator-recruitment-crisis-160968">New cross-Canada research highlights an early childhood educator recruitment crisis</a>
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</p>
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<h2>Sum of our roles</h2>
<p>Our results also highlight the need to think about the sum of our individual roles and responsibilities to better understand the full impact of the pandemic. Each of us has more than one role in life, and all of them have been impacted in one way or another.</p>
<p>Emerging from the pandemic, when employers consider supports required for employees, they need to look at things from a big-picture level. </p>
<p>Bearing in mind how employees have experienced home life and professional life both need to be held into account to help our society to continue to find possible solutions that will better support families in our society.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/175210/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Magdalena Janus is partly supported by the Government of Ontario/Children's Secretariat Chair in Early Childhood Development
</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Natalie Spadafora does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Kindergarten educators who taught from home during COVID-19 and who were primarily responsible for their own children self-reported poorer mental health than those without these responsibilities.Natalie Spadafora, Post-doctoral fellow, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster UniversityMagdalena Janus, Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1811242022-04-25T18:55:39Z2022-04-25T18:55:39ZChildren across Canada deserve a professional early childhood education workforce<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459576/original/file-20220425-72196-jy7dnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=4%2C250%2C3265%2C2029&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Almost as many trained early childhood educators work outside licensed child care as in it. Many say they would return to the field if offered decent work. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://images.all4ed.org/license/">(Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for EDUimages) </a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/children-across-canada-deserve-a-professional-early-childhood-education-workforce" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>A <a href="https://ecereport.ca/en/workforce-report/">report</a> released April 13 <a href="https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/atkinson/Main/index.html">by University of Toronto researchers</a> highlights what many in the early learning and child-care sector have long known: Canada’s early childhood educators (ECEs) are <a href="https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.647162/publication.html">undervalued, underpaid and under-resourced</a>. Unless governments get serious about addressing their working conditions, a Canada-wide child-care plan will be derailed.</p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458703/original/file-20220419-16-85m3jj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Prime Minister Trudeau seen in a tie and face mask crouching at a child care centre." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458703/original/file-20220419-16-85m3jj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458703/original/file-20220419-16-85m3jj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=719&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458703/original/file-20220419-16-85m3jj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=719&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458703/original/file-20220419-16-85m3jj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=719&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458703/original/file-20220419-16-85m3jj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=903&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458703/original/file-20220419-16-85m3jj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=903&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458703/original/file-20220419-16-85m3jj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=903&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Canada’s child-care plan will be derailed unless governments improve working conditions for the early learning and child care workforce.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>The federal government’s <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2021/12/a-canada-wide-early-learning-and-child-care-plan.html">historic $30-billion investment</a> in child care and the agreements signed with provinces and territories prioritize lowering parent fees to $10 per day and expanding the number of child-care spaces. Yet in the race to achieve these goals, the people who provide care are too often overlooked.</p>
<p>More than 300,000 people across Canada work with young children, comprising over <a href="https://ecereport.ca/en/resources/charts-graphs/workforce-report/eces-assistants-home-care/">one per cent of the employed population</a>. It is a <a href="https://journals.uvic.ca/index.php/jcs/article/view/19594/8882">marginalized workforce</a> of mostly women. One in three are immigrants or non-permanent residents, compared to 25 per cent of all other occupations. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2021001/article/00005-eng.htm">21 per cent of staff</a> left the sector. </p>
<h2>Package of interventions required</h2>
<p>Filling current vacant positions needs to happen alongside finding an additional 32,000 educators, plus the support workers needed to staff the 240,000 new spaces Canada has promised over the next five years. Despite an obvious crisis, addressing workforce needs has received cursory attention. </p>
<p>Some provinces and territories have taken steps to <a href="https://ecereport.ca/en/resources/charts-graphs/workforce-report/maximum-hourly-wage-supplement/">raise wages</a>, but across the <a href="https://opencanada.org/why-canadians-should-care-about-global-care-economy">care economy</a>, there is a reluctance to recognize that creating and maintaining a professional workforce requires a package of interventions to produce inviting jobs. </p>
<p>These include wages and benefits that reflect the value of the work, resources and access to experts to do the job well and opportunities for career advancement. The rub is governments do not need to go far to find educators. Almost as many trained early childhood educators <a href="https://www.college-ece.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2020-21_Annual_Report_EN.pdf">work outside licensed child care, as in it</a>. Working with young children is their first passion, and <a href="https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/news/efforts-underway-to-boost-peis-early-childhood-education-workforce-100696730/">if offered decent work many say they would return</a>. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/canadas-covid-19-child-care-plan-must-start-with-investing-in-early-childhood-educators-157553">Canada's COVID-19 child-care plan must start with investing in early childhood educators</a>
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<p>For the past two years we have been meeting with educators, child-care operators, government officials and researchers to learn about what brings people into child care and more importantly what makes them stay. We document <a href="https://ecereport.ca/en/resources/charts-graphs/workforce-report/current-status-ece-workforce-2021/">today’s challenges and what needs to quickly change</a>. </p>
<h2>Wages</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/wages-occupation/5180/ca">Half the child-care workforce</a> barely earn above the minimum wage. Almost 70 per cent <a href="https://ecereport.ca/media/uploads/wr-downloads/workforce_surveys.pdf">report that their salary does not adequately reflect the skill and knowledge their work requires</a>. </p>
<p>Enrolment challenges in programs brought on by the pandemic resulted in layoffs and unpredictable hours, leading to <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-daycare-early-childhood-education-workers-leaving-jobs-access/">ECEs leaving the sector to work elsewhere where they earn more</a>. Evaluating educators’ work using pay equity tied to comparable jobs in the public sector would place child care workers on par with their public counterparts. </p>
<p>Recruitment and retention challenges aren’t seen in <a href="https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/atkinson/UserFiles/File/Publications/TELCCS_REPORT.pdf">publicly operated child-care centres</a> where educators are paid substantially more, are <a href="https://ecereport.ca/en/resources/charts-graphs/workforce-report/rate-unionization-centre-type/">unionized</a> and have access to professional development and career opportunities. </p>
<h2>Benefits</h2>
<p>Paid leave, and decent health and pension benefits are essential recruiting tools. One-third of the <a href="https://ecereport.ca/en/workforce-report/">child-care workforce receive no health benefits, and only 17.7 per cent have access to employer paid RRSPs or pensions</a>. More than 50 per cent of educators report access to benefits as a reason for staying with their current employer. Governments can include educators in their existing public pension and benefits plans. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A child seen in conversation with an educator at a table." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458701/original/file-20220419-13790-ei0x1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458701/original/file-20220419-13790-ei0x1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458701/original/file-20220419-13790-ei0x1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458701/original/file-20220419-13790-ei0x1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458701/original/file-20220419-13790-ei0x1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458701/original/file-20220419-13790-ei0x1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458701/original/file-20220419-13790-ei0x1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Educators need adequate resources to provide children with high-quality educational and care environments.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for EDUimages)</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span>
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<h2>Working conditions</h2>
<p>Empowering educators to support children to develop into their optimal selves requires expertise and resources. Educators’ knowledge of child development — paired with their relationships with children at a critical early window in children’s lives — means educators can identify child or family challenges and propose interventions or refer families to community or health services. </p>
<p>To successfully accomplish this educators need time to keep their skills current, and have access to professional mentorship and specialists who can help support children and families with greater needs. </p>
<h2>Educator training and qualifications</h2>
<p>Fewer than half the staff <a href="https://ecereport.ca/en/resources/charts-graphs/workforce-report/ratio-qualified-unqualified/">working in government licensed child care have post-secondary credentials</a> in early childhood education. <a href="https://ecereport.ca/media/uploads/wr-downloads/legislated_qualifications_of_child_care_supervisors_and_staff.pdf">No province or territory</a> requires all staff working with children to have credentials. This is a standard we would never accept within our kindergarten to Grade 12 systems of education. Increasing the percentage of trained staff contributes to better outcomes for children. </p>
<h2>Effective engagement</h2>
<p>Professional working conditions and the overall quality of a program depend on the leaders at the helm. However, <a href="https://ecereport.ca/media/uploads/wr-downloads/legislated_qualifications_of_child_care_supervisors_and_staff.pdf">few provinces and territories require additional training for centre directors</a>. Leading a child-care centre is complex, requiring proficiencies in financial literacy and viability, human resource management and educational leadership. Increasing training requirements for program directors will contribute to the quality of care children receive.</p>
<p>Educators’ work environments are children’s learning environments. Children depend on educators who are skilled and knowledgeable. Just as children’s environments can support or impede their learning, educators’ work environments can promote or hinder their ability to do their work well.</p>
<p>Decent work for Canada’s child-care workforce should be more than just a slogan; it must be the foundation of Canada’s early learning and child-care plan to ensure that children receive the high-quality care they deserve.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/181124/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emis Akbari receives funding from The Atkinson Foundation, The Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation and The Lawson Foundation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kerry McCuaig receives funding from the Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation, the Lawson Foundation, the Atkinson Foundation, and Employment and Social Development Canada.</span></em></p>Staff recruitment and retention challenges aren’t seen in public child-care centres, where educators are paid substantially more, are unionized and have professional development opportunities.Emis Akbari, Adjunct Professor, Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development at Ontario Institute for the Study of Education (OISE) and Senior Policy Fellow at the Atkinson Centre, University of TorontoKerry McCuaig, Fellow in Early Childhood Policy, Atkinson Centre, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of TorontoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1700912021-10-28T01:15:21Z2021-10-28T01:15:21ZEarly childhood educators feel burnt out and undervalued. Here’s what we can do to help<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428665/original/file-20211027-27-2y814x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6989%2C4663&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australian early childhood educators feel burnt out and undervalued. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10643-021-01203-3">Our research</a> reports on more than 200 educators’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed existing strains on the system and further eroded their well-being. </p>
<p>However, educators also identified three important ways their well-being can be restored. As one educator told us:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“You cannot pour from an empty cup. Our well-being needs to be supported so we can do the best job possible.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The pandemic has brought into sharp focus the <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/101622/1/Brief_report_ECEC_Workforce_Development_Policy_Workshop_final.pdf">challenging working conditions</a> the profession faces. Educators have to navigate emotionally complex work. They work <a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-are-slaves-to-the-demands-of-box-ticking-regulations-167283">long hours, with poor pay</a> and a lack of status or public recognition. Their opportunities for professional development or career progression are limited. </p>
<p>As a result, levels of work-related stress and burnout are high. Many are <a href="https://theconversation.com/insulting-and-degrading-budget-funding-for-childcare-may-help-families-but-educators-are-still-being-paid-pennies-160610">choosing to leave the sector</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-are-leaving-in-droves-here-are-3-ways-to-keep-them-and-attract-more-153187">Early childhood educators are leaving in droves. Here are 3 ways to keep them, and attract more</a>
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<p>Well-being is essential for educators to do their job well. Their well-being affects the well-being, learning and development of children across the country. <a href="https://snapshots.acecqa.gov.au/workforcedata/demand.html">A stable, qualified and healthy workforce </a> is essential for families, communities and societies.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10643-021-01203-3">our research</a>, more than 85% of educators reported the pandemic had negative impacts on their well-being. However, three key findings detail how well-being can be supported. Educators talked about the importance of: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>self-care</p></li>
<li><p>relationships with children, families and colleagues (and in educators’ personal lives)</p></li>
<li><p>recognition for their essential work.</p></li>
</ol>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1452512483621494785"}"></div></p>
<h2>Self-care has to be a priority</h2>
<p>Educators spoke about a renewed focus on self-care to support their own well-being. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“We’ve all finally realised that taking the dog for a walk has huge merits and having some meditation and doing some mindfulness and having our weekly yoga sessions are all actually working.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Self-care involved more than exercise and meditation. Creativity was also a support for well-being, including activities such as baking, clay-making and knitting. Educators took proactive steps for their health, to strengthen their own well-being. </p>
<p>Service supports also matter. Counselling and professional development services were helpful. Educators made use of (mostly online) professional services such as <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/what-is-mental-health?gclid=CjwKCAjw_L6LBhBbEiwA4c46uuoS6y280V1GdPD7PneU8-Ztq5yaWW4zVWJtSD2ev-HznnStH0GO3hoCngAQAvD_BwE">Beyond Blue</a> and the <a href="https://eapassist.com.au/?gclid=CjwKCAjw_L6LBhBbEiwA4c46ujIeZX2VPOEumDU3_aHcjNVYaOw93GznuNpy07qewR7cO0D1cPLy9RoCNQ4QAvD_BwE">Employee Assistance Program</a>. Some services provided additional resources to support mental health. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“The psychologist was extremely powerful and she’s given a few presentations of how to look after ourselves.”</p>
</blockquote>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-are-slaves-to-the-demands-of-box-ticking-regulations-167283">Early childhood educators are slaves to the demands of box-ticking regulations</a>
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<h2>Supportive relationships lighten the load</h2>
<p>Personal and professional relationships are key to educators’ well-being. Supportive professional relationships provided solidarity and shared understanding. The value of being able to unload, debrief or talk with others at work increased throughout lockdowns.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“That sense of belonging to a team and all the educators really caring very strongly for each other.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Despite reporting that the pandemic had a negative impact on their well-being, educators <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10643-021-01203-3">reported strong relationships with the children</a> they work with. Teaching and engaging with children is central to educators’ well-being. Connection to other aspects of children’s lives is also important: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“COVID has taught us that it’s the relationships we have with parents, with families, with everybody in our community that’s the most important thing.”</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Recognise their essential work</h2>
<p>Educators in our research rated their sense of contribution high. <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/providing-quality-early-childhood-education-and-care_301005d1-en">Workforce studies</a> reflect this, showing educators value and recognise the importance of their work with children. But their professional contribution is not always acknowledged. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“[Being told by government] we are here to support ‘essential workers’ without actually being referred to as essential ourselves was a real blow to the industry and self-esteem of educators.”</p>
</blockquote>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/insulting-and-degrading-budget-funding-for-childcare-may-help-families-but-educators-are-still-being-paid-pennies-160610">'Insulting' and 'degrading': budget funding for childcare may help families but educators are still being paid pennies</a>
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<p>Acknowledgement at the local level was even more important to educator well-being during the pandemic: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Families [are] really, really appreciating the work that we do. I think they got an extra insight into, and appreciation, for the work that the educators do for their children.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/183693911303800203">Research</a> in child development shows us the continuum of vital learning between birth and eight years of age. However, the Australian education system treats school and pre-school settings very differently. Educators felt ignored in government decision-making throughout the pandemic, and have long argued for early learning to be recognised as pivotal for life trajectories.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“A system that acknowledges the absolute fundamental truth that unless you get early childhood right, you never get it. That child then struggles into adulthood. And as educators, we know that. So that affects our well-being as well.” </p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Let’s listen to educators</h2>
<p>The pandemic has added to existing strains on the system. Educators’ well-being has continued to suffer as a result. As one educator said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“The stress of COVID-19 exacerbated any of the stresses and difficulties that were going [on], it didn’t create them. The precedent that we have, there were always going to be problems.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>We know there’s a problem, we know the problem affects the community more broadly, but to support well-being effectively, we need to understand the experiences of educators themselves. We need to keep listening to them and act on what they’re telling us. </p>
<p>Here’s a good place to start: encourage self-care and provide access to resources; support and sustain relationships; acknowledge educators’ essential role in society and recognise that their well-being matters.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170091/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The pandemic highlighted Australia’s reliance on early childhood educators, while adding to their existing stresses. A study of how educators fared identifies three key factors in their well-being.Penny Levickis, Senior Research Fellow, REEaCh (Research in Effective Education in Early Childhood) Hub, The University of MelbourneAmelia Church, Senior Lecturer, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of MelbourneJane Page, Associate Professor, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of MelbourneLisa Murray, Research Fellow, REEaCh (Research in Effective Education in Early Childhood) Hub, The University of MelbournePatricia Eadie, Professor & Director of REEaCh (Research in Effective Education in Early Childhood) Hub, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1661062021-09-22T19:56:03Z2021-09-22T19:56:03ZChildren learn science in nature play long before they get to school classrooms and labs<p>The number of preschools pursuing learning through nature play is growing fast worldwide. However, the effectiveness and impacts of this approach is largely untested, and we recently completed the first large-scale study in the world to explicitly research nature play in early childhood education. </p>
<p>By mapping the learning of scientific concepts in nature play in a range of early childhood settings, we demonstrated how young children engage with science long before they get to school classrooms and labs.</p>
<p>Our <a href="http://www.childhoodnatureplay.com/the-mudbook-nature-play-framework/">research shows nature play</a> is a highly effective way of embedding STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — in early childhood education. These areas share connections and practices, and <a href="https://www.proquest.com/docview/873954028?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true">research</a> increasingly shows that “regardless of ability, young children are ready, willing, and able to engage in STEM activities”. </p>
<h2>What exactly is nature play?</h2>
<p>Nature play is a popular way to respond to parent and teacher concerns about children’s limited time in nature and potentially too much screen time. It’s generally seen as unstructured play in natural settings, involving child-led interactions with nature. </p>
<p>Inspiration for nature play is often attributed to Scandinavian “<a href="https://www.growingwildforestschool.org/post/the-brief-history-heritage-of-forest-schools-around-the-world">forest school</a>” models. However, its origins run far deeper. Indigenous practices, for instance, notably understandings of Country and self as entangled, rather than separate, <a href="https://sk.sagepub.com/reference/the-sage-handbook-of-outdoor-play-and-learning/i2516.xml">support many of the key features of nature play</a>. </p>
<p>Early childhood education in some countries such as Germany, Finland and Denmark has a <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/history-of-education-quarterly/article/abs/friedrich-froebel-a-selection-from-his-writings-by-irene-m-lilley-cambridge-cambridge-university-press-1967-180-viii-pp-475/381D5F9FDE73834FA6AE6F4F05227092">long tradition of nature play</a>. For instance, “kindergarten” means “children and garden” in German, showing kindergarten’s roots in nature-based learning.</p>
<h2>What was the research project?</h2>
<p>Our <a href="http://www.childhoodnatureplay.com/">research project</a> in urban and regional early childhood settings in Queensland uncovered a vast number of key concepts explored through nature play. Many were connected with Indigenous ways of knowing about the planet. Others were more aligned with environmental science or STEM concepts. </p>
<p>With funding from the Queensland government’s <a href="https://education.qld.gov.au/about-us/reporting-data-research/research/research-funding/education-horizon">Education Horizon</a> scheme, our team worked with 20 early childhood education centres. There were ten sites in South-East Queensland, nine in Central Queensland and one in far north-western Queensland. </p>
<p>The project design involved both children and early childhood educators as researchers — 31 educators and 152 children (aged four to five) in all. The children and the educators collected data to research their own nature play experiences and practices. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-worry-your-childs-early-learning-doesnt-stop-just-because-theyre-not-in-childcare-134668">Don’t worry, your child’s early learning doesn’t stop just because they’re not in childcare</a>
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<p>We explored children’s activities, ideas and beliefs about nature, and their relationships with/as nature. Understandings were diverse and ranged from seeing humans as separate from nature, to humans being part of nature — humans as nature. </p>
<p>The recently published <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339925347_Research_Handbook_on_Childhoodnature_Assemblages_of_Childhood_and_Nature_Research_Assemblages_of_Childhood_and_Nature_Research">Research Handbook of Childhoodnature</a> found centring childhood in nature, as childhoodnature — with humans being understood as part of nature — is a vital foundation for nature play. As one four year old said: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“When I’m outside I learn about nature. Nature is what we’re in now. The trees are nature. The sky is nature. The creek is nature. The ants are nature. We are nature too, because we look after nature – and not break it.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>We found educators’ lack of confidence or understanding of science concepts need not limit exploration of STEM in early childhood education. Instead, participating educators reframed any limits to their knowledge as “<a href="https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.680.1528&rep=rep1&type=pdf">an opportunity rather than an embarrassment</a>”. </p>
<p>The educators became active co-learners alongside children, rejecting the traditional perception of teachers as the source of all knowledge. To make the most of STEM opportunities in nature play, educators must understand their role as curious “<a href="https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/jul2016/beyond-bouncing-ball-toddlers-and-teachers-investigate-physics">scientists in action</a>”. They problem-solve, investigate and discover alongside children. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/let-them-play-kids-need-freedom-from-play-restrictions-to-develop-117586">Let them play! Kids need freedom from play restrictions to develop</a>
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<p>Our research identified environmental science concepts as the area of scientific learning participants most often engaged with through nature play. This means environmental science, as a discipline of teaching and learning within STEM, has an important contribution to make to children’s scientific learning. </p>
<p>Like all STEM disciplines, environmental science emerges in the early years and will build in complexity throughout a child’s life. The educators in this study embraced nine distinct nature play practices and lessons:</p>
<ol>
<li>place/Country-responsive play — such as bushwalks and other excursions on Country and learning from and with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders</li>
<li>non-human play — deep observation of plants, clouds, natural objects and other species</li>
<li>slow play — giving children the time and freedom for sustained, unhurried, uninterrupted play, including child-directed free play and artmaking</li>
<li>sensorial play — stimulating children’s senses and an awareness of the body through noticing, paying attention, foraging, smelling, feeling, touching and deepening connection </li>
<li>risky play — climbing trees, hanging upside down, balancing, rope swings, navigating creeks, building campfires, using tools, wrestling and exploring without adult supervision<br></li>
<li>imaginative play — also known as make-believe play, fantasy play, symbolic play, pretend play and dramatic play. Children often role-play as a way of exploring and making sense of the world </li>
<li>construction/creative play — whittling, sawing wood, building tunnels and bridges, painting, drawing, dancing, singing, drumming, nature journaling, nature collage, weaving, felting, sculpting, and clay work</li>
<li> discovery play — using a digital microscope, experimenting with natural resources, exploring shadows and light, floating and sinking, and watching insect and animal behaviour, as a way to think deeply about the world and learn how it works</li>
<li>death play — observing dead animals decomposing over time, role-playing death/dying and learning about life cycles to explore death, dying or grief.<br></li>
</ol>
<p>The project uncovered a vast number of key scientific concepts and terms explored through nature play. These were organised under the key areas of earth, ecologies, relations, materials, bodies, time and weathering. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/419626/original/file-20210906-17-1ulwifo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/419626/original/file-20210906-17-1ulwifo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/419626/original/file-20210906-17-1ulwifo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=922&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/419626/original/file-20210906-17-1ulwifo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=922&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/419626/original/file-20210906-17-1ulwifo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=922&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/419626/original/file-20210906-17-1ulwifo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1158&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/419626/original/file-20210906-17-1ulwifo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1158&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/419626/original/file-20210906-17-1ulwifo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1158&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Common science concepts and terms identified within nature play.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This is not a prescriptive list, nor are these the only scientific concepts nature play enables. Rather, they are starting points to activate discussion and help children learn. When STEM concepts are inspired by the children’s interests, curiosities and questions, learning is more powerful, engaging and enduring. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/should-i-let-my-kid-climb-trees-we-asked-five-experts-125871">Should I let my kid climb trees? We asked five experts</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/166106/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles receives funding from the Queensland Government Department of Education Horizon funding scheme.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alexandra Lasczik receives funding from the Queensland Government Department of Education Horizon funding scheme.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Karen Malone receives funding from Queensland Government under their HORIZON funding scheme. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Linda Knight receives funding from Queensland Government Department of Education Horizon Scheme</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Maia Osborn receives funding from receives funding from the Queensland Government Department of Education Horizon funding scheme.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mahi Paquette does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>New research demonstrates the many aspects of nature play that make it a great way for young children to gain STEM knowledge.Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, Executive Dean, Faculty of Education, Southern Cross UniversityAlexandra Lasczik, Associate Professor, Arts & Education, Southern Cross UniversityKaren Malone, Professor, Environmental Sustainability and Childhood Studies, Swinburne University of TechnologyLinda Knight, Associate Professor, Early Childhood: Creative Practice and Digital Media, RMIT UniversityMahi Paquette, Research Associate, Faculty of Education, Southern Cross UniversityMaia Osborn, Research Fellow, Faculty of Education, Southern Cross UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1672832021-09-21T20:12:18Z2021-09-21T20:12:18ZEarly childhood educators are slaves to the demands of box-ticking regulations<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/422262/original/file-20210921-23-n0usgj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-kindergarten-teacher-playing-music-little-635590394">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>More than two-thirds of Australian early childhood educators reported working many extra hours to satisfy regulatory requirements in our <a href="https://uneprofessions.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_38j3CdPsHnM8l81">2021 survey</a>. Half did unpaid work during accreditation — the process of demonstrating compliance with all the regulations governing early childhood education. Some were paid for as little as half of the hours they worked.</p>
<p>It’s not like they were well paid in the first place. Early childhood educators are the <a href="https://au.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/lowest-paid-jobs-in-australia">13th-lowest-paid workers in Australia</a>. </p>
<p>These educators earn an average of $29.10 an hour. Workers with the minimum of a certificate in childhood services are more likely to <a href="https://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Childcare_Worker/Hourly_Rate">earn $23.50 an hour</a>, while those with a diploma or degree earn more. Unqualified workers in male-dominated industries <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-19/wage-price-index-slips-despite-labour-market/100386326">earn far more</a> than workers in the <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/early-childhood-education/working-in-early-childhood-education/media/documents/Workforce-Literature-Review.pdf">female-dominated</a> early childhood sector.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/insulting-and-degrading-budget-funding-for-childcare-may-help-families-but-educators-are-still-being-paid-pennies-160610">'Insulting' and 'degrading': budget funding for childcare may help families but educators are still being paid pennies</a>
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<p>The stresses of low pay and long hours cause almost <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0022185618800351">one in three</a> early childhood educators to leave the profession each year. This year, <a href="https://bigsteps.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Exhausted-undervalued-and-leaving.pdf">a survey</a> found <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/73-of-early-educators-plan-to-leave-the-sector-within-three-years/">73% intend to leave</a> the profession in the next three years. Providers are struggling to find qualified staff.</p>
<h2>Long hours of unpaid work are common</h2>
<p>I’m involved in a <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/09/14/accreditation-effects-on-early-childhood-educator-morale/">transnational study</a> exploring the work of early childhood educators in Australia, Canada and Denmark. The Australian data include survey responses from 50 educators from a range of service types in cities and regional and rural settings. </p>
<p>Some 70% commented on how many extra hours they worked during accreditation, with 50% reporting unpaid hours. Educators said: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I work a 68-hour week yet get paid for 30 hours.”</p>
<p>“a lot of unpaid hours.”</p>
<p>“Staff were given work to fill in whilst on breaks, often stayed back for unpaid staff meetings and to do extra work.”</p>
<p>“lots of unpaid work to catch up on the documentation that was required”.</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421801/original/file-20210917-17-14qmf99.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421801/original/file-20210917-17-14qmf99.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421801/original/file-20210917-17-14qmf99.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=356&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421801/original/file-20210917-17-14qmf99.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=356&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421801/original/file-20210917-17-14qmf99.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=356&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421801/original/file-20210917-17-14qmf99.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421801/original/file-20210917-17-14qmf99.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421801/original/file-20210917-17-14qmf99.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Percentages of overtime during accreditation reported by early childhood educators.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>To be accredited, services must provide state regulatory authorities with documentary evidence they are meeting or exceeding the measures of quality laid down by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (<a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/">ACECQA</a>). Some participants said the demands from these rigorous quality checks have become “ridiculous”, requiring volumes of documentary evidence. </p>
<p>Preparing this evidence requires time away from the children, whose development depends on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmxoiU87dp8&list=PLs5uqwJIALQu0i439U9ctA-yZaNtW5WYQ&index=6">quality interactions</a> with their educators. Many said they could not do the documentation in working hours because they were busy teaching children and supporting families. </p>
<p>Why do educators do the extra work? If the service doesn’t pass, it triggers more checks, requiring more frequent documentation. Very few educators said they were paid for this extra time. </p>
<p>When commenting on the number of unpaid hours, some noted the impacts on their family life:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Too many. It caused stress at home with family.”</p>
<p>“We dedicated over 2 weeks of nights and weekends to be ready for accreditation and registration. Even our husbands came and did work with us.”</p>
<p>“Detrimental. Lack of work life balance during this time.”</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421767/original/file-20210917-25-h7u9if.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A wordcloud showing how often educators used various words in their comments about working extra hours during accreditation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421767/original/file-20210917-25-h7u9if.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421767/original/file-20210917-25-h7u9if.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421767/original/file-20210917-25-h7u9if.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421767/original/file-20210917-25-h7u9if.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421767/original/file-20210917-25-h7u9if.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421767/original/file-20210917-25-h7u9if.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421767/original/file-20210917-25-h7u9if.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A wordcloud showing how often educators used various words in their comments about working extra hours during accreditation.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Attrition is creating staff shortages</h2>
<p>With unfair wages and <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/early-childhood-directors-are-carrying-an-exhausting-load-during-covid-19-even-beyond-major-outbreaks-research/">increased expectations due to COVID-19</a> health orders, many providers are <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-11/federal-budget-2021-child-care-worker-shortage-could-get-worse/100129004">struggling to staff their services</a>. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0022185618800351">Research</a> shows educators leave the profession when they can no longer afford to stay.</p>
<p>As quality education and care depend on interactions with individual children, <a href="https://www.iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/1447/532">their families and communities</a>, staff turnover is of great concern. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UmxoiU87dp8?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The quality of their interactions with caregivers, including early childhood educators, has a profound influence on children’s development.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Yet, rather than tackling these issues, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/our-uni-teachers-were-already-among-the-worlds-most-stressed-covid-and-student-feedback-have-just-made-things-worse-162612">increase in managerialism</a> in Australian education has added to the stresses of poor pay for a demanding job. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/our-uni-teachers-were-already-among-the-worlds-most-stressed-covid-and-student-feedback-have-just-made-things-worse-162612">Our uni teachers were already among the world's most stressed. COVID and student feedback have just made things worse</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What are the impacts of managerialism?</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2331186X.2017.1365411">Managerialism creates a system</a> where the worker is positioned as someone who is mistrusted. </p>
<p>In these systems, workers are given <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02680939.2014.924561">highly detailed descriptions</a> of tasks that need to be checked by managers and authorities. Rather than doing the job they were employed to do, workers find themselves <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02680939.2014.924561">busy producing data</a> to show they are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/183693911604100306">following these instructions</a>.</p>
<p>Managers and authorities say this is necessary to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02680939.2017.1352032">ensure quality</a>. Their <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1350293X.2020.1836583">beliefs about quality</a> are transcribed into voluminous documents. Often these documents are so complex, even <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/acecqa/files/National-Quality-Framework-Resources-Kit/educators_guide_to_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia_2.pdf">longer documents</a> or <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/about/guide">guides</a> are provided to decipher the original document.</p>
<p>In early childhood education, these include <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf">curriculum documents</a>, <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework">frameworks</a> and <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-quality-standard">standards</a>. The Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (<a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/">ACECQA</a>) creates these documents. State and territory regulatory authorities are responsible for ensuring compliance through registration and accreditation — a process of assessment and rating.</p>
<h2>Quality may actually suffer</h2>
<p>Many educators believed accreditation requirements lowered the quality of education and care during accreditation. One said: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“It is a joke! Everything is so inhibited, and the children and educators are far too over-regulated. The children cannot be free to learn. They cannot go near water, they cannot climb. Fear is instilled into the educators. It is a horrible and restrictive learning environment. It makes the children so small-minded and full of anxiety.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>An <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/07/26/acecqa-shares-findings-from-national-workforce-strategy-as-recruiting-challenges-persist/">ACECQA survey</a> this year found educators intending to leave the sector early blame <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/07/26/acecqa-shares-findings-from-national-workforce-strategy-as-recruiting-challenges-persist/">overwork, administrative overload and burnout</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-are-leaving-in-droves-here-are-3-ways-to-keep-them-and-attract-more-153187">Early childhood educators are leaving in droves. Here are 3 ways to keep them, and attract more</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Have authorities unwittingly created an accreditation system that enslaves workers and reduces quality during accreditation periods? Further research is needed to discover the full burden of these compliance systems. </p>
<h2>What now?</h2>
<p>What can we do about this discovery of excessive unpaid wages and chronic underpayment of our <a href="https://www.unicef.org.au/about-us/media/august-2020/early-childhood-education-care-an-essential-service">essential workers</a>? Being a slave is defined as being part of the slave trade, but also includes those who do not receive <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=slavery+definition&client=firefox-b-e&sxsrf=AOaemvIEzTZTCZaTUDxvOUAPYVsCLeS7FQ%3A1630888568410&ei=eGI1YZK5GNHc9QPsuoC4Ag&oq=slavery&gs_lcp=Cgxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAQARgAMgQIIxAnMgcIABCxAxBDMgQIABBDMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIICAAQgAQQyQMyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDoHCCMQsAMQJzoHCAAQRxCwAzoHCAAQsAMQQzoLCAAQgAQQsQMQgwE6CAgAEIAEELEDOgQILhBDOgUIABCRAjoLCC4QxwEQrwEQkQI6CwguEIAEELEDEIMBSgQIQRgAUJIaWN8iYPI2aAJwAngAgAGJAogB8wuSAQUwLjIuNZgBAKABAcgBCsABAQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp">proper remuneration</a> for their work. With a federal election looming, it is another matter to lobby our government about given Australia’s <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2331186X.2017.1365411">uneasy relationship with slavery</a>.</p>
<p>To recover strongly from the economic impacts of the pandemic, we need <a href="https://pmc.gov.au/office-women/economic-security/wess/repair-and-rebuild-womens-workforce-participation-and-further-close-gender-pay-gap">strong workplace participation</a>. To support this participation, <a href="https://thrivebyfive.org.au/news/npcaddress/">real reform</a> is needed to provide universal childcare and fully staffed services. The focus must be on creating systems that support <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M89VFIk4D-s">quality education and care</a>, not big data and slavery. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/quality-childcare-has-become-a-necessity-for-australian-families-and-for-society-its-time-the-government-paid-up-131748">Quality childcare has become a necessity for Australian families, and for society. It's time the government paid up</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167283/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marg Rogers does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>They’re among the lowest-paid in the country but are working many hours unpaid to meet the demands of accreditation. With 73% wanting to leave the profession in the next three years, change is needed.Marg Rogers, Lecturer, Early Childhood Education, University of New EnglandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1609682021-06-03T15:19:46Z2021-06-03T15:19:46ZNew cross-Canada research highlights an early childhood educator recruitment crisis<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403422/original/file-20210528-18-r14zhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C385%2C4589%2C2511&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">In expanding early learning and care, Canada must addresses a current crisis is retaining and recruiting educators. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As Canada emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, early education is key to the recovery of not just children and families, but of our social economy.</p>
<p>Children have endured <a href="https://www.directrelief.org/2021/01/growing-up-in-the-midst-of-a-pandemic-how-covid-is-affecting-childrens-development/">learning delays</a> and many have seen <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00787-021-01744-3">worsening mental health</a>. The pandemic has also rocked an early childhood sector that was already unstable and uneven. We must do better. </p>
<p>The newly released <a href="http://ecereport.ca/en/">Early Childhood Education Report 2020</a>
monitors quality and changes in early child education across Canada, and suggests critical issues to consider. The report is produced by the <a href="https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/atkinson/Main/index.html">Atkinson Centre</a>, a research centre based at the University of Toronto that uses <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgDiMqVuMEA">best available evidence</a> on early child development to inform public policy.</p>
<p>The report evaluates quality based on analyzing data across all 13 Canadian provinces and territories <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7y1VIDTJiQ">in five equally weighted categories</a>. It examines how early childhood education services are integrated across ministries, funding in ratio to provincial or territorial budgets, access, learning environments and how governments are being held accountable for policy decisions.</p>
<p>The recent historical <a href="https://www.budget.gc.ca/2021/home-accueil-en.html">federal 2021 budget</a> announcement promised over <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2021/04/budget-2021-a-canada-wide-early-learning-and-child-care-plan.html">$30 billion dollars towards early learning and child care</a> with a vow to increase access and drastically reduce costs.
It also proposes $2.5 billion over five years to build long-term investments in Indigenous-led early learning programming that parallels the government’s commitment to provinces and territories.</p>
<p>However, as heard in all budget announcements, these are funding and aspirational goals. The challenge lies in bilateral negotiations that successfully support each jurisdiction’s unique needs and ongoing initiatives. We must be careful not to take shortcuts.</p>
<p>Program quality must develop along with the growth of spaces and the capacity to offer more affordable parent fees. This will require using public infrastructure including school boards to expand access to early childhood programs, and a robust workforce strategy that addresses a current educator recruitment and retention crisis. </p>
<h2>A comparative look at provinces, territories</h2>
<p>The Early Childhood Education Report 2020 is the fourth edition capturing the impact of the <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/early-learning-child-care-agreement/agreements-provinces-territories.html">2017-20 early learning and child care bilateral agreements</a>. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/early-learning-child-care/reports/2017-multilateral-framework.html">2017 Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework</a> represented the first time in a decade that the federal government brought attention to early education, followed a year later by the <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/indigenous-early-learning/2018-framework.html">Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework</a>. </p>
<p>These frameworks set the groundwork for provincial or territorial governments to strive towards a common goal to expand access, affordability and inclusion. </p>
<h2>Uneven access, curriculum</h2>
<p>Across the country, there are both similarities and stark differences in how early learning and care is run.</p>
<p>For example, 75 per cent of two- to four-year-olds <a href="http://ecereport.ca/en/profiles/prince-edward-island/">in P.E.I.</a> have access to regulated early learning programs, compared to only 27 per cent in <a href="http://ecereport.ca/en/profiles/saskatchewan/">Saskatchewan</a>. </p>
<p>The inclusion of children with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sJCz_00Ww4">special needs</a> in early learning programs that receive public dollars are only mandatory in <a href="http://ecereport.ca/en/resources/charts-graphs/overview/jurisdictions-where-public-funding-for-child-care-is-conditional/">three regions</a>; Alberta (within early childhood services programs that serve children aged three and up with exceptionalities, including kindergarten), P.E.I. (within publicly managed early years centres: these must meet higher quality standards and employ all certified staff) and Manitoba.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/child-care-after-the-coronavirus-pandemic-should-be-more-inclusive-of-children-with-disabilities-141172">Child care after the coronavirus pandemic should be more inclusive of children with disabilities</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>In 2011, we reported only eight provinces or territories with a curriculum framework in place to guide educator practice. Our report this year demonstrates that now all 13 jurisdictions have a curriculum framework, however, it’s only mandated in P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Québec, Ontario, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Children play with bubbles and blocks." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403425/original/file-20210528-21-1ef4xpm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403425/original/file-20210528-21-1ef4xpm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403425/original/file-20210528-21-1ef4xpm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403425/original/file-20210528-21-1ef4xpm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403425/original/file-20210528-21-1ef4xpm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403425/original/file-20210528-21-1ef4xpm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403425/original/file-20210528-21-1ef4xpm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">There are both similarities and stark differences in what we see in early learning and care across the country.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pexels)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Educator qualifications, salaries</h2>
<p>The qualifications of educators vary greatly across the country, as does the ratio of qualified to unqualified staff required in programs. No jurisdiction in Canada requires that all staff be qualified. <a href="http://ecereport.ca/en/profiles/alberta/">Alberta</a> only requires one in three staff to be qualified for preschool children. </p>
<p><a href="http://ecereport.ca/en/resources/charts-graphs/overview/ece-salaries-as-a-percent-of-teacher-salaries/">Salaries of early childhood educators</a> vary across the country. Yet they remain stagnant while related professions <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/elementary-teachers-get-salary-benefits-boosts-in-tentative-contract-deal">such as teachers</a> have enjoyed salary increases. Low and stagnant wages contribute to country-wide shortages in early childhood educators with many <a href="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/aeceo/pages/2614/attachments/original/1621392971/Forgotten_on_the_frontline.pdf?1621392971">leaving the sector</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/canadas-covid-19-child-care-plan-must-start-with-investing-in-early-childhood-educators-157553">Canada's COVID-19 child-care plan must start with investing in early childhood educators</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>In some places, workforce shortages have led governments to reduce qualification requirements. Alberta no longer <a href="https://aecea.ca/child-care-accreditation-cancellation">administers the child care accreditation system</a>, while Ontario has tabled <a href="https://www.ontario.ca/page/strengthening-early-years-and-child-care-ontario-2020-report">legislative revisions</a> that would allow people to work with children four years and older who are not certified in early education.</p>
<h2>Small federal investments matter</h2>
<p>The 2017 federal funding prioritized access, quality and inclusion, and aimed to add <a href="https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/government-of-canada-on-track-to-deliver-on-the-creation-of-up-to-40-000-more-affordable-child-care-spaces-870836736.html">40,000 spaces</a> for children zero to five across the country. We were able to report an addition of over 100,000 new spaces current to March 31, 2020, however, how the pandemic affected access is not yet clear. Many programs have collapsed under the financial stress brought on by COVID-19.</p>
<p>Overall funding allocation to early learning has seen an almost two-fold increase since the release of the <a href="http://ecereport.ca/en/early-years-studies/early-years-study-3-2011/">first edition</a> of our report to over $14 billion in 2020 from from over $7 billion in 2011. </p>
<p>A 25 per cent increase in overall funding was seen just since 2017, with provinces and territories increasing funding spurred by federal interest and investment. This is a noted difference of only nine per cent increase <a href="http://ecereport.ca/en/early-years-studies/2014/">between 2014</a> and 2017 when federal interest was non-existent. </p>
<p>This demonstrates that even small federal action can produce significant change, stimulating spending and improving access. </p>
<h2>Notable improvements</h2>
<p>More than half of provinces and territories have shown notable improvements in the quality of their early learning and child care provisions.</p>
<p>Although our 2020 report does not capture recent changes made in the Yukon, the territory is making notable leaps forward in their programming and affordability, and the territory partially credits the report as a guiding document. Child-care operators now receive $700 per month per child from zero to four years of age, reducing average monthly parent fees to $200. Full-day kindergarten for four-year-olds outside of Whitehorse will start in September 2021. </p>
<p>Educator shortages have been addressed by new wage enhancements with up to a $17.11 per hour top-up, taking the median salary of educators in the Yukon to the highest in the country. The region also has moved oversight of early education into the education ministry, integrating and streamlining services.</p>
<h2>Transforming</h2>
<p>Transforming services to realize a system similar to public education is vital. <a href="https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/atkinson/UserFiles/File/Publications/TELCCS_REPORT.pdf">Public delivery of early learning and child care is associated</a> with better working conditions and increased compensation for educators, streamlined administrative costs and higher program quality. </p>
<p>School boards play a significant role in <a href="http://mwmccain.ca/_media/uploads/deloitte/deloitte_elcc_report.pdf">educating younger children in kindergarten and pre-kindergarten</a> (junior kindergarten). Full-day kindergarten for five-year-old children is offered in all regions except Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.</p>
<p>Full-time pre-kindergarten programs for four-year-olds are offered in <a href="https://www.ednet.ns.ca/pre-primary">Nova Scotia</a>, <a href="http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/kindergarten/">Ontario</a> and the <a href="https://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/en/services/junior-kindergartenkindergarten">Northwest Territories</a>, with Québec committing to province-wide pre-kindergarten by 2023. </p>
<p>Newfoundland and Labrador and P.E.I. have plans to roll out pre-kindergarten for four-year-olds. Federal funding can be leveraged to support these school-based early learning expansions. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A playground with a blue slide for young children seen outside a school building." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403426/original/file-20210528-16-wi0aki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403426/original/file-20210528-16-wi0aki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403426/original/file-20210528-16-wi0aki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403426/original/file-20210528-16-wi0aki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403426/original/file-20210528-16-wi0aki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403426/original/file-20210528-16-wi0aki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403426/original/file-20210528-16-wi0aki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some school boards offer pre-kindergarten for children.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What children deserve</h2>
<p>A skilled workforce, leadership and ongoing professional learning are foundational to high-quality early learning and child care. </p>
<p>As the federal government negotiates funding with provinces and territories, this must be top of mind. Based on Canada’s population and the number of available spaces in regulated child care, we are currently at only 39 per cent access for children between zero and five, meaning we are looking to more than double access. </p>
<p>With shortages of a qualified workforce, we cannot allow expansion to be accommodated by reductions in qualifications or ratios of qualified staff. This will greatly reduce the quality of the early learning environment and rob children of the benefits they deserve.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/160968/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emis Akbari does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Beyond addressing key staffing issues, developing high-quality early childhood programs must involve using school boards to expand access and grow spaces while offering more affordable fees.Emis Akbari, Adjunct Professor, Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development at Ontario Institute for the Study of Education (OISE) and Senior Policy Fellow at the Atkinson Centre, University of TorontoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1408472020-06-24T20:16:10Z2020-06-24T20:16:10ZWhat is family day care? And how is it different to long day care in a child care centre?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343096/original/file-20200622-75512-1q5l5r3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C17%2C5991%2C3961&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Choosing care for your child when returning to paid work can be <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2304/ciec.2013.14.2.168">challenging</a>, and to the uninitiated the terms can be confusing. One alternative to long day care in a larger child care centre is known as family day care. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.startingblocks.gov.au/other-resources/factsheets/family-day-care-or-centre-based-care-long-day-care-which-one-to-choose/">Family day care</a> is where a child is educated in a small group in a family style atmosphere at an educator’s home, seeing the same educator or educators each day. </p>
<p>The ratio in family day care is one educator for a maximum of seven children, and there can be no more than four children who are preschool age or under (per educator). The educator’s children must be counted in those seven children if they are under 13 years and not being cared for by another adult at the premises.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/permanently-raising-the-child-care-subsidy-is-an-economic-opportunity-too-good-to-miss-136856">Permanently raising the Child Care Subsidy is an economic opportunity too good to miss</a>
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<p>All family day care educators must hold or be “actively working towards” at least an <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/qualifications/requirements/family-day-care-services">approved certificate III level education and care</a> qualification. (In South Australia, though, a family day care educator must hold at least an approved certificate III level education and care qualification.)</p>
<p>All family day care educators must hold an approved first aid <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/qualifications/requirements/first-aid-qualifications-training">qualification</a> and have undertaken approved training in anaphylaxis management and emergency asthma management. </p>
<p>The approved provider of a family day care service must read — or ensure a nominated supervisor or a person in day-to-day charge of the service has read — a person’s working with children check before the person is engaged or registered as a family day care educator as part of the service. You can see which check applies in your state or territory <a href="https://www.familydaycare.com.au/resources-and-links/regulations">here</a>.</p>
<p>There’s a clear focus on learning and development based on the principles, practices and learning outcomes of the <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-02/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf">Early Years Learning Framework</a>. The educator will plan an educational program for each child, share it with families and invite family input. </p>
<h2>What’s the difference between family day care and long day care in a child care centre?</h2>
<p>The most obvious difference is size.</p>
<p>Child care centres are usually much bigger and busier, with children usually grouped according to age. There are various <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/educator-to-child-ratios">educator-to-child ratios</a> for each age group and it may be different depending on your state (as you can see <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/educator-to-child-ratios">here</a>).</p>
<p>Like family day care, child care centre staff are required to have a <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/qualifications/requirements/children-preschool-age-or-under">qualification</a> in early childhood education and care. The qualifications required will depend on their roles and responsibilities. </p>
<p>Routines at long day care centres are usually tailored to the needs of each child, especially for very young children, but may move to routines that are more based around a group dynamic as the child gets older (for example, having lunch time at the same time).</p>
<h2>How to choose a family day care provider that’s right for you</h2>
<p>If you’re interested in family day care, start by finding out which registered providers are <a href="https://www.careforkids.com.au/family-day-care">near you</a>. Then, you can organise a visit to the educator’s home. </p>
<p>When judging the <a href="https://www.startingblocks.gov.au/other-resources/factsheets/family-day-care-or-centre-based-care-long-day-care-which-one-to-choose/">quality</a> of the care and educational program, it helps to ask yourself:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>is the care child-focused, or time-focused? (For example, are nap times tailored to each child or grouped at the same time of day?)</p></li>
<li><p>how many children does the educator have each day and what are their ages? </p></li>
<li><p>what learning experiences are available for the children each day and will this suit my child? </p></li>
<li><p>do the children attend a playgroup during the week? For some parents, this represents bonus social interaction opportunities but for others it’s not a priority</p></li>
<li><p>are meals provided and if so, how is the menu determined? </p></li>
<li><p>how does the educator manage supervision of children indoors and outdoors?</p></li>
<li><p>are there other people in the home when family day care is provided and how do you feel about that? </p></li>
<li><p>what ratings did the family day care service achieve under the National Quality Standards (more on that in a minute)?</p></li>
<li><p>does the cost suit your budget?</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Family day care services are part-funded by the Australian government, and the costs <a href="https://www.careforkids.com.au/child-care-articles/article/77/how-much-does-child-care-cost">vary</a> across services and family income. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343118/original/file-20200622-75496-oypzv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343118/original/file-20200622-75496-oypzv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343118/original/file-20200622-75496-oypzv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343118/original/file-20200622-75496-oypzv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343118/original/file-20200622-75496-oypzv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343118/original/file-20200622-75496-oypzv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343118/original/file-20200622-75496-oypzv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343118/original/file-20200622-75496-oypzv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Family day care services are assessed for the quality of the education and care under the federal government’s National Quality Standard.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<h2>How the regulator judges quality</h2>
<p>Family day care services and long day care services are assessed for quality of education and care under the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority’s <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-quality-standard">National Quality Standard</a>.</p>
<p>Seven quality areas are assessed and rated to determine a quality rating, including the educational program, childrens’ health and safety, the physical environment, staffing, relationships with children and families, governance and leadership. </p>
<p>State and territory regulatory authorities assess and rate family day care services as either “exceeding”, “meeting”, “working towards”, or “significant improvement required” using the <a href="http://snapshots.acecqa.gov.au/Snapshot/detailedratings.html">National Quality Standard</a>, also known as the NQS.</p>
<p>Here’s how family day care <a href="http://snapshots.acecqa.gov.au/Snapshot/overallratings.html">compared</a> with child care centre-based care, according to the regulator’s data as at March 31, 2020:</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343108/original/file-20200622-75479-1uw27v6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343108/original/file-20200622-75479-1uw27v6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343108/original/file-20200622-75479-1uw27v6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=162&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343108/original/file-20200622-75479-1uw27v6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=162&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343108/original/file-20200622-75479-1uw27v6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=162&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343108/original/file-20200622-75479-1uw27v6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=203&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343108/original/file-20200622-75479-1uw27v6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=203&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343108/original/file-20200622-75479-1uw27v6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=203&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Ratings results for centre-based care, as at March 31, 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://snapshots.acecqa.gov.au/Snapshot/overallratings.html">Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority</a></span>
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</figure>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343109/original/file-20200622-75496-17r0a3r.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343109/original/file-20200622-75496-17r0a3r.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343109/original/file-20200622-75496-17r0a3r.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=145&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343109/original/file-20200622-75496-17r0a3r.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=145&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343109/original/file-20200622-75496-17r0a3r.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=145&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343109/original/file-20200622-75496-17r0a3r.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=182&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343109/original/file-20200622-75496-17r0a3r.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=182&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343109/original/file-20200622-75496-17r0a3r.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=182&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Ratings results for family day care, as at March 31, 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://snapshots.acecqa.gov.au/Snapshot/overallratings.html">Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority</a></span>
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<p>However, there is great variation across and within each service and centre. Finding out as much as you can about each provider on your shortlist can help inform your decision. </p>
<p>Many families <a href="https://epubs.scu.edu.au/educ_pubs/1099/">prefer</a> the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/183693911003500202">home-like</a> family environment of family day care for their children, especially when they are young, and then move their children onto long day care when the child is old enough to want friends.</p>
<p>It can be a trade-off between a small intimate family-like atmosphere for a more active, stimulating environment with many more people. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/caught-in-an-intergenerational-squeeze-grandparents-juggle-work-and-childcare-47939">Caught in an intergenerational squeeze, grandparents juggle work and childcare</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/140847/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Wendy Boyd does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Choosing child care when returning to paid work can be hard and to the uninitiated the terms can be confusing. One alternative to long day care in a larger centre is known as family day care.Wendy Boyd, Senior Lecturer, School of Education, Southern Cross UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1337682020-03-17T03:52:07Z2020-03-17T03:52:07ZCOVID-19: what closing schools and childcare centres would mean for parents and casual staff<p>Several schools in Australia <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/toorak-primary-school-closes-following-coronavirus-case-20200317-p54atp.html">have closed</a> after some students and teachers tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, some independent schools have <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/private-schools-begin-sending-students-home-for-remote-learning-20200316-p54agn.html">sent all students home pre-emptively</a>, without any infections being detected. Classes will now be done online.</p>
<p>While the federal government has introduced a ban of public gatherings with more than 500 people, it is not, at this stage, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/16/why-australia-is-not-shutting-schools-to-help-control-the-spread-of-coronavirus">considering mass school closures</a>. Victoria’s Premier Dan Andrews has been more forthright, saying the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/11/coronavirus-mass-school-closures-and-industry-shutdown-on-the-cards-says-victorias-premier">time will come</a> for statewide closures of schools. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1239098741778309120"}"></div></p>
<p>Even with schools staying open, some <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/i-m-happy-to-be-a-small-drop-families-withdrawing-children-from-school-to-fight-coronavirus-20200314-p54a2p.html">families are keeping children home</a> to prevent them getting infected, or passing the virus on to more vulnerable family members. </p>
<p>There have been no reports of childcare centres closing across Australia, but some parents may also be keeping their pre-school children at home. Childcare centres <a href="https://ca.news.yahoo.com/alberta-schools-childcare-centres-closing-203000995.html">have been closed</a> in some Canadian provinces, and it’s possible we’ll see something similar happening in Australia as the pandemic progresses.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-schools-are-closing-because-of-coronavirus-but-should-they-be-133432">Australian schools are closing because of coronavirus, but should they be?</a>
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<p>Even without closures, the fewer numbers of students across Australia will impact on casual staff in both the childcare and school sectors. But if both were to close their doors, this may mean a massive loss to Australia’s workforce and economy.</p>
<h2>How many families would be affected?</h2>
<p>Millions of parents would be affected if schools and childcare centres were to close. Across Australia there are close to <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3101.0Jun%202019?OpenDocument">six million children</a> living in around four million families. </p>
<p>Around two thirds of these children are enrolled in Australian schools. In 2017, 2.2 million were <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia-20170de312404c94637ead88ff00003e0139.pdf?sfvrsn=0">primary school students</a> and 1.6 million were in secondary school. </p>
<p>Capital Economics senior economist Marcel Thieliant <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/second-stimulus-morrison-government-considers-billions-in-spending-20200316-p54aoi.html">told The Age</a> up to 1.85 million parents, or 14% of the workforce, would be required to stay home to care for their children if schools were closed. </p>
<p>He said a four-week school closure could knock off as much as an estimated 2% from quarterly GDP. And it is unclear how long schools would need to stay closed for to contain the outbreak.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1238618702368526336"}"></div></p>
<p>Nearly 1.6 million children are aged 0-4. More than half of them <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/cat/4402.0">attend early childhood education and care</a> or preschool.<br>
Economic analysis estimates subsidised early childhood education provides <a href="https://www.thefrontproject.org.au/initiatives/economic-analysis">more than 32 million additional hours</a> to the labour force. This means an additional A$1.4 billion in earnings, which then filters back to the government through taxes.</p>
<h2>How will closures affect staff?</h2>
<p>Part and full time teachers are likely to remain employed during any school closure, supporting children remotely. But schools are less likely to need casual teachers, which make up <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/research-evidence/spotlight/spotlight---professional-learning-for-relief-teachers.pdf">at least 12% of the workforce according to survey data</a>. </p>
<p>Casual staff in schools that have already closed may be feeling the pinch, and schools may also have less need for casual teachers if many students are staying home.</p>
<p>An <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/research-evidence/spotlight/spotlight---attrition.pdf?sfvrsn=40d1ed3c_0">estimated 25-50%</a> of teachers are leaving the profession at five years. If casual teachers are not paid to be in class, they may be prompted to leave the profession sooner.</p>
<p>But the situation is even worse for early childhood education.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-kids-and-school-closings-a-public-health-expert-answers-4-questions-133425">Coronavirus, kids and school closings: A public health expert answers 4 questions</a>
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<p>Government provides funding for schools based on their census enrolments. In private schools parents pay fees based on annual enrolments. But early childhood education funding is tied to both enrolment and attendance. It is <a href="http://www.mitchellinstitute.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Australian-Investment-in-Education-ECEC-report.pdf">estimated parents fund</a> around 40% of the cost of early learning, and the government around 60% through a subsidy tied to household income. </p>
<p>Families in isolation, can use their child care subsidy to pay for a certain amount of absences, but only if centres remain open and operating. If a centre closes it cannot levy parents for fees nor collect subsidies from the government. </p>
<p>Early childhood education services can spend up to <a href="https://childcarealliance.org.au/media-publications/aca-media-releases/112-occupancy-and-performance-report-early-childhood-education-and-care-sector-10-12-2018/file">80% of their revenue</a> on staff and rent. This means services may need to stand down their workforce of <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/2016_ecec_nwc_national_report_sep_2017_0.pdf">200,000 staff</a>, and potentially dismiss casual staff, if they are forced to close. </p>
<p>We don’t have a clear indication of how many educators are casual, although certain types of care, such as holiday care, lend themselves to a casual workforce.</p>
<p>In 2019, we estimated the childhood workforce would be short of <a href="https://www.futuretracks.org.au/upskilling/upskilling-research">29,000 teachers by 2023</a>. With <a href="https://theconversation.com/one-in-five-early-childhood-educators-plan-to-leave-the-profession-61279">one in five educators</a> reporting they wish to leave the profession in the next 12 months, the effects of workers stepping away from the early childhood workforce due to centre closures could be dramatic. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/one-third-of-all-preschool-centres-could-be-without-a-trained-teacher-in-four-years-if-we-do-nothing-120099">One-third of all preschool centres could be without a trained teacher in four years, if we do nothing</a>
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<p>In recent days, the federal government <a href="https://ministers.education.gov.au/tehan/minimising-impact-covid-19-child-care">announced an assistance package</a> of A$14 million to help minimise the impact of COVID-19 on childcare centres. </p>
<p>But the Community Child Care Fund (CCCF) <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/node/53362">Special Circumstances Grant Opportunity</a> is too small, and only available to some services. It is particularly designed for disadvantaged or vulnerable communities and can be used to pay expenses such as wages where services have fewer children attending or are forced to close due to COVID-19.</p>
<p>But staff would still be affected in more advantaged communities.</p>
<p>My analysis finds that if a service was to close for just one day, based on an average of 90 places and with an average daily fee of A$113.30 per child, it would lose more than <a href="https://education.govcms.gov.au/child-care-australia-report-september-quarter-2019">$10,000 dollars</a> per day. Multiply this by the nearly <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-11/NQFSnapshot_Q32019.pdf">8,000 centres</a> and tens of millions of dollars would be foregone every day centres are closed – more if you consider other forms of care, such as out-of-school-hours care, would also close. </p>
<p>Many services are small or not for profit, and will not have the cash reserves to withstand extended unpaid closures. An extended closure could see services close for good and educators leave the workforce.</p>
<h2>So, what more can the government do?</h2>
<p>The early childhood sector already faces uncertainty around the <a href="https://www.themandarin.com.au/122765-its-time-to-commit-to-universal-access-to-preschools-and-funding-certainty-children-families-business-and-government-all-benefit/">time limited nature</a> of pre-school funding, which expires at the end of this year. It is vital the government retain funding in the education system to support educators in the event of a shutdown.</p>
<p>Educators can be actively engaged if services close. Remote education can be trialled, even for little learners, given the importance of early brain development. Governments should support schools to develop lessons and provide resources to help deliver education in new ways. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/8-tips-on-what-to-tell-your-kids-about-coronavirus-133346">8 tips on what to tell your kids about coronavirus</a>
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<p>With these measures, we can minimise the economic effects of closures, keep our skilled workforce, and ensure parents can return to work and children return to learning settings as soon as possible.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/133768/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Megan O'Connell is Research and Policy Manager for Community Early Learning Australia (CELA), which is the peak body for Australia’s early and middle childhood education sector.</span></em></p>If schools and childcare centres shut without the necessary support, Australia may permanently lose valuable teachers and early childhood educators.Megan O'Connell, Honorary Senior Fellow, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1200992019-07-18T19:19:10Z2019-07-18T19:19:10ZOne-third of all preschool centres could be without a trained teacher in four years, if we do nothing<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/284644/original/file-20190718-147288-hlkrhq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Currently, half of all early childhood teachers have a bachelor degree, with a further one-third still working towards one. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>One-third of all preschools may lack a qualified teacher in the next four years if nothing changes, my new modelling shows. </p>
<p>Currently, <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/2016-early-childhood-education-and-care-national-workforce-census">half of all early childhood teachers</a> have a bachelor degree, with a further one-third still working towards one. With many expected to drop out, my modelling shows a significant shortfall by 2023.</p>
<h2>What are the numbers?</h2>
<p>To lift <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/about/research/LiftingOurGame.PDF">children’s outcomes</a>, early learning needs to be high quality, which includes being delivered by trained staff. This is why a focus on supporting the workforce to grow is so important.</p>
<p>The Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business predicts Australia will need around <a href="https://joboutlook.gov.au/Occupation?search=Industry&Industry=P&code=2411">49,000</a> preschool teachers by 2023. That means we’ll <a href="https://joboutlook.gov.au/Occupation?search=Industry&Industry=P&code=2411">need an extra 29,000</a> from where we’re at now (some of the current workforce is expected to drop off). </p>
<p>We are a long way from meeting the shortfall given the current shortage of teachers and low numbers of teachers in training. Across Australia, <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/research-evidence/ite-data-report/2018/ite-data-report-2018.pdf?sfvrsn=e0b6f33c_2">around 4,000</a> students are enrolled in early childhood education teaching degrees per year. </p>
<p>Assuming the pass rate for these teachers is <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/research-evidence/ite-data-report/2018/ite-data-report-2018.pdf?sfvrsn=e0b6f33c_2">around the average of 56%</a> (as for other teaching students), this would mean around 11,200 additional teachers would be available by 2023. That would leave a shortfall of 17,800.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/report-finds-every-1-australia-spends-on-preschool-will-return-2-but-this-wont-just-magically-happen-120217">Report finds every $1 Australia spends on preschool will return $2, but this won't just magically happen</a>
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<p>It’s worth noting many of these degrees are for teaching from birth to eight years of age, or birth to 12 years of age, so not all graduates would seek to work in an early childhood setting. If more teachers choose school teaching with its higher wages and better conditions, the shortage will be far worse.</p>
<p>If we assume there is one qualified teacher per preschool service, this means by 2023 at least one-third of all services could be without the trained teacher they need.</p>
<h2>We’re not meeting the goal</h2>
<p>This is a far cry from the <a href="http://www.federalfinancialrelations.gov.au/content/npa/education/other/past/early_childhood_education_NP_2009.pdf">2009 agreement made by all Australian governments</a> to provide four-year-olds with access to preschool delivered by a trained teacher from 2013.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/284682/original/file-20190718-116596-fac7on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/284682/original/file-20190718-116596-fac7on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/284682/original/file-20190718-116596-fac7on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/284682/original/file-20190718-116596-fac7on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/284682/original/file-20190718-116596-fac7on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/284682/original/file-20190718-116596-fac7on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/284682/original/file-20190718-116596-fac7on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/284682/original/file-20190718-116596-fac7on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Many children are starting school behind their peers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/-Ux5mdMJNEA">Charlein Gracia/Unsplash</a></span>
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<p>Early childhood teachers perform a variety of roles including planning and delivering learning programs and providing support for diploma and certificate-qualified educators, who make up the bulk of the early childhood workforce.</p>
<p>One outcome of the 2009 agreement was:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>All children have access to affordable, quality early childhood education in the year before formal schooling.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And one of the performance indicators was:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The number of teachers delivering preschool programs who are four-year university trained and early childhood qualified.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In 2012, governments put <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2019/07/01/latest-education-council-meeting-elects-to-again-extend-ect-provisions/">transitional provisions</a> in place. This was to give early childhood providers time to meet workforce provisions in hard-to-staff locations. </p>
<p>These provisions permitted educators working towards qualifications to be counted as teachers in remote and very remote areas. They also allowed services in these areas to remotely access teachers to meet their ratios.</p>
<p>The provisions were due to expire after five years, <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2019/07/01/latest-education-council-meeting-elects-to-again-extend-ect-provisions/">but were extended</a> until 2020 given little attention was paid to workforce development for rural and remote services.</p>
<p>The Education Council, the meeting of all state and territory and Commonwealth education ministers, met recently to discuss early childhood. </p>
<p>Instead of deciding a workforce strategy to ensure these extensions end, <a href="http://www.educationcouncil.edu.au/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/documents/Communiques%20and%20Media%20Releases/2019%20media%20releases/Education%20Council%20Communique%2028%20June%202019%20final.pdf">they agreed another extension</a> until 2021 in most states except Victoria, and until 2023 for Western Australia and the Northern Territory.</p>
<h2>What is the potential impact on children?</h2>
<p>Trained teachers and educators in early childhood <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/about/research/preschoolparticipationandqualissummarypaper2013.pdf">make a difference</a> to children’s academic outcomes in school. One study showed students who attended preschool led by a diploma or degree-qualified teacher were ahead the equivalent of <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/about/research/preschoolparticipationandqualissummarypaper2013.pdf">15 to 20 weeks</a> of schooling at Year 3, based on their NAPLAN results.</p>
<p>Many children – more than <a href="https://www.aedc.gov.au/resources/detail/2018-aedc-national-report">one in four</a> from remote areas, compared to one in five from major cities – are starting school behind their peers. In very remote areas, <a href="https://www.aedc.gov.au/resources/detail/2018-aedc-national-report">nearly half of children</a> start behind.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/preschool-benefits-all-children-but-not-all-children-get-it-heres-what-the-government-can-do-about-that-117660">Preschool benefits all children, but not all children get it. Here's what the government can do about that</a>
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<p>In addition to children living away from city centres, children from low socio-economic areas are most likely to be affected. They are already less likely to attend the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10409289.2015.1076674">highest-quality centres</a> and more likely to start school behind their more advantaged peers.</p>
<p>A decade after all four-year-olds received their right to preschool, a shortage of trained teachers could mean one in three children miss out and start school further behind their peers as a result.</p>
<h2>What could we do differently?</h2>
<p>Governments have a few choices to make.</p>
<p>One choice is to accept the transitional provisions are actually an ongoing reality for many services and many children will miss out on trained teachers and fall further behind.</p>
<p>A better option would be to take workforce planning seriously and commit to investing in making sure every child has access to a trained teacher and a chance to succeed.</p>
<p>This would require efforts on a number of fronts. Attrition is a major issue in the early childhood education and care sector. Trained staff average just <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/node/45126">7.4 years of experience</a> and around <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/101622/1/Brief_report_ECEC_Workforce_Development_Policy_Workshop_final.pdf">20% of the workforce</a> intend to leave the profession within 12 months. </p>
<p>A key focus needs to be on keeping the current workforce. A raft of research has confirmed the major <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/media/ecec/pdf-documents/2017/Workforce-Literature-Review.pdf">issues</a> that need to be addressed to achieve this, including pay and conditions, professional status, and career and professional development.</p>
<p>A secondary focus needs to be on attracting, up-skilling and retaining new entrants to the profession. This includes examining what supports would be needed to up-skill educators to diploma and degree level. </p>
<p>Some of this work is happening in individual jurisdictions. For example, scholarships are available in <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/professionals/profdev/Pages/scholarships.aspx#link11">Victoria</a> to support the roll-out of three-year-old preschool.</p>
<p>A national workforce strategy is needed to build a workforce to ensure that all children, no matter where they live, are able to benefit from quality early learning.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120099/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Megan O'Connell consults for Community Early Learning Association. She is a director of, and acting spokesperson for, the Parenthood. Megan is affiliated with the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne.</span></em></p>In 2009, Australian governments made an agreement to provide all four-year-olds with access to preschool delivered by a trained teacher from 2013. We’re a long way from this goal.Megan O'Connell, Honorary Senior Fellow, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1176502019-06-09T13:56:02Z2019-06-09T13:56:02ZFather’s Day: Involved dads are healthier and happier<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/277779/original/file-20190604-69095-n6qrr9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Paternity leave can increase fathers' involvement in families, with positive impacts on children, fathers and the co-parent. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As <a href="https://www.parents.com/holiday/fathers-day/traditions/fathers-day-activity-ideas/">Father’s Day</a> approaches, it’s fitting that we reflect on the impact of <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/89-652-x/89-652-x2014005-eng.htm">child care</a> on <a href="https://theconversation.com/ontarios-child-care-cuts-will-hurt-low-income-parents-working-or-studying-full-time-116723">families and children</a>. Fathers may want to stay home and raise their children, but it’s often not financially viable. A Pew Research Center study in the U.S. found that <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/06/13/fathers-day-facts/">dads who work outside the home were just about as likely as moms to say they prefer to be home with their children</a> (48 per cent of dads versus 52 per cent of moms). </p>
<p>Globally, <a href="https://www.childcarecanada.org/documents/research-policy-practice/15/04/%22daddy%E2%80%99s-home%22-increasing-men%E2%80%99s-use-paternity-leave">paternity leave can increase fathers’ involvement</a> within families and this has benefits for the children, the co-parent, the father himself, the economy and society. When Québec initiated a father leave, <a href="https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/dai/smr08/2017/smr08_218_2017">85.8 per cent of new fathers took the five-week leave, whereas within the rest of Canada, only 30 per cent</a> of fathers participated in a shared parental leave. </p>
<p>Various factors influence how much mothers will work outside the home and among these are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1557988314549414">expectations of the father’s work and role within the family</a>. Fathers with more traditional views of being the primary provider will often work <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-11-2012-0372">longer hours which may lead to conflict regarding family and work</a>.</p>
<p>When mothers and fathers are co-parenting as a couple in a family, mothers are often more comfortable <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.12523">leaving the children and returning to work when the father is actively engaged</a> with the children and she trusts the father as a partner and caregiver. </p>
<p>Parents have to decide what is best for their family. <a href="https://timeforchildcare.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/visionchildcare2020nov3eng.pdf">Affordable and accessible child care</a> is central to a family’s decision as to whether a parent <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2015001/article/14202-eng.htm">will or will not work outside of the home</a>.</p>
<h2>More fathers staying home</h2>
<p>Most fathers <a href="https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/series/tuning-in-parents-of-young-children-tell-us-what-they-think-know-and-need#parent-voices">(90 per cent) indicate that parenting is their greatest joy</a>. Fathers offer children unique and diverse experiences, and impact the child’s long-term development. </p>
<p>There has been a shift within <a href="https://www.whiteribbon.ca/uploads/1/1/3/2/113222347/fatherhood_report.pdf">Canadian families</a>, where <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-630-x/11-630-x2016007-eng.htm">more fathers are staying home with their children</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/277772/original/file-20190604-69055-17o283h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/277772/original/file-20190604-69055-17o283h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277772/original/file-20190604-69055-17o283h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277772/original/file-20190604-69055-17o283h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277772/original/file-20190604-69055-17o283h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277772/original/file-20190604-69055-17o283h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277772/original/file-20190604-69055-17o283h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Fathers can promote future generations of family involvement and gender equality.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>Being an involved dad <a href="https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/family/docs/egm16/BehsonRobbins.pdf">makes men happier and healthier and contributes to future generations of family involvement and gender equality</a>: daughters are more likely to have greater career aspirations and their sons are more likely to become good life partners when <a href="https://theconversation.com/fathers-also-want-to-have-it-all-study-says-60910">dads are involved</a> in their young children’s lives.</p>
<p>Gender equality refers to rights, responsibilities and opportunities which do not depend on the gender a person was born with <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellevate/2017/09/14/why-we-need-gender-equity-now/#296400f977a2">whereas gender equity refers to the fairness of treatment for men and women according to their human needs</a>. Changing the fabric of society to provide both gender equality and equity will allow our children to thrive. </p>
<h2>The motherhood penalty</h2>
<p>However, the role of being a primary caregiver in male-female parenting couples <a href="https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2015/11/04/raising-kids-and-running-a-household-how-working-parents-share-the-load/">continues to largely reside with the mother</a> for a number of reasons. A significant wage gap persists between men and women. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/89-503-x/2015001/article/14694-eng.htm">Statistics Canada survey</a> released in 2017 indicated women earn only 75 per cent of a man’s income. This disparity increases when workers who aren’t full-time are included — then women earn only 69 per cent of a man’s income. </p>
<p>Also, women with children earn 12 - 20 per cent less than women without children. Globally, the <a href="https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/family/docs/egm16/BehsonRobbins.pdf">wage gap becomes larger</a> when men and women have children, with men’s wages increasing and women’s decreasing after the birth of their children. In countries where there are more egalitarian views towards child-rearing the wage gap is smaller.</p>
<p>There is a global phenomenon called the <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/25/the-motherhood-penalty-costs-women-16000-a-year-in-lost-wages.html">motherhood penalty</a>. Researchers from Denmark, a country which ranks <a href="https://denmark.dk/society-and-business/equality">high on gender equality</a>, have found that <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w24219#fromrss">after the birth of the first child, women’s earnings sharply dropped and never fully recovered</a>. </p>
<p>This drop was not the case for men with children. This phenomenon exists within wealthy countries and highlights that, as long as mothers disproportionately carry the burden of work at home after having children, inequities in pay are likely to remain.</p>
<h2>Early childhood educators: undervalued</h2>
<p>Women in wealthy countries such as <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/economic-inequality-by-gender">Canada tend to be over represented in low-paying jobs (48.9 per cent)</a>. Among the professions that receive the <a href="http://www.ccsc-cssge.ca/hr-resource-centre/occupational-standards-0">lowest wages and poorest working conditions</a> are early childhood educators. Women represent 98.2 per cent of the early childhood industry’s staff and directors. These educators continue to be undervalued. </p>
<p>Child-care centre staff <a href="http://www.ccsc-cssge.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/Projects-Pubs-Docs/EN%20Pub%20Chart/Final%20Wages%20Paper.pdf">earn only 69 per cent of the average wage for all occupations</a> despite being part of a <a href="https://www.college-ece.ca/en">regulated profession</a>. There would be a great benefit for children to experience both women and men in caring and early learning roles. But often, men — who tend to be socialized to consider themselves as primary breadwinners — cannot afford to work as early childhood educators. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/277788/original/file-20190604-69095-1t3d8lp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/277788/original/file-20190604-69095-1t3d8lp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277788/original/file-20190604-69095-1t3d8lp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277788/original/file-20190604-69095-1t3d8lp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277788/original/file-20190604-69095-1t3d8lp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277788/original/file-20190604-69095-1t3d8lp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277788/original/file-20190604-69095-1t3d8lp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Among the professions that receive the lowest wages and poorest working conditions are early childhood educators.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Conversely, women are greatly under-represented in top-income jobs. Within the top <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/economic-inequality-by-gender">one per cent of incomes, approximately 20 per cent</a> of these top-earning positions are held by women.</p>
<h2>World without men can’t continue</h2>
<p>Our children can’t continue to grow up in a world where only women raise them, either at home or in <a href="https://www.aeceo.ca/tags/men_in_ece">early learning and care</a>. Countries like Canada can support this needed change by providing quality <a href="https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/april-2018/what-makes-quebec-such-an-outlier-on-child-care/">universal child care</a> while nurturing a <a href="http://www.ccsc-cssge.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/Projects-Pubs-Docs/2.32-FutureCCWorkforce_Eng.pdf">more stable early childhood profession</a> and intentionally creating a more gender-balanced early childhood workforce. </p>
<p>Through better wages and work conditions for all early childhood educators and mentoring for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2012.759607">men entering the early childhood education profession</a>, the world of early learning and care could become enriched as a whole and children would experience a greater diversity of caregivers. </p>
<p>At the same time, governments and society could gain economically by investing more in quality early learning and care: <a href="https://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/special/di1112_EarlyChildhoodEducation.pdf">for every dollar invested, the return ranges from 1.5 to almost three dollars</a> with the benefit ratio for children in lower socio-economic environments being higher. This investment would <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-research-shows-quality-early-childhood-education-reduces-need-for-later-special-ed-112275">boost children’s long-term developmental outcomes</a>. </p>
<p>This Father’s Day, we ask more fathers and men to <a href="https://hbr.org/2018/10/how-men-can-become-better-allies-to-women">speak up</a> to participate in <a href="https://www.heforshe.org/en">the global conversation</a> to create a gender-equal world. <a href="https://www.gatesnotes.com/Books/The-Moment-of-Lift">Gender equity lifts everyone</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/117650/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Our children can’t continue to grow up in a world where only women raise them, either at home or in early care and learning.Nikki Martyn, Program Head of Early Childhood Studies, University of Guelph-HumberElena Merenda, Assistant Program Head of Early Childhood Studies, University of Guelph-HumberLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.