Jeremy Rockliff,Minister for Education and Training
The Hodgman majority Liberal Government is committed to making a difference in the lives of young people by investing in early years education, and breaking down the barriers to participation.
A review of our Working Together – Supporting Early Learning pilot, conducted earlier this year confirmed its success, with early positive changes and benefits observed.
As a major election commitment and part of our Plan for Education, the pilot offered up to 400 hours of free early education to 51 eligible children, across 11 sites, coupled with intensive wrap around support services for their families.
“I didn’t have much hope for my child before. I thought he would be straight to the too hard basket. But after this and all the help, I’ve got so much hope for him. I’ve never been so excited for his future” – pilot participant.
Recommendations from the pilot include continually reflecting on learnings in order to refine, as well as avoiding trying to do too much too fast.
The recommendations have been considered and will be included in the 2020 state-wide roll out of Working Together, which will see the program expand to 120 placements in 2020, and a total of 240 in 2021.
Every two years more places will open up in a targeted way, with updated data sourced in 2021 to guide the selection of further locations.
An expression of interest process opens in October, for early childhood education and care services in targeted locations to apply to deliver the program in future years.
The locations identified for 2020 include:
- Acton
- Blackmans Bay
- Brighton
- Bridgewater
- Burnie
- Claremont
- Clarendon Vale
- East Devonport
- Gagebrook
- Glenorchy
- Herdsmans Cove
- Howrah
- Invermay
- Kingston
- Moonah
- Mowbray
- Newnham
- New Norfolk
- Newstead
- Oakdowns
- Ravenswood
- Rokeby
- Somerset
- Shorewell Park
- Warrane
I am heartened by the feedback from families, service providers and the three year olds who took part in the pilot. Working Together is demonstrating just how much can be achieved when you address the barriers to participation and create opportunities for children to learn, make friends and build confidence.
Working Together Information sessions will be held in;
- Hobart 22 October 2019,
- Devonport 28 October 2019, and
- Launceston 29 October 2019.
