In celebration of Early Learning Matters Week falling between 26 to 30 July, Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP visited Green Eggs Early Childhood Centre in Mansfield and Mother Duck Manly Child Care Centre to raise awareness and understanding of the importance of early learning.

Visiting both centres kindergarten classes, Mr Vasta donated the ‘If I Was Prime Minister’ book written by Beck Feiner and Rob Feiner and read it to the children.

“I have so many wonderful childcare centres in Bonner and I always feel welcome by the staff and the children. These centres are building the foundation for children’s wellbeing and achievement throughout their lives,” said Mr Vasta.

“As a father, we want to make sure our children are in the best hands and reaching their full potential. This Early Learning Matters Week, I want to thank our early childhood educators in Bonner for the high-quality early education and care they provide.”

“It was heart-warming to see the children at Green Eggs Early Childhood Centre and Mother Duck Manly Child Care thrive in a space that is inclusive and supports them to be confident and enthusiastic learners.

“This year, the Morrison Government invested a further $1.7 billion in childcare to increaseits affordability and give more parents the choice to take on extra work.

Mother Duck Child Care and Preschool Nominated Supervisor, Kate Crossan said, “Early Learning Matters Week matters to me and my work in the sector as we are playing a part in nurturing the futures of the children in our community and equipping them with the skills they need.

“Children need strong role models, both at home and in their daily environments. It is vital as educators we are guiding them on the value of early education right from the very start.”

Mr Vasta said childhood educators continue to make a real difference to the lives of our children and their families.

“I encourage parents, families and communities across Bonner to thank their childhood educators this week.”

Every child in Bonner who is about to start school will benefit from $1340 as part of the Morrison Government’s $2 billion commitment to ensure every Australian child can attend kindergarten.

The Commonwealth is offering new four-year agreements to states and territories, including $352 million for Queensland school years 2022-2025.

• The $1340 per child will need to be passed on for every child, regardless of whether they attend ‘kinder’, ‘preschool’ or a kindergarten program at a centre-based day care.
• From 2024, states and territories will need to set and meet attendance targets agreed to by all jurisdictions.
• The Commonwealth will work with states and territories to develop and implement a kindergarten outcomes measure.

The funding would provide greater certainty for the kindergarten sector and benefit around 62,000 children attending kindergarten in Queensland next year.

The current Universal Access National Partnership (UANP) gives children access to 15 hours of kindergarten per week (600 hours per year), but only 72 per cent of children make full use of the available hours.

Attendance rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (60 per cent) and disadvantaged children (66 per cent) are even lower.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP welcomed the funding, saying the reforms would benefit all local children attending kindergarten.

“Bonner is a fantastic place to raise a family and its essential we are supporting our young families by providing access to quality kindergartens,” Mr Vasta said.

“This week I had the pleasure of visiting Lead Childcare in Tingalpa where I caught up with the centre manager Krissy who was very pleased with this announcement. It was great to hear positive feedback from someone with extensive experience in this sector as well as a passion for fostering an environment where wonderful levels of learning and care for our children takes place.

“Children who fully engage in kindergarten and early education are generally better prepared to start school, and enjoy better educational outcomes.

“The Australian Government’s partnership with Queensland has seen continuous improvements to kindergarten enrolments, but enrolments alone do not produce outcomes – participation does.”

Minister for Education and Youth Alan Tudge said it was the first time a federal government had committed to ongoing funding for kindergarten.

“This is a significant reform that will mean children in Bonner are better prepared for school, can get the most out of their early years of learning, and ultimately achieve more in the long-term,” Minister Tudge said.

“Regardless of where a child gets their kindergarten education, they will benefit from the Federal Government’s $1340.

“These reforms will boost the quality and impact of kindergarten education in Australia.

The new agreements would be linked to reforms that lift kindergarten attendance and school readiness.

The funding brings the Morrison Government’s total investment in early childhood education and care to $3.3 billion in the 2021-22 Budget, including $1.7 billion to improve affordability of child care for families with multiple children aged five and under.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta has visited LEAD Childcare Tingalpa to congratulate them on receiving a Most Improved Service award for their outstanding work this year, and to discuss their work helping families transition to the new Child Care Subsidy.

The centre received the award out of 16 LEAD childcare services across Queensland at LEAD’s management end of year conference.

“As only three awards are given each year, this was a very meaningful award for all of us at LEAD Childcare Tingalpa,” Centre Director Katrina Bira said. 

“We received the award as an acknowledgement for myself and the educators here for all the hard work that has gone into making LEAD Childcare Tingalpa into a welcoming, inspiring centre for children, families, and the community.

“Our teaching teams use an emergent curriculum which follow children's interests and ideas. Children's interests are encouraged and future learning opportunities are presented in a way that sparks children's sense of curiosity and wonder. Through our extensions and support children gain confidence to explore their world and take safe risks.

“Children's learning is recorded on our online learning community, Storypark. Storypark allows families to be involved in their child's learning journey, which enhances and improves educational outcomes for children. Our educators and families become co-learners in the child's development.”

Mrs Bira said LEAD Childcare Tingalpa had helped their families transition to the new Child Care Subsidy by making information available on Storypark.

“We also display posters through the service as updates come to hand and have information pamphlets for the parents to take home and read. We also offer one-on-one meetings for families to help them on a case-by-case basis if they require additional individual support,” Mrs Bira said.

Families have until 2 July 2018 to update their details or risk missing out on the new subsidies. More information is available at https://www.education.gov.au/ChildCarePackage.

A much-needed upgrade of bathroom facilities at C&K Tingalpa & District Kindergarten has been completed thanks to a $6,348 grant provided through the Australian Government’s Stronger Communities Programme.

Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta, said he was proud to have helped the not-for-profit community kindergarten secure the grant for local families.

“I congratulate the staff and parents at Tingalpa C&K for fundraising the money needed to cover the remainder of the project costs. It goes to show the strong community support behind Tingalpa C&K,” Mr Vasta said.

The Stronger Communities grant went toward an upgrade of the only adult toilet at the kindergarten that staff and parents can access. This has saved the kindergarten in plumber call out fees.

The kindergarten has also installed a new hot water system using the grant, which has decreased their water costs.