NEW ALLIANCE SAYS GETTING NT’S YOUNG PEOPLE ON TRACK REQUIRES MORE INVESTMENT IN THE PRE-SCHOOL YEARS
28 May 2024 – A new alliance of children’s and families’ advocates have put a five-point plan for improving early childhood services to the Northern Territory Government and Opposition.
The group, which has been convened by Minderoo Foundation’s Thrive by Five campaign, stresses investment in the early years is key to good outcomes in adolescence and beyond.
Thrive by Five’s Jay Weatherill said children who do not have the opportunity to attend childcare or pre-school are more likely to start school behind, and find it hard to catch up.
“We need to break the cycle of disadvantage by investing in children right from the start,” Mr Weatherill said.
“The Northern Territory Government and Opposition have said they want to improve community safety – early intervention is one important way we achieve that.
“The question is: do leaders want to just look tough on crime, or do they want to actually prevent crime?”
Thirty-nine per cent of NT children are developmentally vulnerable – meaning they have not met the milestones you would expect at their age – compared to a national average of 22 per cent.
Mr Weatherill said a key part of the problem was high fees for early childhood education, a shortage of places and workers, and underinvestment in culturally safe services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
“Childcare and pre-school can be really expensive and inaccessible, putting a deep strain on young families’ budgets during a cost-of-living crisis. It is not uncommon for wait lists to stretch to 12 months or more,” Mr Weatherill said.
Recommendations from the action plan include:
- New and enhanced early childhood services run by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- A $10 million early childhood workforce fund to attract, train and retain educators
- The establishment of an independent Office of Early Childhood Development
Quotes from alliance members:
Catherine Liddle, CEO, SNAICC – National Voice for our Children
“Too many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families are missing out on the benefits of early childhood services because of costs, or they just don’t exist.
“Services that are designed, managed and delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are key to setting up children to thrive, and be ready for big school. They are trusted by communities, which increases attendance. They build and reinforce positive self-identity, and provide critical wraparound services and supports for the whole family.
“But these services are not getting the sustainable funding or support they need from governments. The Northern Territory Government and Opposition must commit to fixing this. When the system fails our youngest children, that has a flow-on effect for the whole community.”
Tracey Harvey, State Performance Lead for NT, Goodstart Early Learning
”Every moment counts for a child during their early years – from birth to five. Access to high-quality early learning in those years lays the foundation for life-long learning and development.
”All children in the NT, especially our most vulnerable and disadvantaged, should have access to high quality, inclusive early learning to make a real difference in their life.”
Mick Fallon, Territory Manager, National Disability Services
”Providing equitable access to early childhood activities and support for all children across the territory is a huge challenge. This is amplified if the child has a disability or is living outside a major centre.
There is an opportunity to address these gaps, if the NT Government were to establish an Early Childhood Development System in line with our action plan, which will also align with recommendations outlined in the NDIS Review regarding the state’s responsibilities and foundational supports.
Other alliance members include The Smith Family, NPY Women’s Council, Child Australia, Anglicare NT, Kentish, Carpentaria, Playgroup Northern Territory, Toy Libraries Australia, EON Foundation, Katherine Isolated Children’s Service, Batchelor Institute, Early Start Australia, Early Childhood Australia – Northern Territory, Catholic Care NT and Smile-A-Mile.
Read the Thrive by Five Northern Territory Early Childhood Alliance Action Plan
