Minister for Early Childhood Education, Leslie Williams, took up Engadine Preschool’s offer to see teachers and children in action this week.
Her visit came after the preschool director, Eve Hawkes, met with Ms Williams at Parliament house in 2015 to discuss funding within community preschools in NSW.
Mrs Hawkes said the latest meeting was a chance for Ms Leslie to see how the service operates.
“It was an opportunity to see the wonderful work that community-based preschools do in providing education and care in the community under the Early Years Learning Framework,” she said.
“In recent years the state government has withdrawn funding for three-year-olds, when it implemented the Universal Access Policy agreed upon by the states with the federal government.
“This had a flow-on effect to preschools and has affected the number of enrolments across the state with less three-year-olds enrolling.”
She says that while 16 Sutherland Shire community preschools including Engadine exceed national quality standards, families struggle to pay the fees to access the services.
“Research states that children consistently do better socially and academically if they are able to access two years of quality early childhood education,” she said.
“The state government has consistently under spent for preschools, and it is hoped that by keeping open communication between the state government and the preschools we can get better outcomes for the children of NSW.”
Ms Leslie also stopped by Woronora Heights Community Preschool to discuss funding for the delivery of preschool programs for four and five-year-old children in the year before school.
The preschool received almost $30,000 in additional funding, which will go towards resources and will broaden staff qualifications.
As part of the $24 million grants program all long day care services with four or five year-olds will be eligible for a minimum payment of $300 a child, rising to a payment of $450 for children enrolled for 600 hours.
Four or five year olds from Aboriginal backgrounds will be eligible for a minimum payment of $450 a child, increasing to $675 for those enrolled for 600 hours.
