Mid-year fiscal outlook ‘a win for Indigenous Children’

By PETER ROWE

The National Voice for our Children (SNAICC) has welcomed the Federal Government measures revealed this week in the Mid-Year Economic Outlook aimed at supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s early years development.

The budget outlook has revealed a continuation of funding for SNAICC’s Early Years Support which has provided direct and tailored assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled early years services across NSW, Victoria and Western Australia.

The Government also plans to provide $11.4 million to extend the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy Partnership for three years.

SNAICC chief executive Catherine Liddle said Early Years Support was making a significant impact on the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families by providing them with access to high-quality, culturally appropriate early childhood education.

“Closing the Gap starts with our children and that starts with early learning and care services,” Ms Liddle said.

“If those services are operationally strong, appropriately resourced and represented at the highest levels of government, then we know our children will be supported to thrive in their early years.

“The program currently works directly with 72 ACCOs across NSW, Victoria and WA to support 2122 children and families, with 1771 being Aboriginal. This funding will support the continuation of that work.

“The funding is essential for the sustainability of these essential services which drive on-the-ground progress towards Closing the Gap.”

Also funded, the ECCDPP is a critical shared decision-making mechanism with Australian Governments to improve early childhood outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. The partnership was set up under Priority Reform 1 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

“The Early Childhood Care and Development Policy Partnership is a key driver behind the Government’s recent commitments to remover the activity test and invest capital grants for Early Learning centres in regional and remote areas across the country,” Ms Liddle added.

“Those policy wins will directly benefit the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander families and young people and the wider sector by working in genuine partnership to identifying the reforms needed to drive community-led early childhood care and development outcomes.”