3.4: Early Childhood
Early childhood development, education and care. Other Information:
The ACT Government invests in high-quality early childhood education and, through the school reform process, has taken steps
to ensure that our children have the best possible start in life. Reforms include the opening of Child and Family Centres,
the expansion of the Maternal and Child Health visiting program and the introduction of the Pre-school to Year 2 Framework
for early education. The framework, released in April 2008, provides a leading-edge approach to the development and delivery
of programs to support academic, social and personal development. The key outcome from the Pre-school to Year 2 Framework
will be the establishment of four new schools at Southern Cross, Lyons, Isabella Plains and Narrabundah. These purpose-built
schools will provide a coherent approach to early childhood learning and well-being. They will encourage and draw on family
and community participation to provide the best possible comprehensive care and education. An Early Childhood School Coordinator
will be employed in each of the four new schools to cater for children from birth to eight years. These new staff members
will coordinate the delivery of integrated child and family support services and ensure a successful start to these schools.
To improve equity, vulnerable families will be eligible for a small number of funded places in the child-care facility of
these new schools.
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