Update on Early Childhood Policy Partnership

Question

Senator O'SULLIVAN: I'm going to stick with Closing the Gap. I want to ask specifically about the year before full-time schooling, YBFS, target. Can I confirm that the 2024 outcome for Closing the Gap target 3 was 94.2 per cent. Ms Winslow: That's correct. Senator O'SULLIVAN: The Productivity Commission's report shows that, while all other states and territories showed improvement against this target, the proportion of the Northern Territory was assessed as worsening its progress. Has the minister requested a briefing from the department on why that's the case? Ms Winslow: I might just clarify that the target is a national target, and it's currently on track to be met at the national level when we expect the PC to report in July. But I do appreciate there is that disaggregated data also available on the PC website around individual states and territories. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Given that the NT is not on track, has the minister's office sought any briefing on that? Ms Winslow: I'd have to take the details of that request on notice around what specific briefing, but we do regularly provide advice on progress against all Closing the Gap targets. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Could you come back to us with when that briefing specifically on that target was provided, if it was. What targeted measures are being taken to address the worsening results in the Northern Territory? Ms Winslow: I think, in part, the measures that Mr Reed has spoken to around increasing access to subsidised early childhood education and care are certainly a key pillar of a range of targeted measures and reforms to increase access to early childhood education and care and to remove some of the barriers that have been noted for First Nations children and families. There are also a range of other targeted programs and measures that go to working specifically with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and families, including the Connected Beginnings program. Senator O'SULLIVAN: It's a good program. Ms Winslow: Yes, that program has certainly showed positive results, particularly around the AEDC, the Australian Early Development Census. We have noted some Connected Beginnings sites are higher than the national results for AEDC in those communities. We think that is potentially a result of the targeted support that those communities receive through the program, which is very much focused on supporting local organisations to work with children and families to increase access not just to early childhood education and care but to the other services that we know support early childhood development, like health services. So I think, in combination with the mainstream reforms and the targeted programs, there's certainly a range of work underway to address barriers to access. Senator O'SULLIVAN: I note that the progress towards parity supporting indicator has not been reported on against the target 3 outcome. Can the department advise as to when this will be reported on. Ms Winslow: I can certainly take that one on notice, but I will confirm that there is work currently underway to refresh target 3 under the national agreement, and we are on track to have a new target agreed. We expect that by July this year. That's to include a more rigorous measure of assessment, both against enrolment, which is what the current target is focused on, and to start to bring in additional measures, including around things like attendance, which we know is also a really important measure of engagement with early childhood education and care. I can take the details of that one around parity on notice. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Can you provide some specifics on the data sources for target 3? Ms Winslow: It relates to the year before full-time schooling, and the data, I understand, is primarily through both the preschool data collection and the ABS data collections, but I can provide more specific information on notice.

Answer

Please see the attached PDF.

Documents

• Question with answer (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
• SQ26-000710.pdf (opens in a new tab)