A Strategic Assessment of the Children's Services Industry

STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT OF THE CHILDREN’S SERVICES INDUSTRYTASMANIALaunching into LearningLaunching into Learning (LIL) was announced as an election commitment in Tasmania inMarch 2006. It is a $12.6m initiative led by schools to support families with young childrenfrom birth to four years. LIL was implemented to better target children and families at risk inthe Tasmanian community and to help to give children the best possible start in life and atschool. The programme recognises parents as the child’s most influential teacher and aims tobuild on parental capacity in order to enable them to enhance and support their child’s lifelonglearning. Specifically LIL aims to positively impact on children’s early learning andschool readiness as well as supporting families in need.Educational Needs Index (ENI), Principal leadership and school readiness determined whichschools were involved in the programme. Twelve schools were established as hub schoolsacross the state and, in its first full year, 42 schools participated. Currently 102 schools arefunded to participate in the programme.A management team consisting of Learning Service Managers and Principals oversee theprogramme. Each Learning Service has Launching into Learning Coordinators who workfrom hub schools to support schools and programmes. Schools are required to keep records ofattendance and achievement data.The programme grew from good practice in schools and the increasing understanding of theresearch into early brain development and learning. Data from state wide KindergartenDevelopment Checks and Performance Indicators in Primary School statistics also highlightedthe need for early intervention and the importance of engaging parents and children inlearning and socialisation.Those schools already demonstrating their commitment by offering quality birth – fourprogrammes were the first identified for the programme.Highlights: Parental and child participation in the programme far exceeded targets and earlyexpectations. It was intended that through Launching into Learning partnerships with otherservices and agencies would develop and this has occurred to varying degrees around thestate. Partnerships with the Tasmanian Early Years Foundation, ‘Good Beginnings’, ‘Let’sRead’, Communities for Children’, Colony 47, community organisations, local councils,Child Health Services and child care facilities have all added to the quality and diversity ofthe programmes on offer.Challenges/hurdles: Whilst participating schools have embraced the programme, thechallenge of how to engage our most vulnerable and ‘at risk’ families continues. Greaterinteragency collaboration and information sharing is seen as a key to overcoming this hurdle;however we are progressing slowly in this regard.Contacts:Cheryl Larcombe (Dept of Education) cheryl.larcombe@education.tas.gov.auJan Batchelor (Dept of Education) jan.batchelor@education.tas.gov.au65