Quality Early Education for All

proportion of disadvantaged families.
Key components of the model: school-based approach (where services, schools and the
community work together); amplifying reach and impact through service networking; and
resourcing to support program delivery (Press et al, 2015).
Services open to all families in the relevant area and may include supported playgroups,
parenting and family support programs, English classes, as well as linking families to other
services like child and family health.
Funded by the Australian Government, in partnership with Community Hubs Australia and
the Scanlon Foundation.
Place-based, community-engagement approach, engaging families in a safe and accessible
environment in their own neighbourhood – usually a primary school or community space.
Builds on tested model in Victoria (Hume Early Years Community Hubs program), where
child development/readiness for school scores increased for children aged 4-5 years.
Future vision to expand to 100 locations nationally. Currently piloting an Outcomes
Evaluation Framework in sample hubs in Melbourne and Sydney (Community Hubs, 2016).
Box 4: The Let’s Count Program
Early mathematics program for children aged 3-5 years – primarily aims to support children
from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop appropriate maths knowledge and skills in the
lead up to school.
Based on the premise that when educators and families have positive dispositions towards
maths, the children in their care are also more likely to have positive experiences.
Approach underpinned by strong partnerships between early childhood educators and
families and use of play, discussion and investigation.
Addresses research showing the importance of numeracy for future success, and that
disadvantaged children are more likely to have difficulty with numbers, shapes and time
concepts.
Piloted in five disadvantaged locations in 2011. Four-year partnership to expand program
valued at $1.6 million.
Over 2011-15 the program reached 8,500 children, 4,500 parents and more than 300
educators across more than 17 Australian communities.
Three year evaluation showed the program increases children’s maths skills – for example,
while only 17 per cent of children could rote count to 20 before the program, 55 per cent of
participating children successfully completed this task by the end of the program, compared
with 37 per cent who did not participate; 61 per cent of participating children could
successfully divide four teddies between four mats, compared with 31 per cent (The Smith
Family, 2015).
Box 5: Supporting the transition into schooling
Following the 2009 AEDC results, Mahogany Rise Primary School set an ambitious goal to
improve outcomes for children commencing schooling, particularly in the areas of language
and communication.
The school is located in a Victorian community with a high proportion of families from low
socio-economic backgrounds. The community has high levels of child vulnerability across all
domains in comparison with state and national averages.
Using the AEDC as an early education tool, the school worked with local learning centres to
Quality Early Education for All 35