The Department of Education
and Communities have produced an information sheet advising out-of-scope
services of their obligations under the new Children (Education and Care
Services) Supplementary Provisions Act 2011. You
can read the information
sheet and accompanying letter from DET here.
NCOSS
consultations on community sector wage case
NCOSS will be holding consultations with small,
generalist community services that may be effected by the outcomes of the FWA
wage case for the SACS sector. More
information is available here.
Mental Health
First Aid courses
The above courses are being run across the five Charles Sturt University
campuses. Please note the date for the Orange course is now 13th & 14th
February. Numbers are limited – register here.
Child SafeOrganisation Seminars
The NSW Commission for Children and Young People is running Child Safe Organisations Seminars in early 2012. You can download the flyer and register here.
Changes in the not-for-profit (NFP) sector
The government has recently announced a number of changes and initiatives in the NFP sector. The Treasury’s Not-For-Profit Newsletter details these changes, which include:
- consultation on changing the definition of a charity (read the Fact Sheet here)
- establishment of the Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC), that will be responsible for regulating the sector, provide education and support to NFPs and develop a public information portal by 1 July 2013 to provide information about all charities and NFPs
- review of tax concessions for the sector by the NFP Sector Tax Reform Working Group, and
- the release of various discussion papers.
Regulation of Out of Scope Services
On October 20 2011 the Children (Education and Care Services) Supplementary Bill 2011 was introduced into NSW Parliament. The Bill repeals Chapters 12 and 12A of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, which currently provide for the regulation of children’s services, and establishes a new Act, the Children (Education and Care Services) Supplementary Provisions Act 2011, to provide for the regulation of children’s education and care services that fall outside the scope of the National Quality Framework from 1 January 2012 onwards.
The new Act refers to services outside the scope of the National Law as ‘state regulated education and care services’, and applies administrative provisions of the National Law with respect to these services.
To support this new Act, the Children’s Services Regulation 2004 is being renamed the Children (Education and Care Services) Supplementary Provisions Regulation 2004, and some amendments are proposed. The new Act and amended Regulation are to commence on 1 January 2012.
The proposed amendments generally streamline administrative arrangements. No changes to minimum operating standards, such as staff qualifications and staff to child ratios, are proposed.
A list of the key changes proposed to the Regulation, as informed by DEC, can be read here.
Consultation
DEC is seeking comments on the proposed changes to the Regulation from providers of home based care, occasional care and mobile services, who will be regulated under the new Act and amended Regulation.
Questions to consider:
1- Will these changes impact on service delivery i.e. administration time?
2- Although one off application fees will increase, annual fees will be significantly reduced under the proposed changes. Do you support this?
3 -The proposed changes, with respect to notification requirements, will provide greater consistency across the sector about what matters are required to be notified to the Department of Education and Communities and how those notifications are to be made. How will these changes impact on your service?
Review of NSW Governement Funding for Early Childhood Education
CCSA's response to this review can be read here. Thank you to our members who contributed to this important document. Recommendations resulting from the review are expected to be presented to the Governement by the end of the year.
Archived News
Child Safe workshop and seminar
The NSW Commission for Children and Young People is conducting the following workshop and seminar in Surrey Hills, Sydney:
Both sessions are free of charge, but registration is essential. Click on the links for more information and to register.
Australian Community Children’s Services (ACCS) National Conference
ACCS will be holding a National Conference ; “Change and Leadership – Who’s the Ringmaster?”on Friday and Saturday 18 and 19 May 2012. To register you interest in attending go to
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. A call for abstracts for this conference has been issued, and you can find more information here.
Briefings on the new Work Health and Safety Legislation
AFEI is conducting a series of business briefings to address issues relating to the new national model Occupational Health and Safety Legislation. Session dates and times, and registration information, can be found on the attached form.
Managing Challenging Behavior workshops
Educational &
Behavioural Consultancy & Special Education & Disability Services
(South Australia) are holding Managing
Challenging Behaviour workshops across a number of venues in regional NSW.
The workshop will be targeted to parents, teachers and child care workers.
Download a flyer and registration details here.
Children's Week 2011
NSW Children’s Week will be held from 23 to
30 October 2011. CCSA is a member of the NSW Children’s Week Committee, which
has launched an official website providing information and a coordination point
for a diverse range of events and activities – click here to go to website. Services
are encourages to help “celebrate the right of children to enjoy childhood” and
register their Children’s Week events on the official website. You can download
a press release here.
Update on Children's Services Funding Review
CCSA jointly sponsored the Children’s Services Funding Review Forum that was held on September 6. The forum was an opportunity for peak organisations and other stakeholders to hear about the review, and share their thoughts and ideas. To see a video of the forum, including a speech made by the Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli, click here. Powerpoint slides of the presentations made at the forum can be downloaded here.
In response to requests from stakeholders for more time to make a submission to the review, the closing date for submissions has been extended by one month, until 31 October 2011.
If you have any issues that you would like included in CCSA’s submission to the Children’s Services Funding Review please forward these to
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before 17 October 2011. We will do our best to include as many of your issues as possible.
For more information on the review, and on making submissions in particular, please refer to the website here.
Children's Services Funding Review
CCSA is jointly sponsoring a forum on the recently announced review of Children's Services funding in NSW.
Tuesday 6 September 2011 - 5.30 to 7.30 pm
Sydney Masonic Conference and Function Centre
66 Goulburn Street, Sydney
This forum is an opportunity to hear about the funding review and to enable everyone in the education and care sector to share thoughts, opinions and ideas about the review.
The forum will examine what the sector wants from the review, how to best prepare submissions and how we can ensure that the outcomes of the review will work for children in NSW and the services that support them. Dowload a flyer here.
Address by Chief Executive, Office of Education, Department of Education and Training
Leslie
Loble, Chief Executive, Office of Education, Department of Education and
Communities, recently addressed a NIFTeY NSW meeting. Leslie presented to the
meeting about the current NSW Government position on Early Childhood Education
and Care and their future directions. You can download a copy of Leslie’s power
point presentation here.
Review of early childhood education funding in NSW
The Hon
Adrian Piccolli, Minister for Education, has announced an independent review of
the way more than $220 million in early childhood education funding is
allocated. “The review will help the State Government deliver its goal of
providing access to crucial early childhood education for all New South Wales
children prior to starting Kindergarten, particularly those in disadvantaged
circumstances” Mr Piccoli said. Read the full media release and terms of reference here.
A
discussion paper will be made available soon, and submissions from the early
childhood education and care sector will be invited. CCSA will be preparing a
submission on behalf of our members, and will seek your input when more
information is available. Recommendations resulting from the review are
expected to be presented to the NSW Government by the end of 201.
The strategy is an important element of the Council of
Australian Governments’ commitment to provide access to a quality early
childhood education program for all children by 2013.
The strategy will increase Indigenous children’s access to
early childhood education and support the Government’s commitment to Closing
the Gap by improving access to a preschool program for all four year old
Indigenous children in remote communities within five years.
Work health and safety legislation information sessions
The Independent Education Union (IEU) is
presenting a work health and safety legislation implementation program
for the early childhood sector.A series of seminars will be held accross
NSW, and they are suitable for teachers, directors and committee
members. Attendance is free for IEU members and $450 for non members.
Download more information and register here.
Transition support for students
The Legislative Council Committee Inquiry into transition
support for children with additional and/or complex needs has issued an additional
background paper. If your service is considering putting in a
submission, you will need to read this document. Transition includes transition
into early childhood education, and from early childhood education into primary
school.
Statement by Minister Adrian Piccoli
on the Early Childhood Education and Care sector
The
NSW Minister for Education Adrian Piccoli addressed stakeholder representatives
in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector on Wednesday 1 June to outline
the NSW Government’s position. You can read a copy of his statement here.
Transition forum
NSW Education and Communities, Western NSW Region,
is hosting a transition to school forum specifically designed for
leaders and educators who work in the early years (prior to school to 8
years). The forum will be held in Dubbo on 15 June. Download more
information and registration details here.
Key changes to the Children's Services Regulation 2004
Community
Services NSW has written to all services to inform you of the key
changes to the Regulation and Act, and advise you of how these changes
will be implemented. As we have previously advised, the key amendments
include,
simplifying and streamlining the licensing model
strengthening the Regulation to ensure the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children in children’s services
increasing operational flexibility in relation to the number of children in attendance at a services, and
increasing the ratio of staff to children under two years to 1:4 in centre based and mobile services.
A copy of the letter and a summary of the major changes can be downloaded here.Go to our Resources page for a full copy of the Children's Services Amendment Regulation 2010.
Teacher Pay Rates
On 24 December 2010, Fair Work Australia made a determination varying the terms of the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2010.
As a result Teachers will be entitled to be paid no less than they
would have been paid prior to 1 January 2010, and will also be entitled
to receive any increase to minimum wages resulting from annual wage
reviews. Go to the Teacher Rates 2011 page for more information.
Teachers will be granted the 2010 annual wage review
increase of $26 per week, but the increase is NOT retrospective and will
apply only from the first full pay period after 1 January 2011. Increases are based on the previous NAPSA pay rate.
Children's Services and the State Election
As you would be aware, the NSW State Election will be held
on 26 March 2011. CCSA is jointly sponsoring an election forum with
representatives of each of the major parties to enable you to hear the latest
polices and plans for the early childhood sector, and to give you an
opportunity to make politicians aware of your concerns. The forum will be held
on Wednesday 9 March from 4 to 6.30 pm, in Sydney. A flyer is attached.
We are currently seeking statements from each of the major political
parties on their policies on early childhood education in NSW. A response from
Adrian Piccoli MP, Shadow Minister for Education, Skills and Youth Affairs is attached.
Child Safe Seminars
The NSW Commission for Children and Young People is running
free Child Safe Organisation seminars for employees in organisations that work
with children and young people. The session includes information on risk
management strategies, including your obligations under the Working With
Children Check. Download more information and a registration form here.
National Quality Framework forums
Community Services has released the draft Children’s Service’s Amendment Regulation 2010 and its accompanying Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) for public consultation. The amendments are required to enable the transition to the National Quality Framework. All services should have received a letter from Community Services about this (download a copy here) and you can read the Minister’s Press Release here. Community Services is seeking your comments on the draft Regulation and RIS up until 24 November 2010. You can email
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or use the Feedback Form available on the Community Services website.
Licensing of mobile children's services
The
Children’s Services Directorate of Community Services has issued a paper about
the factors that will be taken into account in deciding whether a children’s
service should be licensed as a mobile service. The paper details the legal definition
and typical characteristics of a mobile service, and the criteria Community
Services will take into account when determining whether a service will be
licensed as a mobile service. You can download the document here.
A second scheduled 4% pay increase
for teachers under both the Teacher s(Non
Government Early Childhood Services Centres other than Preschools) Division 2B
State Award and the Teachers Non
Government Preschools Division 2B Award s due effective from the first full pay
period to commence on or after 1
September . These pay rates are now available on the Division 2B State Award Pay Rates
page of the CCSA
website.
These increases only apply to
employees in services than are non-constitutional
corporations still operating under Division 2B State Awards.
DEEWR focus group
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
is calling on employees of preschools and other child care services to
register their interest to attend a focus group on early childhood
education and care issues including workforce issues. This is an
important opportunity for you to have a say on the issues facing our
industry. Go to the DEEWR website for more information, and to register your interest.
Community Services have introduced some changes to their scheme for the approval of authorised supervisors,and a new screening form to be used by both authorised supervisors and licensees for the purpose of NSW children's services licensing. Read a letter outlining the changes, and providing links to the new form, here.
This year Community Services have made further changes to the way Annual Reporting information is collected from services. Changes have been made to improve the web based format, and the representative week for reporting has been extended to a representative fortnight. The representative FORTNIGHT is 9 to 20 August 2010, and all data must be submitted by Friday 10 September 2010.
The Minister for Community Services, The Hon. Linda Burney MP, has issued a media release about a Government-funded campaign to encourage Aboriginal families to attend preschool. Two further press releases highlight the work done by Condobolin and Tregear preschools to increase Aboriginal preschool participation in their areas.
NAPSA pay rates with Fair Work Australia increase
The pay rates for Miscellaneous Workers, Trainees and Clerical staff incorporating the Fair Work Australia increase from 1 July 2010, are now available. Go to the NAPSA Pay Rates 1 July page on our website.
CCSA Training and information sessions
In response to member demand, we are conducting more Modern Award session around the state. Go to our Training 2010 page for locations, dates and registration forms.
Wage rates under the Miscellaneous Workers Kindergarten and Child Care
Centres (State Division 2B) Training Wage Award have been increased.
Four increases are scheduled over twelve months, with the first increase
to be backpaid from the first full pay period on or after 23 December
2009. The new pay rates are available on the CCSA
website.
These increases apply to trainees in non-constitutional corporations
only.
Modern Awards
The transition to Modern Awards is proving to be quite challenging.
This is a new system and many of the clauses in the awards are open to
interpretation.Through our member's calls to our phone helpline we are
learning more about the difficulties in implementation. Refer to past issues of eConnect
to find out about some of the issues that we have dealt with recently.
We will be adding information to our website regularly and are working
on a Plain English Guide to each of the Modern Awards. We will let you
know when these are available.
Modern Awards for non-constitutional corporations
NSW has ceded its industrial relations powers to the federal
government. This means that from 1 January 2010, ALL NSW employers and
employees in the private sector will be covered by the the Fair Work
Act and the national system of Modern Awards. For more infrmation, read
the 23 November eConnect. Also refer to Implementation Guide 5 in the Resources section of our website.
Changes to the Working with Children Check
The NSW Commission for Children and Young People is introducing new forms to complete the Working With Children Check. The new forms are available on the Commission’s website, and can be filled in online. The Working With Children Guidelines have also been streamlined so it is easier to understand the Check.
National Early Childhood Education and Care Workforce Census
The Workforce Census will run from 31 May to 30 July, and
will collect data to inform workforce planning for the early childhood sector.
This will support the Early Years Development Workforce Strategy, which will
provide a long-term blueprint to improve recruitment and retention in the
industry and make sure children and their families benefit from high-quality
childhood services.
You should start to receive more information about this from
the end of May. Make sure you contribute to the work being undertaken to
improve the industry by participating in the Census. Read background information here, and go the Early Childhood pages of the DEEWR website for regularly updated
information.
Funding Grants
There are a number of grants currently available for not for profit services. Many of these grants come up annually and we suggest you start making a list of projects/ideas of what you could do so that you areready to submit a proposal within the timeframes. Please refer to the 30 March eConnect for more information.
Keep Them Safe
The main provisions of the legislation that underpins the Keep Them
Safe reforms began on 24 January 2010. Detailed information about the Keep Them
Safe reforms, can be found on the Keep Them Safe website.
Anzac Day Public Holiday
In 2010 Anzac Day falls on a Sunday. Monday 26 April has been gazetted by the NSW government as the day on which the public holiday will be observed, so unless you want to pay your employees double time and a half to work on Monday 26 April, you will need to close on that day.
Nurses pay rates
Wage rates under the Nurses other than in Hospitals (State) Award have
increased with effect from 11 October 2009. This increase only applies
to those organisations that are non-constitutional corporations. You
can download the pay rates from the Award Pay Rates page of the CCSA website.
Teachers pay rates
On 24 November, the Industrial Relations Commission
of NSW handed down its decision in relation to the Independent
Education Union's application for two new awards for Teachers. This
decision awarded increases of 4% per annum to pay rates and allowances
and additional non-contact time of up to two and a half hours per week.
The new pay rates are now available on our Award Pay Rates page.
Licensing
All services should have received a letter from DoCS late last year
outlining amendments to the Children's Services Regulation 2004, to
allow licensing fees to be charged, and extending the maximum licence
term from three to five years. Further information is available from the Community Services website.
The Modern Awards and transitional arrangements have now been released
and are available for members on our website. Please read the 7 December eConnect
for more information about the Modern Awards, and the transition of
non-constitutional corporations to the Federal industrial relations
system.
Preparation for Modern Awards
As you are no doubt well aware, Modern Awards are
scheduled to be introduced from 1January 2010. These awards will apply
to employees working under the federal industrial relations system (ie
those working in constitutional corporationscovered by NAPSAs). You
need to ensure that you are well prepared for the transition, and
committees/boards and licensees will need to make some decisions on how
to implement the required changes.
CCSA has developed a series of guides to assist you
with this preparation.These documents are available on our website on
the right hand side of the page (you will need to log in to view them.)
Keep Them Safe
Northern Sydney TAFE has organised additional Keep Them Safe sessions from 14 to 29 January 2010. More information is available on their website.
Community Services licence terms and fees
Amendments have been made to the Children’s Services
Regulation 2004 to extend the maximum licence term from three years to five
years, and to introduce licence fees. The change to the maximum licence term
commences immediately, while licence fees apply from 1 January 2010.
Look out for a letter from Community Services
explaining the introduction of licensing fees for children’s services in NSW.
Modern Awards for non-constitutional corporations
NSW has ceded its industrial relations powers to the federal
government. This means that from 1 January 2010, ALL NSW employers and
employees in the private sector will be covered by the the Fair Work
Act and the national system of Modern Awards. For more infrmation, read
the 23 November eConnect.
Modern Award Consultations
CCSA attended the Australian Industrial Relations Commission
consultations on Modern Awards in Sydney on 27 October, where we were
given the opportunity to raise some of our concerns about the modern
award for Preschool Teachers. Read more in the November 9 eConnect.
CCSA Connections Christmas Pays Special Editions and 2010 calendar
The annual leave special editions, to help you
calculate and prepare your Christmas pays, are now available to
download from our website.
The CCSA 2010 calendar can also be downloaded here.
CCSA's views on Modern Awards and the Teachers' Wage case
CCSA has prepared a document outlining our views on the draft modern
awards and the state teachers' wage case. You can download the document here.
Draft Modern Awards
The draft modern awards for the early childhood sector have been released for comment. You can access copies of the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2010, the Children's Services Award 2010, and the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010, here.The draft modern awards refer to the National Employment Standards, which are available here.
CCSA statement on Universal Access (UA) to preschool.
At its September meeting, the CCSA Board made acommitment to continue our advocacy for government funding of qualified early childhood teachers. CCSA believes that every preschool aged child must have access to a preschool program delivered by a 4 year trained University qualified early childhood teacher. Read more in the 12 October eConnect.
Changes to award pay rates for non-constitutional corporations (state system employers)
Pay rates under the Social and Community Services Employees (State) Award have changed with effect from the first full pay period to commence on or after 28 September 2009. The new rates are now available on our website. Please note that these increases apply to non-constitutional corporations only.
Increases to Junior Pay Rates
Under the Industrial Relations (Child Employment) Act 2006 employers are required to ensure that the terms and conditions for junior staff covered by federal industrial legislation are equivalent to the terms and conditions of the comparable State award. This means that if you are a Constitutional Corporation and employ staff under the Miscellaneous Workers Award on junior pay rates, the recent pay increases under the state legislation will apply to those staff also. Download the pay rates here.
Early Years Learning Framework
DEEWR have an online forum that enables early childhood professionals to comment on drafts of the EYLF Educator's Guide. It can be accessed via DEEWR's Early Learning Framework site.
OOSH Regulations
NSW is the only state that does not currently regulate OOSH services, but work is proceeding. Since 2007 services have been asked to register with DoCS, and the second stage, stakeholder consultations, has now commenced. CCSA is sitting ont he stakeholders' reference group, but a broader public consultation process isexpected to begin shortly. CCSA will keep you informed about when it starts.
CCSA submission regarding the COAG Regulation Impact Statement for Early Childhood Education and Care Quality Reforms.
Download CCSA's response to the RIS here. [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 557.6 KB]
COAG discussed a range of early childhood matters when leaders met in Darwin recently. Following the meeting COAG released a national early childhood development strategy, a Regulation Impact Statement and Cost Benefit Analysis of proposed reforms to quality standards and systems, and the Early Learning Years Framework. All documents are available from theDEEWR website. The Regulation Impact Statement can be downloaded here, and the dates and locations for consultation sessions are here.
Fair
Work Australia, the new federal industrial relations system began on 1
July 2009. Much of the legislation will not apply until 1 January 2010,
but Fair Work Australia and the Fair Work Ombudsman are now officially
in operation. Visit the Fair Work Australia website for more information.
Modern
Awards are still in development but are scheduled to take effect from 1
January 2010. CCSA will keep you informed as more information comes to
hand.
Child Care Staff: Learning and Growing through Professional Development
This professional development resource was commissioned by the Professional Support Co-ordinator's Alliance and conducted by Macquarie University and Charles Sturt University. The resource presents insights into innovative practice and practical ideas about how to support the professional development of early childhood staff. Read the press release here.
9000,000 funding boost for Child Care in rural Australia
On 25 March, 2009, Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Child Care, Maxine McKew, announced funding of more than $900,000 for 14 child care services in rural and remote areas of Australia This capital funding is aimed at supporting children and families in rural and remote areas to access quality, affordable early childhood education and care. Read the media release here.
National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education
Under the new Children’s Services Regulation, due to be implemented in 2010, all centre-based and mobile services will be required by law to have one carer for every four children under two years of age, compared to the current legal requirement of one carer for every five children.
Find out more about the background to this change here, and read the Cross Sectoral Task Force Report, that CCSA contributed to, here.
Early Years Learning Framework
The development of the Early Years Learning Framework is an integral component of the Australian Government’s National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care, being progressed collaboratively with state and territory governments through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) early childhood reform agenda.
Two community agencies have been selected by the Department of Community Services to create 10,500 places across NSW in the Growth Phase of the Preschool Investment and Reform Plan (PIRP). The Growth Phase is intended to enable the creation of an additional 5,250 preschool places for 10,500 children across NSW by reducing or removing barriers to access, increasing the efficient use of existing places and increasing the number or supply of places.
Orange Community Resource Association will implement the program in the Central West and Orana/Far West Network areas. Community Child Care Co-operative will deliver development and support services in the rest of NSW.
