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Early Childhood Care and Development Policy Partnership: Year 1 Workplan Summary

About the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy Partnership

The Early Childhood Care and Development Policy Partnership was established to bring together governments and First Nations representatives to develop recommendations to improve early childhood outcomes for First Nations children and families.

The Partnership has been co-developed with:

  • SNAICC – National Voice for our Children, the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families
  • Commonwealth departments with responsibility across:
    • early childhood education and care
    • maternal and child health
    • child protection and families.

Objectives

The Partnership will focus on the Priority Reforms and Outcomes 2, 3, 4, 12 and 13 of Closing the Gap, with key objectives of the Partnership including:

  • identifying reforms to support First Nations children to achieve their potential in the early years, to set them up for long-term success
  • actioning priority reforms in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, particularly First Nations community-led initiatives
  • identifying opportunities to work more effectively across governments, Coalition of Peaks and community organisations
  • enabling First Nations representatives, communities and organisations to negotiate and implement agreements with governments to support Closing the Gap.

Year 1 Actions

In support of its objectives, the Partnership agreed to the following actions:

  1. make recommendations to Joint Council to improve early childhood outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
  2. have oversight and drive development of policy reforms outlined in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Early Childhood Strategy and the Early Childhood Care and Development Sector Strengthening Plan
  3. have high level oversight and address policy reform opportunities and challenges identified in implementing national strategies with existing and aligned partnership governance structures, while not duplicating existing governance. This would include, for example, the Safe and Supported –National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021-2031 and the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and their Children 2022-2032
  4. agree on key early childhood policy areas for the Partnership’s consideration, to accelerate progress towards early childhood outcomes
  5. undertake/commission targeted research and policy development processes that advance policy reform priorities identified
  6. consider jurisdictional implementation plans relating to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap early childhood outcomes and provide recommendations on gaps and areas for greater focus
  7. develop an Annual Report to the Joint Council on the actions of the Partnership and its progress against objectives and targets
  8. develop a 3-year strategic plan aligning National Agreement on Closing the Gap priority reforms and agreed key early childhood policy areas
  9. develop a second work plan for 2023-2024.

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