Early Childhood Care and Development Policy Partnership: Year 2 Workplan Summary
Partnership Objectives
- Establish a joined-up approach between all governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community representatives to address early childhood care and development outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
- Give a focus to the Priority Reforms in the National Agreement, and how they can be harnessed to make the changes needed to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are born healthy, supported to thrive with strong families and proud in culture.
- Identify specific reforms to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to achieve their potential in the early years, to be set up for long-term success.
- Identify opportunities to work more effectively across governments, reduce gaps and duplication and improve outcomes under Closing the Gap.
- Identify opportunities to work more effectively across the Coalition of Peaks and community organisations, reduce gaps and duplication and improve outcomes under Closing the Gap.
- Support efforts to implement the National Agreement including meeting targets for the Priority Reform areas and socio-economic outcomes.
- Drive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-led outcomes on Closing the Gap, and support community-led development initiatives.
- Enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives, communities and organisations to negotiate and implement agreements with governments to implement all Priority Reforms and policy specific and place-based strategies to Support Closing the Gap.
The Partnership will pursue three additional objectives in Year Two, which correspond to the agreed ECCDPP three-year strategic plan:
- build on strong community feedback loops established by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members who are representatives of their communities and those established through previous consultation with communities
- collaborate with other shared decision-making mechanisms, including Policy and Place-based Partnerships under the National Agreement and Safe and Supported
- pursue dual processes of making recommendations to Joint Council on Closing the Gap and progressing reform priorities via jurisdictional Closing the Gap architecture.
Year Two Actions
To achieve its objectives, the Partnership will undertake the following actions:
| Action | Description |
| Action 1 | Meet quarterly to progress policy and research priorities that have been considered and agreed to by the Partnership. |
| Action 2 | Make recommendations to Joint Council for all Governments to take tangible action to improve early childhood and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. |
| Action 3 | Agree on priorities that drive development of policy reforms outlined in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Early Childhood Strategy and Early Childhood Care and Development Sector Strengthening Plan and begin work to implement the priorities. |
| Action 4 | Progress intersectional policy priorities with other shared decision-making partnerships, including Safe and Supported, Policy Partnerships and Place-based Partnerships. |
| Action 5 | Deliver commissioned research to build the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led evidence base for child and family services and use commissioned research to increase access to ECEC for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. |
| Action 6 | Support jurisdictional implementation efforts relating to the findings and recommendations of the Productivity Commission’s Closing the Gap review and provide advice on gaps and areas for greater focus. |
| Action 7 | Develop a strategic communication and engagement plan to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to engage with the work of the Partnership. This plan will leverage the strong community feedback loops established by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members. |
| Action 8 | Undertake an annual Partnership Health Check to maintain alignment with Strong Partnership Elements (Clause 22 of the National Agreement). |
| Action 9 | Develop an Annual Report to Joint Council. |
| Action 10 | Develop a third-year work plan for the Partnership. |
| Action 11 | Implement the ECCDPP Probity Framework. |
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