Learning from Good Practice: Implementing the Early Years Learning Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children

Report published June 2012

Introduction

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early childhood education and care (ECEC) services operate across Australia to provide essential services to communities in urban, rural and remote areas. Being Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned and managed, they overcome many of the complex barriers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families may experience in accessing ECEC services. These services provide children and families with more than just daytime care, they are vital community development organisations that significantly enhance the lives of children and families through the provision of a wealth of programs to meet children’s wellbeing, educational, developmental and cultural needs.

The majority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ECEC services operate under the Budget Based Funded (BBF) system, which supports early childhood services where mainstream services are not available or viable. At present, BBF services are not covered by the National Quality Framework (NQF), which is part of the major national policy reform agenda for education, skills and early childhood development in Australia. Consequentially they are also not currently assessed on their implementation of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), an approved framework or learning curriculum under the NQF. Inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services under the NQF will be considered at a later time, although as yet no date for this has been specified. This exclusion risks widening the existing gap in developmental outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and other children by excluding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services from the national drive towards a standardised quality system.

The Early Years Learning Framework contains a series of interrelated elements that are “fundamental to early childhood pedagogy and curriculum-decision making.” It highlights five key outcomes that holistically capture the “integrated and complex learning and development of all children”. Five key principles are also outlined that are intended to underpin educators’ practice and to support children to achieve the EYLF outcomes. Lastly, the Framework sets out eight key practices informed by sound pedagogical approaches to early childhood that educators can draw on to promote children’s learning.

Despite being outside the scope of the NQF, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ECEC services around Australia are already delivering the five EYLF outcomes through actively implementing these Framework principles and practices. The introduction of the EYLF has assisted many services in refining and adapting their practices to produce good outcomes for children. However, all services interviewed through this research emphasise that the essential Framework philosophy that children’s lives are characterised by belonging, being and becoming has been a key, guiding conviction underpinning the work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services for decades.

This paper unpacks the results of a series of Australia-wide consultations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ECEC services and Indigenous Professional Support Units (IPSUs) to explore whether and how these ECEC services are already implementing the EYLF. The paper firstly examines the unique and defining strengths of services that emerged during the consultations. The second section considers in detail each EYLF outcome, principle and practice, to unpack how the services interviewed implement these through their programs and practices. The findings highlight that many services have been able to successfully engage with the Framework because it aligns with their existing practice and philosophies. In particular, the services interviewed demonstrate strength and innovative approaches in delivering key outcomes such as children’s identity, wellbeing and connection with and contribution to their world. Furthermore, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ECEC services interviewed are based upon empowering and resilient partnerships with families and communities, a key EYLF principle.

The paper also examines the main challenges for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services interviewed in implementing the EYLF, and how they have attempted to overcome these. It unpacks the key supports that assist services to engage with the EYLF, before briefly discussing ongoing support that services feel they will need in the future. Finally, the paper proposes recommendations for future action that are needed to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services to thrive and to continue to provide improved outcomes for children.