Actions to drive change

Elders in Residence

• Phase 4 new initiative - Amplify Success
• Co-design themes/s: Aboriginal Cultural safety and inclusion | Priority Reform alignment: 1

The Elders in Residence Program will embed respected Aboriginal Elders and Cultural knowledge holders in early childhood settings, prioritised in locations with higher rates of enrolment of Aboriginal children.

Elders will work alongside educators, families and local Communities to strengthen Cultural responsiveness and safety, and support relationship-building and Culturally grounded early learning for Aboriginal children.

Their presence will support local knowledge and authority to shape practice, transitions, and everyday learning environments. All children benefit from greater knowledge of Culture, not just Aboriginal children.

This initiative aims to:

• deepen Culturally responsive practice in preschools
• reinforce service accountability to Aboriginal Communities; and
• nurture children’s identity, belonging and wellbeing.

Aboriginal Cultural Safety Training

• Existing initiative
• Co-design theme/s: Aboriginal Cultural safety and inclusion

All early childhood professionals are encouraged to undertake Aboriginal Cultural Safety training to help create more inclusive services for Aboriginal children, families and Communities.

Services that partner with the government to deliver universal 3-year-old preschool are required to ensure that educators working in the funded preschool room/s, and other staff in direct contact with families from these rooms (such as administration staff), undertake at least the foundation level of Aboriginal Cultural Safety training delivered by approved ACCOs or Aboriginal business
suppliers. This foundational training is made available at no cost to partner preschools, and is complemented by the mandated, and free, Trauma-informed Practice training. This core training supports all partner services to strengthen their capability and respond to children where they are at.

The Aboriginal Cultural Safety content framework is shared in detail with all preschool partners and includes 3 levels of training:

• Level 1 - Knowing: is the foundation level of Aboriginal Cultural Safety training mandated for all services
• Level 2 - Being: is classed as intermediate level 2 training, that further builds understanding
  beyond the foundational level; and
• Level 3 - Doing: is considered advanced level 3, and unpacks in more detail, the critical elements to Aboriginal Cultural safety.

Aboriginal Early Childhood Workforce Strategy

• Existing initiative
• Co-design theme/s: Systemic and workforce barriers

Growing the early childhood education sector’s Aboriginal workforce representation is not only vital for improving outcomes for Aboriginal children, it also strengthens the Aboriginal Cultural safety, capability and inclusivity of the entire sector and its services.

The Aboriginal Early Childhood Workforce Strategy launched in September 2025 and is focused on building a strong, visible, connected and Culturally safe Aboriginal workforce across the early childhood sector.

South Australia is the first in the nation to have co-designed a dedicated Aboriginal Early Childhood Workforce Strategy. We are proud to be investing a record $5.8 million as part of our commitment to grow, strengthen and support South Australia’s Aboriginal Early Childhood Workforce.

Initiatives include:

• a targeted attraction approach
• building and supporting entry pathways (traineeships, taster courses, Culturally safe placement options, grants for local training options)
• development, recognition and retention of staff (financial supports, paid placements, scholarships, Aboriginal Cultural safety assessments of services); and
• community & employer collaboration (grants for embedding Aboriginal Cultural safety & growing services’ Cultural knowledge).

These are above and beyond other initiatives in place, including a scholarships pathway via QualifySA and a state-wide Flying Start Aboriginal Professionals Network aimed at supporting early childhood professionals, allied health and community services professionals, to connect and collaborate on improving early childhood education and care outcomes.