Actions to drive change

Community Liaison Officers (Linkers)

• Phase 2 new initiative – Build Relationships
• Co-design theme/s: Systemic and workforce barriers | Priority Reform alignment: 2

A future network of Aboriginal Community Liaison Officers (“Linkers”) will walk alongside families and strengthen connections between health and early childhood services.

The OECD is partnering with the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia (AHCSA) to consult and scope the feasibility of an Aboriginal Child and Family Linker approach, that will build on the learnings from ACCO and ACCHO child health and development screening pilots. This work will inform future decisions about the linker role design, scope and delivery.

Potential linker functions may include acting as Cultural brokers, supporting families to navigate child health and development pathways, improving follow-up and referrals, and strengthening engagement with early learning, preschool and other early childhood development opportunities.

This initiative aims to:

• increase child health and development screening uptake
• build family confidence in navigating early childhood services and systems
• increase families’ understanding of child development and benefits of playgroups and preschool; and
• connect families to other services.

Fee Relief

• Phase 1 new initiative – Build Momentum
• Co-design theme/s: Financial and socioeconomic barriers | Priority Reform alignment: 3

Fee Relief will support the participation of Aboriginal children in 3 and 4-year-old preschool, by equitably reducing financial barriers to preschool in all settings, including ACCO-led services.

This builds on the existing targeted child subsidy available in some long day cares offering a funded Year Before Fulltime Schooling (4-year-old) preschool program. Subsidy levels will be determined by the type of preschool setting – government, non-government sessional or long day care (including ACCO-led). Fee relief is designed to ensure that financial circumstances do not determine access to high-quality, Culturally responsive preschool.

This initiative aims to:

• increase enrolment of 3 and 4-year-old Aboriginal children in preschool; and
• give families more choice.

Early Childhood Education and Care enrolment and administrative process review (Department for Education)

• Phase 1 new initiative – Build momentum and relationships
• Co-design theme/s: Financial and socioeconomic barriers; Accessibility and engagement | Priority Reform alignment: 3

This initiative will review the Department for Education’s preschool and early childhood enrolment and administrative processes to identify barriers affecting Aboriginal families. It will build on existing department reform work.

Through consultation with Aboriginal families, educators, leaders and Community, the review will map enrolment pathways and administrative processes to identify where systems can be more accessible, Culturally responsive and trauma aware. Opportunities will include simplifying documentation requirements, strengthening communication about enrolment options, educating site leaders and staff and supporting local flexibility while maintaining state-wide standards.

Where improvements are identified, solutions will be tested and embedded within broader department systems and processes to ensure changes benefit Aboriginal families and all families accessing early childhood services.

This initiative aims to:

• increase Aboriginal enrolment and sustained participation in early childhood services; and
• build and strengthen relationships and trust between Aboriginal families, Communities and government preschools.