Community-led co-design
Aboriginal leadership guided the development of this Strategy. The OECD engaged MTL Consulting Services and Kimberley Wanganeen Consultancy to lead the extensive co-design engagement process. Through multiple phases of engagement (including metropolitan, regional and remote workshops, online sessions, and targeted discussions) Aboriginal educators, parents, Elders, Community members and ACCO and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) representatives shared their insights on barriers, strengths and aspirations for early childhood education.
This Strategy is the outcome of that process: a genuine, Community-led co-design, built around Aboriginal knowledge and aspirations. It reflects the themes and priorities raised during this process and builds on a shared commitment to create Culturally inclusive and responsive early education for every Aboriginal child in South Australia.
Key engagement themes
Key engagement themes7 relating to the retention of and benefits for Aboriginal children attending 3-year-old preschool:
- Strengthening partnerships with ACCOs
- Systemic and workforce barriers
- Family and social factors
- Accessibility and transport
- Financial and socio-economic factors
- Communication and information gaps
- Wider benefits to families
- Health and wellbeing outcomes
- Cultural safety and inclusion
- Early development opportunities
- Aboriginal accessibility and engagement
7 MTL Consulting Services and Kimberley Wanganeen Consultancy, South Australian Aboriginal Early Childhood Co-Design Project: 3-Year-Old Preschool Report, South Australian Government, August 2025, p. 23