Ahead of the Queensland state election, the Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland (ACA Qld) wants the major parties to commit to implementing three-year-old kindergarten in the state.
“ACA Qld has over 950 member services and the 17,500 parents utlising these services are constantly asking when Queensland is going to extend the free kindy program to catch up to other states,” says ACA Qld President Majella Fitzsimmons.
“We’ve asked for 15 hours a week of early education for three-year-olds and to expand four-year-old kindergarten to 30 hours. Three-year-old kindy has already been introduced in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and most OECD countries, so Queensland kids need this to happen now.
“The ability for children to participate in two years of kindergarten will absolutely lift social and academic
achievement and provide a much-needed boost to the Queensland economy.
“Early childhood education is responsible for developing foundational skills in children, including language,
literacy, numeracy, social-emotional skills, and critical thinking. These skills are essential for lifelong learning and success.”
Additionally, Fitzsimmons says early education helps develop a child’s interpersonal skills, “such as sharing, cooperation, and conflict resolution, which are crucial for their future interactions”.
“Three-year-old kindy also assists with early intervention with vulnerable children. It enables early educators to identify if children are facing learning challenges and also supports school readiness,” she says.
“We know the importance of early education and care for regional and remote communities. It’s a snowball effect. When you have early childhood educators, you then open up more spots for more children to receive early education, which then allows for people like teachers and nurses, who have kids, to come and work in rural and remote locations.
“For many families, 15 hours a week for three-year-olds, enables them to seek work or undertake education or training so three-year-old kindy is a no-brainer for lifting women up and growing the Queensland economy.”
Helping kids access the best start in life
The Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland (ACA Qld) aims to be a leading voice in advocating for high-quality early childhood education and care in Queensland. ACA Qld is a not-for-profit organisation committed to ensuring that every Queensland child has the best start in life.
ACA Queensland Board Member and Little Scholars founder Jae Fraser told EducationDaily that there are numerous social, emotional and educational benefits for children who can access three-year-old kindy.
Educational benefits of three-year-old kindy:
- Cognitive development: Early exposure to some structured learning environments enhances cognitive skills like problem-solving, memory, and attention. It lays the groundwork for literacy and numeracy, preparing children for future schooling.
- Language skills: Interacting with educators and peers helps develop vocabulary, language comprehension, and communication abilities. This supports both verbal expression and listening skills.
- Foundation for lifelong learning: The early introduction to learning routines fosters curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning. Children learn how to follow instructions, work on tasks independently, and collaborate in group activities, all of which are critical for future academic success.
Social and emotional benefits of three-year-old kindy:
- Socialisation: At kindy, children learn how to form friendships, share, take turns, and cooperate with others. This helps them understand social norms and develop empathy and respect for peers and others.
- Emotional Regulation: By engaging in play and other activities, children learn to manage emotions, express feelings, and develop coping strategies for frustration or disappointment.
- Confidence and Independence: Being in a nurturing but structured play and learning environment encourages children to take risks, make decisions, and gain confidence in their abilities. This fosters a sense of independence and self-esteem.
- Transition to Formal Schooling: Participating in three-year-old kindy helps children adjust to routines, expectations, and the structure of formal education, making the transition to primary school smoother.
“Access to three-year-old kindergarten also accentuates play-based learning, where children engage in activities that promote exploration and discovery,” says Fraser.
“This approach nurtures creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, allowing children to learn in a natural and enjoyable way while developing essential cognitive, social, and emotional abilities.
“Overall, access to three-year-old kindergarten provides critical developmental experiences, creating a foundation for academic success and well-rounded social and emotional growth.”
Governments must take action, ACA (Qld) says
He believes Queensland’s current lag behind other states is something that needs to be addressed urgently.
“Queensland was one of the first states to introduce a funded kindergarten program for four-year-olds in long day care, and this was welcomed by communities, families and providers,” Fraser told EducationDaily.
“It has been a hugely successful program that has seen attendance rates rise, but since this introduction, other states have replicated their own version of four-year-old kindy but also taken it a step further introducing it for three-year-olds as well.
“It has been on the agenda for a long time and many sector advocates (including ACA QLD) have been lobbying for this, but to date we have not had any commitment from government.”
