Early childhood education and care
Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (10:01): The early childhood crisis we find ourselves in has brought forward a wave of parents, educators and advocacy and policy think tanks and organisations, who took time out to share with me their perspectives as we respond to the crisis in the early childhood education and care sector. I would like to thank Victorian families, educators and advocates for wanting more and better for their children, which they deserve. Thank you to the many caring parents for sharing their stories of frustration, hope and honesty to get the system where it needs to be to keep children safe. Thank you to our early childhood educators, who for so many are doing the right thing and have also been distressed by this horrific crisis. Early childhood educators are tasked with one of the most important jobs – shaping the minds of our youngest learners through play, fun and imagination. Thank you to organisations like the Parenthood and the Australian Childhood Foundation for advocating for gaps in the system to be put on the agenda and changed for the better. All of your insights have been powerful and deeply important in shaping the Greens response. The Greens remain committed to transparency, accountability and a system that always puts children’s safety and wellbeing at its heart.