Early childhood education and care
Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (12:16): My question is to the Minister for Children. The Productivity Commission found that breaches and serious incidents, including one tragic death, across approved early education care services have increased by 15.8 per cent in the past year. Confirmed breaches occur when providers fail to comply with legislation or regulatory conditions. Serious incidents include emergency services attending a service, children being locked in or out, or serious injury, trauma, illness or death. We are hearing from educators the sector is stretched thin with this Labor government only increasing kindergarten funding rates by 2.5 per cent, not in line with inflation. High turnover and workforce instability compromises children’s safety. Minister, has your department undertaken any risk assessments or analysis on the effects an underpaid, overworked sector is having on children’s safety, and if that is resulting in the increased number of incidents?
Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:17): I thank Ms Gray-Barberio for her question, or perhaps all of the questions and statements that are within that. But at the outset let me take this opportunity to acknowledge the Productivity Commission and their work. What it does show is that Victoria is leading the nation in investment in our early childhood services. On that basis, the premise of your actual question is indeed incorrect.
But when it comes to child safety, I think this house has had some long conversations in recent times around child safety in our education and care settings, wherever children learn and play, and indeed our investment in the facilities. Indeed just this morning I was with the federal education minister and the federal early education minister at one of our Early Learning Victoria centres, one of 14 that have opened this year. Our investment in early education has never been greater, whether it be our programs, from our free kinder for three- and four-year-olds through to our infrastructure, such as the 50 Early Learning Victoria centres we are building, 14 of which have opened this year; or more than 100 kinders on school sites, which is another milestone that we have reached this year; through to the recent investments that we have made – almost $140 million in child safety. Indeed this very Parliament debated the national law changes which go to improving child safety. For each of the questions within your question, and indeed your statements, I reject their premise outright. But if you want to talk to the work of the Productivity Commission, so too does the Productivity Commission, which finds that Victoria leads the nation in investment in our early education settings.
Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (12:18): Minister, I did not hear in your answer there whether you or your department have undertaken any risk assessments or analysis, and because you have not openly admitted that, that is quite concerning, particularly when the data in the Productivity Commission report is clear: harm against children is on the rise. It is vital that all educators and professionals who work with children are supported to have the appropriate resourcing to reduce these incidents and breaches. If we can improve each area, this must have a flow-on impact onto these disturbing numbers of serious incidents and breaches. Can you please list what evidence you and your department are considering for the reasons for an increase in breaches and incidents?
Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:19): I reject absolutely the insinuations in Ms Gray-Barberio’s question, but as I said, the Productivity Commission acknowledges that we are investing more in early education and care and quality and safety and that we are indeed leading the nation. Victoria also leads the nation in delivering high-quality early childhood education and care, with 96 per cent of services meeting or exceeding the national quality standard, well above the average of 90.1 per cent. The premise of your question is wrong. We are investing more than we have ever invested before.
I think all of us are well versed following the debates at the end of last year in relation to child safety, in terms of both what we are doing here in Victoria in advancing child safety across a range of areas, including where children are educated, but also where they go for their general wellbeing and where they play. We are investing right across the board and improving quality and improving safety, and the data in the Productivity Commission report shows that.