Today I issued this media release about the new star rating system for early childhood learning services. I have had a number of opportunities over the weekend and today to speak to the media about the issue.



JODIE HARRISON MP, LABOR SHADOW MINISTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING

NEW STAR RATING SYSTEM IS NO MORE THAN WINDOW DRESSING



Tomorrow, 26th November 2019, Jodie Harrison MP, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Learning, will be visiting early learning services in Armidale to highlight the quality of early childhood educators and to hear from them about their experience of working in the sector.

Ms Harrisons visit comes in the days following the Berejiklian Governments announcement that a new star rating system will come into effect in early childhood learning services in 2020.

In response to the announcement Ms Harrison said, The Berejiklian Government has once again put presentation and perception above quality care and learning in Early Childhood Education. Early Learning services are already required to display quality ratings for parents and carers to see. The new star rating system does nothing to improve the quality of services provided.

Ms Harrisons office has been contacted by a number of providers who have been left feeling confused having read about the announcement in the media. Ms Harrison said, Providers are contacting my office to say that the first that they knew about the change to the star rating system was what they read in the newspaper at the weekend. They are contacting the Department of Education and being told that there is no further advice at this stage. They are looking on the Departments website and there is no information there. It appears that this announcement has been made without any consultation in the sector.

Drawing attention to the urgent need for a resolution to the ongoing funding of the National Quality Standard, Ms Harrison said, At a time when the continuation of the National Quality Standard hangs in the balance because of uncertainty about ongoing funding for the Australian Childrens Education and Care Quality Authority beyond 30th June 2019, Sarah Mitchell MLC has dreamt up window dressing for the sector. Rather than parading this new policy with the Wiggles, she should be putting her energy into resourcing the development of quality in the early childhood learning sector.

Last week in the Parliament of New South Wales Ms Harrison gave notice of a Motion for debate calling on the Berejiklian Government to unequivocally confirm its support for the National Quality Framework and the continuing funding of the agency. Ms Harrison said, I continue to call upon the Berejiklian Government to push for the Federal funding to support the necessary work of helping early learning services to improve the quality of the education programs that they are delivering.