BUSHkids 2016-17 Annual Report

DSS

eKindy

eKindy offers a comprehensive ‘at home’ kindergarten program for children in the year before prep. The program is designed so that children who are living in rural and remote areas, travelling or are medically unable to attend a local early childhood service can engage in quality kindergarten experiences and maximise their learning as they play, create, imagine and discover. The eKindy program is teacher-supported and covers 15 hours of kindergarten for 40 weeks of the year (school terms only), which is equivalent to a centre-based kindergarten program. eKindy provides a flexible program that families are able to work through in ways that meet the needs of their child and family. Local state schools may set up an eKindy pod or hub where children can attend a sessions. Case Study: Kingaroy Australian Early Development Census Data and other profiling identified Kingaroy as an area which would benefit from additional support for children and families. BUSHkids’ Early Intervention Facilitator, funded by the Department of Social Services, has now been working in Kingaroy for more than two years and has become an integral part of the early childhood sector in the region. The EIF has established strong networks with local childcare centres and kindies, both in Kingaroy and surrounding towns. In many, programs such as Read and Grow Story Time, Fingergym TM , and Playing and Learning to Socialise (PALS), for children in the 3-4 years age group have been delivered, after childcare staff identified the need for support in meeting the developmental needs of attending children. Overview In 2016 BUSHkids partnered with Proston State School and Brisbane School of Distance Education to support an eKindy pod in Proston. eKindy is an ‘at home’ kindergarten program designed to be of equivalent quality to a centre-based kindergarten program based on the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines. In some areas small school-based pods are established to allow children to learn with peers. Between late 2016 and early 2017 BUSHkids was approached by several small schools keen to establish an eKindy pod of their own. The school communities were concerned about the developmental delays they identified in prep students each year. The eKindy pod was identified as an opportunity for children to meet and learn through play with their peers. Children attending an eKindy pod at a local school were also more familiar with the school environment and routines and this assists with successful transitions into prep.

BUSHkids eKindy Service Funding Schools must

Five schools established BUSHkids eKindy pods, facilitated by one of our staff members, in term one of 2017: Proston, Yelarbon, Karara, Bell and Gumlu. Four students attend each day with a rostering system in place where enrolments exceed four children.

provide their own funding; ‘top-up’ funding provided by BUSHkids

Term 1-year contracts Service area Proston, Bell, Karara, Yelarbon, Gumlu Staffing eKindy facilitator in each site Service purpose To provide kindy experience for

Kindy location Proston

Days per week

Students enrolled

Total sessions

2 3 2 2 2

6 3 6 3 6

80 37 38 30 38

Gumlu

Bell

Karara

children who live more than 16km from nearest childcare centre. All sites are over 45km from nearest kindy program

Yelarbon

TOTALS –

24

223

Each eKindy site has received a visit from the BUSHkids Social Worker Team Leader and visits from the School of Distance Education. Karara and Yelarbon have also had visits by BUSHkids Allied Health staff to identify any developmental delays that may require clinical intervention. Home-based programs were established for children requiring some extra support. One child was referred to the Warwick Centre for a block of speech therapy intervention.

The EIF runs groups with the children who participate and learn new skills; the childcare staff also attend the programs – increasing their knowledge and skills in supporting children’s development. Our facilitator also provides education and information to empower parents as the first teachers. BUSHkids has provided Read and Grow parent education and the A Steady Start to School (ASS2S) Program was planned to be delivered from late 2017. We partner with Queensland Health in running early childhood education sessions for childcare workers. Our EIF facilitates local discussion groups following the formal education session presented via telehealth. Staff from most childcare centres attend these education sessions each month.

20

20