Last month I met with a group of passionate and dedicated community preschool directors to discuss some of the challenges the early childhood education sector is facing, as well as its many and varied successes. Over the course of years I have been privileged to represent these remarkable women and have witnessed firsthand their commitment to providing our local children with the best possible start in life. Without their ongoing efforts, our community would be enormously poorer. I am not breaking new ground when I point out the critical importance of well‑funded and easily accessible early childhood education programs. These programs help children develop the social and emotional skills that will enable them to make and maintain friendships. They assist in the expansion of their cognitive abilities and foster language development. At their best, they promote creativity and encourage a lifelong love of learning.
In the time allotted to me I cannot even begin to do justice to the many amazing programs that are offered by our Blue Mountains community preschools. However, to give just one example, I draw the attention of members to the innovative Bush Preschool program that has been developed at Blaxland Preschool Kindergarten. As part of this program, children are taken on regular outings into the surrounding bushland. There they can play outdoors, connect with nature, observe the changing of the seasons and learn how to care for our magnificent but fragile ecosystem. I understand that this program has been a resounding success among parents and children alike. I hope and trust that it will continue to flourish for many years to come.
Recently I received an email from a constituent who detailed, in rapturous terms, his family's experiences at Blaxland Preschool. In this email he noted that his eldest child, having received an exceptional foundation for dealing with the challenges of autism, will likely be joining the year 5 opportunity class. He also noted that his second child, who has benefited from the same exceptional standard of early education and care, is about to set forth on her own schooling career, her enthusiasm for learning already firmly established. He looks forward to a future in which his youngest child receives these same advantages. In his own words:
"This school is one of the main reasons why we chose to raise our kids in Blaxland. Blaxland Preschool is more than just a school—it is an institution that brings together and builds both the community and children's futures in a way that all preschools should strive for."
Recently I had the pleasure of taking the Minister to Blaxland Preschool Kindergarten for a fabulous visit. I turn now to the important role that we can play in strengthening the sector and promoting its core aims. This Government and our Minister have already made great strides towards increasing access to quality early childhood education across New South Wales. As we push ahead with much‑needed new public preschools, we must not forget to support those that are already in existence. I know from experience that they have many insights to share and are an integral part of the communities they serve.
As a former teacher, I understand that a strong and comprehensive education starts long before children reach the classroom. As they take their first steps into the wider world, it is imperative that passionate and highly skilled early childhood educators are there to guide them. I welcome the efforts of the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund to attract and retain a talented workforce. If our education system is to remain competitive, we need to be doing everything we can to ensure that the best candidates want to teach in New South Wales. Before finishing, I take a moment to celebrate the remarkable men and women who play such an integral part in shaping the types of adults our children will become one day. I extend to them my utmost respect and gratitude. I know that early childhood educators are not always recognised and valued as they should be, but I am pleased to witness a growing appreciation for the crucial work that they do.
We have a shared responsibility to provide our children with the best possible start in life. As we move together into an uncertain world, it is in everyone's interests that the next generation is adequately prepared for whatever challenges lie ahead. As the old adage goes, it takes a village to raise a child. We as the Government have an important role to play in nurturing and cultivating our future innovators, teachers, healthcare workers, environmentalists, artists and leaders. Let us continue to do our bit by providing the early childhood education sector with the support and funding that it needs to fully unlock our children's limitless potential.
I give a quick shout‑out to my remarkable community preschool directors: Alison Staniford of Katoomba Leura Preschool, Deirdre Wilde of Blaxland Preschool Kindergarten, Jessica Jefferies of Springwood and Glenbrook preschools, Kathy Garland of Blue Gum Montessori Preschool, Kerrie Lovegrove of Kookaburra Kindergarten, and Roslyn James of Lawson Community Preschool.
