Aussie mums - please read - very very important

[eidsvold]

Did you know that there are moves afoot to bring Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching qualified teachers working in places like community kindergartens etc under the same federal award as one year TAFE diploma of children's services graduates. THis means instead of a salary of approx ( here in QLD) $47 500 they will now get maximum $23 000. Only paid term times and things like long service leave will not be transferable.

This is CRAP CRAP CRAP - how little do they value the qualifications and training of university graduates!!!

Anyway - most of your children are out of kindy but dd3 has yet to attend the fab kindy that dd1 did attend and dd2 is currently at. The C and K association has developed a fab early childhood curriculum using the fact they have qualified teachers delivering the curriculum. Now under the new award due to be passed through parliament - they will have a fab curriculum delivered by people with a one year TAFE certificate in children's services - can we seriously equate understanding of early childhood development and curriculum studied in a 4 year university degree with a one year TAFE course.

I am not sure if you are aware of it - it was brought to my attention by dd2's teacher. It seems the ACCA and ACSEA were hoping to push it through without letting people know.

ANyway - I am in the process of getting a petition together from kindergartens here in Brisbane and other areas to be presented to the Federal Parliament by a senator. You may like to tell other people you know who will or are involved in kindergartens etc about this.

... EA_edu.pdf info here

info about the new award.

Let me try that link again

info here

Great. Because early childhood workers aren't already undervalued enough in our society.

I just don't understand why anyone would be happy to see the person who changes your fan belt and checks your tyre pressure get paid at least twice what the person who looks after your child at a critical stage of his or her development.

Have you posted this on essentialbaby?

Exactly NineDragons . . .

We are looking to buy a business at the moment - one that we looked at was a Gym, according to their accounts the CLEANERS got paid more than the childcare staff.

Farking rediculous.

My children are young Eidsvold, I'll read the link and get on to our Kindy.

That's incredible. It is hard enough to find good kindys anymore. Ds1 went to a brilliant C&K and ds2 will go next year. It was a fab start to his education (and for us, too) and although it is in the opposite direction to ds1's school, I will definitely be sending ds2. Does the same apply to childcare workers, or is it yet another nail in the coffin of traditional kindys?

Hey Bouj - how are you??? Long time no chat - I have often wondered how things are with you.

I am with you though - dd1 and dd2 have been able to attend this fab centre and now dd3 who cannot attend until 2011 will miss out.

The problem is the disparity as they see it between what they have to pay qualified teachers as opposed to child care workers - for want of a better term. Even your qualified teacher who may be working in a child care setting will be affected. They will be paid the same as people who have done the tafe course of certificate equivalent!!

no Bouj - child care workers are already covered by a different award. Qualified early childhood teachers - teaching degree and teacher reg will be 'demoted' as such and I can definitely see an end to kindies as we know it.

If you want to email me - I can email you a copy of the petition to pass on as well. I already have the senator lined up and her office manager said it was better if all the petitions said the same thing rather than having to present them all differently.

Email me on [email protected] and I will pass it on to you for signatures or to pass to your kindy.

no I am not a member of essential baby. If you want to post - can you email me for a copy of the petition and you could post that too. In order to make it easier for the presentation of the petition - they all need to be the same.

Write to your federal mp and the senate as well as the PM and Deputy and leader of the opposition and deputy. Minister for early childhood education - opposition person too.

The Hon Katherine Margaret (Kate) ELLIS
ALP
Minister for Early Childhood
Education, Childcare and Youth
Minister for Sport
161a Main North Road, Nailsworth, SA 5083

Mrs Sophie MIRABELLA LP 117 Murphy Street, Wangaratta Vic 3677 opposition spokesperson

The other contacts are available on federal parliment website.

We really want this to be a co ordinated campaign. So I am more than happy to pass on the copy of the petition for signatures.

the maximum of $23 000 is wrong - dh told me after he checked my figures( okay so maths is not my strong point). They will earn a little more than $23 000 but despite that - it seems we no longer want our early childhood teachers who are not in government centres to be paid peanuts.