Municipal Early Years Planning Framework
and Practical Resource Guide
A partnership project between the Municipal Association of Victoria and
the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
© Municipal Association of Victoria 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
5
INTRODUCTION
28 Part 2: Practical guide to MEYP planning
6
7
How to use this document.
Acknowledgements
8
Part 1: Policy and planning context
29
30
33
9
12
SECTION 1: ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
SECTION 2: WHAT IS A MUNICIPAL EARLY YEARS PLAN
(MEYP)?
13
13
Format / structure of an MEYP
14
SECTION 3: KEY FOUNDATIONS FOR EARLY YEARS
PLANNING
14
16
Strategic local area planning
Social determinants of health
35
36
37
38
41
42
43
44
17
Focus on outcomes for children
Part 3: References and resources
18
SECTION 4: KEY INPUTS THAT CAN INFORM THE
DEVELOPMENT OF AN MEYP
19
20
21
23
25
26
MEYPs as an element of local government integrated planning
INTRODUCTION
STAGE 1: PREPLANNING.
STAGE 2: ASSEMBLING KEY BACKGROUND AND
CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION
STAGE 3: ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY
STAGE 4: ANALYSIS AND IDENTIFICATION OF PRIORITIES
STAGE 5: DETERMINING THE VISION AND GOALS
STAGE 6: DEVELOPING MORE SPECIFIC ACTIONS
STAGE 7: DOCUMENTING THE MEYP
STAGE 8: ENDORSEMENT
STAGE 9: IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING
STAGE 10: EVALUATION
52 REFERENCES
54 APPENDIX 1 – GLOSSARY
Evaluation of existing MEYPs
56 APPENDIX 2 – MAPPING THE SERVICE SYSTEM
Key evidence themes
57 APPENDIX 3 – SAMPLE VISION AND GOALS
Policy context
58 APPENDIX 4 – THE MEYP DOCUMENTATION
Local characteristics and influences
60 APPENDIX 5 – EVIDENCE THEMES
Council’s role
61 APPENDIX 6 – KEY AND EMERGING EVIDENCE THEMES FOR
SECTION 5: THE MUNICIPAL EARLY YEARS PLANNING CYCLE
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EARLY YEARS
64 APPENDIX 7 – POLICY CONTEXT
3
Heading
4
Introduction
Children are our future. There is now irrefutable evidence that investment in the first eight years
will improve children’s health and educational prospects - particularly for children from vulnerable
families. It will lead to improved social, human and economic capital outcomes for the community.
Victorian councils have played a major role in initiating and developing the local early years system
and securing federal and state government funding for early years programs such as maternal and
child health, kindergarten and childcare - initiatives that are now written in both state and federal
policy.
Victorian local government has a key legislated leadership role in working with local stakeholders
to plan for their municipality. Its planning role in the early years is of particular importance, and
is recognised by state and federal government. Local Municipal Early Years Plans (MEYPs) are
one of a range of plans that a council develops in partnership with its community to support
enhancement of the well-being of its community. An active policy and rigorous early years
planning ensures that local early years systems are coordinated and children and families receive
appropriate programs, especially where exclusion or additional needs are evident.
In 2006, the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and the State Government developed the
MEYP initiative. It was aimed at supporting councils to be better placed to provide a strategic
direction for the coordination and development of early years’ programs, activities, services and
facilities.
In May 2007, the Victoria Auditor General’s Office (VAGO) undertook a performance audit of
the MEYP initiative1. It found that MEYPs are sound initiatives that can improve coordination,
integration and delivery.
It recommended that the MEYP initiative be reviewed to identify areas for improvement, including
monitoring and review processes in MEYPs.
In 2010, the Victorian Government funded the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) to review
the 2006 MEYP framework in relation to the findings of the VAGO Audit, current policy context and
local government strategic planning processes.
1
Victorian Auditor General ‘Giving children the best start in life’, Victorian Government Printer, May 2007
5
The MAV Review2 recommended that a revised MEYP Framework be developed which would
place MEYP plans within the social determinants of health and local government planning
approaches. This approach enhances opportunities to engage families and communities
(particularly vulnerable children and their families) in a local context through initiatives that are
place based and integrated with other child friendly developments and community strengthening
activities.
This revised early years framework sets MEYPs within the broader theoretical and policy context
of social planning. It acknowledges that Victorian councils have developed their planning capacity
and council planning cycles have changed. There are now existing MEYPs in place that can be
reviewed, evaluated and built on. It focuses less on service planning and more on outcomes for
children and families - with a focus on 0 – 8 years. There is an increased emphasis on encouraging
a partnership approach where all community partners can work towards an agreed vision and
common outcomes for young children and their families across the municipality.
In addition, this document provides a practical resource guide to aid councils in the development,
implementation, monitoring and review of MEYPs.
How to use this document
This framework is presented in three parts:
· Part 1 provides the MEYP policy and planning context. It defines an MEYP and describes a
number of guiding principles and key inputs for MEYP planning;
· Part 2 provides a practical, step by step guide in turning the context into a strategic planning
process to develop the MEYP; and
· Part 3 provides additional references, resources and templates to assist in the planning
process. Essential reading has been laid out on the left and further information/resources on the
right.
2
6
Success Works - Municipal Early Years Plan Review, September 2010, MAV
Acknowledgements
Thank you to all who contributed to the development and update of the MEYP Framework, and to
those who participated in consultations and provided feedback. In particular, thank you to DEECD,
MAV Early Years Strategy Group and Success Works for their comments and advice.
7
PART 1:
Policy and
planning context
8
Part 1: Policy and Planning Context
Part 1 of this MEYP Framework sets out the policy and planning context that is most useful for
informing the development of the MEYP, drawing on international research, policy and good
practice in planning for children’s early years.
Section 1 looks at the role of local government
Section 2 defines a Municipal Early Years Plan.
Section 3 outlines a number of foundations for early years planning, including:
1. Strategic local area planning
2. Social determinants of health
3. Focus on outcomes
Section 4 explores five key inputs than can inform the development of an MEYP:
4. Evaluation of existing MEYP
5. Key evidence themes
6. Policy context
7. Local characteristics and influences
8. Council’s role
Section 5 outlines the 10 stage planning process that will be further detailed in Part 2.
9
Part 1: Policy and planning context
SECTION 1
Role of Local Government
Victorian local government has a key legislated leadership role in working with local stakeholders
to plan for their municipality. While the general powers and status of Victorian local government
are translated into particular responsibilities by individual councils at a local level, local government
has an overall responsibility to ensure that local service systems work well for their community and
to advocate for individuals and groups of children and families to receive appropriate services,
especially where exclusion or additional needs are evident. There is a strong rationale for local
government (in the context of its powers, status and responsibilities), to support developing local
citizens in an approach based on community health and wellbeing, which integrates economic,
social and environmental planning.
In May 2008 the Victorian State-Local Government Agreement was signed between
the Victorian Government and the MAV. This agreement acknowledges the key role of local
government in coordination and strategic planning of government services at the local level.
The Victorian Government has specifically acknowledged the key leadership role of local
government in early years planning. In August 2009 the MAV and the DEECD signed a
Partnership Agreement, which recognises the collaborative relationship between the DEECD
and councils in the planning, development and provision of early years programs.
10
Local government legislation
Local government in Victoria is recognised
and protected in Part 2A of the Victorian
Government Constitution Act 1975. Local
government’s planning role is legislated in the
Local Government Act (1989), the Victorian
Local Government (Democratic Reform) Act
(2003), the Planning and Environment Act (1987)
and the Public Health and Wellbeing Act (2008)
(section 26 of that Act requires councils to
prepare MPHPs).
Council plans, municipal public health plans
and municipal strategic statements are required
by statute. The Victorian Local Government
(Democratic Reform) Act 2003 creates a framework
and an expectation that local government will play
a leadership role in fostering development of the
whole community, which is consistent with councils’
corporate continuous improvement processes.
Alongside the legislative requirements, the National
Assembly of Local Government provided advice
to councils on their roles and responsibilities.
The ‘Declaration on the Role of Australian Local
Government’ provides a standard for local councils
to achieve a more effective democratic process
and secure the environmental, social and economic
wellbeing of their constituents (National Assembly
of Local Government, Resolutions, Appendix A:
Declaration on Role of Australian Local Government,
Federal Convention Centre Canberra, ACT, 23–26
November 1997).
Part 1: Policy and planning context
Local government across Victoria is acknowledged as the leader in local area early
years planning, with councils committing staff and financial resources to undertake
the MEYP process. There has been additional financial investment by local and
state governments in early years planning and development, including extra
financial resources allocated to early years human resources, governance, facility
provision and programs. The Victorian Government explicitly acknowledges the role
of councils in improving early childhood services in a range of policy documents
including the MAV/DEECD Partnership Agreement.
Although primarily focused at the universal end of program development and
delivery, councils have continued to strengthen their focus on social inclusion of
vulnerable families. Local government has been continuing to refine and strengthen
its strategic approach to influencing early years outcomes as it updates existing
MEYPs. It continues to develop a stronger focus on long term facility planning,
child friendly city planning and the provision of a seamless system that is easy to
access for families, and friendly to use. There is now also strengthened focus on
achieving locally determined early years outcomes in partnership with community
stakeholders, who can equally share the responsibility of developing, implementing
and evaluating the MEYP across the municipality.
Extracts from the Partnership Agreement
“The Victorian Government recognises that local government
is a distinct and essential tier of government consisting of
democratically elected councils having functions and powers
that are necessary to ensure the peace, order and good
government of each municipal district.
This agreement recognises the collaborative relationship
between the department and councils in the planning,
development and provision of education and early childhood
services and the complementary roles played by the Victorian
Government and councils in the planning, funding and delivering
of a range of services.
This agreement, together with the Victorian State/Local
Government Agreement, provides an overarching framework to
guide current and future relationships, agreements and activities
undertaken between the department and MAV, including but not
limited to:
· Agreements related to the operation of specific programs;
· Funding arrangements between the department and specific
councils;and
· Policies and plans at a statewide, regional or local level
Victorian local government is acknowledged as a national leader
in the provision of universal and targeted human services, which
includes a significant investment in the planning, provision and
coordination of family, youth and children’s services. Some of
these services provided by councils are mandated by statute
and others reflect identification of community need. In many
cases these reflect a partnership with the Victorian Government.
11
Part 1: Policy and planning context
SECTION 2
What is a Municipal Early Years Plan (MEYP)?
An MEYP is a local area plan designed to provide a strategic direction for the development
and coordination of early years programs, activities and other local community development
processes that impact on children 0 – 8 years in a municipality. Ideally, an MEYP engages the local
community to agree to work towards some positive early years outcomes for children and families
in the municipality.
All councils now have an MEYP. Many have had success in using these MEYPs to incorporate
early years community priorities into an integrated council planning framework. MEYPs can
also act as catalysts for consistent multi-agency planning across a municipality – where all local
partners work towards agreed outcomes within their respective roles.
MEYPs identify council’s role across early years programs - not just those activities directly
delivered by council. They encompass the universal, targeted and intensive service system, as well
as broader programs and activities such as health promotion and environmental planning. MEYPs
now cover a minimum of birth to eight years and include new/emerging programs or initiatives
funded by the state government of the day, such as Transition to School, Universal Access to Early
Childhood Education, Best Start, Supported Playgroups and Maternal and Child Health Key Ages
and Stages.
Through the planning process associated with developing, implementing and evaluating an MEYP,
local councils can achieve significant benefits for their municipalities including:
· Capacity building for families and their young children
· Engagement of key community partners who have clear roles in working towards locally agreed
outcomes
· Provision of a long term early years planning guide across all council departments
· Articulation of council’s role in service and infrastructure provision, planning, advocacy and
community capacity building, across the universal, targeted and intensive service system
· Support for councils in making informed decisions and maximising resources
· Serving as a basis for partnership and negotiation between other levels of government
Strategic Versus Operational Planning
“Planning exercises aim to provide some certainty in the
face of an ambiguous or uncertain future and are often
associated with change. Two interconnected levels of
planning are important… strategic and operational.
Strategic level planning is about acknowledgement
that there are choices in the direction that can be
taken in the future. The development of a vision,
mission and values is used to assist in selecting
priorities for future decision making.
Strategic plans tend to pay particular attention to
the analysis of broad or macro environment, the
identification and response to issues, and longer
term goals and objectives.
Typical features associated with strategic planning
processes include:
· broad-scale information gathering
· an exploration of alternatives
· an emphasis on future implications of present decisions
· fostering orderly decision making and successful
implementation.
In contrast to strategic planning, operational level
planning (service, program or business planning) is
more detailed and is focused on the implementation
of strategic-level plans. Typically, operational
planning activities look to the short term, such as the
current fiscal year or life of a project or program.”
Environments for Health: Promoting Health and Wellbeing through
Built, Social, Economic and Natural Environments – Municipal Public
Health Framework, 2001.
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/localgov/mphp.htm
12
Part 1: Policy and planning context
Format / structure of an MEYP
There is no required format or structure for an MEYP. There is the opportunity for flexibility so that
they can reflect each council’s individual corporate planning processes, style and approach. Some
councils may add the MEYP as an action plan to a larger strategy such as the Municipal Public
Health and Wellbeing Plan (MPHP), Council Plan or Community Plan. The MEYPs can form the
basis for a joint partnership planning approach where involvement of other local stakeholders is
identified in the MEYP and these organisation corporate planning documents reflect agreed MEYP
outcomes.
EXAMPLE: MEYP AND COUNCIL
PLANNING PROCESSES
COUNCIL PLAN
A suggested format for an MEYP is set out in the second part of this document.
MEYPs as an element of local government integrated planning cycles
Municipal Strategic
Statement
Community Plan
Councils have observed that the MEYP process is most effective if viewed as one of the elements
of local government integrated planning. If utilised effectively, an MEYP has the potential to be
a useful tool for embedding early years community priorities into council planning processes /
budgets. An example is outlined to further demonstrate this process.
Placing the MEYP process within a timeline of local government planning cycles (see example
below extracted from the Practical Guide to Municipal Public Health Planning) may assist in
integrating MEYPs with other local planning processes.
Municipal Health and Well Being Plan
SAMPLE PLANNING TIMELINE
(extracted from the Practical Guide to Municipal Public Health Planning)
November 2008
Local government elections
November 2012
Local government elections
November 2012-13
MPHP planning
November 2009
MPHP due
2008
2009
2010
2011
November 2016
Local government elections
November 2016-17
MPHP planning
2013
MPHP due
2012
2013
2014
Family & Children’s
Action Plan
2017
MPHP due
2015
2016
2017
September 2011
September 2015
State Public Health Plan due
State Public Health Plan due
November 2010-11
State public health planning
November 2010
Victorian government elections
MEYP
M&CH Action Plan
November 2014
Victorian government elections
13
Part 1: Policy and planning context
SECTION 3
Key foundations for early years planning
STRATEGIC LOCAL AREA PLANNING
Strategic local area planning principles are integrated into the Municipal Public Health
Framework and have relevance for early years planning. This concept promotes
planning for the impact of built, social, economic and natural environments and
emphasises strategic local area partnerships and networks with services and agencies
as critical for future planning and development of municipalities. These may include
planning partnerships that have shared council/community governance arrangements
with stakeholder protocols. Agreed vision statements, goals, strategies and outcomes
can be determined and reflected in the planning partnership terms of reference –
creating a powerful, cohesive municipal wide planning approach to the early years.
Consideration should be given to the geographic levels to which planning and research
will be applied - councils may have a specific approach to social research and planning
such as within districts, neighbourhoods or municipal-wide.3
An important aspect of strategic local area planning is community engagement.
Community participation and partnership assists local government in embedding
community priorities into strategic planning processes. Councils may have community
engagement policies/strategies in place – including how to identify and consult with
specific groups in the community to ensure the voices and perspectives of marginalised
or more vulnerable groups can be considered.
Partnership Development
VISION AND GOALS
‘Effective partnership requires the establishment of a clear vision
which speaks to the ethical and moral underpinnings of the work
of the member organisation, and to which individual participants
can make personal commitments’ (Labonte 1997, p.100).
PRINCIPLES OF PARTNERSHIP
A partnership is “a close mutual co-operation between parties
having common interest, responsibilities privileges and power”.
PRINCIPLES OF PARTNERSHIP:
1. Agreed mission, values, and goals.
2. Mutual trust, respect, genuineness, commitment.
3. Builds on identified strengths but addresses areas needing
improvement.
4. Balances power among partners and allows resources
among partners to be shared.
5. Clear, open, accessible communication between partners,
making an ongoing priority to listen to each other’s needs,
develop a common language and validate/clarify meanings
of terms.
6. Roles, norms and processes for the partnership are
established with the input and agreement of all parties.
7. There is feedback to and among and from all stakeholders
with the goal of continuously improving the partnership and
its outcomes.
8. Partnerships take time to develop and evolve over time.
Case study for the Principles of Partnership: Best Beginnings - A Child Abuse
Prevention Program in NY City. Anne Reiniger, Community Campus, Partnership for
Health
3
14
Environments for Health: Promoting Health and Wellbeing through Built, Social, Economic and Natural
Environments – Municipal Public Health Framework (2001)
http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/principles.html
Part 1: Policy and planning context
Strategic local area planning can serve a number of local government objectives.
It can:
· Expand the policy agenda
· Do more with less
· Build community capacity and participation
· Enable a strengths-based, and place-based planning approach
· Foster a learning organisation
· Strengthen partnerships with the community at multiple levels
· Explore innovative approaches to integrated planning with state government departments
· Capture information and knowledge
4
There is increasing awareness of the value of including children’s voices in consultation with the
community. Consultation with children has a basis in international law through the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Australia in 1989. One of the rights stipulated
in that Convention is the right of children to be heard. The Convention is at the heart of the Child
Friendly Cities initiative promoted by UNICEF, which aims to realise the Convention at a local level.
Some councils have found the Child Friendly Cities concepts helpful in guiding the development of
MEYPs.
In addition, councils can become recognised by UNICEF as a Child Friendly City. There are other
resources available to assist councils to engage in meaningful consultation with children within the
municipality.5 More information is available from Early Childhood Australia.6
4
5
6
Children’s Voices - Child Friendly
Cities
Child Friendly Cities is an initiative promoted by
UNICEF, which aims to realise the Convention on
the Rights of the Child at the local level. UNICEF
describes a Child Friendly City as a local system of
good governance committed to fulfilling children’s
rights. The framework for action to achieve this is
based on the right of every young citizen to:
· Influence decisions about their city
· Express their opinion on the city they want
· Participate in family, community and social life
· Receive basic services such as health care and
education
· Drink safe water and have access to proper
sanitation
· Be protected from exploitation, violence and
abuse
www.childfriendlycities.org
LGPro Corporate Planner’s Network (2008) Embedding Community Priorities into Council Planning – Guidelines for the
Integration of Community and Council Planning
A useful bibliography in this field can be found at the ACT Children’s Plan website:
http://www.children.act.gov.au/documents/PDF/08%20June%20CNF%20Raising%20Children’s%20Voices%20-%20
Bibliography.pdf
For example: http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/early_childhood_news/speeches/meaningful_consultation_with_
children_raising_childrens_voices_july_2008.html
15
Part 1: Policy and planning context
Social determinants of health
The social determinants of health7 are the conditions in which people are born,
grow, live, work and age. There is now worldwide recognition that inequity in health
is in large part due to underlying social, economic and political inequities. This is in
contrast to viewing the cause of health status as residing predominately with the
individual.
A good environment in early years is identified as one of the ten aspects of the social
determinants of health.8
Municipal early years planning can consider the daily living conditions of young
children and their families, how the economic and social conditions of the municipality
affect them and what responses and interventions can improve them. It can
move planning away from service delivery alone and focus thinking on the child’s
experiences within their family, neighbourhood and community. This approach is
particularly important when planning for indigenous and other vulnerable groups in the
municipality.
7
As defined by World Health Organisation (http://www.who.int)
8
WHO (2000) Social Determinants of Health: The Solid Facts; WHO Commission on Social Determinants
of Health (2008) Closing the Gap in a Generation: Health Equity through Action on the Social Determinants
of Health
16
World Health Organisation: Social
Determinants of Health
1. Early childhood development: Well established evidence
illustrates that opportunities provided to young children are
crucial in shaping lifelong health and development status.
2. Globalisation: How globalisation’s dynamics and processes
affect health outcomes: trade liberalisation, integration of
production of goods.
3. Health systems: Innovative approaches that effectively
incorporate action on social determinants of health.
4. Measurement and evidence: The development of
methodologies and tools for measuring the causes, pathways
and health outcomes of policy interventions.
5. Urbanisation: Broad policy interventions related to healthy
urbanisation, including close examination of slum upgrading.
6. Employment conditions: Measures to clarify how different
types of jobs and the threat of unemployment affect workers’
health.
7. Social exclusion: The relational processes that lead to the
exclusion of particular groups of people from engaging fully in
community and social life.
8. Priority public health conditions: Factors in the design
and implementation of programs that increase access to
health care for socially and economically disadvantaged
groups.
9. Women and gender equity: Mechanisms, processes and
actions that can be taken to reduce gender-based inequities
in health by examining different areas.
Part 1: Policy and planning context
Focus on outcomes for children
The Victorian Child and Adolescent Outcomes Framework9 (shown in Figure 1, right) was
developed and endorsed by the Victorian Government in 2005 and has been used as a basis for
reporting on outcomes for Victoria’s children, young people and their families.
While the framework relates to children from the prenatal period through to 17 years of age, it
contains important outcomes relevant to the early years. It incorporates the overlapping domains
of safety, health, development, learning and wellbeing, and also recognises the importance
of outcomes relating to the context in which a child lives (i.e. the influence of the family, the
community and society). In this way, it places outcomes for children and young people within the
social determinants of health.
In addition to providing a useful conceptual model for early years planning, the framework
has formed the basis for a range of indicators now measured through the Victorian Child and
Adolescent Monitoring System (VCAMS), which provides an important outcome focused tool for
early years planning.
The outcomes framework can assist councils to link early years planning outcomes with broader
outcomes as defined in other council corporate planning processes that relate to children, young
people, families, community and society more broadly.
Figure 1: The Victorian Child and Adolescent
Outcomes Framework
CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE FAMILIES
· optimal antenatal/infant
· healthy adult lifestyle
development
· parent promotion of child
· optimal physical health
health & development
- adequate nutrition
· good parental mental health
- free from preventable disease
· free from abuse & neglect
- healthy teeth & gums
· free from child exposure to
- healthy weight
conflict or violence
- adequate exercise & physical
· ability to pay for essentials
activity
· adequate family housing
- healthy teenage lifestyle
· positive family functioning
- free from injury & harm
· optimal social & emotional
development
enabling soceity
- positive child behaviour &
suppotive communities
mental heath
Confident and
- pro-social teenage
capable families
lifestyle & law abiding
behaviour
- teenagers able to rely
safe, healthy child,
on supportive adults
learning, developing,
· optimal language &
achieving wellbeing
cognitive
development
- successful in
numeracy & literacy
- young people
complete secondary
education
COMMUNITY
· safe from environmental toxins
· communities that enable
parents, children & young
people to build connections
& draw on informal assistance
· accessible local recreation
spaces, activities & community
facilities
· low levels of crime in community
9
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (2009) The State of Victoria’s Children 2009 – Aboriginal
Children and Young People in Victoria
SOCIETY
· quality antenatal care
· early identification of child
health needs
· high quality early education
& care experiences available
· adequate supports to meet
needs of families with children
with disability
· children attend & enjoy school
· adult health & community
services that meet the needs
of parents critical to parenting
· adequate supports for
vulnerable teenagers
17
Part 1: Policy and planning context
SECTION 4
Key inputs that can inform the development of an MEYP
This section outlines five key inputs that can inform the planning process, leading to the
development of an MEYP.
Evaluation
of existing
MEYP
Key
evidence
themes
Council’s
role
MEYP
Local
charateristics
and
influences
18
Policy
context
Part 1: Policy and planning context
Evaluation of existing MEYPs
Principles to guide evaluation
Evaluation is the process by which councils assess whether the MEYP has made a difference to
young children and their families in the municipality. Good evaluation involves good thinking. It is
not an event that occurs at the end of the MEYP process but is ongoing. It helps decision makers
better understand the MEYP and how it is impacting on participants, partner agencies and the
community and how it is being influenced/impacted by both internal and external factors.
1. Strengthen projects: evaluation furthers our
goal of improving the wellbeing of people by
providing ongoing, systematic information that
strengthens projects during their life cycle, and
wherever possible, outcome data to assess the
extent of change
2. Use multiple approaches: multidisciplinary
approach to problem solving to include a range
of techniques to address important program
questions
3. Design evaluation to address real issues:
identify problems and opportunities in the
project’s real communities and provide
stakeholders with reliable information to build
strengths and opportunities
4. Create a participatory process: value multiple
perspectives and involve a representation of
people who care about the project. Prepare
organisations to use evaluation as an ongoing
function of management and leadership
5. Allow for flexibility: Evaluation plans should
take an emergent approach, adapting and
adjusting to the needs of an evolving and
complex project aiming for systematic change.
6. Build capacity: evaluation should be concerned
with the skills, knowledge and perspectives of
project participants as well as specific outcomes.
Therefore review and evaluation is a critical management and learning tool within the MEYP
planning framework and is different to the ongoing regular monitoring of progress on the
implementation of the MEYP that normally occurs as part of organisational accountability
processes.
The effectiveness of a new MEYP can be greatly strengthened by taking account of the findings
of review and evaluation of the implementation and outcomes of the previous plan. Many different
approaches are possible to evaluation, but evaluation is most useful when it provides insights into
the following:
· How well did the previous MEYP document what needed to be achieved and how success
would be measured?
· How effectively were the actions in the plan implemented and what factors strengthened or
impeded the process of implementation?
· What impact has implementation of the actions had in the local community? Was this what the
plan anticipated?
· What influence is implementation of the actions in the plan potentially having on longer term
community health and wellbeing outcomes?
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbook http://www.wkkf.org/knowledge-center/resources/2010/W-KKelloggFoundation-Evaluation-Handbook.aspx provides a framework for thinking about evaluation and provides a blueprint for planning,
designing and conducting project-level evaluation.
The Australasian Evaluation Society’s provides a “Guideline for the ethical conduct of evaluations”
http://www.aes.asn.au/about/Documents%20-%20ongoing/guidelines_for_the_ethical_conduct_of_evaluations.pdf
W.K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbook, January 1998
19
Part 1: Policy and planning context
Key evidence themes
The early childhood literature provides substantial evidence that10:
· The early years are crucial in setting the stage for later life
· Young children develop through their relationships with others
· Children’s development is shaped by the balance between risk and protective factors
· Supporting families effectively requires a comprehensive, coordinated family-centred service
system.
More recent evidence themes indicate that11:
· Addressing disadvantage in the early years can end generations of disengagement for families
and whole communities, and provide children with the opportunity of breaking the cycle of
disadvantage
· Children’s health, social and emotional wellbeing and their intellectual development are the
business of all early years service providers
· The integration of services makes life easier for and less stressful for children and families
through more consistent forms of delivery.
A more detailed snapshot of the current evidence themes is set out in Appendix 5. Evidence
related to the early years continues to evolve and it is important to periodically check for
information, particularly provided through BEST Start, Centre for Community Child Health12, and
state and federal department websites.
10
11
12
20
These key evidence themes are based on the Best Start literature: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ecsmanagement/
beststart/what.htm
These recent evidence themes are based on “Victoria’s Plan to Improve Outcomes in Early Childhood”
Best Start: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ecsmanagement/beststart/what.htm ; Centre for Community Child Health:
http://www.rch.org.au/ccch/
Refer to Part 3 for State and
Commonwealth Government
websites for more details of
current evidence.
Part 1: Policy and planning context
Policy context
Local, state, national and international early years policy provide an important context for the
MEYP.
At a local level, councils have their own policies relating to families and children and the
community, which can assist in identifying local planning priorities and processes. These can
include a council’s disability strategy, municipal public health and wellbeing strategy, community
plan and community engagement strategy. Position papers developed by the MAV reflect a local
government policy perspective, and can assist councils to identify relevant policy to inform the
MEYP.
Both state and federal priorities include a vast array of reforms and initiatives that are relevant to
councils in early years planning, emphasising the importance of early years as an area of focus for
government. A key driver for this has been the mounting early years and human capital evidence
base.
Early years initiatives are also well supported by legislation, including the Child Wellbeing and
Safety Act 2005, the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, and the Children, Youth and Families
Act 2005. The Education and Care Services National Law October 2010 will encompass national
regulations related to the COAG’s National Quality Framework.
Consistent themes across the various levels of policy include:
· A focus on outcomes which build human capital through early years reform
· Support for vulnerable children and children with special needs
· Access to and affordability of quality early childhood education
· National quality standards in early childhood education
· Initiatives to increase the number and qualifications of early childhood workers
· Reform relating to Indigenous children
· Focus on child and family health, including access to maternity services, early intervention
and prevention initiatives and the promotion of healthy eating and exercise in children
21
Part 1: Policy and planning context
As early years policy is the subject of continual change, it is important to regularly refer to relevant
state and federal policy websites for updates13.
The Victorian Government’s Best Start initiative is a particular policy initiative that has synergies
with the MEYP process and is briefly discussed below.
Best Start
Best Start is a state government initiative currently operating in 30 sites across the state. Best
Start planning links in well with municipal early years planning. While MEYPs provide a strategic
framework for the planning and provision of programs and other community development
activities, the Best Start action plan seeks to introduce service level changes to improve outcomes
for children. The Best Start action plan is focused on achieving change in the Best Start indicators
whereas MEYPs are likely to cover broader domains.
Where councils are involved in a Best Start project, efforts should be made to link the plans.
Ideally, the Best Start partnership could feed into the MEYP process and, where appropriate:
· extend the data mapping and analysis to include Best Start indicators,
· update local data with any additional data on vulnerable families and/or neighbourhoods,
· hold additional consultations to fill gaps in knowledge related to the Best Start initiative,
· support and/or complement planning, coordination and community building.
Further information on Best Start refer:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ecsmanagement/beststart/default.htm
13
22
Refer to Appendix 6, relevant state and federal government websites and the MAV website www.mav.asn.au for more
detail of current policy
CASE STUDY
MEYP AND BEST START
CITY OF GREATER SHEPPARTON
The merging of the Best Start extension site action
plan and the Municipal Early Years Plan has been
a successful marriage for the City of Greater
Shepparton. Both plans come with the brief to
provide strategic direction for the co-ordination
of educational, care and health programs, activities
and developments that impact on children.
The mobilising of local, limited resources to focus
on one early childhood local area plan has resulted
in a stronger partnership group and related
workgroups, better use of local data and a stronger
platform to advocate the importance of investing
in the early years.
Part 1: Policy and planning context
Local characteristics and influences
An MEYP is most effective when it is informed by a sound understanding of a range of
characteristics and needs of the municipality relevant to early years planning. This can include the
demographic, social and economic context of the community in which families and young children
live, the nature of the early years service system and specific issues influencing the health and well
being of young children and their families.
Refer also to the Guide to
Integrated Service Delivery,
part of the Platforms Service
Redevelopment Framework
developed by the Centre for
Community Child Health
http://www.rch.org.au/ccch/profdev.cfm?doc _id=12844
IDENTIFYING COMMUNITY NEED
A diverse range of information can be drawn on to assist with building a picture of the early years
within a municipality. There are several tools that can assist in this process, including key data sets
such as the Australian Early Development Index and Early Childhood Community profiles which are
further outlined in Part 2 of this document (The Practical Guide).
The information gained through the strategic local area planning process, and key local data
sets can also assist to build the picture of the early years needs within local precincts across the
municipality. This more detailed understanding will assist to ensure that priorities and objectives
developed through the MEYP process can take account of any specific needs of different
neighbourhoods.
EARLY YEARS SYSTEM
It is important that the MEYP process identifies the range of formal programs for young children
that are provided by the council, in partnership with or by state or federal government, community
organisations and/or the private sector. These include universal programs/activities for all
children (preschool, childcare, maternal and child health), targeted programs (family support,
early intervention) and intensive programs (child protection, ChildFIRST). It should also include other
programs and activities such as playgroups, children’s week, playgrounds, children’s library
services etc.
Refer also to the Guide to
Community Engagement,
part of the Platforms Service
Redevelopment Framework
developed by the Centre for
Community Child Health
http://www.rch.org.au/ccch/profdev.cfm ?doc_id=12844
It is also important to include the broad range of planning and capacity building initiatives
that affect young children and their families, such as joint planning partnerships, child friendly
city planning, information provision, community engagement projects, advocacy campaigns
to community leaders/local agencies/government and facilitating community development
interventions.
23
Part 1: Policy and planning context
INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSIONS
Another approach for gaining insights into needs and influences is to use the four environmental
dimensions common across municipal social planning as a framework. ‘Environments for Health’,
the conceptual framework that underpins the systems approach to public health planning, states
that health and wellbeing is affected by factors originating across any or all of four environmental
dimensions. Analysing how built, social, economic and environmental factors may impact on
young children and their families, and how planning can improve characteristics such as liveability,
friendliness, sustainability and viability – essential to health and well-being - can enhance
understanding of local needs and assist in a broader approach to planning that may include:
· Built, physical dimension: Infrastructure planning and facility provision that is child friendly,
designed to meet the needs of all children, and geographically accessible. It can include land
use planning, housing, recreation, child friendly spaces, transport, playgrounds, integrated
service hubs, etc.
· Social dimension: Creating opportunities for people to participate in the life of the community.
It can include planning how services can be friendly and easy to use and how families, service
providers and the community can be supported and involved.
· Economic dimension: Encouraging economic development and distributing wealth. It can
include considering the cost of services and encouraging local employment (such as Family Day
Care, utilising local contractors).
· Natural dimension: Creating opportunities for young people and their families to experience
and appreciate the natural world. It can include providing opportunities for outdoor exercise,
parklands and safe sun and water experience.
24
The environmental dimensions are discussed in
detail in “Environments for Health. Promoting Health
and wellbeing through Built, Social, Economic and
Natural Environments - Municipal Public Health
Planning Framework, April 2001”.
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/ localgov/mphp.htm
Environments that affect health
Economic
Environment
Social
Environment
Natural
Environment
Built
Environment
Part 1: Policy and planning context
Councils’ role
Councils’ Role
Councils play a critical role across the whole early years continuum, in bringing together families
and local providers of programs and activities to plan for more integrated support for families and
communities.
5 MAIN AREAS
As outlined earlier, the importance of a council’s planning and leadership role has been reinforced
at the state government level, where the MEYPs have been identified as the main vehicle for
local early years coordination and planning. There is a commitment to working more closely with
councils to further develop, expand and strengthen MEYPs, to consider them when making
funding decisions and use them as a basis for planning for Victoria’s children.
3. Facility planning
1. Planning and coordination
2. Service provision
4. Advocacy
5. Strengthening community capacity
Councils’ roles across the early years sector has largely focused around five main areas:
· Planning and coordination - acting as a key coordination point and community planner in
early years
· Service provision - delivering a range of early years programs, activities and initiatives
· Facility planning – planning, providing and maintaining a range of early years infrastructure
· Advocacy - lobbying and advocating to state and federal governments and other key
stakeholders on behalf of early years programs, young children and their families
· Strengthening community capacity - facilitating community connections and community
participation in decision making, including vulnerable families
Each council determines its own role. However it is important that the MEYP process considers
and clearly articulates these defined roles.
25
Part 1: Policy and planning context
SECTION 5
The Municipal Early Years Planning Cycle
This MEYP framework outlines a 10 stage process to support the development, implementation,
review and evaluation of an MEYP. The planning process outlined has a number of aspects that
are similar to the Best Start and Environments for Health frameworks, as there are usually strong
connections between all these planning processes.
This planning process has been developed as a general guide to support councils with developing
their MEYP. To be effective MEYPs need to be well integrated with councils’ other strategic
and operational planning processes. Therefore, it is anticipated that councils will have varied
approaches. However, it would be expected that each of the aspects covered in the process
outlined would need to be considered in the course of development and implementation of an
MEYP. This will ensure a comprehensive approach that is able to facilitate ongoing, significant
improvements for families, young children and local communities.
The following provides an overview of each of the stages, with more detailed information about
each stage presented in Part two of this document.
26
Part 2 of this document provides
further detail of the ten planning
stages.
Part 1: Policy and planning context
STAGE
KEY COMPONENTS
Stage 1: Pre-planning
The purpose of this stage is to ensure that all the preparatory work, stakeholder identification and thinking has been done
to support a successful MEYP process.
Stage 2: Assembling key
background and contextual
information
The development of the MEYP should be informed by an understanding of a range of broader information including
local, state and federal policy, council’s own policies, research evidence, local community characteristics and trends and
mapping of existing services, resources and arrangements for collaboration and coordination.
Stage 3: Engaging the
community
Local community stakeholders can be engaged in the process of developing the MEYP through a range of approaches.
This is central to ensuring local issues of importance are identified and that local needs, priorities and capacities inform the
development of the MEYP. Particular importance should be given to how to engage groups who may have special needs.
Stage 4: Analysis and
identification of priorities
Stages 2 and 3 provide a diverse range of information and insights that will inform the development of the MEYP. In
this next stage this all needs to be considered together and synthesised in order to identify the priority issues and
opportunities that the MEYP will need to address.
Stage 5: Determining the
vision and goals
The stage involves either developing and/or articulating the vision for the municipality in the early years area. Once the
vision is determined then key goals for the MEYP can be developed to outline the priority directions for working towards
achievement of the vision.
Stage 6: Developing the more This stage involves identifying the more specific objectives, actions and outcomes for the MEYP
specific actions
Stage 7: Documenting the
MEYP
It is important to properly document the MEYP in a way that assists communication of its purpose, what it is setting out
to achieve and proposed actions. It is also important that the MEYP identifies who will be responsible for achieving each
identified action and the timeframes for achievement of actions.
Stage 8: Endorsement
The proposed MEYP should be endorsed by the relevant people or project management group and then endorsed
through the normal council processes.
Stage 9: Implementation and This involves ensuring the process for implementing the actions and monitoring progress against the commitments of the
MEYP is clear particularly with regard to timeframes and responsibilities.
monitoring
Stage 10: Evaluation & review This involves formal examination of how well the MEYP has achieved what it set out to achieve and what lessons have
been learnt about development and implementation of an effective MEYP.
27
Part 2:
Practical Guide
to MEYP
Planning
28
28
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
Introduction
Stage 1:
Preplanning
Part 2, Practical Guide to MEYP Planning, outlines a 10 stage process to support the
development, implementation, review and evaluation of an MEYP. The guide has a number of
aspects that are similar to the Best Start and Environments for Health Frameworks, as there are
usually strong connections between all these planning processes.
Stage 2:
Assembling key background
and contextual information
Stage 3:
Engaging the community
Stage 4:
Analysis and identification
of priorities
Stage 5:
Determining the vision and
goals
Stage 6:
Developing the more
specific actions
Stage 7:
Documenting the MEYP
Stage 8:
Endorsement
Stage 9:
Implementation and
monitoring
Stage 10:
Evaluation and review
In this section, each step in the process is examined in further detail with a view to providing a
comprehensive outline of what should be undertaken. This process has been developed as a
resource and guide to support the development of a council MEYP. It is not intended to suggest
that all councils have a uniform approach, but rather that they adopt a process and approach that
ensures a robust, integrated and achievable MEYP that facilitates outcomes for families and
young children in their local community.
29
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
STAGE 1
PREPLANNING
The purpose of this stage is to ensure that all the preparatory work and thinking has been done to
support a successful MEYP process. This includes:
· Determining the objectives and timeframes for the planning process and the planning lifespan
and cycle;
· Clarifying how the MEYP will be linked with other council planning and consultative processes
and with existing plans that perhaps are on different cycles;
· Considering the findings from the evaluation of the previous MEYP and the learnings and
insights they provide for developing the next plan. (See Stage 10 for more details on evaluation);
· Identifying how the project will be managed and resourced; and
· Identifying key stakeholders and potential partners in the MEYP process.
HOW DOES THE MEYP LINK WITH
OTHER COUNCIL PLANNING?
WHAT IS COUNCIL’S ROLE?
WHO SHOULD BE INVOLVED?
How will the MEYP link into council’s broader
vision for the municipality?
What is council’s role in the MEYP process?
Who will be the MEYP champion?
How does the MEYP process synchronise with
other strategic processes?
What is council’s current role across the early
childhood system?
What resources are required for both the planning
and implementation process?
How can the MEYP fit with council’s community
engagement strategy?
Does the MEYP accurately reflect this or do some How will senior levels of council and the early
changes needs to be made due to changes in
childhood community be engaged?
service/ management provision or council policy?
30
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
Developing a timeline, such as the one below from the MPHP (also referred to in Part 1) is a useful
undertaking as it can provide an understanding of how the MEYP fits in with other planning cycles.
SAMPLE PLANNING TIMELINE
(extracted from the Practical Guide to Municipal Public Health Planning)
November 2008
November 2012
November 2016
Local government elections
Local government elections
November 2012-13
MPHP planning
Local government elections
November 2016-17
MPHP planning
November 2009
MPHP due
2008
2009
2010
2011
2013
MPHP due
2012
2013
2014
September 2011
State Public Health Plan due
2017
MPHP due
2015
2016
2017
September 2015
State Public Health Plan due
November 2010-11
State public health planning
November 2010
Victorian government elections
November 2014
Victorian government elections
CASE STUDY
LINKING THE PLANS
STRATHBOGIE SHIRE COUNCIL
Strathbogie Shire Council commenced development
of a suite of planning documents in 2009, starting
with the Heatwave Plan, followed by the Healthy
Communities’ Plan (MPHP), the Inclusive
Communities’ Plan (DAP) and the Municipal
Early Years Plan in 2010. In developing the plans,
Council identified a need for clear linkages between
these plans and council priorities.
By linking the plans, they become part of Council’s
overall vision for the health and wellbeing of the
municipality; they provide a coordinated and
strategic approach to community health planning
whilst ensuring each plan focuses on key priorities;
and they inform the Council plan. Linkages ensure
the plans are regularly reviewed and updated and
continue to meet the needs of the community.
31
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
Developing partnerships with key stakeholders
Councils may like to consider the benefits of developing an MEYP using a partnership approach
with key stakeholders who, through working together, enhance the outcomes that can be
achieved through the development and implementation of the MEYP.
This requires good planning and identification of the ‘right’ stakeholders (Refer Appendix 9 Stakeholder Analysis). The partnership may be part of an already existing group such as the Best
Start Partnership or an Early Years Advisory Group. It is important that any partnership group
established has clear terms of reference with a governance structure outlining decision making
responsibilities.
Sample MEYP Partnership Group
Council
Government
MEYP Partnership
Group
Families and
children
Service
providers
Private sector
business
Community
leaders
32
An example of a partnership
approach
Some councils have initiated a joint planning
approach to the MEYP development – where a
partnership group (existing or new) is formed in the
preplanning planning stage to oversee all stages of
the planning cycle. Powers, roles and responsibilities
are agreed and documented in a clear governance
structure with terms of reference. Councils have
reported that this approach enables community
ownership of the whole MEYP process and shares
the responsibility of undertaking strategies and
actions across all stakeholders. As a result there
is a better planning process, a quality MEYP and
improved chances of enhancing early childhood
outcomes.
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
STAGE 2
ASSEMBLING KEY BACKGROUND AND CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION
The development of the MEYP needs to be informed by an understanding of a range of broader
information including federal and state government policy directions and insights about research
evidence.
It also needs to be informed by data on local community characteristics and trends as well
as mapping of existing local services, resources and arrangements for collaboration and coordination. Council strategies and plans and the council’s role in the early years sector also provide
important context for the development of the MEYP.
GOVERNMENT POLICY DIRECTIONS
As already outlined in Part 1, the implications of federal and state government policies must be
considered when developing an MEYP. It is important to look for the opportunities these policies
create, but also to analyse and determine if there are any constraints they impose that will need
to be considered when developing the MEYP. Understanding current government policy priorities
to ensure there is a strategic approach to identifying opportunities that can then be turned into
strategies for action.
FINDING THE DATA
Undertaking evidence based research and gathering data about the early years is important to
ensure that the MEYP is based on current and sound information. It is useful to build a profile of
the local community and the critical issues that impact on young children and their families
CASE STUDY
EARLY YEARS PROFILING
CITY OF GREATER DANDENONG
Municipal mapping and profiling has assisted in the
development of the MEYP and its recommended
activities. By understanding our community (who
lives here and where) planning for the future is
more able to be relevant to community needs. For
example, the development of playgroups for the
Afghan community in the areas of the municipality
where they have settled, the provision of additional
4 year old kindergarten groups in areas where the
population of young children is increasing.
Profiling of the community can assist in determining
how services are best delivered. For example, in
areas of disadvantage, services tend to be most
effective if outreached to the community rather than
expecting the community to go to the service.
The City of Greater Dandenong has had success
in providing MCH services in partnership with the
local Aboriginal Cooperative. The Springvale Service
for Children is also an example of an integrated
family and children’s centre where Council and
community services work together to provide better
opportunities for the community.
33
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
The following areas of data could be used to inform an MEYP. Federal and state
policies are ever changing, therefore a definitive list of actual titles of documents
has not been included, but rather areas that should be researched include:
· Local stakeholder organisations annual reports and strategic plans
· Australian Government policy (DEEWR)
· Victorian Government policy (DEECD)
· Local government early years and public health and wellbeing plans and policies
· Maternal and child health annual data reports
· Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) data
· State government (DEECD) early years profiles and community indicators
· Research evidence – OECD reports, intergenerational reports
· Data that maps local services and resources
· Community Indicators Victoria data
· Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders profiles
· Productivity Commission inquiries into early years mapping early years programs
It may be useful to identify local services, programs and activities against
characteristics such as: for what age group; how many services are provided
either directly or indirectly; where are they located; who provides them; how do
they fit in with achieving government policy directions; what do they cost.14
KEY DATA SETS
Australian Early Development Index (AEDI), including the
Victorian results, the national report titled a snapshot of early
childhood development in Australia, and the local government area
summary sheets.
http://www.rch.org.au/aedi/index.cfm?doc_id=13051
Early Childhood Community Profiles and Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Profiles, prepared by the Office for Planning,
Strategy and Coordination within the DEECD, which draw on the
data obtained through Victorian Child and Adolescent Monitoring
System.
Community Indicators Victoria, hosted by the McCaughey
Centre, School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, which
provides a snapshot of the wellbeing of individual municipalities with
comparisons to regional and state-wide results. Indicators that may
be useful in the municipal early years planning process include:
· Breastfeeding
· Child health assessments
· Early childhood development
· Immunisation
· Parental participation in schools
· School literacy and numeracy
Additionally, there may be other community indicators available that
could assist councils with placing municipal early years planning in
the context of the social determinants of health and other council
planning priorities.
http://www.communityindicators.net.au/
The Victorian Population Health Survey, which has been recently
expanded to include information at a local government area level.
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/healthstatus/vphs_previous.htm
14
Appendix 2 provides one example of a service mapping exercise.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports on health,
development and wellbeing of children.
www.aihw.gov.au/childyouth
34
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
STAGE 3
ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY
Local community stakeholders need to be engaged in the process of developing
the MEYP through a range of approaches. Engagement of a wide range of local
stakeholders is central to ensuring local issues of importance are identified and
that local needs, priorities and capacities inform the development of the MEYP.
Key steps in the stage include:
· Utilising council’s wider community engagement strategy – in many instances
this will inform the development of approaches;
· Identifying the aims of engaging with the community;
· Identifying stakeholders – ensuring all key stakeholder groups are identified,
which areas of interest/ influence they are engaged in and ensuring a diversity
of views;
· Particular importance should be placed on successfully engaging with groups
who may have special needs and are less likely to participate in more standard
community engagement processes;
· Utilising a range of approaches – such as on line discussions, focus groups,
public forums, networking and surveys; and
· Ensuring there are meaningful opportunities for stakeholders to be informed
about the process for the development of the MEYP, how their input will be fed
back, the insights emerging from the work in Stage 2, as well as seeking their
insights and views on issues.
Platforms Service Redevelopment Framework
The Platforms Service Redevelopment Framework developed by
the Centre for Community Child Health (CCCH) is a research based
framework designed to assist local communities refocus services for
children and families and strengthen the capacity of communities to
promote positive outcomes for children.
The second phase of this framework is community engagement and
planning and is supported by a range of resources and guides, including:
· CCCH Resource Audit Tool, focused on auditing polices, services
and programs
· CCCH Guide to Community Engagement
· CCCH Guide to Planning, Implementing and Evaluating
Community Initiatives
· An outline of AEDI
· CCCH Guide to Integrated Service Delivery
http://www.rch.org.au/ccch/ profdev.cfm?doc_id=12844
CASE STUDY
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
SURF COAST SHIRE
Surf Coast Shire has been at the forefront of conducting community
engagement activities that support and promote citizen participation.
In developing the MEYP, engagement of community members and
key stakeholders was sought through a range of activities including
surveys, telephone interviews and community conversations and
governed by Council’s Community Engagement Framework.
Community engagement has been integral in informing the
development of the MEYP by enabling the collection of information
about issues of concern and ideas to enhance planning, access
and delivery of early years services at both a local and municipal
level. The resulting MEYP action plan reflects many items from the
consultations.
35
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
STAGE 4
ANALYSIS AND IDENTIFICATION OF PRIORITIES
Developing priorities
Stages 2 and 3 provide a diverse set of information and insights that will need to be distilled and
used to inform the development of the MEYP. In this stage careful consideration of this information
and research needs to be undertaken in order to tease out and identify where the areas of priority
are and strategic themes that the MEYP will need to address.
Do the priorities reflect council’s corporate priorities?
It is important to ensure there is a common understanding of such things as where the policy
agenda is going, what the community sees is important in the early years space, where the
triggers are that may give rise to tension of competing demands, what the key strategic issues are
that will need to be reflected in the vision and goals of the organisation, consideration of access
and equity issues, trends and events that will influence the MEYP over its lifetime.
It may also be worth developing a strategic issues agenda which is an analysis of strategic issues
that are anticipated or actual conditions or tensions, internal or external to the organisation, that,
if they continue, will have a significant effect on the functioning of the organisation or its ability to
achieve its desired MEYP.
36
COUNCIL’S ROLE
EXISTING MEYP
Do the priorities build on the successes and
learnings that have emerged from the evaluation of
the existing MEYP?
POLICY
Do the priorities align with state and federal policy?
EVIDENCE
Do the priorities align with the Victorian Child and
Adolescent Outcomes Framework?
LOCAL FOCUS
Do the priorities address local community needs?
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
STAGE 5
DETERMINING THE VISION AND GOALS
In any strategic planning process including the MEYP process, it is important to determine a
vision. The vision sets out the broad aspirations for the early years area whilst the goals are the
important ‘signposts’ that head the organisation toward the vision. For any municipality, the vision
must link to existing municipal plans and should not be out of alignment with the broader aims of
the municipality.
Once the vision is clearly developed and articulated, then key goals for the MEYP can be
developed to outline the priority directions for working towards the achievement of the vision.
The goals will form the basis for developing the rest of the MEYP, particularly the objectives and
actions that specify the details of what needs to be done, by whom and by when. In an MEYP,
there really needs to be no more than six goals, any more and the plan may be rendered unrealistic
or unachievable. When developing goals it is important to bear in mind the following principle
known as SMART
Goals should be15:
· Simple
· Measurable
· Achievable
· Realistic
· Timely
15
.
Part 3 shows examples of visions and goals
37
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
STAGE 6
DEVELOPING THE ACTIONS
Councils are experienced in developing action plans or undertaking action planning. The action
plan should include: identifying what is to be done; when it will be done; who is responsible;
allocation of resources; how it will be measured and the outcome desired.
Actions are the means of implementing the goals. They are usually initiatives taken over the shortterm or over a defined period that achieve the goals specified in the MEYP. Actions provide day-today programs and activities, which allow staff to respond to the identified needs of the community
in a constructive and meaningful way. They should be specific and time-based and clear in who is
responsible for implementing the action and the desired outcome.
Actions form the basis of councils’ early years operational or business plans and similar
operational plans that belong to the different MEYP partners (if there are any identified/nominated).
The actions would usually be informed by what worked in the previous and/or existing MEYP
action plan, and should draw on the strength of existing relationships and collaborations to deliver
initiatives in the most efficient way possible.
A council may like to consider developing actions using a partnership approach. In this a ‘lead’
partner would be identified and their responsibility would be to ensure that the action plan part of
the MEYP is achieved by whoever is allocated responsibility for its implementation. Partnerships
may be formed internally with other business units or externally with other organisations.
When undertaking the action planning stage, it is important to use a consultative approach to
ensure that stakeholders including council staff are involved in the development of the action plan,
as this will then form the basis of their business unit and work plans.
38
CASE STUDY
DEVELOPING ACTIONS
CITY OF WHITTLESEA
Two key MEYP strategies of the City of Whittlesea
were to:
1. Develop strategies to increase preschool
attendance:
2. Advocate for stronger collaboration between
local, state and federal governments.
With this in mind, the council set out to work with
the local Aboriginal community and the Department
of Planning and Community Development to
improve outcomes for Aboriginal families through
the establishment of an Indigenous early childhood
centre. The Bubup Wilam for Early Learning is now
well into its development with funding from all levels
of government. The interim Early Years Indigenous
Centre now has enrolments of 25 Aboriginal children
who were not previously attending kindergarten and
a robust Aboriginal community governance structure
has been established.
A key strength of this project was its strong
connection to well developed and endorsed
strategies and outcomes as defined in the council
MEYP. This enabled buy-in from Council at a senior
level, the Aboriginal community and government.
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
Community Impact Assessments
CASE STUDY
A specific tool that may be used in developing actions is that of community impact assessments.
Some councils have had success with using community (or social) impact assessments as a
tool to carefully evaluate and plan for some significant actions that may form part of their MEYP.
Community impact assessments would usually be undertaken in advance of any decision making
process to ensure that the assessment informs resulting actions and outcomes.
COMMUNITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT
CITY OF WODONGA
The decision to undertake a community impact assessment should be well informed and clear
about the outcomes desired from undertaking such a process. It is valuable in that it may enhance
the MEYP by making it a more informed and responsive document, with an evidence base behind
why an action or a set of actions are in the MEYP.
Councils wanting to know more about the concept and use of community impact assessments
can visit the International Association for Impact Assessment website16.
The MEYP recommended a feasibility study be
undertaken on relocating a number of kindergarten
centres. A social impact assessment process was
used to identify the ‘types of impacts’ and those
community members likely to be most impacted by
the proposed relocations. Direct consultation was
then held with individuals, community groups and
agencies (in this case, residents, service users and
service providers). This feedback was considered,
along with other data, to rate the level of impact of
the proposal/s, particularly the level of disadvantage,
which may arise. The community impact assessment
also identifies ways to minimise negative impacts. In
this case, it was determined by council that only two
of the three centres should be relocated.
The community impact assessment also identified
the impacts of the loss of public open space as a
result of the proposed relocation of the kindergarten
centres, and provision of new playgrounds was
included in the planning process.
16
http://www.iaia.org/publications/
39
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
Infrastructure planning
CASE STUDY
Given that councils own the majority of facilities from which early years programs and
activities operate, it is important to embed facility and infrastructure needs into the MEYP
processes at a neighbourhood and municipal level. This involves applying data tools and
community consultation in combination with keeping abreast of developments in policy
priorities.
PLANNING FOR SOCIAL/COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE
YARRA CITY COUNCIL
For example, local councils and governments are increasingly focusing on more
integrated multi-service models for early years program provision, which can have
significant impact on a council’s infrastructure requirements. The forward planning an
MEYP affords, is an opportunity to link service and facility development requirements
to council, state and federal budget processes. Furthermore, an MEYP that integrates
early years requirements across a range of dimensions and makes use of community
partnerships can allow councils to plan for efficient and creative use of infrastructure to
benefit children in the municipalities.
In 2004 Council created the Social Infrastructure Management
Plan (SIMP) that looked at each building and facility owned
by the City of Yarra and examined it from the perspectives of
current utilisation, local demand, fitness for purpose and how it
sat in context of likely developments within a defined precinct.
An effective approach to early years infrastructure planning may assist councils to:
· Include early years facility planning as part of council’s broader social infrastructure
planning
· Take a life cycle approach to early years infrastructure planning
· Develop cost-effective management strategies for the long term
· Provide a defined level of service and monitoring performance
· Understand and meet the demands of growth through demand management and
infrastructure investment
· Manage risks associated with asset failures
· Ensure sustainable use of physical resources
· Facilitate continuous improvement in asset management practices
· Work in partnership with the community to review lease or licensing agreements
40
Yarra City Council has approached the planning for social /
community infrastructure through a range of methodologies
over the past 6 years.
The SIMP was an innovative piece of work that
included technical assessments from the Assets and
Infrastructure Division, strong engagement with users and
socio-demographic analysis in terms of trends and future
demand.
In 2007 the SIMP was integrated with the more technical
Building Asset Management Plan where a CRV (Condition
/ Risk / Viability) rating was developed and applied to guide
the development of a program of works for major upgrades,
renewals and new projects.
Council was successful in securing funding for an early years
municipal wide infrastructure plan that has incorporated the
previous social and community infrastructure work and made
recommendations regarding existing and new children’s
services. Council is now moving towards future oriented,
neighbourhood based community infrastructure planning,
and has been successful in obtaining partnership funds from
federal, state, council and community partners to establish a
Community and Children’s Hub on Atherton Gardens Housing
Estate, Fitzroy.
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
STAGE 7
DOCUMENTING THE MEYP
MEYP documentation
It is important to properly document the MEYP in a way that assists with communicating its
purpose, what it is setting out to achieve and proposed actions. It is also important that the plan
identifies who will be responsible for achieving each identified action and the timeframes for the
achievement of actions. The structure of an MEYP may vary from council to council. However, the
MEYP structure and format could include:
· An introduction and summary
· Introduction
· A vision for a child and family friendly City of
Greater Dandenong
· A Child Friendly City
· Overview of the municipal early years plan
· Municipal early years - Action Plan
- Key direction 1: Creating an integrated, flexible
and accessible early years system
- Key direction 2: Creating connected
communities
- Key direction 3: Improving early childhood
health, learning and development
- Key direction 4: Improving the wellbeing of
families with children
- Key direction 5: Advocating for better early
years outcomes
· MEYP development, monitoring and review
· Scope
· Policy context
· Role of council
· Brief summary of early years profile
· Vision
· Summary of goals/priorities/objectives/actions
· Action plan
· Review and evaluation process
An MEYP should be an active plan – one that is well documented and monitored regularly.
Appendix 4 provides a checklist, a sample format and action-planning template that may
be helpful in ensuring that the MEYP comprehensively addresses early years planning in the
municipality.
CITY OF GREATER DANDENONG
SURF COAST SHIRE
· Council vision
· Linking to the early years
· Developing the MEYP
· Building on the MEYP 2006 – 2008
· The MEYP 2009 – 2013
· Listening to the community
· Children and families of Surf Coast
· Early childhood indicators
· Early years services
· Surf Coast early years action plan
· Enhanced planning for Surfcoast
· Appendices
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Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
STAGE 8
ENDORSEMENT
This is a critical stage in the process as it is where the MEYP receives ‘buy-in’ from those who may
not have been intimately involved in its development. If a partnership approach has been used,
then the MEYP will need to be endorsed by the partnership group, then council.
The MEYP needs to be endorsed through normal council processes. It is useful if a ‘champion’ is
appointed to see the plan through this process.
Once the MEYP is ‘approved’ it is important to ‘market’ and promote the plan to relevant
stakeholders.
Often a formal launch of the plan provides a great opportunity for the council to demonstrate its
extensive and ongoing commitment and responsiveness to the community.
42
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
STAGE 9
IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING
It is here that all the hard work of the strategic and action planning comes into its own with the
MEYP. When the action planning is done well, it generally follows that the implementation of the
MEYP should be clear and straightforward. There should be no doubt as to who is responsible
for what and by when, as it should all be documented in the action plan. The responsibility for
ensuring the action plan is achieved should be delegated and articulated clearly. It is good practice
to ensure the responsibility sits in that person’s own workplan or performance appraisal.
Regular reporting timelines should be set in place to ensure the implementation of the MEYP stays
on track.
Monitoring the progress of implementation is an important part of this stage. Responsible
stakeholders should take part in regular review and updating of this process. Monitoring the
implementation of the MEYP is important for a range of reasons including:
· Providing accountability to fund providers
· Gaining access to resource allocations
· Signalling when opportunities arise, when milestones are reached, or when actions need
reviewing because they are not being achieved in a timely manner.
A monitoring process can be developed that gives attention to:
CASE STUDY
IMPLEMENTING OUTREACH
CITY OF PORT PHILLIP
The action identified in the MEYP was to influence
participation rates for MCH services by delivering
a flexible service model that meets the changing
needs of the community.
Implementing outreach MCH visits in local early
childhood services was one way of doing this. The
service was further enhanced by ensuring children
took an active role in this check. A letter is sent to
the child introducing the nurse and explaining what
was going to happen at the check.
The data indicates a 15% increase in the number
of children attending their 2 and 3 year old checks.
This can be partly attributed to the outreach service.
Families and children have also mentioned they
feel comfortable having their MCH checks in an
environment that is familiar and convenient.
· How progress is recorded and reported
· To whom and how often is it reported
· What review action will be undertaken if a strategy/action is facing difficulty?
The outcomes from the monitoring process will inform the review and evaluation stage (Refer
Stage 10)
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Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
STAGE 10
EVALUATION AND REVIEW
Developing an effective approach for evaluating multiple aspects of the MEYP planning process
and the impacts of the plan on the community is a critical component of the MEYP planning
cycle. As indicated in Part 1 evaluation is a critical management and learning tool within the
MEYP planning process and is different to the ongoing regular monitoring of progress on the
implementation of the MEYP that normally occurs as part of organisational accountability
processes.
Again as indicated in Part 1, many different approaches are possible to evaluation, but evaluation
of the MEYP is most useful when it provides insights into each of the following aspects:
1. How well did the previous MEYP document what needed to be achieved and how
success would be measured?
2. How effectively were the actions in the plan implemented and what factors
strengthened or impeded the process of implementation?
3. What impact has implementation of the actions had in the local community? Was this
what the plan anticipated?
4. What influence is implementation of the actions in the plan potentially having on
longer term community health and wellbeing outcomes?
44
CASE STUDY
MEASURING OUTCOMES
CITY OF YARRA
The Yarra Early Years Strategy and Action Plan
2009 -2013 is Council’s second early years plan.
In undertaking the preparation of the current plan,
an extensive review of the impact of the actions
and achievements of the previous plan was the
first step. This involved measuring actions against
the objectives they were intended to address, and
making a calculated assessment of their success or
otherwise. Actions were intentionally set in such a
way as to be tangible and measurable.
Throughout the previous and current plan, regular
periodic reviews of implementation progress occur.
These reviews involve working with an internal
stakeholder reference group and reports are
provided to Council, the Early Years Reference
Group (a broad based stakeholder group) and
through higher level council plans.
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
What you will need to determine the four aspects:
· the information that is required to be able to answer the questions
· the best way to gather the information
· how the insights will be communicated
· how the insights will be used to inform the development of the next MEYP.
Information from a range of sources will need to be used including:
· Analysis of quantitative data such as census information, Australian Early Development Index,
early childhood community profiles, community indicators;
· Discussion between members of the MEYP partners;
· Seeking and understanding the views of key stakeholder groups including council officers and
councillors, local service providers, families of young children, local businesses and government
employees. A range of methods can be used including:
- interviews
- focus groups
- feedback forms
- surveys
· Developing case studies that provide more in-depth insights into specific issues or impacts; and
· Undertaking audits of buildings or documents.
45
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
Aspect 1: Evaluating the MEYP and the process by which it was
developed
The MEYP sets out the vision for the community and its priorities, goals and actions that the
council and others involved believe will contribute to achievement of the vision. The MEYP should
also identify the way in which progress/achievements will be measured.
The key evaluation question is:
“How well did the previous MEYP document what needed to be achieved and how success
would be measured?”
Issues to consider include:
· Were the vision, goals, actions and measures for achievement/outcome outlined in the MEYP
sound and set out in a logical way?
· Was it possible to collect the data or insights required to assess performance against the plan’s
stated outcomes/measures of progress?
· Were the right people involved in contributing to all aspects of the development of the MEYP?
· Was the development of the MEYP based on a comprehensive understanding of the key issues
affecting young children and families in the municipality?
· Were there adequate skills and resources available to develop the MEYP?
· What are the implications of the insights gained for the development of the next MEYP?
46
How good was the
planning process?
How well did the
document set out what
was to be achieved?
How could the MEYP
implementation be
improved for next time?
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
Aspect 2: Evaluating the implementation of the MEYP
It is important to seek insights into the process by which the actions outlined in the MEYP were
implemented – this is often called process evaluation.
The evaluation question is:
“How effectively were the actions in the MEYP implemented and what factors strengthened or
impeded the process of implementation?”
Issues to consider include:
· Were all the actions outlined in the MEYP actually able to be implemented?
· Were all the actions outlined in the MEYP implemented?
· Were the actions implemented in the anticipated manner and within the anticipated timeframes?
· Did any issues arise that impeded the process of implementation of actions?
· Were there factors that enhanced the implementation of any of the actions?
· Were there any changes to budgets, policies or personnel (or other similar issues) that required
particular proposed actions to be reviewed?
· Where there appropriate approaches in place to effectively respond to any difficulties being
experienced with implementation?
· What are the implications of the insights into implementation issues that should be taken into
account in planning for your next MEYP?
Were the actions able
to be implemented
successfully?
What impeded
implementation?
How could it be
implemented better
next time?
47
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
Aspect 3: Evaluating the impact of the MEYP
It is important to understand what happened as a result of implementing the MEYP with the key
question being:
“What impact has implementation of the MEYP had in the local community? Was this what the
MEYP anticipated?”
Issues to consider include:
· Did you achieve the changes or outcomes that you had identified in the MEPY for each of the
actions?
· Were the measures outlined in the MEYP helpful in identifying the impacts?
· Were there any positive or negative impacts you did not anticipate, for example:
- the way in which services in the municipality worked together
- achieving greater participation by one vulnerable group in one area of the municipality but not in
other areas
- demand for specific services increasing more than anticipated and creating significant pressure
on a service?
· What are the implications of the insights into the impacts of the MEYP that should be taken into
account in planning for your next MEYP?
48
Did the actions have
the anticipated impact?
Were the measures
the right ones?
What insights have the
impacts given us for
next time?
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
Aspect 4: Evaluating longer term outcomes
It is important to understand whether the health and well being of young children and their families
is improving over time. The key question is:
“What influence is implementation of the actions in the plan potentially having on longer term
community health and wellbeing outcomes?”
Issues to consider include:
· Have there been any changes in outcomes as measured in the early childhood community
profiles, AEDI index, and community indicators etc?
· Is there a pattern of consistent change over time?
· Can the changes be linked to any MEYP actions or processes?
· Are there other activities outside the MEYP that relate to the changed outcomes?
Are there any changes
to the overall health
and well being of
young
children and their
families?
Is the pattern of
change
consistent?
Can any of the
changes
be related to the MEYP
actions or processes?
49
Part 2: Practical Guide to MEYP Planning
It is anticipated that councils will periodically review the MEYP (perhaps on an annual basis). This
could be done by looking at some of the questions covered in the evaluation process to identify:
· That the activities are kept within the parameters of the agreed goals, strategies and actions;
Monitor regularly
· That the activities are consistent with council and the MEYP vision, mission and values;
Review annually
· How key stakeholders are participating;
· How well the plan is going;
· Whether some of the actions in the MEYP need updating or reprioritising because some things
are not working or there have been significant internal or external changes (For example, a
significant change in the role of the council in early years, or a change of government and
consequent change of policy or funding).
Evaluate at the
completion of the MEYP
planning cycle
Further information refer to
www.diycommitteeguide.org/resources/strategicplan-6-monitoring
50
Part 3:
References and
resources
51
Part 3: References
PART 1
Environments for Health, Municipal Public Health Planning Framework 2001,
p 48 Checklist 7 www.dhs.vic.gov.au/phd/localgov/mphp/index.htm
Best Start literature:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ecsmanagement/beststart/what.htm
Victoria’s Plan to Improve Outcomes in Early Childhood
LGPro Corporate Planner’s Network (2008) Embedding Community Priorities
into Council Planning – Guidelines for the Integration of Community and
Council Planning
Best Start:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ecsmanagement/beststart/what.htm;
Centre for Community Child Health: http://www.rch.org.au/ccch/
A useful bibliography in this field can be found at the ACT Children’s Plan
website:
http://www.children.act.gov.au/documents/PDF/08%20June%20CNF%20
Raising%20Children’s%20Voices%20-%20Bibliography.pdf
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ecsmanagement/beststart/default.htm
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/early_childhood_news/speeches/
meaningful_consultation_with_children_raising_childrens_voices_july_2008.
html
OLDER REFERENCES THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST
As defined by World Health Organisation http://www.who.int
Edgar, D. (2001). The Patchwork Nation: Re-thinking Government –
Rebuilding Community. Sydney, NSW: HarperCollins Publishers.
WHO (2000) Social Determinants of Health: The Solid Facts; WHO
Commission on Social Determinants of Health (2008) Closing the Gap in
a Generation: Health Equity through Action on the Social Determinants of
Health
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (2009) The
State of Victoria’s Children 2009 – Aboriginal Children and Young People in
Victoria
PART 2
http://www.iaia.org/publications/
Eckersley, R., Dixon, J. and Douglas, B. (Eds.) (2001). The Social Origins of
Health and Well-Being. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Gerhardt, S. (2004). Why Love Matters: How Affection Shapes a Baby’s
Brain. London, UK: Brunner-Routledge
Hertzman, C. (2002). An early child development strategy for Australia?
Lessons from Canada. Commission for Children and Young People: Issues
Paper No. 1. Brisbane, Queensland: Commission for Children and Young
People.
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbook
http://www.wkkf.org/knowledge-center/resources/2010/W-K-KelloggFoundation-Evaluation-Handbook.aspx provides a framework for thinking
about evaluation and provides a blueprint for planning, designing and
conducting project-level evaluation.
Leutz, W.N. (1999). Five laws for integrating medical and social services:
lessons from the US and UK. The Millbank Quarterly, 77 (1), 77-110.
The Australasian Evaluation Society’s provides a “Guideline for the ethical
conduct of evaluations”
http://www.aes.asn.au/about/Documents%20-%20ongoing/guidelines_for_
the_ethical_conduct_of_evaluations.pdf
Maton, K.I., Schellenbach, C.J., Leadbeater, B.J. and Solarz, A.L. (Eds.)
(2004). Investing in Children, Youth, Families, and Communities: StrengthsBased Research and Policy. Washington, DC: American Psychological
Association.
52
Luthar, S.S. (Ed.) (2003). Resilience and Vulnerability: Adaptation in the Context
of Childhood Adversities. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Part: 3: References
Moore, T.G. with Larkin, H. (2004). ‘More Than My Child’s Disability’: A
Comprehensive Review of Family-Centred Practice and Family Experiences
of Early Childhood Intervention Services. Melbourne, Victoria: Scope (Vic)
Inc.
Federal Scientific Council on the Developing Child (2004). Young Children
Develop in an Environment of Relationships. Waltham, Massachusetts:
Federal Scientific Council on the Developing Child, Brandeis University.
http://www.developingchild.net/papers/paper_1.pdf
Federal Scientific Council on the Developing Child (2005). Children’s
Emotional Development is Built into the Architecture of their Brains.
Waltham, Massachusetts: Federal Scientific Council on the Developing
Child, Brandeis University.
http://www.developingchild.net/papers/workingpaperII.pdf
Rogers, R. and Moore, T.G. (2003) The Early Years Project: Refocusing
Community-Based Services for Young Children and their Families - a
Literature Review (plain English version). Melbourne, Victoria: Centre for
Community Child Health.
Scott, D. (2001). Building communities that strengthen families. Family
Matters, No. 58, 76-79.
Shonkoff, J.P. and Phillips, D.A. (Eds.) (2000). From Neurons to
Neighbourhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Committee
on Integrating the Science of Early Childhood Development, Federal
Research Council and Institute of Medicine. Washington, DC: Federal
Academy Press.
van der Gaag, J. (2002). Human development. In M. E. Young (Ed.), From
Early Child Development to Human Development Investing in Our Children’s
Future. Proceedings of a World Bank Conference on Investing in Our
Children’s Future Washington, D.C., April 10-11, 2000. Washington, D.C.:
The World Bank.
Preparing a Municipal Health Plan
www.dhs.vic.gov.au/phd/localgov/archive/mphp/prep.html
53
Part 3: APPENDIX 1 – Glossary
For the purpose of this document the following terms refer to:
ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics
Actions Statements of actions undertaken to achieve objectives (Swinburne
University)
AEDI Australian Early Development Index
The Blueprint Blueprint for Education and Early Childhood Development
2008
CCCH Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children’s Hospital,
Melbourne
COAG Council of Australian Governments
DEECD Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
DEEWR Department of Education, Employment and Workforce Relations
DHS Department of Human Services, Victoria
Early childhood Birth – 8 years
Early years Birth – 8 years
Early childhood programs This refers to all informal and formal programs,
services and/or initiatives that work towards optimal health/educational/care
outcomes for children aged 0 – 8 years
FaHCSIA Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and
Indigenous Affairs
Goals Broad statements about general intentions (Swinburne University)
Intensive services Those services where the issue, problem or concern
is one that requires intensive, and often ongoing intervention. People may
seek out the assistance required, be referred by another service, or be
subject to statutory intervention due to the nature of the problem and/or
the level of risk to children or other family members. According to the State
Government’s publication Growing, Learning Thriving- Building on Victoria’s
54
Achievements in Early Childhood Development (2009), these seek to resolve
complex and sometimes ongoing challenges and conditions. These services
are tailored to a range of specific child and family needs. Also referred to as
“tertiary services”
Intervention* Early childhood intervention consists of multi- disciplinary
services provided to children from birth to eight years of age to promote
child health and enhance emerging wellbeing competencies, minimise
developmental delays, remediate existing or emerging disabilities, prevent
functional deterioration, and promote adaptive parenting and overall
functioning
MAV Municipal Association of Victoria
MEYP Municipal Early Years Plan
MEYPF Municipal Early Years Planning Framework
M&CH maternal and child health
MPHP Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plans Under the provisions of
the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, Section 26, every council must
prepare a municipal public health and wellbeing plan within the period of
12 months after each general election of the council. The plan should be
reviewed annually and, if appropriate, be amended
Objectives Precise, tangible, measurable statements of intent (Swinburne
University)
Outcomes The results of actions undertaken to meet stated objectives.
These should be able to be verified or measured
OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Protective factors* Factors that modify or ameliorate individual’s
predisposition to poor outcomes
Risk factors* Biological, psychosocial or environmental factors that
increase chance of sub-optimal developmental outcome
Secondary services See “Targeted services”
Part 3: APPENDIX 1 – Glossary
SEIFA Socio-economic indexes for areas
Targeted Services Those services which are directed to people who do
have a particular issue, problem or concern and who need assistance
to help them to manage or resolve this. There may be some level of risk
involved if issues are not addressed. People may seek out the assistance
themselves, or it may be provided by way of referral from either universal
or intensive service. According to the Victorian Government’s publication
Growing, Learning, Thriving- Building on Victoria’s Achievements in Early
Childhood Development (2009) this includes a second year of funded
kindergarten, supported playgroups, the enhanced maternal and child health
service, early childhood intervention services and student support services
officers providing support for children, families or communities to reduce
disadvantage and the inequalities in outcomes between groups of children.
Also referred to as “Secondary Services”
Tertiary services See “Intensive services”.
Universal services Those services that are directed to the whole
target population. There is no requirement, or expectation, that users
of services have specific issues, problems or concerns that need to be
addressed, although some users may. It is also not necessary for problems
or issues to be present or identified for the person or family to use the
services. According to the Victorian Government’s publication Growing,
Learning, Thriving- Building on Victoria’s Achievements in Early Childhood
Development (2009) this includes school, kindergarten, long day care,
occasional care, family day care, outside school hours care and maternal
and child health services, which are available to all children and families.
VCAMS Victorian Child and Adolescent Monitoring System
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
* These definitions are consistent with CCCH Glossary of Terms “The Early Years Project: Refocusing
community based services for young children and their families: A Literature Review”, 2003
http://www.rch.org.au/ccch/profdev.cfm?doc_id=10965
55
Part 3: APPENDIX 2 – Service mapping
AEDI
The Australian Early Development Index was first completed nationwide in
2009. A follow-up data collection occurred in some small areas in 2010.
In the 2009 data collection, information was collected on 261,147 Australian
children (97.5 per cent of the estimated five-year-old population) in their first
year of full-time school between 1 May and 31 July.
In April 2010 the latest AEDI results were launched providing 96 per cent of
Australia’s communities with important information about how their children
are developing.
This data will continue to be collected every three years.
For councils AEDI information can be found at:
http://maps.aedi.org.au/
CHILDREN: 8-17 YEARS
· All children are engaged in and benefiting from schooling
· Children are meeting expected literacy and numeracy standards, and
overall levels of literacy and numeracy are improving
· Victorian students excel by national and international standards.
Children’s services register can be found at:
www.vic.gov.au/education/early-childhood/early-childhood-services.html
Other services mapping information
Example of a services mapping project completed in Western Australia.
www.childaustralia.org.au
Integrated service delivery at the local level – Working with service in Victoria
www.rch.org.au
Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth/services/child/
The department provides services to children and young people both directly
through government schools and indirectly through regulation and funding of
early childhood services and non-government schools.
Koorie Maternal and Child Health Services Victoria
www.health.gov.au/
The department’s key responsibilities inform the following outcomes that
the department strives to achieve within its birth-to adulthood learning and
development agenda:
CHILDREN: 0-8 YEARS
· Children have the best start in life to achieve optimal health, development
and wellbeing
· Children acquire the basic skills for life and learning
· All children have access to affordable, high-quality early childhood
education in the years before schooling
· High-quality early childhood education and care supports the workforce
participation choices of parents with children in the years before formal
schooling
56
Strategic framework for paediatric health services in Victoria
www.health.vic.gov.au/
Integrated family violence services – service mapping and referral pathways
project
www.bswifv.org.au/
APPENDIX 3 – Sample vision, goals, objectives and outcomes with
measures
An example of a vision statement that may result from the consultation
phase could be:
MEYP vision
To plan in partnership with the community for a community where every
child thrives, learns and grows, is valued and respected, to become an
effective adult.
An example of broad goals that address the three key findings from the
evidence identified in Part 1 (i.e. setting the stage for later life, influencing
children’s vulnerability and resilience and comprehensive, coordinated family
centred service system) could be:
MEYP sample goal
1) Ensure the establishment of an effective, accessible and integrated
service system that promotes and responds to the health and wellbeing
of children and their families.
An example of objectives and outcomes with measures developed from the
goal could be:
GOAL
OBJECTIVE
OUTCOME AND MEASURE
Ensure the establishment of a high quality
effective, accessible and integrated service system
that promotes and responds to the health and
wellbeing of children and their families.
1. Improve the quality of children’s services
1. Decrease in breaches related to building works
buildings owned by council.
as reported by the department.
2. Provide an immunisation service in accordance 2. Increase the number of children that are age
with the Australian standard vaccination
appropriately immunised as reported to the
schedule
department
57
Part 3: APPENDIX 4 – The MEYP Documentation
Does the MEYP:
· Address what is needed in the municipality to support children, based on
a critical analysis of work undertaken in stages 1-6?
· Identify role across all early years programs in the municipality?
· Encompass the universal, targeted and intensive service system, as
well as broader programs and activities such as health promotion and
environmental planning?
· Incorporate all formal early years programs such as M&CH, kindergarten,
Best Start etc?
· Cover a minimum age range of birth to 8 years?
· Address the needs of vulnerable families?
· Address infrastructure requirements?
· Contain clearly defined actions with appropriately allocated resources?
· Contain goals that are achievable and measurable?
· Include an evaluation process?
58
Part 3: APPENDIX 4 – The MEYP Documentation
SAMPLE MEYP ACTION PLAN
2 0
Day
Month
2 0
to
Year
Day
Month
Year
Council Vision:
Linked statements in other Council Plan:
MEYP Vision:
MEYP Goals:
1.
2.
3.
Objectives
1.
2.
3.
Outcome measure Actions
(with evidence)
1.
2.
3.
Lead partner
Time line
Council role
Dimension
Internal (I)
External (E)
Immediate
Years 1,2,3
Service /facility
Provision (SP)
Planning (P)
Advocacy (AD)
Community
strengthening (CS)
Built/Physical (BP)
Social (S)
Economic (E)
Natural (N)
Outcomes
Framework
Service Level
Universal (U)
Children, families, Targeted (T)
community, society Intensive (I)
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
3.1
59
Part 3: APPENDIX 5 – Sample MEYP Action Plan
Sample MEYP Action Plan 2009 to 2013
(Extract from Surf Coast Shire Council)
Council vision: A vibrant, connected and healthy community, valued for
its unique blend of natural environment, opportunity and quality of life. One
of its strategic objectives for the next four years is for “healthy, resilient and
safe communities”. Council believes strongly in listening to its community
and “turning talk into action” through its community engagement strategy.
Objectives
Outcome measure (with Actions
evidence)
Linked statements in other Council Plans: Surf Coast Shire Council
Plan, Improved results in the Early Childhood Services Assessment Study
(3.5.1), Improved results in the AEDI (3.5.2)
MEYP Vision: Whole of community engagement will facilitate Surf Coast
children accessing flexibly delivered and responsive support, care and
education that equip them for life and learning.
MEYP Goal 1: Develop our children
Lead partner
Time Line
Internal (I)
External (E)
Immediate
Years 1,2,3
Council Role
Dimension Outcomes
Framework
Service /facility
Built/
Children,
Provision (SP) Physical
Families,
(BP)
Planning (P)
Community,
Social
(S)
Advocacy (AD)
Economic Society
Community
Strengthening (CS) (E)
Natural (N)
Ensure all children
AEDI index rolled out
Facilitate the implementation
have equal access to
across Surf Coast Shire of the AEDI index
developmental opportunities Council
including families at risk of
being isolated
Children’s services (I) Yr 1 and 2 CS
“Locate All Children
Plan” included in midterm MEYP review and
communicated to all
service providers and
support networks
Children’s services (I) Yr 3 and 4 CS
60
Develop and implement a
“Locate All Children Plan” to
address identified areas of
developmental disadvantage,
inclusive of
· monitoring and reporting
AEDI,
· support plan for children in
enhanced M&CH through
to school entry
· targeted outreach to
areas of developmental
disadvantage.
Universal
(U)
Targeted
(T)
Intensive
(I)
S
Children,
Families
U
S
Children,
Families
U, T, I
Surf Coast Family and
Children’s Services
Network (E)
Surf Coast Family and
Children’s Services
Network (E)
Service
Level
Part 3: APPENDIX 6 - Key and emerging evidence themes
Appendix 6 – Key and emerging evidence themes for
the importance of the early years
The early childhood literature provides substantial evidence that17:
· The early years are crucial in setting the stage for later life
· Young children develop through their relationships with others
· Children’s development is shaped by the balance between risk and
protective factors
· Supporting families effectively requires a comprehensive, coordinated
family-centred service system.
More recent evidence themes indicate that:
· Addressing disadvantage in the early years can end generations of
disengagement for families and whole communities, and provide children
with the opportunity of breaking the cycle of disadvantage
· Children’s health, social and emotional wellbeing and their intellectual
development are the business of all early years program providers
development programs, can improve the long term outcomes for all
children’s learning, behaviour, and physical and mental health (van der Gaag,
2002).
DEVELOPING THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS
All young children’s learning and development occurs in the context of
their relationships with their caregivers (Federal Scientific Council on the
Developing Child, 2004). These early experiences form characteristic ways
of relating to other people and of coping with the ebb and flow of emotions
(Gerhardt, 2004).
These patterns of behaviour are not just psychological tendencies, but are
actually built into the architecture and physiology of children’s brains (Federal
Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2005).
The integration of services makes life easier for and less stressful for children
and families through more consistent forms of delivery.
In order to ensure this Framework stays current – please refer to the
literature provided through BEST Start and Centre for Community Child
Health18
SETTING THE STAGE FOR LATER LIFE
Brain research shows that the early years of development from conception
to age six, particularly the first three years, provide the basis for the
development of competence, coping and emotional skills that affect
learning, behaviour and health throughout life (Shonkoff and Phillips, 2000).
There is growing evidence that good nutrition, nurturing and responsive
care-giving in these early years, combined with high quality early childhood
17
These key evidence themes are based on the Best Start literature: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ecsmanagement/beststart/what.htm
18
Best Start: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ecsmanagement/beststart/what.htm
; Centre for Community Child Health: http://www.rch.org.au/ccch/
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Part 3: APPENDIX 6 - Key and emerging evidence themes
THE BALANCE BETWEEN RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS
Children’s development is shaped by the balance between factors known
to place development at risk and those known to have protective properties
(Shonkoff and Phillips, 2000). Children exposed to multiple risk factors
become vulnerable to developmental problems of health, learning and
wellbeing, whereas those exposed to protective factors are more likely to
be resilient in the face of environmental adversities (Luthar, 2003). These
determinants of child development have an impact at all levels: family,
neighbourhood, community and economy (Eckersley, Dixon and Douglas,
2001). To ensure that more children develop well, we need to reduce the
factors that place them at risk and promote those that are protective.
Among other things, this means building more supportive communities
(Scott, 2001).
The benefits of universal service systems are well known (Hertzman, 2002):
· Children with special needs are identified and receive services as soon as
possible (early identification).
· Because all children receive services, developmental problems can be
minimised or avoided (prevention).
· Any stigma about receiving services is eliminated, because it is viewed as
natural for the community to take advantage of resources.
· Better outcomes for children can be achieved by improving the
environments in which they are raised.
PROVIDING INTEGRATED SERVICES
Integrated services can be described as those services that are
characterised by: a unified management system; pooled funds; common
A diagram of risk and protective factors with associated protection of adverse outcomes can be
governance; whole system approach to training information and finance;
found in “The Future Directions of the Victorian Maternal and Child Health Services, 2004”
single assessment; and shared targets. Partners have shared responsibility
http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/earlychildhood/mch/directionmchfututre.pdf
for achieving the service goals through joint commissioning, shared
PROVIDING A COMPREHENSIVE, COORDINATED FAMILY-CENTRED prioritisation, service planning and auditing. The key features of an integrated
service is that it acts as a service hub for the community by bringing
EARLY YEARS SYSTEM
together a range of services, where practitioners work in a multi-agency way
To achieve better outcomes for children and families, we need an integrated
to deliver integrated support to families. The integration of services makes
system of child and family services that can respond to the emerging
life easier and less stressful for children and families and commits to making
needs of children and families in local community settings (Leutz, 1999).
programs more accessible through more consistent forms of delivery.
To become more effective, service systems need to adopt a family-centred
The Scottish Government “Exploring the evidence base for Integrated Children’s Services”, January
approach to working with families (Moore and Larkin, 2004), a partnership
2006
approach to working with communities (Edgar, 2001), and a strengthshttp://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/ Doc/90282/0021746.pdf
based approach to policy and service development (Maton, Schellenbach,
DEECD, “Guidelines for the Children’s capital program 2009-2010”
Leadbeater and Solarz, 2004). Better outcomes are also achieved when
http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/ public/earlychildhood/childrensservices/
ccprogramguidelines200910.pdf
services are comprehensive, inclusive and universal - that is, they cater
“Every Child Matters”
for the needs of all children and provide a wide range of specialised and
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/
mainstream community programs and resources.
DEECD, “Evaluation of Children’s Centres”, Literature Review
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ecsmanagement/integratedservices/research.htm
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Part 3: APPENDIX 6 - Key and emerging evidence themes
INTEGRATED EDUCATION AND CARE
All children experience learning that is engaging and builds success for life.
From before birth children are connected to family, community, culture and
place. Their earliest development and learning takes place through these
relationships, particularly within families, who are children’s first and most
influential educators. As children participate in everyday life, they develop
interests and construct their own identities and understandings of the
world, which is supported by the early childhood education and child health
(ECECH) services they may participate in.
The Victorian early years system is transforming from services that are
differentiated by basic function – childcare, kindergarten, maternal and child
health, early years primary school – to an integrated system that serves
children, connects to families and works to a common purpose – enhancing
child outcomes both within the service setting and beyond.
While childcare services may have initially been developed as a service
providing care whilst families are in the paid workforce, kindergarten services
as providing early childhood education and maternal and child health as
child health monitoring and providing parenting advice, a transformed and
integrated system has all services focusing on the care, education and
upbringing of every child.
The separate histories and traditions of these differentiated services have
produced substantially different goals and work cultures – with separate
policy, monitoring, and accountability processes. However, families should
expect that their infants and young children be entitled to consistent quality
and standard in all service types. There is no evidence-based, justifiable
reason to separate care, education and health into separate services.
Children’s health, social and emotional wellbeing and their intellectual
development are the business of all early years programs. Optimal early
years programs enable seamless transitions and improve continuity for
children as they move through the environments of home, early years service
settings and school.
The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework and the Victorian Essential
Learning Standards
http://www.education.vic.gov.au
The Australian Early Years Framework
http://www.apo.org.au/research/belonging-being-and-becoming-early-years-learning-frameworkAustralia
OPTIMISING OUTCOMES FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN
Whilst a stimulating and responsive family environment can have a positive
effect on early childhood development, international research indicates
that disadvantage is an indicator of lower rates in school achievement and
unfavourable outcomes in later years, including:
· Low rates of employment;
· Social welfare dependency; and
· Higher rates of delinquency and crime.
Social disadvantage drags down children’s cognitive development and this is
noticeable as young as 22 months. Longitudinal data show that these gaps
widen and even increase as children progress through school.
Interventions to ameliorate the effects of disadvantage in early childhood
can compensate for the various risk factors that potentially compromise
development in the years before school entry. In general, the earlier
the intervention, the more effective it will be in remedying the effects of
disadvantage.
Addressing disadvantage in the early years can end generations of
disengagement for families and whole communities, and provide children
with the opportunity of breaking the cycle of disadvantage.
Best interest framework
www.dhs.vic.gov.au
Child Family Community Australia (CFCA Information Exchange)
http:/www.aifs.gov.au
63
Part 3: APPENDIX 7 – Policy context
Policy development in the early years field has expanded rapidly since the
implementation of the 2006 MEYP Framework, both in terms of breadth and
complexity. The last four years have seen a vast amount of policy material
published both at a state and federal level, emphasising the importance of
early years as an area of focus for government.
Early years policy is the subject of continual change. Both state and federal
priorities include a vast array of reforms and initiatives that are relevant to
councils in early years planning. Furthermore, there has been an increasing
focus on integrating childcare and early childhood education under the
education umbrella both at the state and federal level.
A snapshot of key elements within the current policy context is set out below.
COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS (COAG)
The 2006 endorsed COAG National Reform Agenda embodies a new
collaborative approach to federalism that encompasses nationally agreed
outcomes through policy that is central to human capital such as education
and health.
In December 2007, COAG agreed to a partnership between the Australian
and state and territory governments to pursue substantial reform in the
areas of education, skills and early childhood development, and to deliver
significant improvements in human capital outcomes for all Australians. This
resulted in two agreements in 2008:
· The National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education
· Closing the Gap: National Partnership for Indigenous Early Childhood
Development
A National Early Childhood Development Strategy – Investing in the Early
Years has been developed under COAG and was announced in July 2009.
The strategy provides a comprehensive approach to building an effective
early childhood development system in Australia that will contribute to the
nation’s human capital and productivity. The strategy’s vision for 2020 is that
‘all children have the best start in life to create a better future for themselves
and for the nation’.
64
The National Quality Agenda for Early Childhood Education and Care is a
key contribution to the strategy. The National Quality Agenda has three key
elements:
· A National Quality Standard including the Early Years Learning Framework
(EYLF), which was endorsed for implementation by COAG at its July 2009
meeting.
· Enhanced regulatory arrangements
· A quality rating system to drive continuous improvement and provide
parents with robust and relevant information about the quality of care and
learning.
In December 2010 the Early Childhood Development Working Group
released an information paper on the education and care services national
law and proposed national regulations. The purpose of this document was
to articulate all the work that had been undertaken and developed jointly.
http://www.coag.gov.au/
Part 3: APPENDIX 7 – Policy context
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
The Australian Government ratified the International Convention on the
Rights of the Child (CROC) in December 1990. Federal, state and territory
governments in Australia are bound by the convention, and the Australian
Government is required to report regularly to the United Nations Committee
on the Rights of the Child. The Australian Government is responsible for
funding a range of childcare programs and provides income support to
families with children and with children with a disability.
In 2009, the Australian Government produced a document identifying
childhood development as a national priority (Supporting the Development
of Young Children in Australia: 2009 - a Snapshot). The following are the key
Australian Government initiatives as stated in that document:
· Access to quality early childhood education for all children for 15 hours a
week, for 40 weeks in the year prior to school by 2013
· Lifting quality in early childhood education and care through a new national
quality standard, an Early Years Learning Framework, a rating system
so parents are informed about service quality, and national initiatives to
increase the number and qualifications of early childhood workers
· Closing the gap for Indigenous children with ambitious targets to halve
the gap in infant mortality and in reading, writing and numeracy within a
decade and to ensure all Indigenous children participate in quality early
childhood education within five years
· Helping Australians balance work and family commitments by providing
access to 18 weeks paid parental leave starting from January 2011, and
providing a right to request flexible work arrangements, for parents with
children below school age
· Improving affordability of child care by increasing the child care rebate
from 30% to 50%
· Improving child and family health through better access to maternity
services, early intervention and prevention of chronic disease and mental
health problems, and a range of initiatives to promote healthy eating and
exercise in children
· Supporting vulnerable children through the National Framework for
Protecting Australia’s Children, and through the Family Support Program
· Helping children with disabilities through early intervention under the National
Disability Agreement and the Helping Children with Autism package.
National Quality Framework
On January 2012, the National Quality Framework will be established and
will apply to most long day care, family day care, preschool (or kindergarten)
and outside school hours care services.
The National Quality Framework aims to raise quality and drive continuous
improvement and consistency in education and care services through:
· a national legislative framework
· a National Quality Standard
· a national quality rating and assessment process
· a new national body called the Australian Children’s Education and Care
Quality Authority (ACECQA).
The National legislative framework consists of:
· the Education and Care Services National Law
· the Education and Care Services National Regulations
It creates a jointly governed uniform national approach to regulation and
quality assessment of education and care services and replaces existing
separate licensing and quality assurance processes.
For further information go to:
www.acecqa.gov.au
http://www.deewr.gov.au/Earlychildhood/Policy_Agenda/Pages/
EarlyChildhoodDevelopmentStrategy.aspx
http://www.deewr.gov.au/EarlyChildhood/Policy_Agenda/
EarlyChildhoodWorkforce/Pages/home.aspx
The Productivity Commission’s Report on Education, Training and Workforce – Early Childhood
Education
http://www.pc.gov.au/projects/study/education-workforce/early-childhood
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Part 3: APPENDIX 7 – Policy context
VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT
The Victorian Government acknowledges that the period from birth to eight
is a critical period of a child’s life. It is a time when children acquire essential
foundation skills and knowledge and when brain development is at its
optimal level.
There are seven key areas for action
· Planning
· Access (participation)
· Quantity
· Innovation
The Victorian Government provides a wide range of services that supports
children’s learning and development including support for families who are a
child’s first and most enduring educators.
· Inclusion
The Victorian framework provides early childhood professionals with a
common language for describing outcomes for children, and describes
practice principles to guide early childhood professionals to work together,
with children and families to achieve the best outcomes for every child.
Action 2 Optimising available places
For more information please go to:
www.education.vic.gov.au/earlylearning/eyldf/
Action 5 Improving access for vulnerable children
The Victorian framework also complements other frameworks including:
Action 7 Workforce
· the National Quality Framework
For further information go to:
www.education.vic.gov.au/earlylearning/universalaccess/
· Access (physical)
· Quality
The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework is designed
These 7 areas require the following actions
to advance all children’s learning and development from birth to eight years
Action 1 Municipal planning
of age.
· Maternal and Child Health Key Ages and Stages Framework
· Victorian Essential Learning Standards
· Universal Access to Early Childhood Education
All states and territories have committed to moving to 15 hours of early
childhood education for children in the year before school through a national
partnership on early childhood education with the Australian Government, to
be implemented by 2013. For details see:
Early Childhood Education National Partnership www.deewr.gov.au
66
Action 3 Access to 15 hours
Action 4 Innovation: trialling new approaches
Action 6 Infrastructure
Part 3: APPENDIX 7 – Policy context
Through the introduction of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005, the
Victorian Government established principles for the wellbeing of children, a
Victorian Children’s Council, a Children’s Services Coordination Board and
a Child Safety Commissioner and the notifications of births to municipal
councils. This act is the most significant piece of legislation to date
implicating local government in the planning and delivery of early years
services. The Child Youth and Families Act 2005 reformed the system of
child protection across Victoria.
http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au
Below is a brief outline of Victorian Government policy related to the early
years:
· The State of Victoria’s Children report, produced by the State
Government annually since 2006, based on data including the Victorian
Child and Adolescent Monitoring System (VCAMS)
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/directions/children/annualreports.htm
· Implement the revised Kindergarten Cluster Management Policy
Framework to develop stronger local networks, more effective local
planning and greater integration of care and education
· Implementation of Victoria’s early childhood workforce strategy.
http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/govrel/Policy/ecgrowlearnstrategy.pdf
· Balert Boorron: The Victorian Plan for Aboriginal Children and Young
People (2010-2020), which sets the Victorian Government’s reform
agenda for Aboriginal children and young people and provides a policy
response to the State of Victoria’s Children 2009: Aboriginal children and
young people in Victoria.
http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/govrel/Policy/thecharter/balertboorron.pdf
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Part 3: APPENDIX 7 – Policy context
STATE GOVERNMENT / LOCAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP
APPROACH
There are also a number of programs that specifically rely on a state
government / local government partnership approach. These include:
- support and/or complement planning, coordination and community building.
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ecsmanagement/beststart/default.htm
Public Health
The Department of Health is responsible for a broad range of health
Best Start
services, policy and program area across Victoria. Public health initiatives
This is a state government early years initiative auspiced by the DEECD. It
or programs located in an early years setting include, but are not limited to,
aims to improve the health, development, learning and wellbeing of all Victorian immunisation, injury prevention, physical activity and healthy nutrition.
children from pregnancy through transition to school (0-8 years). These aims
Maternal and Child Health
are being achieved by supporting communities, parents and service providers
The maternal and child health service is a universal primary care service for
to improve universal early years services so they are more responsive to local
families with children from birth to school age. The service is provided in
needs. The strong emphasis in the work of Best Start is on prevention and early
partnership with MAV, local government and DEECD and aims to promote
intervention. Currently, there are 30 Best Start project sites across the state. Six
healthy outcomes for children and their families. The service provides a
of these sites focus specifically on working with Aboriginal communities. Local
comprehensive and focused approach for the promotion, prevention and
partnerships are the cornerstone of each project site.
early detection of the physical, emotional or social factors affecting young
Best Start planning links in well with municipal early years planning. While
children and their families in contemporary communities.
MEYPs provide a strategic framework for the planning and provision of
Libraries
services for children and their families, the Best Start action plan seeks to
Local government operates Victoria’s public library services, which play a
introduce service level changes to improve outcomes for children. The Best
critical role in the development of online information and communications
Start action plan is focused on achieving change in the Best Start indicators
access to local communities. There are a total of 310 public library service
whereas MEYPs are likely to cover broader domains.
points in Victoria across all 79 municipalities, including young children and
Given the importance of local government as an essential partner of Best
their families.
Start, the MEYP should provide a base for the Best Start partnership. In
Public libraries are also highly valued by the community as accessible
particular, the Best Start partnership will be able to draw from and build on
public meeting spaces and information hubs with free access to books,
the MEYP and, where appropriate:
publications and the internet, global learning opportunities and social
- extend the data mapping and analysis to include Best Start indicators
engagement. They provide many benefits to communities through improved
and subsidiary aims data,
literacy outcomes, the development of social capital and a contribution to a
reduction in social inequality.
- update the environmental scan with a focus on vulnerable families and/or
neighbourhoods,
The MAV acts as an advocate on behalf of councils in policy, planning and
- hold additional consultations to fill gaps in knowledge related to the Best
funding negotiations with state and federal governments on the provision of
Start initiative,
infrastructure support for public libraries.
19
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Victorian Local Government Support for Early Childhood Services - Survey of Local Government:
Part 3: APPENDIX 7 – Policy context
Infrastructure provision
Victorian local government invests heavily in early years infrastructure
provision. It owns the majority of buildings from which libraries, maternal
and child health, kindergarten and integrated early years programs
operate19 and is the major early childhood facility planner. Prior to 1985 the
federal and state governments provided capital funding grants for every
kindergarten and community based childcare centre built. The Victorian
Government regularly, and the Australian Government periodically provide
funding contributions towards new children’s services capital and capital
improvement. Responsibility for early years facilities is a funding partnership
between state and federal government, local government, community
groups and sometimes private providers.
Neighbourhood Renewal
Neighbourhood renewal is a ‘place-based’ state government initiative aimed
at narrowing the gap between the most disadvantaged communities in
Victoria and the rest of the state. It is an approach that brings together the
resources and ideas of residents, government, businesses and community
groups to reduce disadvantage in areas with concentrations of public
housing. The initiative acknowledges and affirms the central importance of
strong and inclusive environments for the health and wellbeing of children
and their families.
www.neighbourhoodrenewal.vic.gov.au
Family Support Innovation Projects
In partnership with a number of community service organisations and local
government authorities, the Victorian Government is taking an integrated
approach to supporting vulnerable families whose needs are complex,
through the establishment and implementation of family support innovations
projects.
Primary Care Partnerships
The Primary Care Partnership strategy aims to: improve the experience and
health wellbeing outcomes of people using primary health care services;
reduce the use of hospital, medical and residential services through a
greater emphasis on health promotion programs; and improve coordinated
service responses to people experiencing early signs of disease and who
require support.
Primary care partnerships use a social model of health providing strong
synergies with the Best Start approach. A number of partnerships have
previously identified early years as an important setting for early intervention
to improve community health and provide a key planning platform to
progress an early years health and wellbeing agenda.
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/pcps/
Disability Metropolitan and Rural Access
Disability metropolitan and rural access was implemented by the Victorian
Government in partnership with local government providing positive
opportunities for disability services and local government to create a shared
vision and ‘joined-up’ effort in supporting greater participation and inclusion
of people with disabilities in local communities.
Community Strengthening
The Department of Planning and Community Development has undertaken
a number of initiatives aimed at enhancing community strengthening
resources, initiatives and support across Victoria. In 2007, the Department
of Planning and Community Development published Planning Together:
Lessons from local government community planning in Victoria. This
report was based on a review of nine case studies of local government-led
community planning undertaken by councils.
http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/38097/2007_Planning_Together.pdf
This approach also aims to better integrate child protection services with
family support and other services.
69