Victorian Kinder Teachers Will Have to Report Suspicions of Child Abuse

By Richard Willinghamm and Judith Ireland
Age
February 2, 2014

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/victorian-kinder-teachers-will-have-to-report-suspicions-of-child-abuse-20140202-31v3y.html

Thousands of Victorian early childhood teachers will have to report suspicions of child abuse and neglect under new state laws that respond to the Protecting Victoria's Vulnerable Children Inquiry.

The Napthine government will use the first week of the parliamentary year to introduce laws requiring Victorian early childhood teachers to be registered - like their primary and secondary teaching colleagues - with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.

Minister Responsible for the Teaching Profession Peter Hall said the legislation would recognise the 3800 early childhood teachers in Victoria as professional educators in childcare centres and kindergartens.

''Importantly this legislation will mean that early childhood teachers will be required to mandatorily report any concerns of child abuse and neglect,'' Mr Hall said.

The new registration system is based on the model used by the Victorian Institute of Teaching, which requires school teachers to record their professional development activities.

Early childhood teachers would have to pay to register, like teachers do. The government says it will help track skills development.

''This approach ensures the highest standard of practice is upheld across the teaching profession - from early childhood, to primary and secondary education,'' Mr Hall said. ''Early childhood teachers already undertake professional development activities, which helps them remain up to date with new research and best practice.

''It is only right that their participation now be formally recognised through the VIT.''

The government does not expect the changes to affect the cost of childcare for families.

The move has been welcomed by the Australian Education Union. Vice-president of early childhood Shayne Quinn said registration with the institute had long been sought by the union.

Registration will take effect on September 30, 2015 - a time frame the government says will allow teachers and their employers to prepare for the scheme.

The federal government, meanwhile, has seized on new figures that show the hourly cost of long daycare has increased by 50 per cent since 2007, blaming the rise on the Rudd-Gillard governments.

But Labor has hit back, accusing the Coalition of being ''sneaky'' with the figures, while a leading childcare organisation has cautioned that increases in staff wages and building rents, as well as reforms implemented under Labor, have contributed to fee increases.

The Education Department's June 2013 quarter report on childcare and early learning shows the average fee, per hour, of long daycare (LDC) was $7.50 in the period between April and June last year. This is up from $5 in the September quarter of 2007, at the end of the Howard government.

The report comes as submissions close on Monday for a Productivity Commission inquiry into the childcare sector.

On Sunday, Assistant Education Minister Sussan Ley seized on the figures, arguing they raised concerns about the impact of ''skyrocketing fees'' on family budgets.

''Childcare now costs the average parent about an extra $70 per week, per child, than it did before Labor took office - for the exact same number of hours,'' she said.

Early Childhood Australia chief executive officer Samantha Page said with wages making up about 70 and 80 per cent of LDC costs, wage increases over the six-year period would account for a ''fair proportion'' of the cost change. Ms Page also said childcare providers were increasingly having to pay full commercial rents, as opposed to subsidised accommodation under local governments.

But she said Labor had not adequately funded a 2012 national quality framework, which includes reforms such as standardising child-to-staff ratios.

Opposition education spokeswoman Kate Ellis said Labor had worked to reduce costs for parents by increasing the childcare rebate.