Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Valuing and Promoting Quality Child Care Award Category

Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

The Australian Government is committed to facilitating the availability of accessible, affordable and quality child care. The Australian Government Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA) recognises that all levels of government have a role to play in ensuring the availability of quality child care services for families in Australia.

Local Government is well placed to understand the needs of families and develop practices that contribute to quality child care services in their community. This award category therefore recognises the innovative strategies and commitment of Local Government to providing quality child care services for Australian families. The award promotes exemplary practice in child care from around Australia and recognises outstanding achievements by Local Governments in the child care sector.

The award is presented to Local Government with child care initiatives that seek to:

• support the establishment of child care services in areas of unmet need
• meet the unique child care needs of families and provide choice and flexibility in their child care options
• promote and support the provision of quality child care services and professional development for early childhood professionals.

Previous winners have received an award for developing and implementing a range of strategies to improve child care services in their community. Examples of the work they have done include establishing quality child care in areas of unmet need, developing innovative partnerships with not for profit community groups, providing integrated children's services, on site early intervention services for children and families, services to children with additional needs and introducing career pathways and trainee programs in the child care sector.

FaCSIA welcomes applications from Local Governments for the Valuing and Promoting Quality Child Care award category in 2007. Applicants can apply for the award from 2 April 2007 to 11 May 2007 at this website: www.dotars.gov.au/awards

The following articles are also included in this edition or go BACK to the main page: