Research

Learning and Development

TASMANIAN EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION

LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

The Tasmanian Early Years Foundation has a strong focus Learning and Development and to encourage a consultative, collaborative and cross-sectoral way of working across the early year’s sector and the wider community.

Learning and Development Program

Promote professional development for key staff across sectors including early childhood health, education, care and advocacy.

Work in partnership with government and non-government providers to develop a staff leadership program in support of integrated service models for children and families, within a community development model.

Advise the Foundation Board on potential visiting speakers (national and international) and other resources to support capacity building and advocacy for the Early Years.

Act as a conduit for advocacy and networking across the sector.

Act as a clearing house for information about networks and upcoming learning and development opportunities.

Child and Family Centres

Suzanne_Purdon

Paul_Prichard

During 2009-2010 the Foundation's partnership with the Murdoch Research Institute - Centre for Community Child Health has continued to grow with the appointment of Paul Prichard as the Child and Family Centre Project Team Senior Project Officer who has been joined by Suzanne Purdon (the Foundation's 2008 Achievement Award Inspirational Champion), to support the implementation of the strategy.

Paul and Suzanne have been working closely with the Department of Education, the Local Enabling Groups, Social Inclusion Community Liaison Officers and communities to build a shared understanding of the vision of the child and family centres in Tasmania.

"The importance of actually listening an dhearing what communities want, not what we think they want, makes for collaborative, integrated services for communities, by communities."

Moving Forward Together

Moving forward Together - A guide to support the integration of service delivery for children and families.

The paper is based on the experience of the Learnign and Development Strategy, for the Tasmaniani child and Family Project Team. The Tasmanian Early Years Foundation is supporting the Tasmanian Government and the Child and Family Centre communities to understand and act on the change required in working towards integration of early childhood services.

Parenting in the Early Years Conference

A one-day conference was held for service providers in Hobart on 13 May 2009 highlighting the critical importance of effective engagement with parents during the early childhood years. The conference, presented by The Tasmanian Early Years Foundation, Good Beginnings Australia and Mission Australia, was opened by Premier David Bartlett MP and featured a nationally renowned collection of guest speakers. The conference provided opportunities for practitioners to explore recent research and practice to support families in their complex role of parenting young children.

Review the conference program

Read the guest speaker presentations:

Professor Graham Vimpani AM

Professor Vimpani, the head of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Newcastle and Chair, Board of NIFTeY, presented the conference keynote address. Professor Vimpani spoke about promoting child development through social justice and early intervention strategies to support the needs of families with young children.

Download Prof. Vimpani's presentation

Professor Julie Quinlivan Teenage Pregnancy – Improving Outcomes with a Proposed “Triad of Care”

Professor Quinlivan is Dean of the University of Notre Dame Australia and Executive Dean of the College of Medicine. Professor Quinlivan spoke about teenage pregnancy and the difference education, training and support can have on outcomes for teenage mothers and how it can help to break the ongoing cycle of disadvantage.

Download Prof. Quinlivan's presentation

Dr Richard Fletcher – The known and the unknown - Engaging with Fathers

Dr Fletcher is a lecturer in Health Studies in the Discipline of Paediatrics at the University of Newcastle and Team Leader of ‘The Engaging Fathers Project’, at the Family Action Centre. Dr Fletcher spoke about the father’s importance and impact on a baby’s development from birth and how to successfully deliver services to fathers as part of the support given to families.

Download Dr Fletcher's presentation

The Incredible Years – with Ms Dorothy Abbot, Mr Andrew Lawrence and Dr Gareth Furber

Ms Dorothy Abbot and her colleagues administer an Incredible Years program in Australia which aims to reduce childhood aggression, behaviour problems and promote social competence. The presentation focussed on the Incredible Years Series including history, content, programs in other countries, and the presenters’ experiences of delivery some of the programs in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health service in South Australia.

Download The Incredible Years presentation