Kingston Early Learning and Childcare Services Working Group
Parent representatives of the Kingston Early Learning Centre Governing Council have been actively advocating for improved childcare services in Kingston since 2017 and in mid-2019 Kingston District Council assisted in the establishment of an independent working group to explore possible short and long-term solutions and to advocate for additional childcare services on behalf of our community. The Kingston Early Learning and Childcare Services Working Group (KELCS) is comprised of Kingston Early Learning Centre and Kingston Community School Staff & Governing Council members, Community representatives, Council staff and Council Member representatives.
Kingston Early Learning Childcare Services Working Group Mission
For all children in the Kingston area to have access to early learning and childcare opportunities.
Kingston Early Learning Childcare Services Working Group Vision
The development and continuous operation of services that allow for equal access for all children which address the current and long-term early learning and childcare needs in our community.
Kingston Early Learning Childcare Services Working Group Purpose
The purpose of KELCS is to deliver a new purpose built, all-encompassing early learning facility with an appropriate, innovative, and relevant governance model on the grounds of the Kingston Community School.
Any queries, comments or suggestions regarding the Kingston Early Learning and Childcare Services Working Group can be lodged via info@kingstondc.sa.gov.au.
Current Activities
State Government Committed to funding a new Early Years Facility
The Kingston Early Learning Childcare Services Working Group (KELCS) & Kingston District Council (KDC) are overjoyed to announce that $3.5m will be allocated in the State Government budget this May 2023 to deliver a much-needed new early years facility for Kingston.
The facility has been a long time in the making with the vision of the KELCS working group to deliver a new purpose-built early year’s facility on the grounds of the Kingston Community School finally becoming a reality, with the State Government commitment from Minister Boyer received on 2 May 2023.
KELCS and Kingston District Council representatives have been regularly meeting with Department for Education (DfE) representatives since 2022 to drive the project forward.
Kirsty Starling, KELCS Chair “We have been working tirelessly to increase access to early learning and childcare opportunities for the families and children of Kingston, and it is amazing to see that our advocacy as a small group of determined volunteers will finally deliver meaningful and significant change. This will be life changing for our community and hopefully lead the way to a brighter and bolder early years system for regional South Australia”.
The $3.5m is the State Government’s financial contribution to the pre-school component of the new early years facility with the Federal Government having committed the amount of $1.8m to help fund the infrastructure cost of the childcare facility in 2022, bringing the total project funding to $5.3m.
Kingston District Council Mayor Jeff Pope said, “this is a great example of how extraordinary outcomes can be achieved when all levels of government work together”. He indicated that the Council had supported the KELCS since its inception, but that support had stepped up a gear with the Council agreeing last month to undertake the capital build and project manage the new centre, should the last of the funding requirements come to fruition.
Chief Executive Officer Nat Traeger, who is also a member of the KELCS paid tribute to the group, saying “I have been extraordinarily privileged to be on a motivational journey with some inspiring and fiercely determined women, who have stayed the course long after their own children no longer required childcare services”.
“We are now turning our attention to the next stage of the project, which will include, in partnership with DfE, detailed designs, architectural plans and seeking submissions to undertake the building works”.
Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education & Care
The State Government established a Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care on 16 October 2022. The Royal Commission is inquiring into:
- The extent to which South Australian families are supported in the first 1000 days of a child’s life, focused on opportunities to further leverage early childhood education and care to enable equitable and improved outcomes for South Australian children.
- How universal quality preschool programs for three and four year olds can be delivered in South Australia, including addressing considerations of accessibility, affordability, quality and how to achieve universality for both age cohorts. Consideration of universal three-year old preschool should be undertaken with a view to achieving this commencing in 2026.
- How all families can have access to out of school hours care at both preschool and primary school ages, including considerations of accessibility in all parts of the state, affordability and quality in public and private settings.
In conducting its inquiry, the Royal Commission has been tasked to hear the voice of parents and caregivers from diverse backgrounds, experts in early childhood development, service providers in the first 1000 days, leaders of early childhood education and care services, relevant unions, and providers of Out of School Hours Care.
KELCS were invited to give evidence and provide a written submission to the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care in Adelaide on April 14 2023. KELCS representative Kristen Wilks attended as part of a panel session to discuss the challenge of accessibility to early learning services and care in regional and remote areas.
The recommendations of the Royal Commission are due for release in August 2023.
The KELCS Submission can be viewed here: https://www.royalcommissionecec.sa.gov.au/documents/witness-submissions-ph3/Wilks-submission.pdf
More information can be found here https://www.royalcommissionecec.sa.gov.au/
KELCS Honoured at Australia Day Awards 2023
The Kingston Early Learning Services Working Group were nominated and received the Award for Active Citizenship at this year’s Australia Day Awards. The KELCS group were recognised for their dedicated commitment and ongoing advocacy commencing in 2017, to seek increased access to opportunities and early learning and childcare services within Kingston.
Architectural plans & concept design
A smaller working party of the KELCS group that includes representatives of Kingston District Council, Kingston Early Learning Centre, Kingston Community School and the Department for Education (DfE) has been diligently meeting to progress to the detailed design concept and architectural plans for the long awaited new Early Years facility in Kingston.
Kingston District Council in partnership with Department for Education have appointed JPE Design as the lead architect with a start-up meeting between key stakeholders being held in February 2024 with JPE visiting the proposed site location at the Kingston Community School. This is an important stage of the project as it will be the first opportunity for community to see what the proposed new facility will look like and how it will accommodate the needs of the children and families within the Kingston community.