{"id":67355,"date":"2025-08-22T12:45:05","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T02:45:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/development.uwu.org.au\/staging\/?p=67355"},"modified":"2025-08-25T11:51:28","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T01:51:28","slug":"early-educators-welcome-scrutiny-on-safer-staffing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/development.uwu.org.au\/staging\/media-release\/early-educators-welcome-scrutiny-on-safer-staffing\/","title":{"rendered":"EARLY EDUCATORS WELCOME SCRUTINY ON SAFER STAFFING"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
What:<\/strong><\/td>\nPress conference as early Educators respond to national Education Ministers meeting today.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Who:<\/strong><\/td>\nUnited Workers Union Early Education Director Carolyn Smith and early educators Karen, Preeti and Pallavi.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Where:<\/strong><\/td>\nUnited Workers Union, 833 Bourke St, Docklands<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
When:<\/strong><\/td>\n1.45pm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Educators will welcome moves to look at safer staffing levels at early education centres across the country, after announcements by a meeting of Education Ministers in Sydney today.<\/p>\n

Responding to Federal Education Minister Jason Clare\u2019s announcement that the Early Childhood authority would examine ratios and report back by the end of the year, United Workers Union said educators will welcome the scrutiny on staffing.<\/p>\n

\u201cEducators have been unable to devote their full attention to the education and care of children because of widespread understaffing,\u201d United Workers Union Early Education Director Carolyn Smith said today.<\/p>\n

\u201cRecent tragic child safety issues further highlight a sector that has faced rapid growth but has been unable to put in place the necessary safeguards around staffing.<\/p>\n

\u201cEducators will broadly welcome moves at state and federal levels to improve co-ordination across jurisdictions, introduce a mandatory register, bring in national safety training and tighten regulations around child safety.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever they see understaffing as a fundamental issue that needs to be addressed in any reforms to the sector.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this light we note the announcement of a CCTV trial. We will continue to flag our concerns around the cost and risks of a CCTV rollout coming at the expense of sensible staffing decisions.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is great news that Education Ministers have asked the Early Childhood authority to examine ratios, which should include examining a staffing loophole used by providers called the \u2018under the roof\u2019 ratio.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis loophole needs to be closed to address very real concerns about children\u2019s wellbeing and safety.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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