SDN Children’s Services is calling for preschool to be free for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, following the release today of new research by SDN on the factors that contribute to lower participation rates.

SDN’s research study, Aboriginal Access to Preschool, reveals a range of issues preventing Aboriginal children attending mainstream preschools, but the biggest barrier is cost.

‘The majority of Aboriginal parents involved in the study wanted their children to have a high-quality early education, but fees are still the main factor preventing this. Another major factor is the lack of Aboriginal staff in preschools,’ said Deb Mann, one of the authors of the study and Director of SDN Ngara Nanga Mai, SDN’s Aboriginal unit.

‘This report includes a wealth of useful recommendations for preschools and long day care centres on how to become more inclusive of Aboriginal peoples,’ said SDN’s CEO Ginie Udy. ‘But the main barrier to inclusiveness is cost. So we are calling on the state and federal governments to acknowledge that education doesn’t start at the age of five, and fund preschool for Aboriginal children.’

The National Preschool Census found that the enrolment rate for Aboriginal children in 2009 was 64 per cent. The Australian Government’s Universal Access policy, announced in 2008, promised to provide access to early education for all children in the year prior to school for 15 hours a week (2.5 days), 40 weeks of the year. However, the policy does not address the cost.

‘The average cost of preschool is $40 a day and there is no way that the Australian Government will reach its target unless it subsidises fees, particularly for Aboriginal families. Because there are other social inclusion goals to be reached for Aboriginal peoples, we believe this support is imperative. SDN estimates the cost of providing an early education for all Aboriginal children aged four, would be $45 million a year. When shared between all governments, it’s a fraction of their education budgets.’ Ginie Udy said.

The research report was released in Newtown today at the launch of SDN’s new Aboriginal unit, SDN Ngara Nanga Mai (Eora for ‘listen and dream’). The report is also intended as a guide to help long day care centres and preschools across Australia become more inclusive of Aboriginal children and their families. It provides 10 recommendations on inclusive practice – including simple things like ensuring staff are welcoming and supportive; displaying and using resources such as Aboriginal musical instruments, artwork and books; inviting Aboriginal elders to visit the centre and building relationships with local Aboriginal communities. Employing Aboriginal staff is also extremely valuable. Aboriginal Access to Preschool is available here.

Note: The $45 million estimate is based on 11 311 Aboriginal children aged four (ABS 2006 Census of Population data), $40 per day, 2.5 days a week for 40 weeks a year.