This issue of Rattler is all about the importance of quality and the ground-breaking changes taking place across the sector.

In talking with practitioners these past months, it has become obvious that people are feeling challenged by the workload that has come with a changing system of assessment and new regulations, but they are also saying that they feel like they have reclaimed the education and care space:

‘Whilst I work it out, my team is implementing a fabulously responsive program with the children. We have happy families and an amazing community. Isn’t that what it’s all about in the end?’ — Preschool Director.

This edition of Rattler celebrates the introduction of the National Quality Framework (NQF), farewells an amazing advocate for quality and showcases research and services that are all about quality! Here you will find real substance to this often quoted word as we ask what the concept quality really means to you?

In Quality: Staff and Parent Insights, Fran Press writes about a four-year research project by Charles Sturt University on what constitutes quality in education and care. The findings around leadership and management are particularly exciting and provide a road map for enabling leadership within the sector.

There are NQF Journeys in which services share their approaches to quality improvement and their efforts in striving for excellence and we showcase a beautiful service in the ACT, Abacus Child Care Centre.

Our NQS Spotlight is on staffing arrangements a critical component in achieving great outcomes for children.

Our Autumn edition of Rattler also farewells Pam Cahir, CEO of Early Childhood Australia. Pam has been a wonderful advocate for quality and has been a great contributor to the outcome we have achieved with the NQF.

Here at Community Child Care, we are very conscious of the incredible effort that is going into the delivery of quality services and trust that this edition will inspire and excite you in your journey.

We also welcome readers from interstate as our readership grows and issues reported take on a national significance.

Leanne Gibbs
CEO Community Child Care Co-operative (NSW)

What an amazing year we have experienced in our sector! Hopefully you will have at least a brief opportunity to reflect before we leap into a new year . . . a year that will undoubtedly be about building on those solid foundations laid in 2011.

At Rattler, there has been no rest either as this fabulous 100th edition has unfolded. Over the years, Rattler has been, for me personally, the ‘go to’ publication for opinions, ideas and inspiration and this issue once again delivers on its original mission. The 100th edition (or 25 years of publication!) is celebrated and praised by some familiar voices and it is easy to see the impact Rattler has had. From a humble newsletter, a vibrant quarterly has grown and continues to be delivered with passion and journalistic integrity.

In this edition, the NQS Spotlight shines on Leadership and Service Management with the article ‘Being and Becoming Leaders’ on page 22 in which Manjula Waninganayake and Anthony Semann show how optimism, resilience and lifelong learning can have a strong influence in leading innovation and change within the early childhood setting.

Early childhood consultant Lisa Bryant checks in on the Regulations asking the important question: ‘How did NSW fare?’ on page 15.

Also in this edition, the livelihood of the community model goes under the microscope with a range of views presented in our vox pop piece ‘Is the Stand Alone Community Model All Too Hard?’ and we profile Inner City Child Care – an education and care service that embodies the core principles of community management.

Let’s not forget the community beyond the physical boundaries of services. Our ‘Step outside!’ article on page 18 explores the world of excursions – their value, opportunities for learning and some practical considerations.

So we know you will enjoy this last issue for the year and trust you will have a few moments to relish the thoughts, ideas and images within. Community Child Care hopes that once the final work is done for 2011 and your end-of-year festivities with children and families have drawn to a close, you will have that last burst of energy to celebrate your fabulous achievements with your own family and friends. We wish you all the best for a peaceful and relaxing break.

Here’s to a great 2012. Community Child Care looks forward to sharing it with you!

Leanne Gibbs CEO Community Child Care Co-operative (NSW)

As educators prepare for the introduction of the National Quality Framework in January 2012, ‘community’ and ‘partnerships’ have become more important than ever. It is only in partnership and with a strong sense of community that we will achieve our aspirations for excellent children’s services programs made possible by more than ‘just adequate’ levels of funding.

This latest edition of Rattler takes up these issues with great enthusiasm and passion, exploring diverse perspectives and showcasing the fantastic work of our sector.

Fay Hadley and Katey De Gioia highlight collaborative partnerships with families and communities in an article entitled ‘Come Together!’ in our popular NQS Spotlight on page 18.

Stories from practitioners provide a rich illustration of this notion and you will enjoy reading how services in both rural and city locations are developing their communities in partnership with children, families, staff and local professionals.

Our Face2Face interview with our new Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli, reveals the Minister’s goal to get funding right for early childhood education. And as Rattler goes to press, the State Funding Review is well underway under the guidance of Professor Deborah Brennan.

Also in this edition, we tackle the debate around NQF assessors and qualifications on page 24. It’s important to think critically about the role assessors play in the success of a new system. We need to be sure the debate is focused upon appropriate assessment of quality and compliance within children’s services rather than establishing an assessor role that is inhibited by workforce pressure, funding issues and even public relations spin’.

Rattler thrives on putting forward interesting perspectives and diverse views.

We trust this edition is successful in starting conversations, debate and encouraging new and different ways of thinking. After all, diversity and inclusion is key to a community that is sustainable and works toward the common goal of equity, social justice and excellent outcomes for children.

Leanne Gibbs CEO Community Child Care Co-operative (NSW)

As a mother, teacher and advocate for children, I was disturbed beyond belief when I learned the fate of the 1,048* children currently in Australian immigration detention. It clearly casts a shadow over Australia’s human rights record. What kind of society allows the incarceration of children?

As educators, you may think ‘what can I do?’ Well, start by reading our article ‘Australia’s Youngest Prisoners’ on page 10. Pass it on to parents and staff at your service. Help spread the word and lobby government by emailing the federal Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen.

Speaking of ministerial responsibility… on a more positive note, Community Child Care is heartened by the NSW Government’s apparent commitment to the children’s service’s sector. Following a meeting with the new Minister in mid-June, we are reassured by Adrian Piccoli and his Department—the newly formed Department of Education and Communities (DEC)—that he will tackle many of the long-standing issues that have dogged the children’s sector in NSW.

We welcome the Department’s upcoming review of NSW’s funding models. However, our new Minister has an enormous task on his hands due to years of neglect from previous governments.

It remains a sad fact that NSW spends substantially less money on children’s services than any other state in Australia. The NSW Government spends just $185 per child per year compared to Victoria’s $220, South Australia’s $496, Tasmania’s $342 and the ACT’s $489 per child**.

We hope you enjoy this jam-packed edition of Rattler, which has something of a children’s rights theme.

When the magazine debuted 25 years ago, our first editorial read: ‘Rattler…It rhymes with “battler” for all you hard-working childcare workers, and also “tattler” because we do tell a few tales…and shake a few people up.’ Indeed, Rattler plans to remain close to our advocacy roots and continue our policy of making a lot of noise about the issues that count in children’s services.

Leanne Gibbs CEO Community Child Care Co-operative (NSW)