Latest news with #early learning
ABC News
4 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Lord Howe Island's only preschool struggling to stay open amid housing shortage
Lord Howe Island's only preschool may be forced to shut its doors for the second time since its opening last year, as operators struggle to staff the facility due to the island's housing shortage. For more than a decade, resident and preschool committee president Rachael McFadyen advocated for the facility to be built on the island, located 600 kilometres off the coast of Port Macquarie, to help the community's working parents and provide essential early learning. After securing state government funding in 2018, the centre was officially opened in April last year. "That dream is finally a reality," Ms McFadyen said. However, due to staffing shortages, the newly built, $800,000 facility has sat empty for most of this year. Ms McFadyen said that after the resignation of one of their educators earlier this year, the centre did not have the two qualified educators legally required to operate. It meant the centre, which had about a dozen students, was forced to close its doors. "We had to call the parents and tell them there's no preschool," Ms McFayden said. With around 400 residents on the island, Ms McFadyen said a replacement educator had to be found from the mainland. After six months of closures, the preschool reopened in June when the committee secured a fill-in teacher. But Ms McFadyen said securing someone long term had been made difficult by a lack of housing, as the number of homes on Lord Howe was limited by its world-heritage listing. First preference for homes is also given to locals who have lived on the island for at least 10 years, or are descendants of early residents from before the 1950s. The fill-in teacher is house-sitting until the end of September. Beyond that, the committee said the preschool's future was uncertain. Lord Howe resident and preschool committee member Chelsea Holden juggles being a mum of two young boys with her own photography business and a part-time job. She said the preschool's closure cost her downtime and opportunities to grow as a businessperson. "Not only are they in a safe, nurturing environment where they're gaining the social and emotional skills that will set them up as confident learners for life, but it also gives me space to focus." Ms Holden said, despite some challenges, Lord Howe locals loved their island home, and access to essential education like early learning should not be determined by postcode. "Having the early learning on Lord Howe, there are a lot of benefits, and as a family, you feel confident you're making the right decision for your children because they're getting the same exposure they would on the mainland," she said. The preschool committee has called on the Lord Howe Island Board, appointed by the NSW government to manage the island, to consider new housing for essential workers, providing space for a permanent preschool teacher as well as additional nurses, teachers, and doctors when required. The committee has started recruitment for a new, permanent educator, and it has been able to get a local family to reserve future leasing of their property for when they start. But it is little relief for current tenants like Tina Dante, her partner, and one-year-old son, who now have weeks to find a new home. "They let us know a few weeks in advance that they will not renew the lease because they need the house for the preschool teacher," she said. Ms Dante said while she understood the decision, her family would be forced to consider leaving the island if they could not find a solution. In a statement, a Lord Howe Island Board spokesperson confirmed long-term accommodation for the preschool had been found, and that the board was reviewing the Local Environment Plan, which would "also consider adaptive housing solutions". It said accommodation for essential workers was already available, and the limit to the number of dwellings was in place "to protect the island's unique environment". Ms McFadyen said until additional solutions were found, the island's businesses and essential services would remain under strain.
CTV News
6 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Language, play central themes at Indigenous childcare conference in Sudbury
All-Nations Childcare Gathering Conference in Sudbury focuses on language revitalization, blending culture and play in early learning. Madison Marier reports. The annual All-Nations Childcare Gathering Conference began Wednesday with laughter and enthusiasm as early childhood educators gathered for a three-day event focused on nurturing Indigenous youth. The conference runs for two days in Sudbury before concluding on Manitoulin Island. All-Nations Childcare Gathering Conference All-Nations Childcare Gathering Conference kicks off in Greater Sudbury, Ont., on July 16, 2025. This year's theme, 'Nurturing our children and fostering language revitalization,' highlights the critical role of language in early learning. Melanie Francis, an Indigenous early years educator, explained the conference's evolution: 'Initially, it was just Indigenous early educators, but we've branched out to all educators working with Indigenous families. Each year has a different theme, but this year is all about language.' The event provides a space for early childhood educators or ECEs to reconnect with their playful side, fostering creativity to inspire the next generation. Beverley Roy, the president of Kenjgewin Teg, emphasized the importance of hands-on learning: 'In the sector of early learning, it's very hands-on and experiential. Including our craftspeople and artisans is a big part of early learning. It has to be that whole experience of how we see, feel, think, and experience the whole learning journey. So, having artisans here makes perfect sense.' Wednesday's keynote speaker, Dr. Pamela Rose Toulouse, stressed the integration of culture and play in child development: 'The most important thing is to combine language, culture, play, and inquiry. Those are foundational – play, curiosity, and inquiry are embedded into Anishinaabe worldviews about how we raise our children.' The conference reinforces the vital role of early childhood educators in preserving Indigenous culture and ensuring children grow up with pride in their heritage. Roy added, 'That's the role of early learning educators. We need to celebrate them, lift them up, and recognize them. They are so critical in all of our communities in Ontario.' The All-Nations Childcare Gathering continues tomorrow with workshops and cultural activities aimed at empowering educators and strengthening Indigenous early learning practices.
