Q&A Barrie Elvish CEO C&K - CareforKids.com.au®

Q&A - Barrie Elvish
CEO - Creche and Kindergarten Association (C&K)

As a part of our monthly newsletter for child care providers we are running a series of profiles designed to further educate our readers about Australia's most important government departments, community and industry organisations and how they work to support the child care industry, and also to put a face to the names of these organisations.

This month we feature a Q&A with Barrie Elvish - CEO - C&K, Queensland's community run early childhood association

What is your position within C&K, what does this entail? What is your professional background?
I am the Chief Executive Officer of the Creche and Kindergarten Association Limited (C&K), a not for profit (company limited by guarantee) organisation that has offered the highest standards of early childhood education and care for more than 105 years.

At C&K we offer kindergarten, child care, family day care and in home care, limited hours care and outside school hours care. C&K College of Early Childhood is a registered training organisation offering qualifications in Children's Services; as well as a dedicated unit providing support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early childhood services across Queensland and in Halls Creek, Western Australia.

I was previously an outdoor education and history teacher, then spent 20 years in the not for profit sector in marketing, business development and general manager roles.

I am currently studying at Griffith University for a DEd investigating how the sector can develop early childhood centers that reconnect children with nature using the C&K Centre for Excellence in Ashgrove, Brisbane as an action learning subject.

What are the primary objectives/goals of C&K within Australia's child care sector?
Quite simply to give every child the opportunity to experience and enjoy a fulfilling childhood.

How is C&K working to achieve those goals?
Through advocacy, curriculum development, staff professional development and now the new C&K Centre for Excellence in association with our partnership with Claire Warden Nature Training.

What are your biggest challenges now?
Demonstrating to all stakeholders that improved quality in early childhood education and care is not a question of if Australia can afford it but, for the benefit of all children, can we afford not to do it.

Pushing back on what at times is over regulation and sanitisation of early childhood under the guise of "safety".

What do you anticipate those challenges will be in the future?
Getting the public debate on child care away from just affordability and back to what are the best outcomes for children; where can Australia as a nation best invest its education dollars?

The evidence is irrefutable that early childhood education and care provides the best return on the public dollar.

Returning the child to the wild, i.e. providing appropriate outdoor experiences and developmental opportunities.

What in your opinion are the biggest challenges facing the Australian child care sector now?
Poor wages and conditions for staff ;the associated shortage of eligible employees; and getting more men involved in the early childhood education and care sector.

How can your organisation help child care professionals do their jobs?
C&K provides free and/or subsidised professional development including assistance with course materials and/or leave. We provide and Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate families, free first aid training for all centre based staff, working with children cards, a rewards and recognition program and family friendly work environment.

C&K has been an Employer of Choice for women for the past three years, all managers are available for direct communication and we currently have a less than two percent staff turnover factor.

Why has child care become such a hot topic in Australia over the last few years?
Government reforms, perceived additional cost to families, ongoing localised shortages, the ABC collapse and now politicisation of the issue.

How is Australia's child care sector changing?
It is becoming more professional, moving away from the child minding perception and with the arrival of Good Start there is more balance between private, corporate and not for profit providers.

How can child care professionals adapt to these changes?
By responding how we want our children to do; with resilience, flexibility and patience.

If you'd like to nominate a key child care organisation or someone you'd like to see profiled please drop us a line at editor@careforkids.com.au