Children getting out into the community again is a focus of the new strategic plan.
Photo by
Zowie Crump
Consolidation while maintaining key targets of growth and quality will be the primary goals of the Deniliquin Children's Centre for the next five years.
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The centre has delivered it's new strategic plan in the same week it received ministerial approval to take over the provision of early childhood services to the Barham community.
Almost two years in the making, DCC has been managing the services on behalf of a Barham-based board while the application to take over was being assessed and processed.
Settlement of the agreement takes place next week, DCC general manager Felicity Michael said.
It will see the Barham services not only rebranded to come under the DCC umbrella, but will also see it come under the direction of DCC's existing board.
“We are excited to welcome the Barham community into the centre,” Mrs Michael said.
“While there will be some rebranding and changes to the way the service is managed, particularly in information technology and communications, the change to families and educators at the service will be minimal.
“The service will continue as usual, and we will provide the support to ensure there is a high quality service for the years ahead.
“That will be done in collaboration with the community.
“I salute the outgoing Barham board for the work they have done so far.
“Its members knew there needed to be a change in management structures to ensure the quality and affordability of education going forward.
“While approvals were being worked through they brought us on board to manage the services for them, and that has enabled us to work alongside them since a memorandum of understanding was signed in 2021.”
Educator Jacqui O'Keefe enjoying the sandpit with a child in the Barham Early Learning Service Dragonfly room.
Photo by
Zowie Crump
As a result of those changes, Mrs Michael said the 2022-2027 Strategic Plan would be about finalising the consolidation and moving toward the future together.
“The overarching theme of this plan is consolidation, because there has been a lot of change since our last strategic plan, with the completion of the new children’s centre and Barham coming on board,” Mrs Michael said.
“Understanding we are an important community resource, our strategic plan is about supporting children, families and the local economy.
“The focus is on consolidation of quality care, and meeting the needs of the future.
“In consultation with staff, families and the communities, and through workshops with external facilitators with expertise in early childhood education, we came up with the five pillars in our strategic plan - quality, workforce, partnerships, sustainability and governance.
“Our last strategic plan included the building of the new centre, and so while there are no major capital works programs included in this new plan we will continue to work with the community on how to continue to meet their needs.
“Deni and Barham are both growing, and we need to position ourselves to evolve with that.”
Mrs Michael said goals outlined in the strategic plan worth highlighting in detail included the focus on partnerships.
“COVID put a kibosh on our ability to get out into the community, so we want to build that up again,.” she said.
“In the sustainability sphere it’s not just about making sure our service does not have an impact on the environment, but about educating our children about the environment and role we play in it.
“And of course in terms of workforce it is about retaining and recruiting high quality staff.
“Our services are all at capacity now, and our goal is always to offer as many places as we can. The way we do that is still being identified through service delivery measures.”
The Deniliquin Children’s Centre incorporates the Deniliquin Preschool and Deniliquin Child Care Centre, Deniliquin Toy Library and its mobile services, and, from April, the Barham Early Learning Service.
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