Academic’s Pledge of Support
Babies in early childhood centres have
an undeniable right to responsive and respectful education and care with
adults who know and understand them and can respond to their needs appropriately.
Research has repeatedly demonstrated that poor quality settings with low staff to child ratios can have detrimental effects on children’s emotional, social, cognitive and language development, health and well-being. Responsive, synchronistic encounters, nurturing relationships and optimal development are only possible when there is a higher staff to child ratio in formal settings.
I support the 1:4 campaign and urge the NSW Government to put the quality of children’s early learning and experiences at the forefront of their early-childhood-education policy. Regulating for adequate ratios such as the move to a 1:4 would indicate a move in the right direction: 1:3 would be better still.
Please
download and fax this form [pdf]