Advocacy - Education State Forum 

Education State Forum

Rachael Gemmill

Inclusion Support Coordinator

I was recently invited to speak at the Education State Forum which included many stakeholders from the Department of Education and Training, Early Childhood Education and Care consultants and specialists, and Early Years Managers to name just a few.

I was very humbled by this invitation but also incredibly nervous at the prospect of speaking to some of the most influential decision makers in early childhood education in Victoria.  What I was sure of though was that I wanted to share all the great work we do here at GEKA in terms of inclusion. 

Inclusion is about making sure that EVERY child has ACCESS to and can PARTICIPATE meaningfully in a high-quality early childhood education and care program.  Inclusion is a LIVED experience

It’s about HUMAN RIGHTS, CHILDREN’S RIGHT and about doing WHAT’S RIGHT

It’s about constantly REFLECTING on who’s IN and who’s OUT

Who’s voice is HEARD and who’s ISN’T

What works and what doesn’t and then figuring out what changes WE need to make so we truly have a SHARED CULTURE of inclusion

What does that mean for children and families at GEKA?

It means they feel WELCOME

It means they feel VALUED

It means they feel HEARD

It’s about RELATIONSHIPS first and foremost and it’s about HIGH EXPECTATIONS for EVERY child

At GEKA we know the focus is on building trusting relationships. Families want educators to “know my child – who they are, what they like, know them as a person” and “make me feel welcome”.

Inclusion at GEKA is not about changing children – it’s about individualising our approach to meet each child’s needs. Our educators are constantly reflecting on the environment, teaching practices and strategies to ensure we tailor our approaches in responsive but respectful ways that always views children as confident and capable learners and active citizens.

We know that strong relationships with families and children are central to inclusion. That we must have a shared culture of inclusion which includes our whole organisation - management, educators, allied health services and community. GEKA are committed to continuous improvement and high quality teaching practices which includes ongoing critical reflection, willingness to make changes and try new things, while always seeing ourselves as learners also.  We know inclusion takes a village … our whole community, every child and every family. We must have a ‘can do’ attitude.

I want to acknowledge the hard work of our educators, educational leader, GEKA Management and Customer Relations Team and say that I am honestly very proud to work at GEKA because of our commitment to inclusive education.

Email of acknowledgement:

Dear Anne and Rachael,

Thank you for so generously sharing your powerful insights and personal stories at the 2021 Education State Forum session on Participation: Access, Equity and Inclusion, which was definitely a highlight for me as it was for so many participants. 

It was a valuable opportunity for us all to reflect on the impact we have on children and their families from the very first contact they have with an early childhood service, the importance of leadership and culture, and what we can all do to maintain and improve participation for children experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage.

I was delighted to see the leadership and advocacy demonstrated throughout the day by our panellists and stakeholders alike. Thank you for the positive effect you have on the wellbeing and outcomes of so many Victorian children. 

Best 

Kim Little | Deputy Secretary| Early Childhood Education I Department of Education and Training

Inclusion Grants

It is GEKA’s goal to truly live the vision of full inclusion where equipment is not a barrier to access and active participation.  As part of this commitment, in early 2021 GEKA submitted eleven Building Blocks Grants – Inclusion Stream with the Victoria School Building Authority.

The inclusive education equipment requested through these grants would ensure that

all children across GEKA services can not only access but have meaningful participation and be well supported in a high quality program. This included moveable equipment that supports children with significant physical and sensory support needs so that they can learn and play alongside their peers as active members of their community.  It also included resources that would extend on those already in use to teach ALL children to respect and celebrate differences.

We are very excited to announce that GEKA were successful in all eleven grant applications totalling over $100,000! 

This is an incredible outcome and will continue to make certain that ALL children are able to enter a GEKA kindergarten and feel welcomed, included, and valued right from day one.  At GEKA we pride ourselves on the fact that we live a shared vision of full inclusion. A culture of celebrating diversity and togetherness where all children can participate equally.