Building Evidence, Collaboration and Best-Practice in Early Childhood Education and Care: An Australian Perspective

Chair: Professor Cristina McKean (Department of Education, University of Oxford)

The landscape of early childhood education in Australia was significantly transformed almost 20 years ago with the implementation of the National Quality Framework (NQF), establishing consistent standards across the country and emphasising the quality of care and education provided to young children. In 2025, both federal and state governments are in another major reform window. In this context, the ECEC sector faces challenges, particularly in terms of the workforce, including training, staff retention and quality improvement. As Australia continues to navigate these complexities, the focus remains on fostering high-quality, accessible early childhood education that supports the holistic development of all children, regardless of their socio-economic background or geographical location. This presentation will describe the work of the REEaCh Centre (Research in Effective Education in Early Childhood) and our contributions to discourse, specifically on the strategies that strengthen children’s learning, that is, building evidence of the impact of universal quality preschool experiences; our collaborative partnerships with others in the early years sector; and the implementation of best-practice teaching strategies.

This seminar is hybrid.
For in-person attendance: Seminar Room K/L, Bruner Building, 30 Norham Gardens, Oxford, OX2 6PY; or Join Teams for online attendance https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3aH7IoYwBLlY_nR8d0DFzqC4yXRigyhbzyOceuytRk4g01%40thread.tacv2/1755007521668?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22cc95de1b-97f5-4f93-b4ba-fe68b852cf91%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22be558437-bc8f-4f3b-801c-af85d95b70ea%22%7d

Bio:
Professor Tricia Eadie is the Director of the REEaCh Centre (Research in Effective Education in Early Childhood) in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Tricia’s research focuses on better understanding the evidence‐based learning experiences and intentional teaching practices which most influence children’s developmental outcomes. Tricia’s work includes projects that monitor children’s developmental pathways, the use of observational tools to understand adult‐child interactions, and professional learning programs for early childhood teachers. Since 2015 Prof Eadie has developed a program of internationally recognised research which crosses the boundaries of education (early childhood and early years) and health (speech pathology) to enable optimal outcomes for all children irrespective of their circumstances. Tricia is a Fellow of Speech Pathology Australia.