ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of early childhood education within the Australian context. It begins with information about how many children attend early childhood settings and shows the changes in understanding of the child. The chapter provides a summary of the first Australian Early Years Learning Framework. Children have been considered active agents, recognising children as competent and capable. The educational change model has been helpful for the early childhood sector, in the state of Victoria where it was developed, in understanding early years reform. In 2010 the first Learning Framework for Australia was introduced, called Being, belonging and becoming: Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. The Australian government mandate on employing degree qualified early childhood teachers has come from overseas research showing links between educational qualification and the quality of early childhood education programs. The chapter compares early childhood education to current movements in Hong Kong, considered one of the most competitive systems in the world for education.
