Parents' Perceptions of Planning for and Provision of Early Childhood Services in Rural and Regional NSW

Abstract

The project reported in this article was carried as part of study for the degree of Master of Early Childhood, Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University. The ongoing development of early childhood services in Australia reflects a focus on meeting the demands of changing family needs. Simultaneously, there is a growing concern that quality services must reflect the needs and culture of individual children. Rural contexts are acknowledged as unique situations in this discussion. This study considers the perceptions of eighteen parents in rural New South Wales as a means of gathering data on the appropriateness of current service provision models for a range of rural settings. Parents identified cost, inflexibility of existing services, lack of specific service and distance as factors that need to be considered in planning for rural early childhood services. Innovative approaches for enriching experiences of children and families in the rural context were suggested by the participants: flexible use of existing facilities, more outreach services, programs to encourage local development of services, sporting and cultural opportunities and initiatives to entice trained experienced professionals to rural areas.