Improving education outcomes for Tasmanian children is a priority for the Hodgman Liberal Government and today we welcome leading international expert in early childhood education Professor Edward (Ted) Melhuish from Oxford University to Tasmania to give us further advice about early years education.
Today I met with Professor Melhuish, who very supportive of our efforts to boost early years education and give Tasmanian children the best possible start in life.
His research includes the well-known UK longitudinal early years study, Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE), finding that pre-school matters and also what parents do matters as well - a quality learning environment increases a child’s favourable developmental trajectory; the beneficial effects of pre-school persist through to primary school; and pre-school can reduce the effects of disadvantage.
Professor Melhuish supports greater investment in early learning, finding that a quality preschool education has a bigger influence on a child's literacy and numeracy skills at ages 11 and 14 than their primary school education.
It’s a great opportunity for the Tasmanian education community to be able to hear from such a high-profile speaker on his research and the potential for early learning programs that will make a significant difference.
Professor Melhuish will visit a small number of our schools and Child and Family Centres as well as giving a FREE lunchtime lecture on Friday, September 2, from 1-2pm at Learning Services South, Lindisfarne.
Professor Melhuish is a Professor of Human Development at the University of Oxford and at Birkbeck, University of London, and is a visiting professor at the University of Wollongong.
His studies contributed to social policy in the UK in the area of families with young children and early years services, including the 1989 Children Act, the 2005 Children Act, 2006 Childcare Bill and policy on childcare, early education, child poverty and parental support in the UK and other countries.
He has undertaken research in 12 countries, and has been an expert witness to House of Commons Select Committees and a scientific advisor for the European Commission, OECD and WHO.
Professor Melhuish is accompanied by his partner, Professor Jacqueline Barnes, who is a Professor of Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London; and Director of the Institute for the Study of Children, Families and Social Issues. She is an internationally-recognised expert in the study of community characteristics, family functioning and young children's behaviour, conducting research in the UK, Europe and the US.
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