Overview: about the agency

To create a fairer and better future for all children in South Australia.

To reduce the rate of South Australian children entering school developmentally vulnerable from 23.8% to 15% over 20 years.

In the Office for Early Childhood Development, we:

• are champions for change to create a better system to support children’s development
• are stronger when we work across the sector, with other departments and jurisdictions, creating partnerships to make real change in children’s lives
• learn from research, Aboriginal ways of knowing, being and doing, services making the biggest impacts and from children and families

respect and show kindness to children, families, communities and people who dedicate themselves to supporting early childhood development.

The primary function of the Office is to act as a steward of South Australia’s early childhood development system, and in particular to reduce the proportion of children in the state who are developmentally vulnerable when starting school.

Additional functions of the Office are:

• to facilitate, commission and support research relating to early childhood development
• to support and facilitate the development of systems, policies and processes for the secure sharing of data across the early childhood development system
• to support the universal reach of child health and development checks
• to promote a vision of place-based, responsive and connected service delivery, building early childhood education and care as the backbone of a universal early childhood development system
• to promote universal access to 3- and 4-year-old preschool, developing and implementing funding models and connecting preschool providers to the broader early childhood development system
• to develop, implement and fund fit-for-purpose infrastructure and targeted programs and services, including commissioning integrated service hubs, to support the early childhood development of children at increased risk of developmental vulnerability
• to align supports and services with the needs of children by partnering with families, state authorities, non-government organisations and local and Commonwealth governments
• to provide overall strategic direction in relation to government early childhood development services
• to commission or recommission government services, as required
• to promote the recognition of the cultural and linguistic diversity of children accessing services within the early childhood development system
• to promote the participation of children with disability in the early childhood development system
• to promote the participation of children in care, children who are in contact with the child protection system and children who are receiving child and family support services in the early childhood development system
• to undertake strategic workforce planning to support early childhood reforms and service provision.

Specific functions in respect of Aboriginal children are:

• promoting the cultural safety of early childhood education and care services for Aboriginal children
• aligning supports and services with the needs of Aboriginal children by partnering with Aboriginal families and organisations
• supporting measures aimed at implementing national agreements relevant to the early childhood development of Aboriginal children

promoting Aboriginal data sovereignty in relation to early childhood development data.

• Deliver universal preschool programs for all 3-year-olds by 2032
• Unlock potential by providing extra support to children who need it most.
• Work together to empower Aboriginal children.
• Build a connected early childhood system for the best start.
• Grow and support the early childhood workforce.
• Steward the early childhood development system.

Kim Little is the Chief Executive of the Office for Early Childhood Development.  Working with her team and across governments and departments, Aboriginal leaders, sector stakeholders, unions, the professions, parents and the community, she is tasked with leading the design and implementation of the landmark reforms flowing from the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care.

She brings her expertise in education and social policy issues to the table as South Australia embarks on bold reforms to increase the number of children starting school developmentally on track.

Natalie Atkinson is the Executive Director of Participation, Integration and Inclusion and is responsible for leading the design and delivery of additional supports to unlock the potential of all children and support the government’s target to reduce the rate of South Australian children entering school developmentally vulnerable, from 23.8% to 15% within 20 years. This includes reforms to empower Aboriginal children, led by a dedicated Closing the Gap team.

Nicole Lynch is the Executive Director of Policy, Provision and Planning and is responsible for overarching budget, provisioning, and infrastructure strategy, including market modelling and funding model design.  This division also has responsibility for whole-of-reform program management.

Bec Curtain is the Executive Director of Workforce and Quality. Bec’s team is responsible for work to grow and support the early childhood workforce and support quality improvement in the sector.

Workforce and Quality works with the sector to design innovative approaches to increasing the supply, diversity and quality of the workforce.​

Georgy Grundy is the Director of Funding Operations and Monitoring. Georgy’s team oversees the partnership conditions, contracting arrangements and associated funding for the new preschool program; monitors program delivery and oversees research, data and evidence to drive quality and reduce developmental vulnerability; and works with rural and remote communities to provide support and advice on addressing childcare shortages.

Hannah Turnbull is the Director of Change and Engagement and is responsible for leading a strategic approach to communications, engagement and change to drive transformative early childhood reforms in South Australia.​ This includes responsibility for the establishment and management of the Office’s local teams.

Jason Turner is the Chief Information Officer and is responsible for digital strategy for OECD and leading the implementation of the technology solutions. This includes ensuring appropriate protocols and safeguards are in place for the collection and management of data.​