REED Celebrates 4th Birthday
The Regional Early Education and Development Inc (REED) is a not-for-profit organization that offers a new cluster model of management to provide Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services across the Wheatbelt, working to reduce the burden on local Committees and Shires to provide these vital community services.
REED was launched in Narrogin in March 2018 by Minister Simone McGurk MLA, Minister for Child Protection; Women’s Interests; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; Community Services with the first service merging with REED in June 2019. The initiative enjoyed strong bi-partisan support and State Government and Lotterywest funding for its establishment phase.
With COVID-19 restrictions making a face-to-face celebration difficult, REED instead invited parents, community members, business, Shire Presidents and Members of Parliament to be part of a live reading. On 16 March 2022 the story of The Little Possum Who Looked Up by West Australian author Kim Maslin was read by former Governor, farmer and Special Storyteller, Hon Malcom McCusker AC. Hon McCusker shared the adventures of a possum called Pebbles in her quest to get her family off their devices and screens with all of the children in REED services that day. Regardless of age, there’s a message for everyone in this story.
The storytelling session was a great success with all 24 REED locations taking part in the celebration. View the video of the storytelling session here https://youtu.be/GjT4z-8x1xs
To purchase this book or other books by children’s author Kim Maslin, visit her website https://thetweetinggalah.com. 100% of the profits received from the Tweeting Gallah website until 1 September 2022 will be used to purchase UNICEF ‘School in a Box’ packs.
REED Board Chair Helen Creed said that ‘due to COVID-19 restrictions we were unable to have visitors at our centres and this was the most resourceful way to mark the occasion together with all sites. Thanks to Hon McCusker for donating his time and voice and Kim who allowed us to read her wonderful book”.
As of March 2022, REED is Approved Provider or Licensee for services located in 24 regional and small rural communities where private-for-profit and large not for profit organisations have no interest in providing services. REED’s footprint has recently extended to Nannup in the South West region and mergers are being negotiated with services in the Mid West region. REED’s early childhood education and care services are provided in childcare centres, family day care and outside school hours care in 24 communities, for some 700 children and their families. REED currently employs 96 staff.