CEO Report

Mat Rowell

Chief Executive Officer

“Countless people have been part of the Lady Gowrie Tasmania story and I thank everyone, past and present, for their contribution to our special story.”

I am honoured to present the Lady Gowrie Tasmania (LGT) Annual Report for the financial year 2023-24. The quality and quantity of work undertaken by our teams to support Tasmanian children, families, educators and communities in this reporting period is nothing short of incredible.

2024 saw a milestone achievement for LGT as we celebrated 85 years of the continuous provision of quality education and care programs to Tasmanian children, families, educators and communities.

Countless people have been part of the Lady Gowrie Tasmania story and I thank everyone, past and present, for their contribution to our special story. Everywhere I go, there seems to be someone who has a story to share about their connection to LGT!

This will also be my last report as Chief Executive Officer, providing the opportunity for me to reflect upon my time at LGT and to thank the many people who have supported me on this journey.

On my very first day at LGT, it was obvious that I had joined a team of incredibly passionate, committed professionals who lived by their mantra of ‘Children First’ in their work. Thank you to everyone in our team and please never lose that passion for wanting the best for Tasmanian children.

Thank you to the Senior Leadership team comprising Shanna Hughes, Annette Barwick, Sam Wesson, Suzie Jones and Lee Veitch and to Gary Fox for your support and valuable input. LGT and our sector has faced many challenges and changes in recent years and with your guidance and support, we successfully faced these hurdles together.

Thank you to the voluntary Board of Directors that supports the strategic direction and governance of LGT. Thank you especially to Anne Beach, previous Board Chair, who helped me to settle into the role of CEO and always provided sound advice and support. Thank you also to Chelsea Trubody-Jager, current Board Chair, for your support in my work this year.

Finally, thank you to the children for the pure joy you brought to my days here at LGT. I will miss my daily conversations, stories and laughter with you all. Thank you also to the families for placing your trust in me to lead this organisation and our people to educate and care for your children.

I leave LGT with a strong sense of pride for all that our team has achieved during my time here and many fond memories from planting trees, to watching Book Week costume parades, to eating the children’s baked treats. It has been a privilege.

Please enjoy reading this report which celebrates the incredible achievements of LGT and our teams in 2023-24.

STRATEGIC GOAL 1: EXCELLENCE IN ALL OUR WORK

LGT’s work with children and families in our Education and Care Services is underpinned by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). Excellence in our work with children is guided by the National Quality Framework and quality improvement is ensured through rigorous Assessment and Ratings and Quality Improvement Programs (QIPs). From 1 July 2023, the second and third rounds of various regulatory changes to the National Quality Framework were rolled out across our education and care services. Educators were supported through these changes via staff meetings, updated support documentation and mentoring by Service Managers and the Education and Care Leadership Team. To improve the focus on excellence and quality in our work with children, 4 Educational Leaders (3 in the south and 1 in the north) joined the team in January 2024.

LGT continued to innovate and seek new opportunities for excellence in our work with new initiatives and projects outlined in the General Manager reports within this report. In 2023 families participated in a Customer Experience and Satisfaction Survey. The results were outstanding with LGT achieving an overall customer experience and satisfaction rating of 91%. LGT also scored strongly in the areas of providing a high standard of education and care, high quality staff and communicating with families. These results are to be truly celebrated and can only be attributed to our education and care, administration and ancillary teams for their dedication, passion and professionalism in their work with children and families every day. I extend a heartfelt thanks to everyone in these teams. The 2023 Customer Satisfaction Survey results can be viewed here.

LGT continued to invest in quality and risk systems during this reporting period. The new Camms risk and compliance management system was fully implemented and with this, LGT’s strategic risk register was transferred into Camms and work commenced on the establishment of an operational risk register. A comprehensive compliance register was also developed incorporating all relevant regulatory requirements that LGT must comply with. The Governance Risk and Audit (GRA) Subcommittee of the Board met every three months to monitor strategic risks and compliance performance. This year, the GRA turned its attention to considering how LGT could manage psychosocial hazards in the workplace and how to improve systems to align these to the Tasmanian Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework. The GRA also conducted quarterly reviews of the management of corrective action of serious incidents occurring in LGT’s Education and Care services. This ensured that LGT continually improved services to comply with relevant legislation and standards, particularly the National Quality Framework, National Law and National Regulations.

LGT’s latest news, achievements, innovations, and examples of excellence have been shared and communicated regularly with our community through CEO Connections, Storypark, Education and Care Newsletters, Gowrie Training & Consultancy Newsletters, Inclusion Agency Tasmania Newsletters, local newspapers, and social media platforms. LGT continued to engage our community by celebrating relevant national celebrations, examples include NAIDOC Week, National Child Protection Week, Children’s Week and Nature Play Week. LGT continued to provide families with current research and resources to support and enhance their parenting journey. The LGT community generously donated to our Tassie Mums campaign again this year. The work undertaken by Tassie Mums and their passion for supporting babies and children in need closely aligns with LGT’s mission of providing programs that enable Tasmanian children to thrive.

Further information about innovation and striving for excellence for our people can be found in the People and Culture Report here.

Further information about best practice and striving for excellence within our Education and Care Services can be found in the General Manager Education and Care Report here.

Further information about new opportunities and striving for excellence within our Gowrie Training & Consultancy, Registered Training Organisation, Inclusion Agency Tasmania and In-Home Care can be found in the General Manager Learning, Development and Inclusion Report here.

STRATEGIC GOAL 2: VALUED, RESPECTED, PROFESSIONAL TEAM

During 2023-24 the focus remained on implementing measures to connect with, to recognise and to value our people and the vital work they do. These measures included an additional 2.5% wage increase distributed in December 2023 to recognise our valued workforce; financial support for staff to upgrade qualifications; free access to an Employee Assistance Program; tailored Professional Development programs; paid attendance for some staff to attend the annual Early Childhood Australia conference; Gowrie Australia management exchange program; the Helen Stephen Memorial Scholarship to provide financial support for an educator to study towards attaining an early childhood education degree qualification; quarterly educator Reward and Recognition program; thank you gifts on Early Childhood Educators’ Day quarterly Connection Days for Service Managers; increasing the number of face-to-face meetings with our people; recognition of staff graduations and professional development achievements; support for our people to undertake vital voluntary advocacy roles in the education and care sector; celebrating International Women’s Day; financial support for end of year team functions to celebrate annual achievements; and recognition of 5, 10, 15 and 20 year anniversaries of our people working for LGT.

The People and Culture (P&C) team was expanded in 2023-24 in order to implement a range of new initiatives to continue to improve LGT as a place to work along with ensuring management of increased activity and risk and compliance requirements. This resulted in the recruitment of Suzie Jones in September 2023 in the new role of General Manager People and Culture and a restructured P&C team. During the year, the Board made the decision to cease the state government program to deliver Family Support Services, this enabled LGT to shift the focus and resources to the wellbeing of our people. At the beginning of 2024, Cindy Woolley transitioned into the role of Manager Employee Wellbeing in the P&C team. The work already undertaken in this space has invigorated the focus on the wellbeing of our people at LGT. In 2024, we will see the first carefully researched and tailored Employee Wellbeing Strategy (EWS) to support the mental health and wellbeing of our people. Underpinning this thoroughly researched EWS is valuable data sourced from the Employee Engagement and Wellbeing Survey conducted in May 2023.

More information about developing and supporting our people can be found in the People and Culture Report here.

STRATEGIC GOAL 3: LEADERSHIP FOR CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY

LGT’s leaders continued their active representation and advocacy for the best outcomes for our children, families, workforce, and the sector. Advocating our deep experience and expertise with children to the media and state and federal government processes is an important part of what we do, how we maintain a positive reputation in the sector and with government, and how we participate in seeking positive change in our sector. It has been a privilege for me to represent LGT and at times, that of the sector, at both state and national levels.

LGT’s advocacy and representation in 2023-24 included:

Participation on Peak Bodies – Gowrie Australia, Early Childhood Australia – Tasmania Branch executive members, Early Childhood Australia Reconciliation Advisory Group – National
Ministers Reference Group on Early Childhood Education and Care (Australian Government)
Children’s Education and Care Industry Advisory Committee (National)
Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) Interagency Committee

Department of Education, Children and Young People and Education and Care Unit – ECEC Stakeholders Reference Group
Department of Education, Children and Young People – Early Learning for 3 year olds (EL3) Advisory Group
Department of Education, Children and Young People – B4 Leaders Coalition Member, B4 Leader & Deputy Chair
Department of Education, Children and Young People – Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) Reference Committee
Workforce Coalition Member for Tasmanian Community Services Industry Plan
Department of Health – Move Well Eat Well Program
Member of the Cancer Council Tasmania SunSmart Early Childhood Program
Reconciliation Tasmania – Circle Group Members

LGT’s advocacy work in 2023-24 included:

Continued partnership with the Department of Education, Children and Young People initiative ‘Working Together’ (WT) with the Alanvale Education and Care Service facilitating 8 places at the service for 3-year-old children who had not accessed any form of early learning. This initiative was expanded to include 6 new LGT sites in the first half of 2024;
Continued representation on the Governance Group of the Industry Advisory Council. This joint initiative of TasCOSS and the State Government continues to address workforce shortages in the community services industry in Tasmania across four domains: Early Childhood, Social Services, Disability Services and Aged Care. The inclusion of Early Childhood in this work continues to be a significant step forward for the sector;
Representation in the Workforce Strategy Project (contracted by ECA Tasmania Branch) through the ongoing, contracted role of Early Years and School Age Care Workforce Strategy Project Manager, undertaken by Kellie Watson. This is an opportunity for LGT to continue to advocate and influence both the early childhood workforce, including skills initiatives, and influencing the agenda around our workforce;
Commitment to Gowrie Australia (GA) monthly meetings in order to keep abreast of the many reforms and inquiries in our sector. We met face-to-face in Adelaide in October 2023 for a strategy day. GA advocacy included joint submissions to the ACCC and the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Early Childhood Education and Care. Work continued with ongoing projects including management exchanges, joint professional development and national recruitment campaigns;
Appointed by the Minister for Education, Children and Youth as Deputy Chair of B4 Early Years Coalition (and continued in role as B4 Leader) to collectively raise awareness of the importance of the early years and to meet goals and objectives as part of the government’s ‘It Takes a Tasmanian Village: Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy 2021”;
Continued participation in consultations, submissions and reviews to ACCC and the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Early Childhood Education and Care which notably resulted in sector first federal government funded wage increase to come into effect in December 2024; and
Meetings with various Tasmanian Government representatives to advocate for children, families, workforce, and the sector including the Hon Jeremy Rockliff MP, the Hon Roger Jaensch MP, the Hon Josh Willie MP, the Hon Jo Palmer MP and the Hon Felix Ellis MP.

Other LGT and Gowrie Training & Consultancy funded projects for 2023-24 can be found here.

STRATEGIC GOAL 4: GROWTH AND FLEXIBILITY ON STRONG FOUNDATIONS

In 2023-24 LGT continued to thrive and pursue new opportunities for growth and development in Tasmania. Again, I note strong growth and an increase in the number of children and families utilising our education and care services. New roles were funded across the organisation to ensure we are resourced appropriately to deal with this growth and ensure quality and safe outcomes for children accessing our services and programs sector. The absolute highlight this year was witnessing the opening of our Penna Road Education and Care Service at Midway Point in August 2023. This project provided incentive for the Board to investigate and seek new opportunities through the possible expansion of LGT’s education and care service offering across Tasmania, particularly on the North-West Coast. Careful research and scoping opportunities on the North-West Coast resulted in LGT purchasing land in Latrobe with planning and concept designs underway for a new service to open in 2026.

LGT funding combined with successful government grant applications, saw upgrades to LGT buildings and education and care services. Generous Education and Care Unit (ECU) Minor Infrastructure Grants also supported upgrades across the state. In the south, the Penna construction project was completed with the state-of-the-art education and care service opening its doors to children and families in August 2023; bathroom upgrade at Midway Point (ECU Grant), fence upgrade at Uni South for children’s safety and privacy (LGT funded); planning underway for kitchen upgrade at Midway Point (Sorell Council & LGT funded), Kingston floorcoverings installed (LGT funded), planning underway for playground upgrades at Battery Point & Uni South (ECU Grant). In the north, mature trees planted at Gordon Square for sun safety (ECU Grant); installed pin pads on front doors at Pedder, George Town and Oatlands (LGT funded); planning underway for playground upgrade at Norwood (ECU Grant).