2022 Jenny Leaper Lecture and Launch of the REEaCh Research Centre

The Jenny Leaper Lecture was held at MGSE in November 2022, marking the official launch of the REEaCh Centre (previously the REEaCh Hub).

The public lecture focused on the teacher shortage crisis affecting the early childhood education and care sector. Professor Sandie Wong from the Macquarie University School of Education drew on her research on workforce issues, highlighting the complexities of early childhood educators’ work and the importance of supporting educator well-being.

Associate Professor Jane Page provided preliminary insights about what teachers have been reporting about their work and workplaces in the context of the 3- and 4-year-old kindergarten reforms in Victoria as part of the Educational and Developmental Gains in Early Childhood (EDGE) study.

Jane Hunt, Founding CEO of The Front Project, closed the presentation by positioning the discussion within the current policy context, highlighting the need for continued advocacy for the ECEC profession.

With thanks to Jenny and John Leaper who have supported the REEaCh Centre since 2019 though their generous philanthropic investment.