Preschool Field Officer Program
The role of the PSFO is to support, guide and coach early childhood educators to provide high quality programs that support the inclusion of children with additional needs.
Building better futures for children with disabilities & additional needs
The Preschool Field Officer (PSFO) program is funded by the Victorian Department of Education to support the access, inclusion and participation of all children, including those with additional needs, in a kindergarten program. This includes children enrolled Four-Year-Old Kindergarten, funded Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and Early Start Kindergarten.
Funded kindergarten programs are provided in a variety of settings including children’s centres, long day care centres, community kindergartens, independent schools and some government schools.
PSFO's work within the context of the kindergarten program. The PSFO works with the early childhood educators to enhance their capacity and confidence in providing an inclusive program that is responsive to the needs of all children.
PSFO Support for Early Childhood Teachers
What support looks like for a teacher.
Video Transcript
Thanks so much for coming in today, Ashley, and talking about the pre-school field officer program.
We've worked with each other for 5 years. What led you to reach out for support from the preschool field officer program?
So 5 years ago I was brand new to working as a kindergarten teacher, and there was just so much growth and and when I went into the field, I really wanted to try my hardest to support the families and work in an inclusive environment.
So the biggest thing I really wanted to do was like, I need help and guidance. I know I'm, I have a wonderful team, but I need that extra support, that confidence booster, and then when I reached out, it was probably the best step I possibly could have ever taken because the support that was given back to me was impeccable. So I was very lucky and very, like, glad that I made those steps for myself.
What have you found most helpful?
Being able to work with the community better, so the strategies and the plans that you had provided us and the team, we were able to invite and engage and really utilise it throughout a community and even those individual families that needed the guidance, just to be able to do strategy plans for them and then the referrals and looking into the next stage and pathways, you were able to give us that, and it was that those early indicators that was really supportive, so definitely.
Can you walk us through what the PSFO support looks like?
So basically it's so simple. It was very easy to do and tech savvy to do, so we would go on and there's a referral form to fill out.
But firstly, we would have a brief chat with the families and just get them to understand the role of a preschool field officer, and then from that with the families we could sit down, we'll fill out the questions and then once that's done within a few days, we would hear back from you and your team and then dates would be set for you to come and visit us and visit the families, and from there the process has always been super smooth. So we're very lucky on how quick and smooth the process is and how supportive you are as a team.
Can you tell us how the support made a difference in your practice?
Oh, everyday practices. So basically, we, every time that you've come out and visit us, you give us all these amazing ideas, and you share all these different strategies through email, and even just by talking to us at physically coming in, so all of the strategies we put it into our room, we've got visual boards everywhere, the way we communicate with families and the children. The way we're able to support our ESK children. Just different plans that you've been able to embed, we've been doing it daily and we're very lucky, all the resources, we're very thankful.
What was it like having the preschool field officer visit and work alongside you and your team?
It was like a very exciting coach, like just someone that is there on your side, someone that can just help you positively and guide you through every single step.
Being a brand new graduate back then and just learning from you. Now, I feel more confident having you just there just to make sure and reassure me that I'm taking those positive steps for these families because that's what we're here for, to create an inclusive environment for every single child in the community, and you're able to do that for us and we are very thankful.
If another early childhood teacher was thinking of contacting the preschool field officer program, what would you say to them?
Please do it. It's such an amazing pathway for us to take on board. Like, just as I mentioned, every single stage, every single step is so smooth.
You are able to really tailor the program to individual children. And for us, we are learning through you, and it's just such a collaborative teamwork that we have. And the partnership is just ever growing, so please, please reach out, it just helps so much, it really guides your practice and continues to develop your skills as a teacher and to work alongside your team and your community. So I definitely recommend it.
Thank you, Ashley, for your time today.
Thank you so much for having me. This has been wonderful.
The role of a PSFO
What we do and how we do it.
Video Transcript
Pauline, you've been working as a preschool field officer for some time now. Can you tell me a little bit about your background and, where you've come from before Noah's Ark?
I have had quite extensive experience as a PSFO and as an early childhood teacher. Been fortunate to be a PSFO for over 20 plus years. Previously I have worked in kindergartens, I've worked on remote Aboriginal communities. I have spent time in the long daycare. I've worked in holiday programs. You name it, if it's got anything to do with early childhood, I've worked there.
And tell me what you've enjoyed most about working as a preschool field officer when you're working with the teachers in the kindergarten programs.
Very much I enjoyed the diversity in the role. Every day is totally different. I don't think in all the years I've ever had two days that are the same. I very much enjoy the unexpectedness of what I'm going to get when I go into a service, and how's best to deal with that. Very much enjoy seeing the growth with both the teachers and the children as the year goes on and as we put in strategies and coaching and modelling and make plans for them. And the personal learning and growth that I have along the way, because every day is a learning experience for me as well.
So tell me, when you go out to the kindergartens, and you're working with the teacher, tell me what that looks like.
Yeah, the overall aim of working with them is definitely for the inclusion of all children and the capacity building of the teachers. So it's very much working in collaboration and partnership with the teachers to ensure that not only are we on the same page and wavelength what we're doing, but we've got a common focus and goal in improvement.
We do some modelling sometimes, we might work in strategies, resources, reflection as we're going and planning. So it's a constant cycle of how we're going to be developing both the teacher's capacity and the program, and that inclusive practice to ensure that every child in the group is enjoying their year at kindergarten.
When you're going out with the teachers and working with them, how do you determine what the focus of support is going to be?
It's very much working with the teacher. Discussing with them what they need, what they see the needs are, where they feel that they need some support to be offering for the children in the program. And maybe looking at their observations, discussing them, discussing any background information they've got, discussing how their program works. Because we have to ensure that whatever we're suggesting works for them as well. And will fit in with their general programming, planning, and the rest of the group.
So it's a matter of really understanding the centre and the teacher and the children in the group. So we'll sit down then and work on some common goals and aims, and then work out on some strategies that they can do. And then with a follow-up at some stage later on, it may be a follow-up visit, it may just be a phone call. It may be that, we'll send a few emails out and some further resources, but with the teachers knowing they can contact us at any time if they feel they're needing some additional support.
Or especially if they want to share some positive outcomes that they've experienced along the way. They're, I think, what keeps us going, to know that we have made that little bit of difference to people and that they've continued on on that journey.
Thanks so much for your time today and talking through your role. It's been great having a chat with you and getting to know a little bit more about what the preschool field officer team does.
Complete a referral form
PSFO service locations
- City of Casey
- Cardinia Shire
- Rural City of Swan Hill
- Shire of Buloke
- Shire of Gannawarra
For further information