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About Us
About Us
Network of Community Activities is the Peak representative body for Out of School Hours Care in NSW & ACT.
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What We Do
What We Do
Network provides information, advocacy, training and support for organisations and individuals working with communities offering services to school age children.
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Training
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About Us
About Us
Network of Community Activities is the Peak representative body for Out of School Hours Care in NSW & ACT.
-
What We Do
What We Do
Network provides information, advocacy, training and support for organisations and individuals working with communities offering services to school age children.
-
Training
Cart
Mark Barraket
Implications for Out of School Hours Care
Join Mark Barraket, Deputy Secretary of Early Childhood Outcomes at the NSW Department of Education, to learn about the department’s vision for out-of-school hours this year and in the future.
Mark Barraket
DipTeach (Pri), PCIL
As Deputy Secretary for Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO), Mark Barraket leads a division committed to delivering early childhood education and care initiatives, focusing on comprehensive investments in the critical first five years of every child’s life. With a background as both a primary school teacher and principal for the NSW Department of Education, Mark brings firsthand experience of the transformative power of preschool education, his career shaped by experiences supporting young children as they make sense of the world around them.
In over 30 years with the department, Mark has since held multiple senior leadership roles aimed at driving reforms to enhance outcomes for students, families, and communities.
Mark currently oversees ECO, a division that supports 6,000 services, who look to ECO to strengthen their workforce and early education for children aged 0-5. From pursuit of universal preschool access, to advancing 100 new public preschools, Mark also plays a crucial role in the development and implementation of sector changing funds and ongoing programs that facilitate early intervention and improve preschool participation for children in NSW.
In his previous roles, including Executive Director for School Performance Regional South and Executive Director for School Workforce, Mark drove positive outcomes for school improvement and Student Wellbeing initiatives across a vast network of 260 NSW public schools including regional and rural areas. His leadership was instrumental in shaping the NSW Government’s Teacher Supply Strategy, addressing critical challenges within the teacher workforce.
Mark has also played a significant role in leading the department’s responses to crises such as bushfires, COVID-19, and flood recovery, fostering cross-government collaboration and strong consultation with key stakeholders. In his recent role as one of two Deputy Secretaries for Education and Skills Reform, Mark was responsible for a whole-of-department focus to improve outcomes for Aboriginal students and school communities in regional, rural, and remote areas. Additionally, he oversaw Training Services NSW, collaborating with industry, training providers, and communities to improve training outcomes for the people
of NSW.
Mark is passionate about addressing current challenges to ensure children and families have what they need for long-term success, fostering environments where every child can thrive, from preschool into the school years and beyond.
