The best of early childhood news!

Welcome to the latest issue of the award winning ECA WebWatch. This issue features the Educators’ guide to the Early Years Learning Framework.

In this issue:

• the Educators’ guide to the Early Years Learning Framework
• Early Childhood Australia (ECA) advocacy
• the Australian Early Years Learning Framework National Conference: Belonging, Being and Becoming in practice
• National Quality Framework (NQF) information forums and consultations on the My time: Our place framework for school age care in Australia
• Early Childhood Australia 2012 National Conference
• The children left behind—new report on the most disadvantaged children in rich countries
• child behaviour and parenting survey
• children who go to childcare are healthier in the long run
• Australia and New Zealand childcare, reports and research
• design trend takes child's play out of backyards
• the history of child protection services
• Auditor General report on MACS and Creches
• small business superannuation clearing house
• baby sign language.

Plus regular ECA WebWatch items:

• Early Years Learning Framework Professional Learning Program update
• quality–assured early childhood resources
• ECA Greenwatch
• find ECA on Facebook!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the ECA team

At Early Childhood Australia we all want to send our warmest wishes to our members, subscribers and supporters. Have a safe and fabulous Christmas and New Year!

The Educators’ guide to the Early Years Learning Framework

The Educators’ Guide to the Early Years Learning Framework is now available for download on the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) website here. Hard copies of the Educators’ Guide and a CD of resources will be mailed to early childhood services in early 2011.

Early Childhood Australia (ECA) advocacy

Early Childhood Australia (ECA) supports the establishment of an Office of the Commonwealth Commissioner for Children and Young People to advocate for young children. Read ECA’s response of general support, including comments relating to particular aspects of the draft legislation here.

The Australian Early Years Learning Framework National Conference: Belonging, Being and Becoming in practice

This essential conference brings together some of Australia’s scholars and practitioners in the ECEC sector to provide participants with new ways of understanding the Early Years Learning Framework and putting theory into practice. Information about the various conference dates and locations around Australia can be accessed here. Register for the conference here.

National Quality Framework (NQF)

National Quality Framework (NQF) information forums and consultations on the My time: Our place framework for school age care in Australia

The National Quality Framework information forums were a great success, with over 1600 representatives from across the entire ECEC sector attending the forums in the 21 locations around Australia. The attendee’s showed great interest in the NQF and had many questions for the forum conveners. Information about the NQF can be accessed on the DEEWR site here.

Early Years Learning Framework Professional Learning Program update

EYLF PLP Forum—quote of the week

‘... The issue of Christmas has for a while been a somewhat vexed issue in Early Childhood Education. The EYLF talks of "culture and the context of family as central to children's sense of being and belonging, and to success in lifelong learning". For many in our preschool Christmas is a significant family celebration—and for those who do not celebrate Christmas, we have found in this simple exercise of sharing our stories that there is a space for everyone.’
(Discussion thread: Learning Environments—All spaces speak)

Come and find out what this simple exercise is and contribute to this discussion—and other discussions—on the EYLF PLP Forum.

Master Classes being updated

The format of the Master Classes is currently being updated and the new versions will be launched in early 2011.

Take part in Early Childhood Australia’s EYLF PLP survey and win an Apple iPad!

Don’t forget to participate in our EYLF PLP survey before 15 January, 2011. Help us to adapt the Professional Learning Workshops to suit your needs so that you get the most out of the EYLF Professional Learning Program. You can also take part in the survey by going to the link on the EYLF PLP homepage. It takes just three minutes of your time!

Early Childhood Australia 2012 National Conference

Early Childhood Australia’s 2012 National Conference Consulting the Compass—defining directions will be held from 3–6 October 2012 at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre, WA. The themes of the 2012 National Conference will be networking, sustainability, engagement and wellbeing. Keep an eye on the ECA Conference homepage for developments leading up to the event.

The children left behind—new report on the most disadvantaged children in rich countries

This recent report by UNICEF has revealed that Australia’s disadvantaged children are falling further behind than in other rich countries. The Children left behind report also indicates that this gap in well-being will impact greatly on Australia’s social and economic welfare in the near future. Read the Sydney Morning Herald’s story on the report here.

Child behaviour and parenting survey

The Parenting and Family Support Centre at the University of Queensland has developed a new questionnaire to assess various child behaviour and parenting strategies and experiences. They are seeking parents of two to 12-year-old children to share their thoughts in an online survey, which takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. Visit their website now to find out more and take part in the survey.

Children who go to childcare are healthier in the long run

New research carried out at the University of Montreal has revealed that ‘…Children who attend child care centres before the age of two develop more infections as toddlers, but are more robust in their primary school years’. Read the full article in the Age.

Australia and New Zealand childcare, reports and research

A collection of eight reports (all released over the last 26 weeks) will give child care operators and owners; lenders; valuers; consultants; speech-givers; and hard data collectors an opportunity to have a one-source data supply on the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector. Download the order form here.

Design trend takes child's play out of backyards

An Urban Research Program lead by Griffith University’s Professor Tony Hall, highlights ‘…the modern preference for highly landscaped yards, with clipped hedges and paving, is just one factor depriving a generation of children of interesting natural places to explore’. Read the full Sydney Morning Herald article.

The history of child protection services

For a brief history of child protection services in Australia and internationally, have a look at the National Child Protection Clearinghouse’s new resource sheet, written by Alister Lamont and Leah Bromfield.

Auditor General report on MACS and Creches

The Auditor General has released a report on the Multifunctional Aboriginal Children's Services (MACS) and Crèches. The report, including the Australian National Audit Office’s (ANAO) recommendations to improve DEEWR’s administration of Indigenous childcare service delivery through MACS and crèches, can be accessed here.

Small business superannuation clearing house

The Australia Government is offering a free superannuation clearing house to small businesses with less than 20 employees. The service is optional and is designed to reduce red tape and compliance costs associated with meeting your superannuation guarantee obligations. Why not take advantage of this in your service? Find out more here.

Baby Sign Language

Baby sign language is a great way to help you communicate with pre-verbal babies that are ready to communicate, but can’t quite bridge the gap to full speech. Instructions for getting started and supporting resources can be accessed here.

ECA Greenwatch

Sustainable toys for kids

If Christmas is beginning to have an alarming effect on your child’s toy box, why not consider the following sustainable toy ideas from the Australian Conservation Foundation or give the little people in your life a memorable experience rather than a toy.

Quality–assured early childhood resources

All of ECA's publications are peer-reviewed by early childhood experts, so you can be assured that all our publications are of the highest quality, and relevant to you and your work. Here are some of Early Childhood Australia’s latest publications to come off the press:

Everyday learning about play and learning

Everyday learning about play and learning outlines the importance of learning through play. Children need to play to develop social, emotional, cognitive (thinking) and physical skills.

Everyday learning about bullying

Bullying is something that everyone finds difficult. It can arouse feelings of anger, or shame, and may remind adults of times when they were bullied as a child. This makes it very important to be able to hold back one’s immediate reactions and understand what is going on, so as to be able to help all of the children involved.

Learning and teaching through play: Supporting the Early Years Learning Framework

Learning and teaching through play: Supporting the Early Years Learning Framework focuses on The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) for Australia and explains how educators examine their understandings of play and how play-based approaches require intentional planning and teaching in order to support and extend children’s learning.

Every Child - Vol. 16 No.4, 2010 - New Directions

Featuring Early Childhood Australia’s 2010 national Conference 'Garla Bauondi': Fuelling the fire, this edition of Every Child showcases the inspirational ideas of nine Conference keynote speakers—Claire Warden; Wendy Lee; Lester-Irabinna Rigney; Dave Brown; Janet Robertson; John O’Toole; Alan Pence; Sue Dockett and Johanna Einarsdottir. These articles offer the reader a window into the wealth of ideas sustaining and enriching the evolving early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector in Australia today.

Find ECA on Facebook!

Join Early Childhood Australia on Facebook, and help us create another way in which we can advocate for Australia's children, raise awareness and recruit more supporters.

ECA website usability survey

We need your help! We are asking people who use the ECA website for their opinions. Can you please spare a minute to answer our four simple questions? We'll use this information to make a better website. Please help us out with ECA's website usability survey.

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ECA WebWatch - Issue 104, December #2, 2010. © Early Childhood Australia.