The best of early childhood news! This issue of ECA WebWatch features the release of the Framework for school age care in Australia. In this issue: Horn of Africa food crisis appeal progress of the National Quality Framework August 2011 Framework for school age care in Australia released child care update reveals Government reforms helping record number of families mental health of child refugees is global problem report provides important insights into growing up in Australia Indigenous children staying longer in school review of NSW early childhood education funding save the Take a Break Occasional Care Centres Foundations magazine survey. Plus regular ECA WebWatch items: EYLF Professional Learning Program update ECA Greenwatch quality–assured early childhood resources resource of the week conferences and dates the ECA values statements.

If you have a trusted resource you would like to share with other ECEC practitioners in the field, we would like to hear from you. Email us to start sharing. Email us if you have an ECEC-related conference or event that you would like to publicise in ECA WebWatch and on the ECA Events Calendar. Join the ECA WebWatch mailing list. Access previous editions of ECA WebWatch. Go to the Early Childhood Australia homepage.

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Appeals

Horn of Africa food crisis appeal

Severe drought has sparked food shortages across the Horn of Africa, affecting millions of people and pushing more than 500,000 children to the brink of starvation. ChildFund is one organisation responding to the crisis—which continues to deteriorate—and urgently needs your support.

National Quality Framework

Progress of the National Quality Framework August 2011

Keep abreast of the progress taking place around the implementation of the National Quality Framework (NQF) for Early Childhood Education and Care. The latest update is now available on the DEEWR website. Read the Progress of the National Quality Framework August update.

Early childhood news

Framework for school age care in Australia released

In this media release the Hon Peter Garrett AM, MP, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, officially launches the Framework for school age care in Australia, providing educators and parents with the first national set of guidelines and expected results for the school age care sector.

Child care update reveals government reforms helping record number of families

In this media release, Minister for Child Care, Kate Ellis, releases new cumulative data on child care usage in Australia, providing an updated national snapshot of children, families, services and costs. Read the Child care update.

Mental health of child refugees is global problem

A recent international two-part study, published online in the Lancet, highlights the urgent need for high-income countries and international agencies to contribute towards the funding of interventions to tackle the significant unmet mental health needs of displaced refugee children that have settled in low-income and middle-income countries. Read the full article.

Report provides important insights into growing up in Australia

New research funded by the Australian Government has found that children in jobless families experience significantly worse outcomes in learning and cognitive development, social and emotional functioning, and physical development. Read the full media release.

Indigenous children staying longer in school

One of the findings to come to light at the recent annual conference of the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) is that although retention rates among Indigenous students in schools have improved dramatically; the level is still well below that of non-Indigenous students. Read the article.

Review of NSW early childhood education funding

Here, NSW Minister for Education Adrian Piccoli announces an independent review of the way more than $220 million in early childhood education funding is allocated, in order to create a more equitable and streamlined system for families and service providers.

Supporting ECEC practitioners

Save the Take a Break Occasional Care Centres

The Victorian Take a Break (TAB) occasional care program is at risk of losing its funding from the Baillieu Government. The program is unique in its flexibility and is heavily relied on by low income families, single parents, nurses and midwives and other shift workers in irregular and non-traditional employment, custodial grandparents, parents of a child with a disability in need of respite and families in crisis and emergency situations. Visit the Save the Take Break Facebook page to find out how you can show your support to help the program continue its funding.

Foundations magazine survey

The Hunter Institute of Mental Health (HIMH) has been producing the Foundations magazine (with funding from Xstrata coal) since 2009. HIMH want to establish that Foundations is useful and is helping meet the needs of the sector. To do this HIMH are conducting an evaluation to determine how effective Foundations is and how to improve the magazine to better meet the needs of children’s services staff and other readers. Let us know your thoughts about the magazine; please complete the evaluation survey at: www.himh.org.au/foundations.

EYLF Professional Learning Program update

Talking about practice: Reflecting on practice video now available

The third video in the 'Talking about practice' series titled Reflecting on practice is now available on the EYLF PLP website. Talking about practice: Reflecting on practice is presented in four short video chapters, to assist educators to scaffold discussion and maximize the learning experience.

Take advantage of the supporting documentation, developed to assist educators reflect on the various elements being conveyed through the video. For extra support, visit the EYLF PLP Facebook page and the online Forum to read others' reflections and to share your own views.

This 'Talking about practice' series e-Learning video is also downloadable for offline viewing; just visit the bottom of the Talking about practice: Reflecting on practice video webpage to find the instructions on how to access these.

ECA Greenwatch

Westgarth Kindergarten’s bush kinder pilot program

Have a look at Westgarth Kindergarten’s bush kinder pilot program; a type of preschool education for children held almost exclusively outdoors and Australia’s first ‘forest school’. Whatever the weather, children are encouraged to take the lead in playing, exploring and learning in a forest or natural environment. Have a look at the Pilot program handbook.

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 a few suggestions from Early Childhood Australia’s EYLF PLP August book catalogue:

Observations and reflections in childhood

Quality assessment, or documentation, is a key aspect of providing best practice in early childhood settings. Using real-life examples, Observations and reflections in childhood supports professionals in recording children's learning and development during everyday activities.

Spotlight on young children and science

Describes fresh, effective ideas for early childhood science. It also includes a list of top resources in the area, and carefully designed questions and activities to aid readers in reflection.

Parent-friendly early learning: Tips and strategies for working well with families

This practical resource will support educators to create a climate of partnership with parents, avoid problems and handle any conflicts which emerge. Includes detailed real-life scenarios in a user-friendly format, making it a great book for beginning educators and experienced professionals alike.

View Early Childhood Australia’s EYLF PLP August book catalogue: (4.8MB pdf).

Resource of the week

Take advantage of this week’s special—10% off the regular price for Transitions to schools: Perceptions, expectations, experiences, which examines the complex range of issues that relate to positive transitions to school, focusing on the perceptions, expectations and experiences of all involved. This book is usually priced at $68.95, but for this week (24–30 August) it will be available for $62.00. Don’t forget to enter the promotional code: ECARW5, into the shopping cart in order to get the special price. The prices quoted above include postage and handling.

Conferences and dates

The R.E. Ross Trust Seminar: Memory, Attention, Trauma and Learning: Translating Research into Educational Practice—29 August
White balloon day—7 September
Early Years in Education Society Conference—Ready set go!—9 September
Leading the Way! Conference—Education for sustainability—10 September
Queensland Education Resources Expo—10–11 September
Creativity Conference—Inspiring cxhildren's creativity—29 September
Power of Play National Playgroup Conference—12–14 October
ACSSO Conference Parents—Partners in Education—13–14 October
Growing up in Australia and Footprints in time research conference—15–16 November
Honoring the Child, Honoring Equity 11: Inspiring change(s): insights, challenges, hopes and actions—18–19 November

The ECA Events Calendar has been disabled until further notice due to technical difficulties. Contact us to have your conference or event added to the ECA WebWatch calendar.

The ECA values statements

Early Childhood Australia is guided in its work by endorsed values. These sit alongside ECA’s Principles, Positions, Code of Ethics, Scope of Activities and Governance Guidelines as our Foundation Materials. With the other Foundation Materials the ECA values inform ECA’s Strategic Directions and all our day-to-day work. View the ECA Values statements.

ECA website usability survey

We need your help! We are asking people who use the ECA website for their opinions. By taking part in our usability survey, you are helping us to make a better website.

Help us expand the ECA WebWatch community

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ECA WebWatch - Issue 121, August 2011. © Early Childhood Australia.