The best of early childhood news! This issue of ECA WebWatch features the recent For Kids' Sake report. In this issue: Every Australian Counts Campaign government delivering stability in the childcare market For Kids' Sake: Repairing the social environment for Australian children and young people QLD—$500,000 funding boost for children with a disability ACT Government creates fund to support early childhood sector businesses woo back talented female workers with childcare centres and feeding rooms zen and the art of keeping kids still National Nutrition Week 16–22 October 2011 Victoria walks to school 2011 the 2011 SunSmart Grant Scheme is now open linking schools and early years National Indigenous Ear Health Campaign. Plus regular ECA WebWatch items: EYLF Professional Learning Program update ECA Greenwatch quality–assured early childhood resources 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. Join the ECA WebWatch mailing list. Access previous editions of ECA WebWatch. Go to the Early Childhood Australia homepage.

Sponsored link

Appeals

Every Australian Counts Campaign

Every Australian Counts is the campaign for the introduction of a National Disability Insurance Scheme, which will revolutionise the way people with a disability, their families and carers are supported in this country. Support the campaign, by taking action to make every Australian count.

Early childhood news

Government delivering stability in the childcare market

In this media release, ‘Minister for Employment Participation and Child Care, Kate Ellis welcomed the passage of the Family Assistance Amendment (Child Care Financial Viability) Bill 2011’. ‘The new laws require larger child care providers to supply more information to the Australian Government, so that their ongoing financial viability can be monitored, assessed’ and audited if need be, ‘where there are concerns about financial stability’.

For Kids' Sake: Repairing the social environment for Australian children and young people

This influential new report titled For Kids' Sake, and researched and written by Sydney University family law professor Patrick Parkinson, strongly suggests that ‘... breakdown of traditional family life has corresponded with a significant rise in social dysfunction’. Read the report summary.

QLD—$500,000 funding boost for children with a disability

In this media release, ‘Premier and Minister for Reconstruction Anna Bligh said a $500,000 funding boost would help ensure community kindergartens had the staff and resources required to deliver quality early childhood education programs to children with a disability’.

ACT Government creates fund to support early childhood sector

Read ACT Minister Community for Services Joy Burch’s media release, in which she announces that a new fund will be established in the ACT, to assist the early childhood sector promote itself as great place to work.

Businesses woo back talented female workers with childcare centres and feeding rooms

This article in the Herald Sun, talks about the movement for companies to build on-site childcare centres or partner with them; introduce lactation breaks, flexible hours and special breastfeeding and family rooms’, in order to encourage mothers to return to work.

Zen and the art of keeping kids still

This interesting article gives a snapshot into the techniques employed by one childcare service in Melbourne, to help children relax.

Supporting ECEC practitioners

National Nutrition Week 16–22 October 2011

‘Childhood obesity rates are now around 25 per cent and Australians have been identified as being among the highest producers of waste globally. To raise awareness and encourage communities to look at these challenges, Nutrition Australia has developed the Healthy Food Healthy Planet—Helping Families to a Healthy Future Nutrition Week kit. The kit includes resources to help families, teachers and carers address the important issues around healthy food choices, physical activity and looking after the environment. Download, or order your copy of the kit in time for National Nutrition Week.

Victoria walks to school 2011

Victoria Walks to School day on Wednesday 19 October, is an initiative to promote more walking in school communities to keep children healthy, connect with friends and neighbours, reduce traffic congestion, save money and help the environment. Participate and give your school the chance to win some fantastic prizes such as sports equipment and sports carnival vouchers! Have a look at the walking maps and visit the Facebook page.

The 2011 SunSmart Grant Scheme is now open

The SunSmart Grant Scheme is a partnership initiative developed by Cancer Council Queensland and Queensland Health to assist organisations who have limited funds to work towards sun safety. The scheme provides grants to Queensland community organisations whose primary focus group is children aged birth–12 years, to help them improve sun protection measures and promote sun-safe behaviour. Download the SunSmart Grant Scheme application guidelines and the application form.

Linking schools and early years

The Linking Schools and Early Years project has the long-term aim that all children arrive at primary school ready to engage with the many opportunities offered by their new learning environment. It recognises that families, services, schools and communities all play important roles in children's early learning and development. Why not share your community's example of good practice by downloading the Sharing Good Practice template and emailing your story to enquiries.lsey@rch.org.au.

National Indigenous Ear Health Campaign

‘The Care for Kids’ Ears campaign has been designed and produced by the Australian Government to increase awareness of ear disease and hearing loss in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.’ Access all of the resources offered through the campaign for teachers, parents and carers and early childhood and community groups.

EYLF Professional Learning Program update

New ‘Observing practice’ video Vignettes available

Indoor time with toddlers and Preschoolers’ group time—the sixth and seventh Vignettes in the 'Observing practice' series—are now available on EYLF PLP Facebook. Join in on the latest discussion—watch these Vignettes and comment on what you perceive. The video Vignettes are also downloadable for offline viewing. All the instructions for downloading the videos are available in the right-hand column below the Facebook versions of the Vignettes.

EYLF PLP Workshop materials available for free download

The EYLF PLP e-Newsletter No. 20, titled EYLF PLP Workshop materials provides an introduction to the EYLF PLP Workshop materials that were created specifically for the EYLF PLP Workshops—including the PowerPoint presentation, videos and worksheets—and guides readers on how these resources can be used to deliver the EYLF PLP Workshop to staff in their own settings.

We hope that being able to freely access these materials will give all early childhood education and care professionals and settings around Australia an equal opportunity to learn from what was offered at the Workshops and to share and participate in discussions taking place on the EYLF PLP Facebook and online Forum communities. Access the EYLF PLP Workshop resources here.

ECA Greenwatch

Eco friendly… Ideas to get early childhood services started

Have a look at this booklet created by Illawarra Children’s Services titled Eco friendly… Ideas to get early childhood services started. The ‘booklet is a professional development tool and resource to help staff, owners, directors and family day carers explore and reflect the key areas that lay the foundations for ECO Friendly service’.

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 suggestions from Early Childhood Australia’s August Book Catalogue.

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.

The potential of a puddle

A celebration of excellent practice, The potential of a puddle defines the factors that create exciting and dynamic play areas that are used all year round, through a framework of opportunities based on a high-level of child consultation.

Promoting social success: A curriculum for children with special needs

This curriculum has been a success with primary school children with mild to moderate disabilities and their peers; they learn the concepts behind appropriate social behaviour, rather than simply a set of specific behaviours to replicate.

Conferences and dates

AIATSIS National Indigenous Studies Conference 2011—19–22 September
Creativity Conference—Inspiring children's creativity—29 September
Power of Play National Playgroup Conference—12–14 October
Supporting a positive transition to school—14 October
Working together to support a positive transition to school—18–19 October
2011 International Forum for Child Welfare—18–21 October
Tasmanian Infant Mental Health Conference—8–9 November
ACSSO Conference Parents—Partners in Education—13–14 October
ECIA NSW 24th State Conference—Building capacity in early childhood intervention practice: How do we do it?—27–28 October
Country Children's Connections Magical Moments Conference—28–29 October
KU Children’s Services Annual Seminar—29 October
in, about and for... Early Childhood environments and the NQS Conference—12 November
Growing up in Australia and Footprints in time research conference—15–16 November
Building Bridges 2011—Regional Early Childhood Conference—17–18 November
Honoring the Child, Honoring Equity 11: Inspiring change(s): insights, challenges, hopes and actions—18–19 November
Pathways to healthy minds Conference—21–22 November
NSW Child Protection and Wellbeing Interagency Conference—29–30 November
New Zealand's 13th Annual Early Childhood Research Conference—26 28 January 2012
Family Day Care Australia National Conference: Children—The heart of the dream—18–21 July 2012
Early Childhood Australia National Conference: Consulting the Compass—defining directions—3–6 October 2012

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

Please pass this e-newsletter service on to friends and colleagues with this link to subscribe: www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/mail

Early Childhood Australia's strength is determined by the strength of its members and supporters. It is only through your support that we can advocate for and on behalf of the sector. As a reader of ECA WebWatch you can make a big difference to the sector. By forwarding this newsletter to colleagues and inviting them to subscribe, you extend our advocacy chain – increasing our ability to communicate and work with the sector.

Let us know what you think ...
We welcome any suggestions or comments you have: webwatch@earlychildhood.org.au.

Past issues of ECA WebWatch are available on the Early Childhood Australia website.

Sign up
If you have received this copy of ECA WebWatch from a friend and wish to sign up yourself, simply send a blank email to subscribe@earlychildhood.org.au.

Unsubscribing
If you do not wish to receive ECA WebWatch, send a blank email with a subject of Unsubscribe ECA Webwatch to unsubscribe@earlychildhood.org.au from the email address it was sent to.

Change of address
Please send an email to webwatch@earlychildhood.org.au, clearly stating your old email address as well as your new address.

(Please remember to add webwatch@earlychildhood.org.au to your safe senders list to ensure that you receive your copy of ECA WebWatch promptly.)

ECA WebWatch - Issue 123, September 2011. © Early Childhood Australia.