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The best of early childhood news!
This issue of ECA WebWatch features child's play.
In this issue:
- challenges in the childcare industry
- SNAICC’s Submission to the Productivity Commission on its Early Childhood Development (ECD) Workforce Draft Research Report
- edition 26 of Child Care News out now
- study finds education is the key to prevent child sex abuse
- kids haven’t changed; kindergarten has
- Centre for Child Development and Education opens in the Northern Territory
- two new Evidence Papers now available
- ‘One Day at a Time’ resource for parents of children with a disability
- crisis in the kindergarten report: Why children need to play in school
- the importance of play in children’s lives
- play in schools and integrated setting: A position statement
- Community Building Partnership 2011 program
- Read2Remember.
Plus regular ECA WebWatch items:
- EYLF Professional Learning Program update
- ECA Greenwatch
- quality–assured early childhood resources
- conferences and dates
- the ECA values statements.
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Early childhood news
Challenges in the childcare industry
An industry summit in Lismore on Saturday revealed that 15,000 people are leaving the profession each year as they struggle with low wages and increasing stress. ‘Childcare workers are passionate about their vocation, but many can't afford to stay in the industry in which even a centre director's pay is half that of their equivalent in the public education sector said United Voice President, Rebecca Reilly’. Read the full article.
SNAICC’s Submission to the Productivity Commission on its Early Childhood Development ('ECD') Workforce Draft Research Report
In its response to the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Workforce Draft Research Report, SNAICC states that ‘…while recognising the importance of many critical issues, [the report] needs stronger recommendations to ensure necessary improvements if the Closing the Gap targets are to be taken seriously’. Read SNAICCs submission to the Productivity Commission.
Edition 26 of Child Care News out now
Edition 26 of Child Care News is now available on the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations website.
Study finds education is the key to prevent child sex abuse
This article talks about ‘...new research which shows educating children about sexual assault is one of the most effective ways of preventing it’. ‘We're getting between four and eight disclosures directly to Bravehearts as a direct result of going into the schools and delivering our education program,’ said Bravehearts Executive Director Hetty Johnston.
Kids haven’t changed; kindergarten has
This article looks into the results of a study by the Gesell Institute for Human Development to determine how child development in 2010 relates to Gesell’s historic observations and allowed ‘Gesell researchers to ask some provocative questions: Have kids gotten smarter? Can they learn things sooner? What effect has modern culture had on child development?’
Centre for Child Development and Education opens in the Northern Territory
A joint initiative of the NT Government, Charles Darwin University and Menzies School of Health has culminated in the creation of this new Centre for Child Development and Education in the Northern Territory to look at the links between health, early childhood development and education, with a particular emphasis on Indigenous children.
Supporting ECEC practitioners
Two new Evidence Papers now available
The University of Melbourne has been commissioned to develop a series of Evidence Papers on each of the eight Practice Principles for Learning and Development as part of the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework. The papers document the latest research that describes what each Practice Principle is; why it’s important to teaching and learning; how professionals engage in best-practice; and the implications for best practice. Read Evidence Paper 3: High expectations for every Child and Evidence Paper 5: Respectful relationships and Responsive engagement.
‘One Day at a Time’ resource for parents of children with a disability
‘One Day at a Time’ is a resource for families to promote their child’s development. Its hands-on activities, which are organised under key developmental areas are designed for children accessing early year’s services, and for parents to use collaboratively with early childhood workers.
Crisis in the kindergarten report: Why children need to play in school
This report by the Alliance for Childhood, advocates strongly for the restoration of child-initiated play and learning in schools and communities, promoting that ‘the very attributes we most want to nurture in our children—creativity, initiative, collaboration, problem-solving, courage—are best developed through imaginative play’.
The importance of play in children’s lives
‘While there is an assumption that play has a functional relationship to learning, a deeper and broader appreciation of the value of play is not fully explored…’ This chapter in Play for a change explores this aspect of play, ‘…drawing on studies on both animals and children across a number of disciplines.’
Play in schools and integrated settings: A position statement
Read this British position statement produced by the Play, Schools and Integrated Settings Group, which aims to secure an increase in the quantity and quality of play for children and offers some recommendations for the achievement of this through government policy.
Community Building Partnership 2011 program
The NSW Government is conducting the Community Building Partnership (CBP) program again in 2011. The program provides funds for community groups and local councils to invest in community infrastructure throughout the state and community organisations and local councils are encouraged to apply for funding to build and improve community facilities in their local area. This could be a great opportunity for your school or early childhood education and care setting.
Read2Remember
Get involved in Read2Remember, an initiative of SunnyKids, which will help our younger generations to never forget those who fought for their freedom, by remembering their bravery, mateship and humour, thorough literature and learning. The programs will be launched in Queensland, Australia on 11 November 2011. Why not get your school involved?
EYLF Professional Learning Program update
New Observing practice video available
A new Observing practice series video titled Arrival time is now available on the EYLF PLP Facebook page, YouTube and Vimeo. This and other videos from the Observing practice series can be downloaded for offline viewing. Instructions on how to do this can be found below the video on the EYLF PLP Facebook page version of each video.
Thinking about practice: Working with the Early Years Learning Framework
The Thinking about practice: Working with the Early Years Learning Framework planner resource written by Jenni Connor for the national EYLF PLP Workshops, is now available for free download on the EYLF PLP website. Thinking about practice: Working with the Early Years Learning Framework aims to support educators to look closely at the EYLF with their colleagues, to talk and listen to each other and to review their current practices to provide the best possible environment for young children's learning. To access this and other EYLF PLP Workshop resources please visit the Workshops page.
ECA Greenwatch
Schools Recycle Right Challenge
As part of National Recycling Week 2011 (7–13 November), we're inviting your school to register in the Schools Recycle Right Challenge, a new initiative that brings together a wide range of recycling-themed activities, lesson plans, supporting resources, and events ideas that have been developed specifically for Australian schools. By registering to participate in the Schools Recycle Right Challenge, your school will gain access to a wide range of ready-to-use materials and resources, a competition just for schools, as well as early registration incentives. Many of the resources are only available to registered schools and it's free. Download a copy of the Getting Started Guide.
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 resources about play.
Learning and teaching through play
The Early Years Learning Framework: Learning and teaching through play 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.
Outdoor play: Teaching strategies with young children
Children play to have fun, and in doing so make sense of the world around them. This book can help you meet the challenge of providing a positive and interesting play environment in your centre.
Play as therapy
This book will give you a solid foundation for identifying and assessing play dysfunction, play in different cultural contexts, and considerations when intervening with play.
Conferences and dates
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
Transitions during the early years—free information sessions—19 October–3 November
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
Educating in nature conferences, featuring Claire Warden—12–19 November 2011
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
Change for our Children—The Aboriginal Child, Family and Community Care State Secretariat's (AbSec) Conference—7–9 December 2011
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.
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ECA WebWatch - Issue
124, October 2011. © Early Childhood Australia.
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