The best of early childhood news! Welcome to the latest issue of ECA WebWatch featuring the Foundations for Learning. In this issue: Foundations for Learning addresses the EYLF in the curriculum Your Child's First Year At School: a book for parents On My First Day—a book for children, by children, about starting school celebrating playgroup maths in preschool prepares children for higher-level skills a poverty solution that starts with a hug changes in Autism Spectrum Disorder criteria are considered the best children's books awarded prizes thousands of children illegally homeschooled new answers available for your FAQs subscribe to the ACECQA newsletter and provide feedback what's new at KidsMatter Early Childhood allocation of Occasional Care and In Home Care places Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference—last call for papers new Bachelor's degree offered at TAFE NSW. Plus regular ECA WebWatch items: NQS Professional Learning Program update ECA Greenwatch 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.

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Early childhood news

Foundations for Learning addresses the EYLF in the curriculum

Responding to strong calls for information from early childhood educators, ECA, in collaboration with the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), has developed Foundations for learning. This information paper provides an authoritative statement explaining how the EYLF and the Australian Curriculum are connected. Read the full paper here.

Your Child's First Year at School: A book for parents

At this time of the year, as many children around the country go to school for the first time, parents may be keen to know more about what happens in their child's first year and how to prepare before children actually start. Your Child's First Year at School: A book for parents is a helpful resource that has been developed to guide parents through dealing with practical issues, learning and development, parent-child communication, parent-school partnerships, and dealing with problems. Principals and other school staff have also found it useful in orientation packs for parents or as library resource available throughout the year. Order copies here.

Have you used this resource before, as a parent, teacher, school principal or member of administration staff? ECA is keen to receive your feedback. Did you find the book helpful? Are there other issues that you think should be raised? We would particularly value stories about how parents and schools successfully help a child to settle in and how problems that may be encountered have been solved. We’re also keen to hear what kind of information parents want about the school curriculum in the first year. To let us know what you think, please email us.

On My First Day—a book for children, by children, about starting school

On My First Day is a booklet designed especially for children as they approach the beginning of school. Funded and launched by the Australian Government, it is full of messages and artwork from kindergarten and year one students in the ACT, describing their experiences on their first day. View the text version here, and the colour booklet here.

Celebrating playgroup

From 25 March–1 April 2012, children, families and staff around Australia will celebrate National Playgroup Week at their local playgroup. Get involved by hosting an event at your service or stay in touch with what's happening in your local area as the Event Planning Guide takes shape.

Maths in preschool prepares children for higher-level skills

Asking preschoolers 'How' and 'Why' questions about numbers may help them become stronger mathematicians in kindergarten. This article in the Wall Street Journal discusses the effects of strengthening early numeracy education.

A poverty solution that starts with a hug

New research from the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that one of the biggest threats to babies' and young children's development may be 'toxic stress'—and the best way to diffuse it is with cuddles and affection.

Changes in Autism Spectrum Disorder criteria are considered

Changes to the criteria for diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may emerge in the new DSM-V, the upcoming revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders used by psychiatrists and psychologists. Experts have suggested that this will limit the number of children diagnosed with ASD, and may exclude some already diagnosed.

The best children's books awarded prizes

The 2012 Caldecott Medal has been awarded to A Ball for Daisy, a picture book by Chris Raschka. The Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children for the most distinguished American picture book for children. See the judge's comments and the shortlist here.

Thousands of children illegally homeschooled

As children around the country go to school for the first time, many children will be home schooled, some of them illegally. Read the ABC article or listen to the full Radio National episode.

National Quality Framework

New answers available for your FAQs

The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) has added new FAQs to their website, addressing more of the common questions the Early Childhood sector has been posing since the introduction of the National Quality Framework (NQF). Check here to see the new answers to your FAQs.

Subscribe to the ACECQA newsletter and provide feedback

Join the ACECQA mailing list to receive news and updates about the implementation of the Education and Care Services National Law including the NQF.

Do you already subscribe? Are you looking for particular information? ACECQA is keen to hear your feedback on the newsletter. Provide your comments and suggestions about this resource by completing the online survey.

NQS Professional Learning Program update

The NQS will take centre stage in 2012

The Early Years Learning Framework Professional Learning Program (EYLF PLP) is expanding to incorporate the National Quality Standard (NQS). It will continue to develop and deliver new exciting resources to the early childhood education and care community, to support services in meeting the NQS requirements under the name of National Quality Standard Professional Learning Program (NQS PLP). The e-Newsletters, Talking about Practice series of videos, the online Forum, Facebook and Twitter will all continue, with a focus on the NQS. Stay tuned for lots of exciting new NQS-related topics and resources.

New EYLF PLP New article in the What do YOU think? series is now available

The fourth article in the What do you think? series by Anne Stonehouse has been posted on the Facebook Notes tab. These articles surrounding NQS topics are posted every Friday. Read, comment on and share the latest article Learning to get along—the EYLF way, posted last Friday (27 January 2012).

New Vignette in the Observing Practice series is now available

Toddlers' sleep time transition to afternoon tea is the latest vignette in the Observing Practice series. We encourage everyone to observe the interactions taking place in this vignette and discuss the learning with other members of the EYLF PLP Facebook community.

Supporting ECEC practitioners

What's new at KidsMatter Early Childhood

A range of new mental health resources are available for educators and families on the KMEC website. These can be distributed through newsletters, emails, handouts or as displays in your service.

Go to our main page to listen to what educators and families are saying about their experiences with KidsMatter Early Childhood.

Allocation of Occasional Care and In Home Care places

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) is seeking applications from existing and prospective operators of In Home Care and Occasional Care services, interested in receiving an allocation of In Home Care or Occasional Care places. Click here to apply or to find out more.

Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference—last call for papers

There is one week left to submit papers for the Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference. Please click here to submit your abstract, or for more details visit the website.

New Bachelor's degree offered at TAFE NSW

TAFE NSW has recently been awarded accreditation to offer a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Care (Birth-5). This new four-year qualification allows early childhood professionals to gain preliminary vocational qualifications while completing their degree, and is offered at both the Western Sydney and Illawarra Institutes.

ECA Greenwatch

Nominations open for Queensland's ClimateSmart Sustainability Awards

Is your service green? Have you found creative ways of dealing with waste, sourcing water and energy, or encouraging your community to help tackle climate change and reduce its impacts? Submissions are now open for the Queensland Premier's ClimateSmart Sustainability Awards. Describe your service's achievements in sustainability to nominate them for the ClimateSmart Community Award.

New committee of under-15s tackles litter

Statistics show that children under 15 are the Australians least likely to litter. Keep Australia Beautiful is behind the formation The LITTLE Committee, a taskforce of children who will work towards tackling the country's litter problem. Mentored by Natasha Stott Despoja, the LITTLE Committee will represent children, highlight their positive contribution to the environment and generate ideas to help prevent adults from littering.

Conferences and dates

Concept-based Curriculum and Instruction for Elementary Schools—14–15 February 2012
Training and professional development: Family Partnership Facilitator Training Program—15–17, 20–22 February, 2012
Dads' Big Day Out at Dickson Library—19 February
Building Language and Literacy Skills through Spontaneous Dramatic Play—22–24 February
Children's Yoga Teacher Training, Melbourne: Book for Early Childhood rate—24–27 February 
Implementing Differentiated Instruction in Your Classroom : PreK to Elementary—27–29 February 2012
Children's services biannual conference—Embracing changes, challenges & choices—3 March 2012 
Using Media Texts to Support Persuasive Language—3, 5 & 6 March 2012
Seminar—Making the Link: Lessons from community-led approaches to linking schools and early years in Canada and Australia—7 March 2012
The 3rd Australian Conference on Children and the Media—The Corporate takeover of childhood: who’s paying the price?—9 March 2012
2012 Sunshine Coast C&K Conference—17 March 2012
The Australian National Quality Standards Conference—21 March–23 May 2012
Orff Level 1 & 2 Courses—10–14 April 2012
2012 Montessori International Conference And Masterclasses—11–15 April 2012
QSA's Annual Conference 2012—11–13 April 2012
QSA 2012 conference Shaping teaching and learning: The assessment factor—26 April 2012
Playgroup Victoria state conference 2012—3–4 May 2012
Australian Community Children's Services (ACCS) Conference—18–19 May 2012
New Zealand Early Childhood Council 2012 Conference—25–27 May 2012
2012 Brisbane C&K Conference—26–27 May 2012
Inclusive Strategies for Special Needs Learners—30–31 May 2012
Technology in K-12 Education National Congress 2012—30 May–1 June 2012
2012 Early Childhood Education Conference—1–2 June 2012
Practical And Effective Strategies for Implementing Differentiated Instruction in the Elementary Classroom workshop—1–2 June 2012
Models of Early Childhood Services International Conference—5–6 June 2012
Family Day Care Australia National Conference: Children—The heart of the dream—18–21 July 2012
National Protective Behaviours Australia Conference—20–21 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

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ECA WebWatch - Issue 131, February 2012. © Early Childhood Australia.