Welcome again to ECA WebWatch

This issue of ECA WebWatch reflects many of the focus areas of Early Childhood Australia:

• The important role of ethics, and ECA's Code of Ethics for the field
• Policy directions and funding considerations
• Supporting best practice in the field.

We also highlight some of the advocacy work done by Early Childhood Australia so far in 2007, and we'd like to say thank you to all our members for their support and commitment!

You can add your support—just become a member online.

Ethics and early childhood

What is ethics all about?
'Ethics' discussions can often be tied down by a confusion of different meanings and interpretations. This commonsense approach to 'what is ethics' clears the way for fruitful and vibrant debate. Put simply, ethics is all about one simple question: 'What ought one to do?'

Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics
Early Childhood Australia has revised its acclaimed Code of Ethics for the early childhood field. It is essential material for anyone in the field: students, academics, practitioners or directors.

The revised Code of Ethics is available online, or contact Early Childhood Australia: 1800 356 900 (freecall) eca@earlychildhood.org.au

What about the kids? Policy directions for improving the experiences of infants and young children in a changing world (PDF)
This is not a new paper, but it is still one of the few analyses of these issues done by an Australian researcher. It looks at the ways that social, cultural and economic factors affect the youngest members of our society—and it asks us to reflect on how we care for young children.

Children's emotions (Supporting Best Practice)
These six links from Early Childhood Australia's Supporting Best Practice web directory offer a wide range of articles that support carers to help children to understand and express their emotions—a crucial step in their social development.

Early Childhood Australia advocacy

A selection of some of Early Childhood Australia's advocacy work this year:

• wrote to the Council of Australian Government regarding the need for investment in early childhood, and more specifically:
• evidence-based regulations
• qualified early childhood staff
• four-year early childhood degrees for staff in leadership positions.
• NCSF (under the auspice of ECA) wrote to the Minister for Family, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to clarify the Federal Government's position on early childhood funding and a holistic approach to early childhood services
• participated in a research seminar looking at the effect of market forces upon child care
• provided media exposure and representation on a number of issues, such as:
• Labor's preschool initiative
• activities suited to children at various ages, e.g. swimming lessons, after-school
• childhood creativity.
• developed our partnership with SNAICC to produce a book about using dreaming stories in mainstream services
• developed our research with High/Scope to look at what can be learnt from their approach and used in an Australian context
• member of the Child Care Management System Industry Reference Group
• member of the QIAS integration advisory committee.

Early Childhood Australia advocates for the best outcomes for young children and their families. Our capacity to do this is supported by our membership base.

Become a member online to support our work and receive benefits yourself.

Early childhood events and updates

Improving early childhood opportunities: What's it got to do with me?
2 March 2007, Stamford Grand Hotel, Glenelg
The first Our Children The Future seminar for 2007 will provide new insights and encourage new ways of thinking about how we can work together to improve the opportunities for young children to succeed.

Common colds need common sense, not antibiotics resources

Hurry! Last chance for children's services to register

The National Prescribing Service (NPS) is providing free, updated resources to run a staff update on infection control, hygiene, health policy and practice for common colds.

NPS offers evidence-based information on:

• why common colds don't need antibiotics
• what cold symptoms are really telling you
• when children with colds are infectious.

NPS provides for free:

• a guide booklet for the presenter of the staff update
• assistance to find a local health professional to attend your staff update
• newsletter articles, posters, stickers and colour brochures for parents
• a certificate of participation for your service and each staff member attending.

There have already been over 450 registrations this year. Registrations close 9 March 2007. Register now to ensure you don't miss out.

For more information, email customerservice@nps.org.au, call 02 8217 8700 or read more on the Early Childhood Australia website.

Early Childhood Australia books

All children's services will be required by Government to be online by mid-2008.

To help your service get started, Use online technologies successfully: A workbook for children's services and other small businesses provides a practical, step-by-step approach to implementing online technology solutions for a wide range of issues.

Get your copy of the revised Code of Ethics. Posters and brochures are available online.

All books are quality assured by Early Childhood Australia.

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.

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ECA WebWatch - Issue 23, March 2007. © Early Childhood Australia.