Your source for early childhood links and resources
This fortnight's issue of ECA WebWatch contains great links to help you understand toddlers' and young children's behaviours and feelings. We also take a look at:
- Early Childhood Australia's election agenda
- how to calculate your eco-footprint
- important conferences you won't want to miss.
And, as always, we bring you the latest news and highlight a range of quality-assured resources available from Early Childhood Australia.
ECA advocacy
Early Childhood Australia is preparing for the upcoming federal election by establishing a strong election agenda:
- Climate change and sustainability – creating a safe and secure future for every child.
- Indigenous young children and families – delivering culturally safe children's services which build capacity into the future for Indigenous Australians.
- Parenting support – a commitment to paid parental leave for all parents and flexible, family-friendly work environments.
- Investment in early childhood – a long-term strategy for early childhood services which reflects the evidence about what's necessary to deliver quality outcomes for children.
- Children's rights – a commitment to establishing an Office of the Commissioner for Children.
We will soon be launching a new section of the Early Childhood Australia website that will to help you to make your voice count for children in the election.
Caring for toddlers
Early Childhood Excellence Initiative: Redirection – Toddler
Excellent practical advice on using redirection to help toddlers stay safe.
Toddler tantrums (Supporting Best Practice)
Three links from Early Childhood Australia's Supporting Best Practice web directory that provide valuable assistance to understand and help children deal with tantrums.
Everyday learning about managing angry feelings (sample chapter) (PDF)
This sample chapter from Early Childhood Australia's popular Everyday learning about managing angry feelings clearly sets out the reasons children have angry feelings and suggests positive ways to engage children in managing them.
COAG mental health initiative
Early Childhood Australia and the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care have been contracted to undertake a scoping study, as part of the Council of Australian Governments' early childhood mental health initiative, dealing with early intervention in early childhood.
The scoping study will explore the following questions:
- How do practitioners create and sustain a positive environment for young children's mental health?
- How do they support effective parenting that promotes young children's mental health?
- How do they support young children with high mental health needs?
- Where do they go for information about how to help children and families about whom they are concerned?
- How do they identify a problem or concern?
- What resources are available, realistic and useful?
- Where do they refer families to?
- What do practitioners do if there is no external specialist service to refer children and families to?
- How do they plan and implement programs that specifically support and promote children's social and emotional learning?
Calculate your environmental cost
ACF Consumption Atlas
The Australian Conservation Foundation has produced this useful tool which allows you to calculate the greenhouse pollution generated, the water used, and land currently required to sustain our lifestyles, in each suburb and state of Australia.
Early childhood news
Read the latest on the Early Childhood Australia news page.
Educating young children
Teaching our youngest: A guide for preschool teachers and child care and family providers (PDF)
This is a long document, but worth reading as it provides a great deal of practical support for teachers/carers responsible for 3–5 year olds.
Quality-assured resources
Everyday learning about friendship explores how parents and other carers can support and encourage young children as they extend their circle of friends and develop their social skills.
Innovations: Infant and toddler development is based on well-established theories that human development occurs through interaction with significant others, and suggests great opportunities for infants and toddlers to learn and teachers to teach.
Appropriate staff–child ratios
1:4 Make it Law
The Community Child Care Co-operative have initiated a worthwhile campaign to lobby to make a 1:4 ratio law—find out how you and your service can make a difference.
ECA's Biennial Conference
Early Childhood Australia National Conference
Children: A nation's capital – Investing in our children
3–6 October 2008
Next year Early Childhood Australia will be celebrating its 70th birthday at our national conference—keep your eye on ECA WebWatch for details of the call for papers.
Dates for your diary
Early Childhood Education 2008 Conference
Together we grow – embracing the challenge
30–31 May 2008
Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne
It's time to start planning for the next Early Childhood Education Conference. The conference provides a forum for discussion between early childhood educators and professionals, volunteers, employers and parents.
The call for presentations (PDF) is open until 5 October 2007
Every Child Matters 2008 Conference
14–15 May 2008
Melbourne Park Function Centre
This is the inaugural National Conference on children and young people with a disability and their families. It will be co-hosted by National Disability Services, and Families Australia.
The conference will focus on family wellbeing, all-inclusive communities, policy, practice and priorities, and the voice of children, young people and families.
The call for papers (PDF) is open until 26 October 2007
Early Childhood Australia's online calendar is the easy way of keeping track of important events in 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.
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ECA WebWatch - Issue 36, September 2007. © Early Childhood Australia.
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