Your guide to early childhood information on the web!

Hello and welcome to this fortnight's edition of ECA WebWatch. This month, we are focusing on the One Million Campaign to support women to breastfeed.

Also in this issue:

• ECA's submission to the EYLF
• Revisiting children's rights
• Childcare and teaching awards
• Foundation for Young Australians launches new strategic plan

Plus:

• ECA Greenwatch
• ECA calendar
• Quality-assured early childhood resources

Breastfeeding advocacy campaign

One Million Campaign – Support women to breastfeed
Add your voice to the call to provide women across the world with education, support and correct information about breastfeeding. The One Million Campaign by the World Breastfeeding Movement aims to mobilise public opinion by collecting one million signatures, demanding support for women to breastfeed.

Find out more, or sign the petition on the One Million Campaign website.

More information on breastfeeding

Breastfeeding a new baby
From the Children and Youth Health website.

Feeding-teething-sleeping
From the ECA Supporting Best Practice link directory.

Early Years Learning Framework

ECA's submission to the draft EYLF
The Early Years Learning Framework is currently being trialled and will come into effect from July 2009.

The Early Years Learning Framework is one of a suite of initiatives being undertaken by the Australian Government to support families and to give children the best possible start in their lives as people, as learners and as future citizens. Early Childhood Australia applauds these child- and family-oriented initiatives and is especially pleased that early childhood education and care practice will be guided by a leading edge, contemporary learning framework.

To read the full Early Childhood Australia response to the EYLF, download the Early Years Learning Framework Early Childhood Australia Submission (PDF)

To read an example of the type of high quality practice that will be supported by the Early Years Learning Framework, visit the Early Years Foundation Stage website – Creativity and critical thinking, or download the 'Early learning prevents youth violence' report (PDF) from the Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development.

Childcare and teaching awards

Australian Family Child Care Awards – state winners
Congratulations to the state/territory winners of this year's Australian Family Child Care Awards.

Fifteen childcare workers, directors and services were selected from 1,335 nominations sent in by appreciative parents, peers and managers around the country. The judging panel selected five state/territory representatives in each of the three categories.

Australian Awards for Teaching Excellence
The Australian Awards for Teaching Excellence recognise and celebrate the exceptional achievements of teachers, principals, support staff and schools from early childhood through to senior secondary. The award categories of Excellence by a Teacher and Excellence by a Beginning Teacher are of particular relevance to registered teachers working in early childhood settings.

For more information, visit the Australian Awards for Teaching Excellence website.

ECA Greenwatch

Keep your home or centre healthy and green
Safer Solutions is a partner of the NSW Government's environmental education program, Our Environment – It's a Living Thing, which is designed to motivate and encourage people to adopt environmentally sustainable lifestyles.

Environmental workshop in Maroubra (PDF)
5 May, Maroubra NSW
Bridget Gardner, professional green cleaner and trainer in the early childhood industry, presents this hands-on workshop to provide practical strategies for creating and maintaining a hygienic and healthy indoor environment, while still protecting the planet for the future.

Children's rights

Children's rights every day
Links to articles to help you understand children's rights in day-to-day practice.

The global movement for children
Learn more about the state of children's education and care around the world.

Visit ECA's Supporting Best Practice Link Directory – an outstanding resource for early childhood professionals, parents, other caregivers and early childhood knowledge brokers.

Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Guidelines

Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Guidelines for Early Childhood Settings
The Guideline Resources are available online now until Friday 8 May for your information and comment.

We encourage you to have your say about the Guidelines, either by participating in a focus group or completing an online survey.

If you are an early childhood practitioner in one of the following locations and are happy for us to contact you about recruiting parents and carers in your area, please email focus.testing@rch.org.au

State	Location
ACT	Phillip
NSW	Western Sydney
NT	Katherine
NT	Palmerston
SA	Glenelg

Foundation for Young Australians

New FYA strategic plan launched
The Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) is a not-for-profit organisation that supports partnerships and initiatives that positively contribute to the development of young people, their education and their communities.

FYA have just released a new strategic plan, aimed at empowering young Australians to be successful learners and creative, active and valued citizens.

Download the full Foundation for Young Australians Strategic Plan (PDF).

ECA calendar

Early Childhood Australia NSW Branch forum on the COAG Agenda
7 May 2009
Notre Dame University Library
Broadway, Sydney

The NSW Branch of Early Childhood Australia will be hosting this forum to discuss the COAG agenda.

Seminar with Robyn Dolby
9 May 2009
Marymead Child and Family Centre, Functions Room
255 Goyder St, Narrabundah ACT

Dr Robyn Dolby presents this seminar on the theme of Building security in early childhood: Understanding and responding to the needs of young children.

Robyn's book The circle of security: Roadmap to building supportive relationships is available from Early Childhood Australia.

Visit Early Childhood Australia's online calendar – it's the easy way to keep track of important events, conferences and dates.

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.

No fear: Growing up in a risk-averse society
A philosophy of resilience can counter risk-aversion and strike a balance between protecting children from genuine threats, while still allowing challenging learning opportunities.

Young children's social behaviour: What's not okay is not okay
Young children do not come programmed knowing how to be social – it is our role as adults to teach social behaviours to children.

Help us expand the ECA WebWatch community
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ECA WebWatch - Issue 71, April 2009. © Early Childhood Australia.