All the early childhood news from the web!

Welcome to the last issue of ECA WebWatch for 2009. In our feature item this fortnight, we encourage you to share your views on the latest version of the Early Years Learning Framework Educators Guide, now available online.

Also in this issue:

• ECA WebWatch wins national media award
• Developing social and emotional wellbeing in early childhood
• New fact sheets from the Children's Hospital at Westmead
• Healthy eating tips for the school holidays
• SNAICC news

Plus:

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

Early Childhood Australia wishes you a safe and enjoyable end to the year and a great 2010!

ECA WebWatch feature item

Early Years Learning Framework online forum – Updated Educators' Guide
The Early Years Learning Framework online forum re-opened on 11 September 2009. This is an exciting opportunity for people in the early childhood sector to share views about the draft Educators' Guide to the Early Years Learning Framework with each other and with the Australian Government.

The Educators' Guide is being developed to support implementation of the Early Years Learning Framework. It will explain, interpret and expand the Framework for early childhood educators.

A new version of this document is now available on the online forum along with a document recording educators' stories and models of practice – The Early Years Learning Framework in Action. We would welcome your ideas, participation in online discussions and feedback on the Educators' Guide.

The Early Years Learning Framework online forum is available for registered participants. Further information on the online forum and the registration form are available at www.deewr.gov.au/EarlyChildhood/Policy_Agenda/Quality/Pages/EarlyYearsLearningFramework.a spx

On acceptance of your registration, you will be sent login details and the terms of use for the online forum. If you registered for the first online forum you do not need to re-register as you may log in with your existing UserID and password.

ECA WebWatch wins national media award

Outstanding professional service awards from PTCWA
On Thursday 29 October, the Professional Teaching Council of WA (PTCWA) announced the winners of its Outstanding Professional Service Awards to teachers. The awards recognise 'an individual member's outstanding professional contribution to education in Western Australia.' Early Childhood Australia would like to congratulate the recipients of the awards.

ECA WebWatch was the recipient of the PTCWA Media Award for: '… its positive portrayal of the work of teachers and schools, and their recognition of the value to the community of teaching as a profession'.

Early Childhood Australia would like to thank the PTCWA for this recognition of the work we do, and re-iterate our belief in the importance and value of the work teachers do in the community.

If you are already subscribed to ECA WebWatch, encourage your friends and colleagues to subscribe, so they can also receive the latest news and developments from the early childhood sector. To subscribe, simply email subscribe@earlychildhood.org.au.

Your ECA Conference update

Applications to present at the Early Childhood Australia 2010 National Conference will open at midday, 6 January 2010. More information about the call for papers can be found here.

You can also find information about the keynote speakers.

Children's Hospital at Westmead: New fact sheets released

Download the new fact sheets now!
The Children's Hospital at Westmead has released new child health fact sheets, to add to their already comprehensive guide. The new fact sheets include: Egg free diets, fish allergy, peanut and treenut free diet and Autism Spectrum Disorder, among others.

There are also translations available of several of the fact sheets.

Developing social and emotional wellbeing in early childhood

Free download of Foundations magazine
Foundations is a professional development resource distributed to children's services staff in the Hunter, Mudgee and Taree areas. It provides theory and practical ideas on establishing a good foundation for future health and wellbeing of young children.

While a hard copy of the magazine is only available in the areas mentioned above, articles are available for download from www.himh.org.au/foundations.

Healthy eating tips for school holidays

Keep kids healthy and well during the holiday season
The holiday season can be an exciting time for the whole family. However, festive celebrations and a lack of routine can also mean more opportunities to eat more food more often.

Follow these tips for helping kids stay on track and maintain healthy eating habits during the school holidays.

Priorities launch for SNAICC

SNAICC launch 8 Priorities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families
SNAICC's 8 Priorities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Families were launched on 11 November.

SNAICC is committed to pursuing the following eight priorities, each of equal importance, on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.

To read more, view the Priorities or download a free PDF version, visit the SNAICC website. Hard copy posters will be available from February 2010.

'Early childhood in Focus' PDFs

Resources available for free download
'Early Childhood in Focus' is a series of publications produced by the Child and Youth Studies Group at The Open University, United Kingdom, with the support of the Bernard van Leer Foundation. The series provides accessible and clear reviews of the best and most recent available research, information and analysis on key policy issues, offering clear messages on core policy topics and questions.

The latest issue, Effective Early Childhood Programmes, is now available for download from the Bernard van Leer Foundation website.

ECA Greenwatch

Nominate for the ECEEN SPROuts Awards!
NSW ECEEN aims to support and acknowledge those Early Childhood Services in NSW who are demonstrating outstanding commitment to promoting environmental practice and sustainability. Each project case study will be posted on NSW ECEEN's website so you can share your environmental achievements with the network, and at the same time provide inspiration to others wanting to find meaningful ways to help children connect with nature. The award winning entry will receive a cash prize to put towards future environmental projects or resources.

To enter the awards you must be a member of ECEEN. To join, visit the ECEEN website.

Quality-assured early childhood resources

All of ECA's publications are peer-r eviewed 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.

Fathering from the fast lane: Practical ideas for busy dads
Based on interviews with over 75 different fathers, this book presents practical ways for fathers to spend better time with their children.

The intentional teacher: Choosing the best strategies for young children's learning
Discover the dynamic space where children and adults share responsibility for learning, rather than following either a child-initiated or an adult-directed approach.

ECA calendar

Annual Australian Research in Early Childhood Education Conference 2010
19 – 21 January 2010
Monash University
Peninsula Campus
Frankston, VIC

The Australian Research in Early Childhood Education Conference (ARECE) welcomes researchers in early childhood education, undergraduate and postgraduate students, early childhood educators, primary school teachers, teacher educators, policy personnel, and community advocates for young children to the conference.

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

Help us expand the ECA WebWatch community
Please pass this e-newsletter service on to friends and colleagues with this link to subscribe: www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/mail

Early Childhood Australia's strength is determined by the strength of its members and supporters. It is only through your support that we can advocate for and on behalf of the sector. As a reader of ECA WebWatch you can make a big difference to the sector. By forwarding this newsletter to colleagues and inviting them to subscribe, you extend our advocacy chain – increasing our ability to communicate and work with the sector.

Let us know what you think ...
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Past issues of ECA WebWatch are available on the Early Childhood Australia website.

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ECA WebWatch – Issue 84, December 2009. © Early Childhood Australia.