All ECA news feeds http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:27:24 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/early_childhood_news/eca_webwatch_issue_97_september_2010.html Early Childhood Australia's ECA WebWatch... let us search the web for you Early Childhood news delivered straight to you! Welcome to the latest issue of the award winning ECA WebWatch. This week WebWatch features the Early Years Learning Framework. In this issue: the Early Childhood Reform Agenda goes ahead! validation of teacher standards how to create a high-learning team action research in early childhood education a tool for analysing early learning environments whole child: developing mind, body and spirit through outdoor play building successful oral language development sickness in early childhood—further reaching impacts find ECA on Facebook community attitude survey on the safety and 'wellbeing of children' survey results SNAICC Conference 2010 a great success reconciliation action plans 2010 Symposium: Early Years Learning Framework in... Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:40:46 +0100 http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/early_childhood_news/eca_webwatch_issue_96_aug_2010.html Early Childhood news delivered straight to you! Welcome to a special 2010 Federal Election edition of the award winning ECA WebWatch. In this issue: Early Childhood Australia calls on Coalition to commit to quality funds Early Childhood Australia 2010 election scorecard time to get tough for our children's sake a big chance to show we care about those too young to vote ECA WebWatch feature items: Early Childhood Australia calls on coalition to commit to quality funds Read (http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/pdf/media_releases/MEDIA_RELEASE_Wednesday_18_August_2010.pdf) about how ‘the National Quality Reform Agenda will be subject to review under a Coalition government, calling into question the $533.7 million that the Labor Government has committed.’ Early Childhood Australia 2010 election scorecard Early Childhood Australia’s article (http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/politics/time-to-get-tough-for-our-childrens-sake-20100811-11zdp.html), in which she clearly outlines how ‘the early education and care policies put forward at this election... Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:15:02 +0100 http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/early_childhood_news/eca_webwatch_issue_95_august_2010.html Early Childhood Australia's ECA WebWatch... let us search the web for you Early Childhood news delivered straight to you! Welcome to the latest issue of the award winning ECA WebWatch. Our feature item this week is the Federal Election—a significant challenge to the ECEC National quality Reform Agenda. In this issue: Early Childhood Australia says there are clear differences between the two major parties on ECEC Early Childhood Australia applauds the Labor Party’s commitment to quality reform agenda quality ECEC services and our nation’s economy Early Childhood Australia rejects claims of cost increases to childcare LHMU calls for an end to scare campaign Gillard Government denounces scare tactics childcare director reassures parents over QLD childcare owner claims send... Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:39:47 +0100 http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/every_child_magazine_vol_16_no_2_2010.html Editorial Building social and emotional competence Alison Elliott Guest Statement Promoting mental health in early childhood The Hon. Jeff Kennett AC Chairperson Beyondblue: the national depression initiative Features Depression and anxiety in the workplace Beyondblue An early childhood mental health initiative Judy Kynaston Recognising mental health problems and seeking support Sarah Cavanagh, Jo Lawrence & Marie Hirst Children's Responses to separation and parental conflict (http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/childrens_responses_to_separation_and_parental_conflict.html) Jennifer McIntosh This article is available free online Understanding socio-emotional health and trauma Margaret Sims If no one hears, if no one comes (http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/if_no_one_hears,_if_no_one_comes.html) Lynn Priddis This article is available free online What difference has training made? Kerry Moretti Centre Snapshot Implementing KidsMatter in our service Judy Kynaston 'A book about me': The story of a child with autism Meredith Nye Ethics Smacking: A 21st century dinosaur Elizabeth Frazer 'So just how long does it take to go to the bin?' Carmel Richardson Meeting needs now Rita Johnston Research Timeout position paper: A synopsis (http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/timeout_position_paper_a_synopsis.html) Judy Radich This article is available free online What's in the lunchbox? Sue Grieshaber Healthy eating and physical activity Ursula Montgomerie Profile Interview with Paul Mason Faiza Cheema Legal Supporting young children of separating parents Legal Aid ACT Parent's page We are a foster care family Vicki Lucas & Floyd Lucas-Baxter Conference 'Garla Bauondi': Fuelling the fire! Margaret Young Innovation Belonging, Being and becoming - at Mutitjulu (http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/belonging,_being_and_becoming_at_mutitjulu.html) Alison Elliott This article is available free online Book reviews PALS social skills program: Playing and learning to socialize (2nd edn) We are all explorers Everyone's got a... Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:07:31 +0100 http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/editorial_building_social_and_emotional_competence.html Over the last decade or so, the early childhood field has increased its interest in young children's mental health. Mental health is about how we think, feel and act. We all feel and behave in unique ways depending on our circumstance or context, but when behaviours are damaging or troubling or have the potential to be, they become detrimental to our day-to-day functioning and ways of interacting with our world. The relationship between mental health and overall development is now well recognised. Early brain development research has cemented our knowledge of the importance of the early years in laying the foundations for social, emotional and cognitive health and shaping behaviours. So, good mental health in the early childhood years refers to children's healthy emotional development and social competence. It includes ways children interact with others, their self-confidence and feelings about themselves, and their ways of managing emotions and impulses. Sometimes, children from stressful, fragile chaotic or unpredictable family situations exhibit aggressive behaviours, inability to concentrate, persistent and intense anxiety, poor coping skills and/or problems with reacting appropriately to peers and others. Others might be withdrawn, sad, or unable to interact and play with peers. Each needs help and support. Children who... Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:07:14 +0100 http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/childrens_responses_to_separation_and_parental_conflict.html Through its prevalence and inherent risks, parental separation may fairly be regarded as a public health issue for children. WHY THIS TOPIC MATTERS The re-structuring of family life necessitated by separation and divorce involves multiple and complex adjustments for children. Often these combine to elevate risks of poor childhood outcomes across psychological, social, health and academic domains, reaching through to adulthood. Ongoing parenting conflict after separation and divorce further increases the nature and magnitude of developmental risk for children. The way in which family law practitioners intervene in parenting disputes can make a difference to family adjustment and children's outcomes. RESPONDING TO PARENTS' SEPARATION Separation and divorce for many children represents the collapse of a vital, archetypal structure in their world and in their experience of who they are. For infants and preschoolers separation brings substantial complexity. It is their 'developmental response' as much as their emotional response that concerns current researchers. Infants (even from a few weeks of age) recognise and react to parents' distress, and to overt conflict between their parents. Disruptions to primary attachment and patterns of care brought about by separation can de-stabilise important segments of an infant's developmental pathway. Ongoing, inflammatory and poorly-contained conflict between parents can be developmentally overwhelming... Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:06:55 +0100 http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/if_no_one_hears,_if_no_one_comes.html What have we learned from years of debate and research about what children need for stable mental health, general wellbeing and optimal development? An infant crying in the night; an infant crying for the light; and with no language but a cry. (Alfred Tennyson, 1850) Infants have feelings and their behaviours have meaning - Tennyson grasped this truth a century and a half ago that we are finally starting to understand today. Did we ever know what children needed in order to grow up mentally healthy? At the turn of the 20th century Sigmund Freud documented the damage that can occur at the age of around two years as infants gain confidence in their ability to command the world. Freud warned that shaming and put-down responses to confident little minds can have long-term damaging effects. In the latter half of the 20th century, John Bowlby alerted us to the damage that can occur in absence of sensitive responsiveness in an infant's life. Bowlby was working with children separated from their mothers and/or fathers during and after World War Two, and reported the profound effect of this loss on infants aged as young as six months. For Bowlby, this underlined the fundamental importance of... Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:20:13 +0100 http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/timeout_position_paper_a_synopsis.html In 2009 the Australian Association for Infant Mental Health Inc. (AAIMHI) published the time out position paper, which arose from the AAIMHI's concern at the use of time out by some parents and others caring for children in the community. The paper refers in particular to the use of time out with children in the first three years, but many of the issues raised are also relevant to older children. TIME OUT DEFINED The AAIMHI aims, in part, to improve professional and public recognition that infancy is a critical period in psycho-social development; and work for the improvement of the mental health and development of all infants and families. The AAIMHI describes time out as 'time away from a rewarding or positive environment as a consequence of some form of misbehaviour, usually for one to five minutes.' According to this definition of time out, the child is also removed from the presence of, and/or interaction with, the parent or carer. EMOTIONAL IMPACT While there is research that supports using time out to control behaviour, especially for older children, this research does not address the emotional impact on the child. Developmentally, children less than three years cannot be expected to easily self-regulate their emotions. Therefore they... Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:19:43 +0100 http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/belonging,_being_and_becoming_at_mutitjulu.html The diversity of early childhood settings means that the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) must resonate with local ways of belonging, being and becoming. As the EYLF is rolled out across Australia, early childhood practitioners are reviewing the document and thinking about their curricula and practices. Early childhood centres must look at the Framework in the light of their own communities; families and children; and practitioners. There is no one way of being, knowing and doing, or of interpreting the Framework and its outcomes. This diversity is especially evident in remote Australia with its many Indigenous languages and cultures. USING THE EYLF IN REMOTE SERVICES At Mutitjulu Child Care Centre, nestled in the shadow of Uluru, staff are working with Christine Tayler from Charles Darwin University in regards to the EYLF and what it means for planning and implementing programs for children in very remote communities. At the same time, Director Michelle Brownjohn and the childcare team are helping to build and trial a professional learning resource focusing on using the EYLF in very remote childcare centres and preschools. The EYLF is for everyone, but it has to be meaningful and contextualised to work effectively. Concepts and practices become understandable and relevant when they... Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:17:53 +0100 http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/early_childhood_news/eca_webwatch_issue_94_july_2010.html Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:29:42 +0100