The ECA position statement review process

As part of this work, the ECA National Council has commissioned a working party to review the current range of ECA policies. The working party, made up of members from all state/territory branches, will assess each policy according to their relevance, their usefulness to members, and their capacity to assist in effective advocacy for young children.

The position statements will be reflective of the vision of the organisation and our mandate to be a voice for children.

ECA position statement: Care of Infants

• Infancy is a period of rapid growth and development with longterm consequences.
• Infants are one of the most vulnerable groups in society and require special care and understanding.

1. All families have values, beliefs and childrearing practices that should be respected and supported within the principles of child protection and children’s rights.
2. Services should operate within the frameworks of equal partnership with parents based on trust between carers and child/family.
3. Staff working with infants should have theoretical knowledge and experience to plan and deliver a programme that meets the need of each infant in the group.
4. The foundation of a quality program rests on responsive and warm relationships for infants, as well as planning experiences within the various care giving routines, e.g. feeding, toileting and settling babies to sleep.
5. Primary care giving, continuity and consistency of care support optimal infant development.
6. Staff are required to undertake regular professional development.
7. Families should have access to information to enable them to make informed choices about the type of care for their infant.
8. Services should operate within the context of internal and external support for staff and families, linking with local community agencies

Policy Implementation Responsibilities for Early Childhood Ausralia

• To advocate for parents who wish to care for their infant by lobbying for the extension of paid maternity leave.
• To lobby for an increase in the staff/child ratio to 1:3 infants.
• To actively lobby legislators at all levels to alert them to the consequences of enabling people who have worked in the field with no knowledge base in infant care to gain qualifications by competency standards alone.
• Funds need to be raised to support the retention of qualified staff.
• A campaign to raise awareness of the need to increase the wages and benefits for staff working in Children's Services should be launched using local events to get media coverage.
• Promote discussion panels for parents to enable them to understand the components of high quality care.
• The Early Childhood Australia web site should be modified to make this information available in an attractive way.
• Promotion of professional development for staff caring for infants to support sensitive and responsive care giving.

Policy Implementation issues for Children's Services

• For services to recognize that the infant caregiver is a nurturing person with knowledge and skills to provide a rich language program incorporated into care giving routines.
• That familiar, stable, consistent care is necessary for an infant to feel secure and to develop trust.
• Caregivers need to offer appropriate choices to infants that will give them a sense of control and competence.
• Time and resources need to be allocated to ensure personal and professional development for staff.