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Social Media Terms of Use 

Early Childhood Australia (ECA) uses social media platforms to engage with our members, followers, and other stakeholders in a friendly and inclusive manner. Through social media, we inform, educate, inspire, build connections, and have conversations. 

ECA is the voice for young children and the peak early childhood organisation, acting in the interests of young children, their families and those in the early childhood field. ECA advocates to ensure quality, social justice and equity in all issues relating to the education and care of children aged birth to eight years. 

Please note that these terms of use apply to all Early Childhood Australia’s (ECA) social media channels, including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. 

ECA’s Commitments  

• We will be transparent in our social media engagement. 
• We will protect our consumers’ privacy in compliance with applicable Privacy Policies, IT Security Policies, and laws, rules, and regulations. 
• We will respect copyrights, trademarks, rights of publicity, and other third-party rights. 
• We will be responsible in our use of technology and will not knowingly align the organisation with any organisations or websites that use excessive tracking software, adware, malware, or spyware. 
• We will reasonably monitor behaviour in the social media space, establish appropriate protocols, and keep appropriate records as dictated by law and/or industry best practices. 
• Our content will be aligned to our vision and values.   
• Comments will be moderated and may be deleted in accordance with our social media house rules. 

Social Media House Rules 

ECA welcomes feedback and encourages healthy discussion, but please ensure your engagement on our social media platforms is in line with our house rules.

Due to the 2021 High Court ruling, every organisation that administers a social media account is legally responsible to moderate any activity or interactions on their social media platforms.

By interacting with ECA and ECA affiliated pages, groups, events, ads, posts (or anything else that may fall under the ECA social media domain), you agree to abide by our social media terms of use and our “House Rules”. ECA can make no guarantee that your contribution will be published or remain published and reserves the right to delete any comments that are considered inappropriate by the organisation’s moderators. 

1. Be respectful and polite. Treat other people, including ECA employees, with respect and courtesy. Comments using inappropriate language, which are abusive, obscene, or which appear to deliberately provoke arguments, will be deleted. Explicit content or content of a harassing nature will be deleted. ECA reserves the right to delete comments that are considered inappropriate by the organisation’s moderators.
2. Don’t post unlawful comments or content. Do not use language that is defamatory, discriminatory, incites violence, infringes copyright or is otherwise unlawful. Comments that are fraudulent, deceptive, misleading, in violation of any intellectual property right of another, or in violation of any law or regulation, will be deleted.
3. Respect others’ privacy. Don’t include personal details such as phone numbers, postal or email addresses in publicly visible comments. If you wish to raise an issue that requires sharing your contact information with ECA employees, please contact us.
4. Don’t advertise. Comments that seek to endorse commercial products or activities or solicit business or personal promotion may not be accepted. ECA publishes links to other websites at its sole discretion. We reserve the right to remove comments and messages considered to be spam, or posts containing the same, or similar, message posted multiple times. This also extends to link baiting or files containing viruses that could damage the operation of other people’s computers or mobile devices.

Use of ECA’s Content 

Sharing on social media is expected and welcomed. All intellectual property rights in the content owned by and posted by ECA are reserved to ECA. Such content is provided for your personal, non-commercial use only. You may not otherwise reproduce, republish, modify, or adapt ECA’s content, without obtaining the organisation’s prior written permission. You agree not to remove, obscure, or alter any ECA copyright notice or trademark on any content you access and use. You also agree not to use ECA’s content in a way that implies endorsement by the organisation, or any person included in the materials, without obtaining prior written consent. Visit www.copyright.com.au for information under section 113P of the Act. 

For any queries or concerns regarding ECA’s engagement on social media or our social media terms of use, please contact us.  

Early Childhood Australia is offering five scholarships to members or educators at member services and organisations to attend The Australian Reconciliation Convention,  a once-in-a-generation event to celebrate twenty years of Reconciliation Australia and almost three decades of Australia formally committed to reconciliation.

The convention will be a vibrant and historic landmark in Australia’s reconciliation journey, delivered virtually over three half-days 15 – 17  November 2021. The Convention’s innovative approach will include rigorous discussions and panel presentations, storytelling and performances with local, national and international perspectives to reflect on the past and to explore the future of a just, equitable, and reconciled Australia.

To apply for a sponsored registration, please tell us in 200 words how you are engaging in reconciliation and why you would like to attend the Convention. 

We also require  the following information at the time of application; this will ensure that chosen winners are registered in time to receive their experience pack prior to the conference.

Applications must be submitted no later than midnight AEDT on Tuesday 26^th October. 

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As early childhood educators, we come from a strong foundation of inclusive practice and seek to support all children in our care. Although this is embedded in our learning frameworks and in the National Quality Standards, doing this well requires a strong understanding of children’s needs. With almost one in four pregnancies unplanned, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an often-undiagnosed neurodevelopmental disorder that is sometimes referred to as the ‘invisible disability’. This guide and collection of resources, developed by Early Childhood Australia and NOFASD Australia, has been designed to help build educator knowledge, skills and understanding.

Educator Guide | Poster | Brochure | Videos

Educator Guide

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, or FASD, is a name given to a range of brain-based impairments that result from alcohol exposure when a fetus is in the womb. Often described as an invisible disability, a person with FASD will need lifelong support, including during the early stages of development. Evidence shows that implementation of appropriate supports at an early age results in better long-term outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as FASD.

Those working within the early childhood education and care sector play a significant and vital role in supporting children and families as they navigate their way through the first years of life. Early Childhood Australia and NOFASD Australia have, in partnership, developed this educator guide to offer early childhood professionals research-based strategies designed to meet the diverse needs of children with FASD.

The guide explains what FASD is, how it occurs, its characteristics, and diagnostic criteria and pathways. Because FASD is a spectrum-based disorder, children will have different support needs. This guide offers educators access to a combination of research-based evidence and stories of lived experience to reinforce inclusive practice through:

• case studies
• resources
• images
• videos and reflective scenarios
• subject matter experts
• practical and achievable strategies.

Download Educator Guide [PDF Format 3 Mb]

Poster

As early childhood professionals, we are often faced with many situations where families of children may have been judged or not listened to in the past. In the context of FASD, there may be many reasons for prenatal exposure to alcohol.

The poster has been designed to be eye-catching and easy to read. It is one resource for educators to use within services to encourage families to seek out support, and has been designed to reinforce messages such as:

• families are experts on their own children
• the importance of early intervention for children with neurodevelopmental disorders
• an introduction to the concept of neurodevelopmental disorders
• educators will respond to any concerns professionally, and all conversations will be private and confidential
• educators will be non-judgemental in their responses to families.

As educators, we are a trusted source of expertise and knowledge. Families will come to us to discuss any concerns and begin to foster a strong relationship based on open and transparent communication. For more information regarding how to incorporate inclusive practice and partnerships with families, we recommend you refer to the educator guide Through Different Eyes: Understanding young children living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Download Poster [PDF Format 147 kb]

Brochure

Educators have an ethical responsibility to be respectful of the differences within each family and to engage in co-constructed learning and decision making. As early childhood professionals, we know that forming trusting partnerships with families is critical. We also know that families are vulnerable by coming to someone and discussing concerns they may have about their child’s development. It is vital to remember that it is not an educator’s role to diagnose a child. If a family suspects their child has FASD, they are often aware of the potential stigma associated with receiving a diagnosis. Being there to support each family and child as they go through this journey, and ensuring the child is a part of a community, will help families and children to develop a sense of belonging.

Each family is unique and on their own journey. While some families may be aware of particular behaviours and development differences in their child and are ready to take the next step in approaching an allied health professional, others may be considering this for the first time. When approached by a family who wants to know a bit more about FASD, or another spectrum-based disorder, it is always helpful to have resources to provide them.

If you are looking for further information regarding how to support families and ensure you value the relationship between a family and their child, refer to the educator guide Through Different Eyes: Understanding children living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Download Brochure [PDF Format 1.5 Mb]

Videos

The following videos support the Through Different Eyes: Understanding children living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder educator guide:

Expressions of Interest: ECA Research in Practice Series Publication Editor

Early Childhood Australia (ECA) are inviting expressions of interest for the position of Research in Practice Series Publication Editor on the ECA Publications Advisory Committee.

Responsibilities of the ECA Publications Editor

As a member of the ECA Publications Committee, the Editor is responsible for:

• ensuring publications are consistent with the ECA Code of Ethics
• forward planning of publication editions in conjunction with the Publications Committee
• briefing the author/s verbally and in writing based on the initial notes developed by the Publications Committee
• deciding on the timing of the review process for the submitted manuscript
• considering reviewer reports and making written recommendations to the author/s
• reviewing/approving the content of each edition, looking out for content or messages that would be counterintuitive to ECA values
• maintaining effective liaison with the ECA national office and the respective in-house editor of each publication
• supporting publication authors as appropriate.

> View full details of RIPS Editor expression of interest invitation

Please note:
Applications must include: A curriculum vitae and cover letter addressing the selection criteria
Closing date: COB Monday 7 December 2020

The following tools are to be used in conjunction with the Early Childhood Australia publication Ethics in Action: A practical guide to implementing the ECA Code of Ethics.

• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 1: Exploring the ECA Code of Ethics core principles
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 2: Exploring our commitment to children
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 3: Exploring our commitment to colleagues
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 4: Exploring our commitment to families
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 5: Using the Ethical Decision-Making Cycle
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 6: Understanding your own perspective
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 7: Ethics audit tool
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 8: Choose your own ethical adventure
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 9: The ethics of initiatives
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 10: Think–Question–Explore
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 11: The ethics of respect for diversity
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 12: Ethical approaches—a tool for reflection
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 13: Reflection tool
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 14: Thinking about ethical workplaces
• Code of Ethics Implementation Guide Practice Tool 15: Action research and inquiry