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Quality and safety in ECEC—what does ROGS really say Hint it isn’t what you read in some media reports…

Quality and safety in ECEC—what does ROGS really say? Hint: it isn’t what you read in some media reports…

For data nerds in the early childhood sector, ‘ROGS Day’ is a big thing. This year, the Productivity Commission’s Report on Government Services (ROGS) chapter on early childhood education and care (ECEC) was published on 10 February.…
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Early Learning Matters Week Wrap Up Event—Address

Zoe McKenzie MP  Shadow Assistant Minister for Education and Early Learning Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health Federal Member for Flinders Early Childhood Australia is grateful to Zoe McKenzie MP, Shadow Assistant Minister…
Policy in action: Elevating children’s voices at Gowrie Victoria

Policy in action: Elevating children’s voices at Gowrie Victoria

Recent events concerning young children’s safety and wellbeing in Australian early childhood education and care (ECEC) services have raised important questions about how we engage children and hear their voices. Actively involving children…
Opinion Editorial – Early Childhood Education and Care

Opinion Editorial – Early Childhood Education and Care

As the CEO of the leading national peak body dedicated to the best interests of young children, the focus on early childhood education and care (ECEC) in this election is very welcome.  To hear the Prime Minister say during the recent leaders’…
Gen-AI in early childhood education: Navigating a not-so-new frontier?

Gen-AI in early childhood education: Navigating a not-so-new frontier?

Have you had that experience where a colleague shares a topical link, and the group chat goes wild? Constructive and rich discussion filled with critical reflection follows and then slowly it fizzles out, lost to the group chat ether forever.…
Rethinking ‘School Readiness’: It’s Time for Schools to Be Ready

Rethinking ‘School Readiness’: It’s Time for Schools to Be Ready

‘School readiness’ programs are advertised across the nation, with some early learning services and preschools promising to provide children with literacy and numeracy skills for a head start in school. On social media, parents frantically…
Setting the record straight on misguided claims about ECEC and the value of qualified educators

Setting the record straight on misguided claims about ECEC and the value of qualified educators

The piece ‘Maybe childcare staff need fewer degrees?’ by Aaron Patrick in the AFR 12 July 2023 is both ill-informed and misleading. If you haven’t seen it, here is the abridged version – the commercial childcare industry is charging…
Eight Reggio Emilia ideas to inspire your early learning environment

Eight Reggio Emilia ideas to inspire your early learning environment

Even if you aren’t working at a Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood education and care service, there are plenty of ideas from this acclaimed approach that you can use in your own early learning environment.  What is Reggio Emilia?  Reggio…
Dear Prime Minister: Raising the child’s voice in early childhood education and care

Dear Prime Minister: Raising the child’s voice in early childhood education and care

When the educators at C&K Salisbury Community Kindergarten set themselves a challenge at the start of 2022 to explore Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) through play, it led to the inspiring culmination of the…
‘I hear you, baby’: The role of co-regulation in building self-regulation skills in our infants and children

‘I hear you, baby’: The role of co-regulation in building self-regulation skills in our infants and children

When babies are born, they have very little ability to self-regulate. From infancy, primary caregivers—including early years educators—are invaluable in helping children to learn this skill through co-regulation. Co-regulation has…
Play in the Home: Why it’s essential for early childhood development

Play in the Home: Why it’s essential for early childhood development

This article appeared in Every Child magazine Vol. 28, No.2, 2022  The home offers rich and authentic opportunities for play-based learning, Joanne Grimmond observes. Children’s formative experiences of play in the home lay the foundation…
Bush kinder program: taking the classroom and learning outside

Bush kinder program: taking the classroom and learning outside

Imagine walking through your local nature trail and seeing a group of kindergarten children playing and exploring. Some are climbing a tree and playfully hanging on a branch. Some are jumping in puddles and splashing muddy water all over themselves.…