Posts

Emma Stenhouse

Inspiring richness and diversity in arts practice: An Aboriginal perspective

In the lead up to National Reconciliation Week (27 May–3 June) and in celebration of the 2022 theme ‘Be Brave. Make Change’, we reached out to Aboriginal artist and early childhood professional, Emma Stenhouse to share part of her journey,…
Coalition commits to continuing to deliver for Australian families

Coalition commits to continuing to deliver for Australian families

This blog post from The Hon Stuart Robert MP, Acting Minister for Education and Youth, follows the federal election candidates forum with cross-party leaders co-hosted by ECA on 2 May 2022. Each candidate was invited to share their policies…
Workforce issues a big concern at ECA’s Federal Election 2022 Candidates Forum

Workforce issues a big concern at ECA’s Federal Election 2022 Candidates Forum

In case you missed all the action from Early Childhood Australia’s Federal Election 2022 Candidates Forum, here is a quick summary to bring you up to speed because #EarlyLearningMatters this election. ECA’s Federal Election 2022 Candidates…
Leading play-based pedagogies

Leading play-based pedagogies

In this article, Lennie Barblett, Sandra Cheeseman and Catharine Hydon emphasise children’s right to learn through play no matter the age. Additionally, they suggest that all educators lead and be articulate in their advocacy of play-based…
Agency is so much more than choice and voice

Agency is so much more than choice and voice

Agency is a concept that is familiar, but not always well understood in early childhood education and care (Burr & Degotardi, 2021). Whenever agency is made reference to in early childhood publications, the standard definition in the Glossary…
Exploring reconciliation and cultural awareness in early childhood

Exploring reconciliation and cultural awareness in early childhood

Employees across Early Childhood Australia (ECA) have been involved in National Reconciliation Week projects connected to ECA’s Reconciliation Action Plan. Our group has developed a survey for early childhood educators to explore attitudes…
Promoting cultural competence in early childhood

Promoting cultural competence in early childhood

There is growing awareness and effort in Australian classrooms to understand, respect and support cultural differences, but are we starting early enough? If we want to create a society that values diversity, we must start instilling an appreciation…
Being aware of what children hear and see

Being aware of what children hear and see

Since 2017, more than 110 countries have experienced significant protests[i] and Australia is no exception. As COVID-19 vaccination rates continue to rise in Australia, anti-vaccination mandate protests have been growing in response to a perceived…
Creating a world-class early education system

Creating a world-class early education system

As an early childhood educator in Melbourne, I found myself in a bit of a funk at the beginning of September. Working through the COVID-19 lockdowns had taken its toll. I think it’s a place many educators will probably identify with this year. I…
Making Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder visible

Making Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder visible

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, or FASD, is often described as the invisible disability. With September being FASD Awareness month, it seems like a fitting time to discuss what FASD is, some of the ways it affects children and families, and…
Finally, an ongoing commitment to funding preschool. But the conditions are hazy and ill-defined

Finally, an ongoing commitment to funding preschool. But the conditions are hazy and ill-defined

The 2021-22 budget includes funding for 15 hours per week of free preschool education for all children in the year before school. Although in his budget speech, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said there would be $2 billion for preschools, the budget…
Consent, body safety and the rights of the child

Consent, body safety and the rights of the child

In the past, the word consent has not been commonly associated with young children or the early childhood education sector more broadly. Dictionary definitions of consent emphasise giving permission for something to happen—in other words empowering…