Early Childhood Australia


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The latest early childhood news!

Making news this fortnight: ECA launches the 2019 ECA National Conference Program; and SNAICC calls on the returning Morrison government to prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Around the country, National Reconciliation Week continues until Monday 3 June; the NSW Government partners with University of Wollongong to improve professional learning for early childhood educators; the University of Queensland examines results of anti-bullying programs; and research from Melbourne Children’s Hospital reveals that only two-thirds of children are being seated on booster seats while travelling. Interesting resources include: articles on how non-Indigenous people can become good allies for the progress and support of reconciliation; and on collaborating meaningfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities; and a video on the benefits of art and music for children’s cognitive development. In Federal news, the re-elected Prime Minister announces his ministry. In international news, Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child shares a video on the importance of ‘serve and return’ interactions; and Canadian research shows links between poverty and children’s readiness for school. Finally, we wrap-up state and territory news.

Jump down to find out what the various ECA teams and projects have been up to, and the new resources available for the early childhood sector.


	Grounded in truth: Reconciliation Week

	This year’s theme for National Reconciliation Week is Grounded in Truth: Walk together with courage. The theme recognises that to foster positive race relations, the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the broader community must be grounded in a foundation of truth. 'Whether you’re engaging in challenging conversations or unlearning and relearning what you know, this journey does require all of us to walk together with courage …’ (Reconciliation Australia). For activities and celebratory events around the country, find out what is happening in your state here. Alternatively, for early learning settings and schools looking to get involved, head to the Reconciliation Australia website for various resources and activities.

Stronger together

CEO of Australian Council of Social Services, Cassandra Goldie, explores priorities for the returning Coalition Government, including collaborating meaningfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, increasing Newstart Allowance payments, and ensuring suitable budgeting for effective community services. Read more here.

Serve and learn

A new video from Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child examines the importance of ‘serve and return’ interactions between adults and young children. The video breaks down ‘serve and return’ into five simple steps, and highlights what this looks like in practice. It begins with noticing children’s ‘serve’ and sharing their focus. Find more here.

Ready to learn

New research out of Canada shows the effects of children living in poverty in their first five years. One of the main findings includes being less ready for school. Researchers followed 46 589 children born between the years 2000 and 2009 till they turned seven years of age, measuring outcomes for mental health, asthma, hospitalisation for injury, and placement in out-of-home care. Read more about the research here.

New ministry appointments

The Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP is the first Aboriginal person to be appointed as Minister for Indigenous Australians, announced on National Sorry Day. ECA congratulates him and other appointees including the Hon Dan Tehan for reappointment as Minister for Education; Hon Anne Ruston, new Minister for Families and Social Services; and the Hon Michelle Landry for her new role as Assistant Minister for Children and Families. Read more here.

Do anti-bullying
programs work?

World researchers from the University of Queensland examined the effectiveness of anti-bullying programs within schools and found that, in some cases, anti-bullying approaches made bullying worse. Read here.

Being an ally and
supporting reconciliation

How might non-Indigenous people be good allies for advancing reconciliation and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples? The latest issue of Reconciliation News shares some tips. Click here to read the article.

Professional learning

What makes good professional learning? To understand best practice in professional development, NSW Department of Education and University of Wollongong collaborated on the ‘Leadership for Learning’ program that was trialled in 38 metropolitan and regional preschool and long day care services. Educators and leaders can draw on the findings to create team-learning experiences.

Booster seat safety

Families may face difficulties in getting children to use booster seats when travelling, as is apparent from the research undertaken by Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Findings reveal that two-thirds of children aged between seven and ten were not strapped into the car’s booster seats when travelling. And 50 per cent of children sat in the front seat when travelling. Read more here.


	Prioritise Indigenous children

	SNAICC—National voice for our children is calling on the returning Coalition Government to prioritise a strategy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and asking for setting of generational targets that address the causes of child removal and ensure access to early education. SNAICC and ECA have partnered to develop a framework that highlights the key issues preventing First Nations children from accessing early childhood education and care (ECEC), and provides recommendations for improving outcomes. Read more here.


	Music is good for the brain

	A video showcasing the benefits of music and art on children’s cognitive development may spark a music revival in early education and school classrooms. This shift is needed after a 20-year decline, according to educational expert Dr Anita Collins. Read more.


	In State and Territory news ...

	The Victorian government is providing a large reform for early childhood education by giving all three-year-olds the opportunity to access subsided kindergarten by 2022—find out what the outcome of the Victorian budget means for you; the New South Wales (NSW) Government is repealing and remaking regulations to more closely align the regulation of mobile and occasional education and care services with the regulation of all other education and care services under the National Law—changes came into effect on 27 May 2019. The Northern Territory (NT) has awarded ten women with scholarships aimed at supporting further learning and career advancement in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), as well as children’s services to encourage careers in the early childhood sector; NSW has seen a push for socially acceptable behaviour while children’s sport is underway, with around 1000 sporting organisations and community groups joining the ‘Shoosh for kids’ movement; in Western Australia, amendments to the Children and Community Services Act 2004 now require ministers of religion to report child sexual abuse, including providing information on where they have gained this knowledge through religious confession; in Darwin (NT), the Ludmilla Primary School has welcomed students after a $7.4 million upgrade; families in NSW are being encouraged by health authorities to vaccinate young children against the flu due to 37 confirmed flu-related deaths across the state this year—children aged between six months and five years are eligible for free vaccines from the NSW Government; Tasmania’s new 2019–2020 budget reportedly shows a record $7.1 billion investment in education, including plans for six new child- and family-learning centres; as per recommendations of the Not now, not ever report on prevention of domestic and family violence, the Queensland Government has implemented a new funding model to help determine where investments into the domestic and family violence service system should go.

New OSHC module

The ECA Learning Hub has launched a free online learning module, ‘Environments in outside school hours care’. This module contains a collection of videos showcasing a range of NSW outside school hours care services, along with reflection questions to support educators in continuous improvement of their physical environment. Learn more or register.

Transitions

With the open days for schools approaching, it’s the right time for educators to be building relationships with parents and carers of children in preschool. The latest Research in Practice Series title explores a communication- and relationship-based approach to transitions, and will help educators take stock of children’s progress in the first year of school. Subscribe today to get your copy.

Babies and toddlers

While Keeping mental health in focus from birth. Talk with a Be You Consultant about ways we can support the mental health of the youngest children in our learning communities. We will be at the Macquarie University 3rd Infants and Toddlers Conference too. Hope to see you there.

Priorities for advocacy

With the election behind us and a new Federal ministry sworn in this week, advocating for all Australian children to get access to quality early learning is as important as ever. Click here to see how we will take action on our policy priorities moving forward. Get involved with the Early Learning Matters Week in August—find out more here.

Program available

ECA is excited about the launch of our 2019 National Conference Program. Join us in Hobart this September for our highly anticipated event featuring well-regarded speakers from the early childhood sector. You will be exposed to extensive networking among delegates, and professional development opportunities.

New from
The Spoke

Be You shares a post on using the BETLS observation tool, ‘How observing children deepens our understanding of their behaviour’. And, to mark Reconciliation Week, a participant from the ECA Reconciliation Symposium shares her experience on how the event changed her perspectives as an educator. Read 'Sharing in Australia's culture'.

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www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au
webwatch@earlychildhood.org.au

ECA WebWatch—Issue 308, May 2019.

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