Child Times December 2011

Child times Volume 1 Issue 12 December 2011

New PSC Workshops for 2012 Child Australia Wins Tender –

Farrar Early Learning Centre

We are pleased to advise that Professional Development Calendars for January – June 2012 are now available! Printed versions will be posted to all services by mid December.

They can also be downloaded at www.childaustralia.org.au.

2012 heralds an array of new workshops and professional learning opportunities presented by an outstanding array of facilitators.

See Page 2 for more details.

Farrar Early Learning Centre Child Australia is pleased to announce that we have successfully tendered to operate the Farrar Early Learning Centre in the City of Palmerston, Darwin.

Located at the Palmerston Health Precinct, Farrar Early Learning Centre will provide much needed quality early childhood education and care for 0-5 year old children in the local community.

Licensed for 56 places, Child Australia is committed to delivering a high quality, play-based child focused program in which children can explore, discover, experiment and create their own learning pathways.

There is significant demand for quality early childhood and family services in the Northern Territory and, in addition to our Bagot Community OSHC, we look forward to embracing this opportunity to deliver exemplar services directly to Territory children and their families.

Download our pre-enrolment registration form from www.childaustralia.org.au or email us at farrarelc@childaustralia.org.au

In warm appreciation of our association and our shared commitment to improving the lives of children, we extend our best wishes for a happy holiday season and a New Year filled with peace, joy and success.

Australia

What’s New from PSC in 2012 WA Change Management and Beyond, Supporting You to Succeed in the NQS (Includes Coaching Session) Supporting effective change takes more than just good will.

It takes a planned process that engages both practical and effective change management theory.

With a range of services well and truly on their journeys towards success with the National Quality Standards, this workshop will provide support in two ways. Firstly, the workshop will cover the following topics: • The nature of change in organisations.

• Psychological responses to change.

• Resistance to change.

February • The Brave New World of NQS – Where to Start – Anthony Semann.

• Working with Outcomes & the EYLF – Anthony Semann.

• Designing & Implementing a Professional Development Program for Early Childhood Settings – Caroline Fewster (Full Day Workshop).

March • Theories of Development – CATRI. • It Begins with Attachment – CATRI.

April

• Planning and communicating change.

• Risk Management – CATRI.

• Maintaining a positive approach to change within organisations.

• Team Building – Colin Slattery (Alice Springs).

Secondly, all leaders who participate in this change management workshop will be supported via a one-onone coaching session to put the change management plan developed in the workshop into practice.

This presents a very unique opportunity for programs to access both group and individual support.

Caroline Fewster: WA Travelling Road Show March • Geraldton - Perth - Broome - Pilbara

June • Wheatbelt - Perth - Albany - Bunbury - Margaret River Workshops include: • From Practice to Paper: Assessing and Documenting Children’s Social Learning and Behaviour.

• New Ways of Beginning and Maintaining Secure, Respectful and Reciprocal Relationships with Families.

• Belonging, Being and Becoming Creating a Vision for Children’s Learning: The Early Years Learning Framework - Possibilities for Implementation.

• Designing and Creating Early Childhood Environments That Inspire Children’s Learning – The EYLF In Practice.

• Designing Routines and Transitions with ChildrenA Wonderful Opportunity For Learning.

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NT

May • EYLF & You – Belinda Whateley.

• Designing & Creating Early Childhood Environments – Caroline Fewster (Alice Springs).

• S upporting You to Suceed in the NQS: Change Management & Beyond – Anthony Semann (Full Day Workshop).

June • Understanding Behaviour – Autism SA (Full Day Workshop).

d New Chila Australi Service

Bagot Community OSHC appropriate, high quality OSHC service to community children and their families.

Child Australia is proud to announce the opening of Bagot Community OSHC on Monday 26 September 2011. Bagot Community OSHC is a budget based funded service located on Bagot Indigenous Community in Darwin. The service operates as a non-mainstream OSHC and Vacation Care service for children aged 5-12 years. Child Australia is working in close consultation with the Bagot Community to provide a culturally

The service has a license capacity for 30 children and since opening there has been a steady increase in children’s attendance averaging approximately 20 children each afternoon. The curriculum is based around community needs, My Time, Our Place and, of course, the interests of each and every child attending the service. Kellie, Child Australia’s Bagot Community OSHC Supervisor explains “it has been

a wonderful journey getting to know the community children and I’m rewarded daily by their smiles and sense of fun!” In 2012, Child Australia is working towards creating a children’s leadership program at Bagot Community OSHC to encourage and recognize children who make good choices and improve school attendance and participation.

PSC “How To Series” on NQF PSC are pleased to announce the development of a new “How to Series” Resource on the National Quality Framework.

The “How to Series” has been created to offer services practical support and ideas for practice with the implementation of the National Quality Framework in a user friendly, easy to read format.

The “How to Series” consists of 10 booklets aimed at promoting key areas of quality practices. Throughout each booklet in the series there are links to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), the Framework for School Age Care (FSAC), and National Quality Standard (NQS).

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how to series

Update Policies Successfully

(without the stress)

The “How To Series” was developed in response to feedback received during consultation visits to services.

Educators identified a need for practical information on ‘how to’ actually promote quality service provision in accordance with the requirements of the National Quality Framework.

Each booklet contains ideas for practice, key points for consideration and aims to assist educators in identifying the strengths of the service and it’s educators; as well as recognising the key areas for improvement. Each booklet offers links to reliable quality assured resources and supporting documentation.

Australia

The How to Series will be launched in February and be posted to all services in WA and NT.

Stakeholder Feedback Survey

We would like to thank everyone who participated in the Child Australia stakeholder survey; the results were both heartening and positive but also gave us useful feedback that will improve our operations.

We welcome your feedback and encourage you to give us ongoing feedback at any time via our web site - www.childaustralia.com.au.

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ACECQA Report The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority – ACECQA - aims to ensure that all children have the best possible start in life for themselves and for the nation. We are a new, independent statutory authority providing national leadership in promoting continuous improvement and quality in early childhood education and care and school age care in Australia.

Working with Commonwealth, state and territory governments and the early childhood sector, we will implement changes to benefit children aged 0-13 and their families. We have an ambitious work agenda which includes guiding the implementation of the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care (NQF) at the national level. The NQF commences on 1 January 2012 and we intend to make the transition smooth and successful for all involved.

ACECQA’s 13 Board members bring with them experience in children’s services all over Australia. Led by highly respected educator Rachel Hunter, the Board was formed in late August 2011 and has met three times this year. Former Australian Privacy Commissioner and ACECQA

Chief Executive, Karen Curtis, is building a team dedicated to providing professional service to the sector.

• The list of current approved qualifications for educators, including qualifications in first aid and anaphylaxis treatment.

The ACECQA website came online on 14 October 2011 and hosted more than 250,000 page views in the first three weeks. The live site coincided with the release of draft National Regulations to accompany the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010, which governs the introduction and implementation of the NQF.

• Approved qualifications for Authorised Officers – those who will assess services for state and territory regulatory authorities.

Some of the most popular section’s of ACECQA’s website are the support materials written to help educators and others to understand the NQF and be able to introduce it successfully in their service. In December this year a copy of each of the online Guides will be printed and distributed to each of the 16,000 education and care services covered by the Child Care Benefit scheme.

ACECQA is exploring ways to make individual purchases of the printed guides available; in the meantime they are free to download.

In addition to these materials, by 1 January 2012, ACECQA expects to have the following published:

• Registers of currently approved providers, approved education and care services, certified supervisors.

• Other information such as our customer service charter and strategic plan.

As the NQF is implemented, other roles for ACECQA include monitoring and promoting consistent assessment of the 18 national quality standards in services across the country. After regulatory authorities have completed their first round of assessments, ACECQA expects to begin receiving applications from services that have exceeded the national quality standards and then hope to receive an Excellent Rating.

If, you have any comments or questions about this, or about ACECQA in general, please email us at enquiries@ acecqa.gov.au and we will do our best to help you.

HIPPY Gets Visit from Hon. Dr. Elizabeth Constable Child Australia’s East Geraldton HIPPY (Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters) recently received a visit from Hon. Dr Elizabeth Constable, the WA Minister for Education. Dr Constable was impressed with the work that is being undertaken with families living in Rangeway, Utakarra and Karloo with pre-school aged children (around 4 years old). Through the East Geraldton HIPPY, families in this region have had the opportunity to join a 2 year parenting and early childhood enrichment program.

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The program empowers parents and carers to be their child’s first teacher and builds the confidence and skills of parents and carers to create a positive learning environment to prepare their child for school including understanding more about child development and the way children learn. Child Australia’s East Geraldton HIPPY program is currently working with 27 families and 33 children. The first year of activities are currently being finalised and families who enrolled late in 2011 will be catching up with activities over the summer so that they will be ready for the planned Graduation at the end of 2012.

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Children and parents working on a HIPPY art activity – creating clap sticks just like in the story Merinya and Nupia (HIPPY story) during Naidoc week.

ISS Goes Online!

From now onwards all CCB approved services can apply for ISS online via the Inclusion Support Portal. All services (except Vacation Care Services) can now also claim ISS via their CCMS Approved software.

An outline of the online process is shown below.

This makes it much easier for you to claim ISS and payments are made to your bank account in the same way as you receive CCB payments.

Applying for ISS Online You will need to contact your ISA to assess whether ISS is required in your care environment. They will then assist you to complete the online application process.

It is important that you contact your ISA as soon as you begin to plan any change to your care environment which might impact on the level of ISS you require e.g. moving a child from the 0-2 room to the 2-3 room.

The application process needs to be started as soon as possible to ensure that the application can be submitted at least 4 weeks prior to when ISS is needed.

Help and Support

ISS Claims for Payment

Please contact your ISA for assistance to apply for ISS.

For the period 1 July 2011-2 October 2011 you still need to submit a paper Claim for Payment form and associated Attendance Records to the NISSP by 30 November 2011.

DEEWR have provided detailed task cards to guide you through using the system. These can be accessed on the “Literature� tab of the IS Portal as you complete your application.

For periods from 3 October 2011 onwards, you need to submit attendance records for the ISS approved children via your CCMS Approved Software which will stimulate payment to your nominated bank account.

Vacation Care Vacation Care Services continue to submit claims via the paper process until they apply and receive an approval through the online system.

Vacation Care services can apply online when they next need to submit a new, variation or renewal application. Services can also choose to go online earlier by submitting an application through the IS Portal, with assistance from their ISA.

Support resources including Top Tips factsheets and Checklists are available on the NISSP website www.ku.com.au For general queries relating to your ISS application or paper claim please contact the NISSP team via email at issinfo@ku.com.au or toll free 1800 824 955.

For technical assistance relating to your online claim for payment please contact your CCMS Software Provider or the CCMS Helpdesk.

Outline of the online process ISF creates SSP record & attaches SSP doc.

ISF creates IS Case

ISF creates Letter of Introduction

ISF works with service to develop SSP and assesses need for ISS

Letter of Introduction emailed to service

Service logs in to IS portal and completes IS case

ISF reviews & endorses IS Case

NISSP assesses IS case

Service NISSP issues Approval/ Nonapproval letter

Request further info from service Service (cc: ISF)

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Child Australia Research Update IPSP Integrated Action Plans Child Australia in Western Australia has been developing an integrated approach to the delivery of the Inclusion and Professional Support Program (IPSP). Research undertaken

by Child Australia in partnership with Semann & Slattery identified that while the IPSP program was operating at a coordinated level, there was significant opportunity to progress the integration of the program.

Based on this research, Child Australia has developed an integrated IPSP service delivery model that is underpinned by a case management approach and is supported through a process of IPSP workforce integration.

The process used by Child Australia in the delivery of the IPSP is based on the underlying logic that a case management approach to service delivery will lead to more effective and sustainable outcomes for educators, services and, ultimately, children and families. The case management approach can be understood as an integrated process of needs analysis, planning, linking and learning in ways that are flexible and responsive to the particular needs of educators, services, children and families.

This approach has enhanced the working relationship within the IPSP and ensured a consistent, holistic and streamlined approach is provided when working with services.

An example of this follows: An Inclusion Support Facilitator was visiting a service to support children with behavioural concerns.

After observations and discussions with educators an application for ISS was arranged to increase the staff/child ratios. The service also contacted the PSC to enquire about how the PSC could support the implementation of the SSP. The PSC contacted the ISF to discuss service issues further.

A customised training session was organised followed up by a consultancy with the facilitator at the service. Strategies were discussed, recorded and implemented with the educators. The service provided feedback that this support had been more beneficial to them as a support package was specific to their needs and was embedding the suggested strategies from the SSP. This Integrated IPSP approach has worked well addressing a variety of issues in services. These have included CALD issues, death and grievance, EYLF and NQF support - including programming, and environments.

Educators have particularly commented that the ISF provided significant support when embedding newly learnt knowledge into practice while training provided through PSC provides educators with the confidence to implement strategies discussed when developing an SSP. Therefore professional development and support has helped to reiterate some of the key messages ISFs are communicating and vice versa.

Through our evaluation process we have found that 99% of services that have received this integrated approach have identified success in creating better outcomes for children and families, compared with 60% of services that have created change if the engagement came from one IPSP provider.

If you would like to take part in this integrated approach contact PSC or your local ISA provider.

Enhancing Leadership in Children’s Services Project

WA Leadership Group

Child Australia, in collaboration with Semann and Slattery has undertaken an Enhancing Leadership Project in the early childhood education and care sector. This project was conducted over 3 months in WA and NT and investigated the effect of positive psychology with leaders in early and middle childhood.

The aim of this project was to increase the hope, optimism and wellbeing of leaders. This was achieved though professional development, goal setting and individual coaching sessions provided between training sessions to allow participants to focus on goal attainment throughout the 3 month project.

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Prior to the workshop series, each participant completed a series of questionnaires measuring: • hope; • optimism; • workplace well-being; • workplace engagement; • resilience; and • positive affect and negative affect.

After completion of the workshop series and the final coaching session, participants again completed the questionnaires. Participants were also interviewed at the completion of the project to gain further information about their experiences in the project.

The results when comparing pre and post results of the assessments displayed an increase in the following areas: • Hope.

• Optimism.

• Workplace well-being.

• Workplace engagement.

WA @ Child Australia, Malaga office 27 Feb 26 March 30 April NT @ Child Australia, Darwin office 7 March 3 April 9 May

Inclusion and Reflective Practice Research Project Leaders and Participants

There were no significant differences in resilience or significant increase in positive affect. However, there was a significant decrease in negative affect meaning that participants reported a decrease in negative emotion.

Participants also reported through their conversations that they had decreased levels of stress and feeling generally better equipped to cope with demands placed upon them. They also reported being able to share their knowledge and skills with the teams they lead in the workplace.

Cathy Hewick, Hayley Cann, Belinda Pool, Cristyn Davies, Amanda Stevenson, Diane Cox and Kerry Robinson

Some quotes of leaders that participated in this series:

“The biggest thing that I got out of the project was learning to answer my own questions and come up with my own solutions to my problems”

Kerry Robinson, Amanda Stevenson, Dawn Mudd, Diane Cox, Cathy Hewick, Belinda Pool

“The leadership project gave me strategies to help achieve my goals and improve moral amongst team members, I found it helped me personally as well as building a team.

If the project runs again, I will definitely look at sending another educator”.

PSC are delivering the Enhancing Leadership sessions again in 2012, mark the dates in your diary so you don’t miss out as numbers are limited for each session!

The Child Australia research project that explored Reflective Practice and Inclusion with participants across the Northern Territory and Western Australia was lead by Cristyn Davies from Semann & Slattery, and Associate Professor Kerry Robinson from the University of Western Sydney.

Each participant in this project lead their own action research project on an area of diversity, difference and inclusion which included: biculturalism / multi-ethnic diversity, Aboriginal and Indigenous issues, gender and sexuality, children in out of home care, disability, mental health, policies and speech and language issues.

This project aimed to support educators to address, and to develop, a greater understanding of diversity, difference and inclusion relevant to their work context. It also aimed to support educators and professionals in learning how to undertake small scale localised research projects, in developing reflective practice skills, and in developing strategies to enhance practice in the areas of focus in their research.

Amanda Stevenson, an OSHC Director, focused her research on; “What belonging looks like through children’s eyes”. Through her research with children in early and middle childhood Amanda found she had a new understanding of the children who participated. Amanda also noted the importance of completing research in the area of school aged care because sector specific research is critical to school aged care professionals.

Three performed ethnographies (short plays) were developed from the research. The ethnography “Jimmy’s Story” was presented at a session in Darwin and at the “Windows of Opportunity” Conference in Perth in June 2011. Amanda attended both sessions and thought the ethnography workshop was an excellent way for everyone in the groups to have a voice.

She also commented it was a useful tool for educators to reflect on what they are doing in their service.

The research findings will be disseminated through a range of channels including the publication of research papers in international and national journals and the presentation of findings at conferences. Child

Darwin - Kerry Robinson, Gloria Hackett, Amanda Stevenson, Diane Cox and Cristyn Davies

Australia would very much like to thank the research participants for volunteering their time to participate in this project.

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New Child Australia PSC Team Members

• coordinate delivery of PSC National Quality Framework PD, Consultancy and Support packages.

If you would like further support or advice with the NQF email lynnem@childaustralia.org.au.

Welcome Melpo Economou – Bicultural Co-ordinator for PSC Bicultural Inclusion Support Service (BISS) Melpo came to Perth from the UK three years ago to do her Masters in Community Development. Since then she has worked as the Community Development Worker for ASeTTS (Association for Torture and Trauma Survivors) and more recently as the Director for the ‘Remote & Indigenous programs’ with Curtin Volunteers at Curtin University.

Melpo has a mixed heritage background (Greek- English) and has lived and worked in various countries including the UK, Greece, Chile, France, Australia and India. Aside from loving food, dance and travel Melpo is passionate about working towards bridging divides between different cultures and finding creative ways that can help this happen.

Melpo and Lynne

“It’s great to be on board with Child Australia as the Bicultural Coordinator and I’m looking forward to meeting many of you in the not too distant future.”

Welcome Lynne McCormilla – PSC Quality Consultant Lynne has worked as a trainer and assessor within children’s services in Ireland and has experience in planning, delivering and assessing training programs within the children’s services sector.

Her area of expertise is curriculum and assessment, child development, health and safety and professional practice issues; she has delivered this training through a wellestablished National voluntary childcare organisation called the Border Counties Child Care Network in Ireland.

Lynne has experience in transitioning services into a new quality system as this was her role in Ireland. (Ireland also evolved into a new national quality framework). We are very fortunate to have Lynne join our team as she brings a wealth of knowledge and has made us aware of how similar our worlds are within children’s services. Worldwide there is focus on creating the best outcomes for children and supporting continuous improvement in the quality of care and education being offered.

Lynne’s role as PSC Quality Consultant is to: • develop a mentoring program for leaders within the sector; • support services to transition into the NQF; • coordinate NQF resource development; and

Implementing an Aboriginal Perspective into Early Childhood Environments 8

The publication “Implementing an Aboriginal Perspective into Early Childhood Environments” by the Centre for Community Child Health and the Royal Children’s Hospital provides a timely reminder on inclusive practice on Aboriginal

BISS BISS provides bicultural inclusion support to early and middle childhood services to support the inclusion of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CaLD), humanitarian refugee children and indigenous children.

Examples of support provided by BISS include: • assistance in communicating with families and children from diverse cultural backgrounds; • assistance in understanding the cultural backgrounds, experiences and child rearing practices of a child and their family; and • building the cultural competence of educators through professional development workshops.

Who can seek BISS support?

Access to BISS support is provided free of charge to childhood services approved for Child Care Benefit, and for those services that fall under the Budget Based Funding Program.

For enquiries email biss@childaustralia.org.au or contact your Inclusion Support Agency.

Culture for all those working in childhood settings. A copy of this informative article can be downloaded from the PSC WA and PSC NT websites. www.pscwa.org.au and www.pscnt.org.au

C h ild c a re and Ch

VOL 11 NO 1 FEBRUARY 2008

ildren’s Health

A national program developed by the Centre for Melbourne with support from Johnson & Johnson.Community Child Health at the Royal health and wellbeing Children’s Hospital This publication promotes and current policies in families. current expert advice and practices for those who work with young children on child and their

Implementing an Abori everyday early childh ginal Perspective into any ood environment There is a great enthusiasm for learning

about Aboriginal culture and heritage in early childhood services. Carers are looking for ways to include information and present experiences in a sensitive and interesting way for children – whether there are Indigenous children in their care, or not.

As a result of this enthusiasm, and when Indigenous culture is included with respect and value, Indigenous children and families can feel a real sense of belonging and inclusion as their heritage is recognised and celebrated.

Within any early childhood setting, it is important to make people feel safe, welcome and comfortable . In

embracing the Aboriginal culture and heritage, you are making a clear commitmen t to the inclusion of Aboriginal children and their families.

The opportunities for implementing a variety of cultural experiences in everyday early childhood programs are endless and are well supported by the range of resources available through both Aboriginal specific and non-Aborigi nal organisations. Many nonIndigenous people may have little knowledge of significant sites in their area, and local Indigenous people and traditional owners of the land can be a valuable source of local knowledge. Consider inviting Elders from the local community to contribute their knowledge, skills and experience.

To avoid representing Indigenous culture and heritage in a tokenistic manner, it’s important to include Indigenous culture and heritage in everyday experiences, all through the year. Consider presenting resources and materials in the same way as for all cultures, reflecting not only Aboriginal diversity, but the diversity of all cultures in Australia.

The following are some starting point suggestions:

Storytelling

Storytelling is a very important part of Aboriginal culture, where elders, parents and grandparent s tell the young ones their Dreaming stories of how the world and features of the landscape were formed and the origins of people, animals and other living things.

They also tell children about what their lives were like

Exploring Learning Possibilities in Everyday Experiences By Caroline Fewster Exploring learning possibilities in everyday experiences is an opportunity to consider the potential in the many everyday experiences that occur in an early childhood setting, and to give these times an important place in the early childhood curricular.

It is estimated that every day experiences, such as routines and transitions, are likely to take up 50% of the time and often 80% with children under 2 years – about 1,320 hours per year. This can mean that during the pre-school years (0 – 5 years), a child in a children’s service can spend up to 6,600 hours performing everyday experiences, including arrival and departure from the service with families, group times and bathroom times, rest and lunch and packing away the learning materials throughout the day (Malenfant, 2006).

These numbers reveal the important role played by these moments in the life of a child and the necessity to devote attention to these times and explore the learning possibilities for young children and their families.

The exploration process in looking for possibilities for learning begins with reflection on the everyday experiences that already exist in the service.

Instead of expecting all children to pack away as a group, each child could choose a friend and have a particular role to play in caring for the environment.

This everyday experience promotes a sense of responsibility for the environment and an opportunity to work with a friend and a social learning experience. As well, the children’s particular roles can be displayed with photos of each child and their particular roles, so that families can view the learning that occurs in everyday experiences. Examples of roles follow: • Two children to design and present the morning tea table each day – and a bell to ring when the table setting is ready.

• Two children to pack away the outdoor learning materials – with walkie talkies to ensure they can communicate with each other during the process.

• Two children can be researchers in action – each day collecting rainfall data and temperature shifts during the day.

Many roles can be discussed with children to ensure that children are part of the decision-making process of routine, reflection and planning. The results of planning routines with children is often richness in learning possibilities that does not exist when educators plan alone.

Furthermore, co-operation increases when children are convinced they have a place and voice in the everyday experiences and in time, children may experience a sense of being an important member of a social group.

At times, children are encouraged to come together in a large group for “mat time” or “group time”. Transitioning from one everyday experience to another is often the key to encouraging children to participate in a group learning experience. There are a number of ways to encourage children to meet in a specific place: • Inviting children to tell a story to the group y presenting

each child with a small paper beg containing shapes.

Children can then begin to think about and plan their stories while the group settles together. After the mat time, each child can take the bag of shapes home to re-tell their own stories with their families – an opportunity to share the learning with families.

• Sometimes children like to know exactly where to sit in a group experience – small mats and children’s photos on the mats can be pre-prepared in a circle to assist children to know the group time expectations and to learn how much space between mats and children is comfortable for all members of the group to be able to participate in the group learning experience. Some children delight in examining their own photos .... move the mat time learning experience!!

Active involvement in learning builds children’s understanding of concepts and the creative thinking and inquiry processes that are necessary for lifelong learning.

One such concept is the art of conversation .... exploring possibilities for learning to listen to other’s perspectives, exchange ideas, communicate suggestions for future plans, perhaps thank members of the group for their contribution to the program. Educators can document regular conversations in a Conversation Book, perhaps add photos of the developing art of conversation. This book is an ongoing story of conversations and often children like to look at their contribution over and over again!

Sometimes children invite members of their families to join the conversation. One such example was recorded. In a conversation about the outdoor learning space where the grass just does not want to grow, Richard said “My Grandad can make it grown – he’s got ‘lifter’”. So Richard created with some friends an invitation to his Grandad to come and teach the group how to make the grass grow.

This new everyday experience – the conversation time in this service – has not only led to beautiful green grass planted by the children with Richard’s grandad as the chief scaffolder in enhancing children’s learning, but now as group, they are in conversation about planning a vegetable garden with ‘scarecrows and Bunnings’ things.

These possibilities invite an appreciation of the natural environment, develop environmental awareness and provide a platform for on-going environmental education. They promote opportunities for sustained share thinking and collaborative learning. EYLF (2009:16).

When children and educators plan everyday experiences together, the possibilities for learning abound in developing communication skills, literacy skills, social skills, thinking and reasoning and, most importantly, share planning gives children a message that their ideas are valued.

References Commonwealth of Australia (2009) The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia.

Farrell, A., Tayler, C., Tennent, L. (2002) Early Childhood Services. What can children tell us?

Malenfant, N. (2006) Routines & Transitions. A Guide for Early Childhood Professionals.

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are child led are the best motivators to deep level learning. Children will develop meaningful connections through the changing seasons, life cycles of plants and animals and an environment that is ever changing.

Early experiences with the natural world have been positively linked with the development of imagination and the sense of wonder (Cobb 1977, Louv 1991).

What is it about Nature?

By: Niki Buchan

Awe and Wonder To want to learn and discover we need curiosity, to have curiosity we need something that is worth being curious about. To me nature with all its complexities and variables offers adults and children the opportunity and privilege to explore and wonder.

Young children have a natural affinity and connection to nature and with this comes a curiosity about the natural world they live in; as adults we can support this instinct to discover by offering children a wide range of natural experiences both indoors and outdoors. The indoor area should include a variety of sensorial natural resources such as shells, sticks, seedpods, wooden slices, sand, water, stones and leaves that can be used in an open ended and creative manner and will engage children of all ages as they are unpredictable and are not uniform. Imagine being able to use wooden building blocks, adding sticks, sea shells and flower petals to create fairy houses. The complex sorting criteria that children will use to create these intricate houses will be more challenging than the sorting opportunities offered by a bowl of brightly coloured adults designed objects. Offering these natural resources in a variety of natural containers such as baskets, wooden trays, large sea shells, metal bowls and clay pots adds another dimension to the learners experience and is also aesthetically pleasing.

I feel that children have a right to be respected and surrounded by high quality learning resources and opportunities.

The outdoor environment offers a 10

different experience and provides a diversity of natural resources and opportunities that is hard to replicate indoors. Every indoor experience can be replicated or developed outdoors in a different way offering children greater challenge and learning opportunities. Indoor and outdoor experiences should be different and although bringing the outdoors indoors through a variety of natural resources is recommended, this is in many ways a ‘canned’ or sanitised version of nature and children should also have the opportunity to explore nature in a wilder environment where the unexpected can occur.

Bugs or dewdrops on a stick, soil caked to a stone offer variables that need additional exploration. The unpredictability of the natural world will sustain the wonder and curiosity of children, wonder is an important motivator for lifelong learning (Wilson 1997)

“Only those who look with the eyes of children can lose themselves in the object of their wonder” Eberhard Arnold I would suggest that bringing the indoor resources outdoors should be avoided – nature offers everything we need. Carpets, tables and chairs, jigsaws, plastic building blocks and books belong indoors - a natural ‘carpet’ of grass or leaves, wooden logs, broken sticks to repair and story stones would be highly motivational to the children outdoors.

Learning opportunities that are based on the children’s interest and

In my experience children and adults behave differently outside and this changes again in a ‘wild’ outdoor space. Adults will often choose an activity connected to nature when in a stressful situation – walking the dog, watering the garden, climbing a mountain are popular activities to destress! Children outdoors are often calmer and more focussed as this environment acts as a stimulus for learning through opportunities that offer challenge, problem solving, risk and the opportunity for reflection.

The outdoors can offer a sense of freedom where children do not feel as if they are bouncing off the walls – there are no physical walls! Research has shown that the exposure to natural environments improves children’s cognitive development by improving their awareness, reasoning and observational skills (Pyle 2002). Nature also offers a visually uncluttered environment with shades of green, brown and other ‘gentle’ colours from nature’s palette creating a calm and reflective space for adults and children alike. Many indoor spaces are covered in a multitude of bright colours and ‘floating’ objects which can cause distractions – I feel we can learn a lesson from nature and recreate the sense of calm by decluttering indoor spaces and classrooms.

Children who are offered long periods of uninterrupted time outdoors will settle down and creatively explore and learn while children who know that they only have a limited time outdoors will use this time to rush from one activity to another. It takes time to make good quality petal perfume and bake mud pies with a wide variety of materials!

It takes time to properly explore the properties of materials such as water, soil, sand, vegetation and pebbles.

Howard Gardner developed his theory of multiple intelligences and designated ‘nature smart’ as one of these intelligences which includes the ability to notice subtle details to identify and distinguish different species through the capacity to use multiple senses. Children will often

present us with a leaf or a stick that is interesting to them as they have noticed some minute detail we often miss. I love looking at the world through a child’s eyes!

Simon Nicholson proposed the theory of loose parts in 1971 - he believed that loose parts in a play environment empower creativity.

These loose parts are materials with no specific set of directions which allows children to use these materials as they choose and because they have the potential to be anything they have a high play affordance. Guttering, pipes, sand, stones, sticks and leaves all have a high play affordance and would be inexpensive open ended resources in any environment which could engage children for long periods of time.

As skilled adults we should enable children to have the freedom to enjoy unstructured natural play, providing physical challenges at a self-chosen level of risk. Children seek risk and challenge and again nature offers a variety of levels for children to create and experience this. They are great at self risk assessing from an early age and should be trusted to make these judgements otherwise they will loose the ability to risk assess situations. Turning over a stone, building a cubby, walking along a log, climbing a tree, using real tools, making a fire all offer exciting challenges that children could choose to undertake when they are ready to take that risk.

Platforms Redevelopment Framework Child Australia has been actively involved in the introduction of the Platforms Redevelopment Framework to Western Australia. Platforms is an evidence based service redevelopment framework designed to assist local communities engage services for children and families, and strengthen the capacity of communities to promote positive outcomes for children. Child Australia and a range of government and non-government stakeholders sponsored two half-day workshops that introduced WA to the Platforms framework. This was followed by a four day intensive training program facilitated by trainers from the Melbourne Children’s Hospitals’ Centre for Community Child Health who developed this unique community redevelopment framework. The Platforms training course involved ten participants who will go on to facilitate or support the development of early years integrated service delivery projects throughout WA.

NOSHSA Website Launch National Out of School Hours Services Association (NOSHSA) has launched a new website to support OSHC educators with the implementation of My Time, Our Place which is the key component to the NQF. The website has an online discussion forum that educators can register to participate in each discussion thread. What a great way for educators to share ideas, challenges and successes within their team and service.

To visit the website simply type: www.mytimeourplace.com

We should allow children a childhood, to be able to build childhood memories. Most of my best memories are connected to nature – I was very privileged!

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Update from Indigenous Professional Support Units NT IPSU Update (RRACSSU NT) There have been three major areas of focus for the Indigenous Professional Support Units (RRACSSU NT) this year. These include: the development of the National Quality Standards Indigenous Resource Package (NQSIRP); the introduction of My Time Our Place for Out of School Hours (OSCH) services through hands-on workshops; and consistent and frequent on the job mentoring for identified services.

The main aim of the NQSIRP is to create a foundation upon which Indigenous educators can contextualise the National Quality Standards. Resource gathering as well as consultation with individuals and communities across the NT has taken place over the past six months. The process of consultation has included the development and continuous trialling and modification of a number of activities that conceptualise the seven quality areas. Feedback from stakeholders has been enthusiastic and indicates that the NQSIRP will be an important and culturally relevant resource for indigenous educators. RRACSSU North and Central have been integral to the development of the NQSIRP.

YIPSU Reflection on Diversity EYLF Principle 4: Respect for Diversity

Different skin colour and ways of dressing are easy to see. Different beliefs and ways of learning are much harder to see and to understand.

Building respectful relationships with lots of listening is a good way to start.

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Diversity is about people and their many differences. We know that we all have differences: physical differences, gender differences, differences in cultures, languages, family types and traditions, and ways of raising children.

Some differences are obvious and others can be hidden. We can’t always tell, for example, if a person has a disability or know their ancestry just by looking at them. The EYLF asks us to respect children, their families and communities , and to acknowledge and celebrate their special and particular abilities and backgrounds. We also have the job of teaching this respect for difference to the children in our services. This is not always easy. We need to be careful that one group or family does not feel their right to be respected is being ignored because of the way we include or respect another group.

Critical and post-structuralist theories are useful to guide our practice.

Different Children, Different Constructions.

Educators need to assess children but useful assessments are based on knowing and respecting each child and their abilities. The ability to manipulate stickle bricks is based on many things.

To understand what is happening for each child we need to ask ourselves questions like: how often has this child had an opportunity to explore this material; do their families, and culture value this sort of activity; what is the child trying to achieve; does the child have an impairment that limits their ability? We also need to ask: do we need to add extra supports so all children have the opportunity to explore and learn from this activity; is this a useful activity for all the children?

They ask us to look carefully at our interactions, planning, programs and assessments and ask who they support and who they ignore.

Race and Ethnicity Where we come from and what we look like form a part of who we are—our being. Children and families need to see themselves reflected in early childhood settings to affirm their being and to feel a sense of belonging. In early childhood settings respect for diversity should always be evident, and in many, many forms, even when programs have children who are mainly from the same cultural group. This means including dolls with different skin tones; objects, fabrics and dress ups from many different cultures, books that show different family structures and different homes and lifestyles.

And, more than this, respect for diversity will also be evident in subtle ways, such as through the

attitudes that educators convey in body language, voice tone, and kinds of conversations that happen. By making diversity evident and talking with children about difference, we are intentionally teaching children to think about how they are including, reflecting and respecting other cultures too.

Every child has different abilities. Their ages, their interests, their families and culture and their individual strengths all affect what they can do. When we respond to children in their uniqueness, as individuals, we support them to belong, to be, and to become in the way that is best for them.

Ability

Children who have disabilities are also individuals with strengths and abilities and are on the journey of developing and becoming. Our job as early childhood educators is to see children as children and not as a bunch of abilities or disabilities that we can label. This is why we use ‘children first’ language and refer to children with disabilities—not disabled children, a child with autism not an autistic child.

Yorganop Indigenous Professional Support Unit is funded by DEEWR to assist eligible Aboriginal Early Childhood Services to provide high quality education and care. We also support Aboriginal children and staff in mainstream services. Our monthly YIPSU news contains news and information. If you would like to receive a copy via email, send us an email at: admin@yipsuwa.org.au or phone 9321 9090

Inclusive Practice Kits

Programming Using Technology By: Louise Strode-Penny The growing appetite for early childhood educators to collect a range of evidence of individual and group learning gives rise to conversations about the potential for existing and emerging technologies.

As educators shift the focus of their documentation processes and products from a record-keeping to a learning mentality, there are numerous opportunities to exploit the digital features of new and simple tools and applications.

As educators explore this potential and learn to manipulate the digital environment, they will realize that this is a unique space for making children’s thinking and learning visible. This dynamic environment also provides scope for “just in time” communication between educators and families –where communication can be more creative and reciprocated.

The proposal of an Educator Digital Tool Box is one worth exploringthis tool box contains simple and inexpensive technologies and applications to create, store, build upon and share children’s learning in exciting visual ways.

This documentation can then be accessed from multiple sites, where digital objects can be manipulated and learning can be revisited, interpreted and reflected on toward the creation of future learning contexts.

References: Child Australia is evolving the way we provide multicultural resources to the early childhood education and care sector. We are currently developing Inclusive Practice Kits for all services across Western Australia and the Northern Territory. These Inclusive Practice Kits will include resources to be used with children for storytelling and will include puppets, books, discussion cards and costumes as well as musical instruments, CD’s, puzzles and games. We will include reflective practice workbooks to

encourage and provide a way for services to explore the idea of multiculturalism with children.

The items in each kit have been chosen to evoke thought about different cultures around the world and start an open dialogue between children and educators about these different cultures.

These kits will be presented to services in March 2012 as part of our cultural awareness professional development series.

REAIE (2011) “A Pedagogy of Listening” www.reaie.org.au Harvard Graduate School of Education “Project Zero” 2006 www.pzweb.harvard.edu Louise will be delivering the Professional Development workshop – Programming Using Technology on March 28th 2012 at Child Australia Malaga. Keep an eye out for further information in the January-June PSCWA Professional Development Calendar which will be distributed to services late December.

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Early Years Learning Framework National Conference Heads To The Top End Semann & Slattery in collaboration with Child Australia were pleased to bring the National Early Years Learning Framework Conference to the Top End in late October. The conference aimed to bring both inspiration and challenges to the ways in which early years educators engage with the learning framework.

Presenters who travelled from diverse states and territories shared their expertise with the audience, leaving many inspired to engage further with the document. Whilst the learning from the day cannot be captured in a short few sentences, it is worthy to note that many of the participants, who totalled in excess of 160, felt that it never too late to engage with the document and challenge others to rise the wonderful richness of the early years learning framework.

Getting some practical ideas…and being inspired by Kerryn Jones from Roxby Downs Kindergarten, South Australia

Highlights shared by participants All of the speakers were inspirational. But I especially liked the two speakers Janet Robertson & Kerryn Jones probably because they still work with under 5’s. Their stories and reasoning about EYLF were thought provoking yet simple!

Educators Michelle Shaw, Alana Kirby, Prudence D’Mello, Perly Malapitan, Marion Donohue

It was great to see so many representatives from Alice Springs, it provided a wonderful chance to network and talk about our experiences and where we are all at, which we can continue on with. We all know each other but never really have the opportunity to meet in groups like we did. The conference was a real motivating booster and made us all think about what we do!

The exciting presentations that provoke many conversations I overheard.

People seem to realise this is not as hard as at first it seemed!

What were the key messages participants took away?

I really appreciated the notion of applying the EYLF outcomes to ourselves as educators. For each of us to feel a sense of belonging, being and becoming in an environment that sees the educators as researchers, co collaborators, practitioners and pedagogistas. I left wondering whether our educators had a real sense of identity and belonging within our centre. I realised that the EYLF was an opportunity for each of us to explore, test out, reflect upon, allowing for growth both professionally and personally. That it was not just simply a framework for our children, but a vehicle for each of us, including families to use to learn more about ourselves, one another and our unique place in the world.

Educators Glenda Stevens, Emma Pope, Jessica Booth

The key messages were that there is no wrong or right way to do this and its a trial and error process that includes lots of different people. Another key message was also about evaluating oneself and what we’re doing as this can sometimes be overlooked.

Some key messages were: Don’t forget the awe factor, live for the now and find everything interesting, enjoy your work. - Want staff to stop putting the everyday routine cleaning etc above the children’s learning.

Encourage staff to take time out to find the awe moments every day and enjoy their jobs. Don’t waste children’s time on meaningless activities or experiences. Activities are not just to fill in time. - Want staff to think about quality activities and interactions to help enrich each child’s learning.

Encourage long periods of play and work out how not to interrupt the children’s play. Make your centre a memory palace. - Encourage staff to make the centre a place children want to come to and make happy memories.

That we all learning together and that there is no one answer to how to implement this.

Educators Michelle McArthur, Amanda DeSilva, Shama Yapamudijanselage, Charmaine Davis, Michelle Kingham 14

‘Sparkling moments’ at Christmas Time!

By: Melpo Economou

It’s that time of year again! Whether your response to this is “oh no!” or, “oh great!” you should be considering how your service could celebrate this festive season.

We may all have an idea about what Christmas looks like in Australia, but you may be amazed by some of the subtle or even major differences that take place between families, friends and communities. For example: What is eaten? Hot or cold? When and where? Beach, church, home or other? Are presents bought or made? Why are presents bought?

How are they given? How are they opened? Is a tree put up? Or, is some other ceremony conducted?

All these different traditions can lead to rich stories and avenues to explore with the families, carers and children who access your centre. Inviting a family to share a ‘sparkling moment’ in their life - a time of sharing, fun and connection can open up a whole basket of potential ideas to build on. This also helps build connection with families and can contribute to you engaging in the festive spirit.

As stated in the EYLF, respect for diversity is about ‘valuing the beliefs of families’, their ‘lifestyle choices’, the ‘differences in families’ home lives’ as well as their ‘traditional practices, heritage and ancestral knowledge.’

For example, in my country Greece our family get very excited every year at the preparation of a delicious traditional rice dish made from chicken liver, chestnuts, raisins and pine kernals. The dish takes a lot of preparation and we have to start three days in advance to soak the chestnuts before peeling them. This is a time that I get very close with my grandmother and aunties. As we join together to clean the chestnuts we start to share stories or memories of good times and of course get excited about how amazing the rice will taste once it’s ready! Meanwhile, the children in the family help with the dusting of the shortbread cookies and get the honour of

hiding a golden good luck charm at the base of a bread cake that we cut on New Year’s Day. So whether you decide to include Santa Claus, the nativity scene or decorating a Christmas tree in your service, a useful thing to remember is how is this meaningful to the children and their families?

And, have you provided a rich introduction to the activity that will help feed the children’s imagination and captivate their beautiful little minds! Remember what the festive season was like for you!

Even if certain families don’t celebrate Christmas - what other festivals do they place importance on? What traditions or activities could you enquire about and how could you include elements of these in your service? Maybe invite a parent to cook a recipe or play a song. Maybe you could build a vibrant community calendar as a display board in the foyer where all can share their ideas, recipes, traditions and songs from festivals or celebrations all over the world.

Enjoy exploring those ‘sparkling moments’ and have a great festive season!

For further ideas and suggestions, please remember your families know how they celebrate this season and will have a wealth of ideas!

Some questions you could ask: Is there a time when people come together in your family or community? For what reason? Are their any rituals or ceremonies that take place? Is there any food or form of entertainment?

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Child Australia Locations

New Resources WA The Child Australia Resource Centre has a number of resources available to members of the Resource Centre. You can request the following resources by phoning 9270 6618 or by emailing library@ childaustralia.org.au. If you would like to become a member, you can download a Resource Centre membership form from our website at www. pscwa.org.au.

Social Inclusion and the Early Years Learning Framework – a way of working / Margaret Sims (2011) Margaret Sims walks you through methods that honour the principles of the Early Years Learning Framework. It doesn’t matter if you are working with a child who is identified as having additional needs or a child who is not identified in that way.

Margaret argues that social inclusion is best achieved in the way we work with children. This book is unique among other books on EYLF as it addresses the question of inclusion and challenges readers to reflect on their own views about children development and social justice.

‘This is easy to read and understand. Relates well to the educator and explains what inclusion is. Very clear concept of what is inclusion.

Margaret Sims raises such issues as exclusion of children due to differences through race, culture, religion and disabilities.

“Her views are informative and impactful. I got the impression that someone had just hit me in the chest with their own strong view point.”

By: Susan, Inclusion Support Facilitator.

Shake A Leg / Boori Monty Pryor & Jan Ormerod (2010) This is unique picture book collaboration about having fun, sharing culture and power of story and dance. A picture book to get the whole town dancing.

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Head Office – WA

From pizza shop to bora ground, here is a joyous celebration of food, dance and cultural understanding.

of components that permits numerous combinations of tubing to fit your play environment.

When three young boys go to pizza parlour and meet an Aboriginal chef who can speak Italian and make a deadly pizza, they’re in for surprise!

Natural Playscapes

Boori Monty Pryor is a storyteller, dancer, writer and educator, and Jan Ormerod is an internationally acclaimed picture – book author and illustrator. This glorious book is the first one they have cooked up together.

Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept / Jayneen Sanders (2011) This book was written to provide children with essential skills in self – protection, and to encourage them to always speak up.

We recommend educators promote this book to parents. This book is best read by a parent in the home environment, so further dialogue can be discussed between the parent and child.

The book also has a very important message for parents – about listening to and believing children, and picking up on the indicators in a child’s behaviour that something may be wrong.

Research shows us that only 30% of adults would believe a child if they told them that they were sexually abused (Australian Childhood Foundation Report 2006). This means a child would have to tell three people before that child was believed!

To purchase this book you can visit: www.somesecrets.info

NT – Central/Southern Alice Springs Resource Library at CSSP, 1st Floor Eurilpa House, 25 Todd Mall. Open 8am-4pm Telephone Talking Tubes Allow children to build a talking tube telephone network with this set

This book will inspire you to create extraordinary outdoor play spaces for young children without highly complex play contraptions surrounded by a sea of woodchips and gravel.

NT – Northern Resource Centre

5 Carson Road Malaga WA 6090 PO Box 2562 Malaga WA 6944 Phone: (08) 9249 4333 Fax: (08) 9249 4366 CA Email: admin@childaustralia.org.au PSC Email: pscwa@childaustralia.org.au NMISA Email: nmisa@childaustralia.org.au KISA Email: kisa@childaustralia.org.au

Head Office – NT

13 Bishop Street Woolner NT 0820 PO Box: 37645 Winnellie NT 0821 Phone: (08) 8941 4966 Fax: (08) 8941 6433 Email: pscnt@childaustralia.org.au

Albany

The Link Centre Shop 10 5 St Emilie Way PO Box 517, AlbanyWA 6331 Tel: 08 9842 3163 Fax: 08 9841 8496 Email: gsisa@childaustralia.org.au

Dunsborough

Naturalist Community Centre Dunsborough Lakes Drive PO Box 1164, Dunsborough WA 6281 Tel: 08 9755 3711 Fax: 08 9755 3833 Email: swisa@childaustralia.org.au

The resource library is located at Early Childhood Australia, 71 Coonawarra Road, Winnellie.

Opening hours are 8.30am4.30pm. Membership of the library also gives you access to the members area of the PSCNT website where you will find “Policies to Go By” and other resources – www.pscnt. org.au

Geraldton

When Horse Became Saw: A Family’s Journey Through Autism

Mandurah

Author: Anthony Macris When Anthony Macris’ son was diagnosed with autism, he and his partner Kathy had two choices: do what they were told – and could afford – or do what they thought best. This is the tragic, joyful, instructive story of how they confronted the condition that changed their lives.

When Horse Became Saw is an extraordinary account of Alex’s regression and his family’s search for answers, an invaluable guide through the obstacles and decisions faced by anyone in their situation. It beautifully paints the emotional world of a father who finds himself in the strange country of autism – and something of a stranger in his own country, whose government refused to fund the therapy his son so desperately needed.

Above all it enriches our understanding of those who are profoundly different yet have so much to give.

75 Mitchell Street PO Box 2713, Geraldton WA 6530 Tel: 08 9923 2840 Fax: 08 9923 0277 Email CISA: cisa@childaustralia.org.au Email HIPPY: hippy@childaustralia.org.au

Kalgoorlie

Lotteries House Cnr Wilson & McDonald Street PO Box 10381, Kalgoorlie WA 6433 Tel: 08 9270 6620 Fax: 08 9091 6211 Email: cisa@childaustralia.org.au 63 Ormsby Terrace PO Box 3148, Mandurah WA 6210 Tel: 08 9535 1936 Fax: 08 9535 1936 Email: swisa@childaustralia.org.au

South Hedland

Lotteries House Unit 10/2 Leake Street PO Box 2491, South Hedland WA 6722 Tel: 08 9172 1722 Fax: 08 9172 3098 Email PISA: pisa@childaustralia.org.au Email WPMCS: wpmcs@childaustralia.org.au

Child Australia Training & Research Institute 5 Carson Road Malaga WA 6090 PO Box 2562 Malaga WA 6944 Phone: (08) 9249 4333 Fax: (08) 9249 4366 Email: catri@childaustralia.org.au

Bagot Community OSHC

Bagot Indigenous Community, Darwin PO Box: 37645 Winnellie NT 0821 Phone: 0450 460 423 Fax: (08) 8941 6433 Email: bagotoshc@childaustralia.org.au

Child Early Learning Centre Lockridge

36 Diana Crescent Lockridge WA 6054 Phone: (08) 9377 1676 Fax: (08) 9377 1676 Email: lockridgeelc@childaustralia.org.au

Child Lockridge OSHC

34 Diana Crescent Lockridge WA 6054 Phone: (08) 9377 1676 Fax: (08) 9377 1676 Email: lockridgeoshc@childaustralia.org.au

Farrar Early Learning Centre

3 Gurd St, Farrar NT 0830 Phone: (08) 9249 4333 Email: farrarelc@childaustralia.org.au

Australia