Early Edition Spring 2015 by Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland

EarlyEdition SPRING 2015

Managing childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behaviour during group time Inclusivity inside and outside the classroom The intrinsic nature of food and mood Childs play is learning for life

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Insurance issued by Guild Insurance Ltd, ABN 55 004 538 863, AFSL 233791 and subject to terms, conditions and exclusions. Guild Insurance supports your association through the payment of referral fees. This document contains general advice only and doesn’t take into account what you currently have, want and need for your personal circumstances. It is important for you to consider these matters and read the Product Disclosure Statement. GLD3248 Children’s accident protection press ad 06/2015.

EarlyEdition SPRING 2015

Cover Photo: Bright Beginnings Child Edu-Care.

ACA Queensland

Contents

Location: 11/6 Vanessa Boulevard, Springwood Mailing: PO Box 137, Springwood QLD 4127 Telephone: (07) 3808 2366 Fax: (07) 3808 2466 Toll Free: 1300 365 325 (outside Brisbane) Web: www.qld.childcarealliance.org.au Email: qld@childcarealliance.org.au

President’s Report

CEO Report

Sustainable Practices

Childs play is learning for life

Disclaimer: Articles published in this magazine are published as a service to readers and should not be substituted for specific advice in relation to any issue. While advertising in this magazine is encouraged, ACA Queensland accepts no responsibility for the contents of the advertisements. Advertisements are accepted in good faith and liability for advertising content, goods or services supplied is the responsibility of the advertiser.

How do I “manage” children’s behaviour during group time?

Inclusivity inside and outside the classroom: Getting families onboard

Helping children grow towards a healthy future

Guarding against doorway finger injuries

Educator in profile

A word on leasing: What are “Outgoings”?

The intrinsic nature of food and mood

Fair Work Ombudsman focuses on Child Care sector

Three reasons some educators are lacking motivation

ACA Qld 2015 National Conference

Associate Member Directory

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Executive

Committee Members

ACA Queensland Office

President - Jae Fraser

Majella Fitzsimmons

Office Manager - Jen Smyth

Vice President - Brent Stokes

Kerrie Lada

Office Admin Assistant - Rachael Boatfield

Treasurer - Linda Davies

Peter Price

KASS Project Manager - Linda McConville

Secretary - Debra North

Prue Turnbull

Project Officer - Claudette Cabilan

CEO - Gwynn Bridge

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

President’s Report What a busy few months it has been for everyone in the early childhood education and care sector, not only in Queensland but also across the country. The ACA Qld team are still recovering after the largest, most successful conference to date with over 1400 people attending over the three days in Brisbane. We are so proud of the result. We have reviewed the feedback from all delegates and exhibitors, and overwhelmingly, the positive feedback shows that you love it and we are giving you what you want and need out of a National Conference. I want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to our incredible conference committee, Jen Smyth and her team, and everyone else who ensured a brilliant weekend for all. We want to send a big thank you to all of our major sponsors, without whom our conference would not be as special as it was. We also thank all of our sponsors and exhibitors for their contribution to the annual event. If you have any suggestions, ideas or further feedback to help make our future conferences even better, please let us know. We were very excited to announce the venue of the 2016 ACA Qld National Conference to be held on the Gold Coast in June and we already have some incredible keynote presenters lined up as well as even more exciting breakout sessions. We are already working hard and planning the 2016 National Conference and it’s going to be just as big, so keep your eyes peeled and be sure to get in quick so you don’t miss out on any events.

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

We are working on rolling out further professional development for our members, keep a close eye on our emails and website for fantastic professional development opportunities that are coming out all across Queensland that you can access as members of ACA Qld. We have plenty of topics available by webinar and we are still busy taking bookings for our educator mentoring program, if you have not registered for this yet please do as it is a very valuable program. We are keeping a very close eye on all developments with the government’s Child Care Assistance Package and will be sure to keep you all up to date with any changes or progression with this. Our national body, Australian Childcare Alliance, has been meeting with key ministers, MPs and senators regularly to communicate member feedback and to raise our concerns. The ACA Qld Management Committee is working very closely with ACA to ensure that Queensland families and children are not worse off by the changes and to ensure that Queensland’s voice is heard loud and clear.

We hope that you had the chance to attend the Regulation Impact Statement for the Childcare Assistance Package consultation sessions that were held across Australia over the last few months. ACA Qld submitted a response in partnership with the national body and this can be found on our website under Submissions in the Member section. We hope that your Early Childhood Educators Day celebrations on Wednesday 2 September were a testament of the important role that you play in educating and caring for tomorrow’s leaders. Please download the ACA Qld app from the App Store and Google Play to keep updated on the latest news and upcoming events. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing all of your photos and stories of how you celebrated Early Childhood Educators Day.

Jae Fraser President

CEO Report I have just returned from a wonderful month of holidays with my family and it is good to be back! Our position on the Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) of the Child Care Package was submitted and is available on our website under the Member section. Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) is grateful to all services that provided input to ensure that we could confidently relay your position to Government. We urge you to read this submission and let us know your views. ACA still has concerns regarding the lack of information on the number of families who will be worse off under the proposed funding model. In my absence, the ACA Vice President and ACA NSW President met with key politicians to discuss our concerns. I will be in Canberra to meet with the Department of Social Services on the Child Care Assistance Package and also to attend a meeting of peak bodies. We will keep you informed through our weekly Early Edition newsletter. As yet, we have not had any feedback from our response on the RIS for proposed options for changes to the National Quality Framework. I will be meeting with ACECQA and I will seek information on the progression of the proposed options that were put forward in their document. Despite the ongoing efforts of ACA and state presidents in alerting our governments and authorities of the impact that the 2016 ratio changes will have on affordability for families, ACECQA has advised the implementation of these changes to commence 1 January 2016. The barriers that we experienced were threefold: 1. The structure of COAG with four states/territories currently operating under National Standard regulations 2. Other peak bodies supporting the changes and implementation date

3. State Education Ministers must reach agreement under the National Partnership and a delay was not supported. The Federal Minister cannot determine the outcomes of COAG. In less than four months the ratio changes come into effect. If you haven’t considered the implementation of this new requirement, please come along to our member meetings to discuss your concerns or contact our office. This increase in staff:child ratios will have a cost impact on families as services meet the requirement to employ additional educators to maintain licensed capacity and meet occupancy demands. Generally, occupancy is lower in the beginning of the year which will allow us time to assess our requirements in each group to consider the overall employment of additional educators. Remember your staff:child ratios are calculated across the service. New ratios apply for: • children older than 24 months and younger than 36 months at centrebased services in NSW, QLD and SA. • ACA Qld: In Queensland if you have had approval to operate a 1:5 ratio for the 15 months – 2 years age group that will remain at 1:5 until 2018 http://bit.ly/1FrOHTF • children older than 36 months up to and including preschool age for all centre-based services in QLD and VIC.

standard maintained is extremely high and we certainly intend to maintain it. The number of students enrolled is increasing and we have extended our services into North Queensland. The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has now released its report on its National Strategic review on Training. This document is available for you to access on www.asqa.gov.au. The Kindergarten funding will continue for two more years in its current form and we are closely following this, particularly in view of the White Paper to be released on the Reform of the Federation. This process is analysing the duties of states and the Australian Government and assessing overlap of delivery between different layers of government and inefficiency involved. Our concern is that into the future, the current funding for Kindergartens through the National Partnership Agreement could be rolled into the states’ education funding buckets. We will be discussing this with our State Government. We do hope that you have a wonderful end to 2015. Please become involved with the training we are providing and also to attend the next round of member meetings and our Annual General Meeting on 28 September 2015. Our members are the association and networking together has always made us a very strong state in advocacy. We must continue to ensure our voice is heard.

• preschools in ACT, NT and SA. • family day care services in QLD. See more at: http://bit.ly/1EJAS8l Our College, the College for Australian Early Childhood Educators (CAECE), has our first students graduating soon. We are extremely proud of the College and our students as the

Gwynn Bridge CEO

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

Chook Hilton

Sustainable Practices Bernadette Leedham> Cribb Street Childcare Centre

Michelle and Houdini

Cribb Street Childcare Centre is a community based centre and has been a part of the community for nearly 40 years. Many changes have happened over the past four years with us dedicating the last 12 months to exploring sustainability on a whole different level. Four years ago we started our sustainable journey with the basic recycle bins, compost bins, worm farm, chooks and a small vegetable garden. Just the basics. We soon discovered there are so many more levels to explore. The journey has been like taking steps in a never ending ‘green’ journey. As we take one step we think of another step to explore and add to our practices then another and another. Today we feel we are still only at the beginning of our journey as we begin to implement elements of permaculture. One of the steps we have implemented has been extending the cycle of our chickens. The chickens are given scraps to eat, which then as we all know, produce poo. This mixes with and also breaks down the bedding straw in the chicken pen. The bedding straw mix then gets placed into our two compost bins. The compost in turn breaks down again and can be

placed into our garden beds where we have been growing a great abundance of foods. These foods are then incorporated into the meals we supply and cooking experiences with the children. Scraps from our meals are then given back to the chooks again. And so the cycle continues. Another great by-product is of course eggs. Scraps like dairy, meat, bread and citrus go into a CLO’ey compost machine which produces concentrated compost in 48hrs. We then sell this compost to our families and the community. As part of our journey we went looking for natural alternatives to chemicals used in our environment. We utilise our citrus skins as they aren’t able to compost or be fed to the chickens. We place the skins in the freezer then once a week, in a bucket of water, we soak them for about 24 hours to extract the oil out of the skins. These skins can then be placed in our conventional compost bins and the liquid is placed in a spray

bottle/watering can and sprayed over our sandpits as a cat deterrent. A byproduct is that it makes them all smell rather nice. Last summer our plants struggled greatly and we lost a lot due to the heat to water ratio and so we have been trialling a different form of garden beds. Our new wicking beds are self-watering and we have found them to be successful so far this year. Summer will be the big test. Citrus trees are now growing in our courtyard and we use the citrus fruits picked from them as well as a variety of seasonal vegetables from our garden beds in our menus for the children’s meals. Recently the children helped pick four kilograms of tomatoes from our gardens and our Kindergarten group made tomato sauce to go with their homemade sausage rolls for their lunch, also using herbs from our sensory gardens.

Our produce

Self watering bed placed in semi shade for the lettuce 4

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

Parent notice board notifing parents of planting events

Herb garden and bird bath to attract birds and butterflys

When weeding our gardens we place the weeds in a bucket with water and let sit for up to four weeks. This creates a weed bucket solution which then becomes high in bacterial organisms and plant nutrients. We then dilute the solution and put it back into our gardens. Australia has just had a ‘plastic free’ month and as a part of reducing the plastic, we looked at the amount of plastic we come into contact with. We challenged our educators to bring their lunches and drinks in “no plastic” for 2 weeks to become familiar with the different plastics our food and drink has contact with. This continuous process of gaining knowledge regarding permaculture has been a great learning tool for our children, educators, families and our community. Earlier this year we handed out a survey to our educators and families regarding permaculture and one of the questions was, “What is Permaculture”. Not many knew the answer to this question and we feel this has changed our way of thinking. “What is the difference between organic and permaculture?” Basically permaculture uses organic gardening and farming practices but it goes beyond these practices, integrating the garden and home to create a lifestyle that impacts less on the environment. Organic farming promotes the use of natural fertilisers, making use of the natural carbon cycle so that waste from plants becomes the

CLO’ey Composter

food (fertiliser) of another. In organic farming however, as with ALL farming, minerals are being lost from the farm every time a truck load of produce is carted to market. Permaculture goes one step further. Permaculture brings production of food closer to consumers and the consumer’s wastes back into the cycle. It also reduces the energy wasted in transporting the foods by producing the foods where the people are. In permaculture the people contribute in their daily life toward the production of their food and other needs. If we are expecting our children to leave the world in a better state than they found it, then we need to give them the skills to implement the change. The first five years of life are your foundation for the rest of your life so we need to get it right while they are young.

and recognise the whole cycle of food i.e. food does not just come from the supermarket in a bottle or packet. WE CHALLENGE YOU, YOUR FAMILIES AND YOUR COMMUNITY TO EXPLORE THE PERMACULTURE JOURNEY YOURSELVES!

What’s next for Cribb Street? ✔ We are applying for grants to change our lighting to a more sustainable wattage. We will then look at getting solar panels to reduce our energy required from the grid and therefore fossil fuels. ✔ We have applied for a grant for another CLO’ey composter ✔ We are looking at squat tanks to go under the centre to catch some of the stormwater runoff

This is an inspiring journey to be on, for us as educators to have taken our knowledge and skills we learnt at home and have continued our journey with the inclusion of our families and friends.

✔ We want to supply over three quarters of our vegetables for our nutritious meals

Our children have even gone home telling parents about the gardening skills that we encourage them to have. Parents have continued the children’s journey at home planting herbs and small vegetables. We cook with the children using our produce like our tomato sauce for our home made sausage rolls so that the children are able to associate with

✔ We want to extend our garden/ wicking beds

✔ We are about to embark in Aquaponics in the next few weeks

✔ We are reviewing our wastage e.g. handtowels and looking at alternatives, printing versus keeping electronic files ✔ Bees and honey

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

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Childs play is learning for life

Ben Urban > Urban Play

There is no doubt that the best investment we can make in the future of welfare and prosperity is through the education of young children. The focus on high quality day care and schools accordingly is high, and interest in premium quality educational offerings to stimulate play and learning is growing rapidly.

children need to be emotionally balanced to learn in the first place, with play proving a highly effective means of gaining or regaining emotional balance.

In the quest to improve childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health and education, it is all too easy to overlook one obvious fact - children actually enjoy being active!

Children learn through education, but they also learn in life. Take motor skills for example, which tend to be under-challenged today due to sedentary lifestyles, but constitute the very fundamentals of life skills. Teachers often talk about a deficit of emotional intelligence in many children today which include an understanding of nature and social interaction. Playground play stimulates these valuable life skills, as children learn to communicate, coordinate, be tolerant and manage conflicts.

More and more research has been conducted on the topic with conclusions suggesting that physical activity and cognitive alertness are intrinsically intertwined. When children are physically active, they show increased learning and behavioural capabilities, through improved alertness and attention management. Some surveys even suggest that certain activities and curriculum can be traded for free outdoor play without harming learning and educational performance. Many studies are still being conducted in this field, but one thing is certain:

As children have different cognitive capacities at different stages of life, toddler play equipment and areas should be specifically designed with this in mind. Essential for their

overall development, toddlers need to relate to the world around them and ultimately understand it. The coordination of gross motor skills and spatial understanding is trained when moving through a variety of play spaces, while hand-eye coordination and balance is stimulated through varied tactile input and manipulations such as moving up and down, twisting and turning, opening and closing. If children are given a well-equipped play area in the right location, it is hard to keep them away. By increasing the areas for free play activity, we offer our children the possibility of being physically active without competition and formal instruction. Furthermore we stimulate their creativity, social and emotional wellbeing while promoting not only a healthy future but valuable skills for life. www.urbanplay.com.au

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

How do I “manage” children’s behaviour during group time? Sandi Barrett > Phoenix Support for Educators

Children’s behavioural learning needs to be guided, supported and encouraged, NOT managed. Children “behave” as they do because they are human. Whether that behaviour is in line with expectations or not, does not deem it “appropriate” or “inappropriate”. Children’s behaviour serves a need, a function, a purpose. To truly support behavioural growth and development, it is the role of the educator to determine underlying reasons for behaviour and guide children to meet these needs in ways that are expected in the education and care environment. Sometimes, this requires educators to adapt their program, routines, environments, and quite often, their pedagogy. As a consultant who understands children’s behaviour, I am often asked to visit ECEC settings when educators feel that a child’s behaviour is disruptive to a learning environment.

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

More often than not, most of these behavioural challenges occur at “group time” or “rest time”. Quite often, there is a small boy or group of boys who prefer not to sit still, they move fast, hit hard, bump into others, use the furniture in ways that are not “expected”, spin quickly through the day on their own agenda. I wonder why it would be expected that a little person who learns what he needs to learn at this point in time by moving his body very fast is required to sit on a scratchy piece of carpet with a dozen other bodies to listen to an educator rattle on about days of the week or V is for Violin. This is not a behaviour to be “managed”. Attempting to have “power over” this child, forcing him to sit at that group time, teaches him nothing

other than compliance, and arguably, compliance is not a necessary or desirable trait to instil in children. This is a conversation for another day, but in short – educators may choose to teach cooperation and consideration, rather than compliance and obedience (Louise Porter says this best, visit her website for some great readings www.louiseporter.com. au). Through reflective conversation, I encourage educators to have power with this child (as opposed to power over), to discover his interests and his unique way of learning, to focus on this child’s strengths, as well as his challenges, ultimately, to make curriculum decisions that will “maximise opportunities for each child’s learning” (NQS 1.1.3).

Before the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), I didn’t have a framework that validated my opinion to ditch group time. Group time is quite often a practice that still exists in ECEC because it “has always been done that way”. Through reflective conversations that examine our intentionality, and implementation of the National Quality Framework, it is interesting to have discourse around times of the day that may be creating behavioural challenges. If group time is identified as a behavioural trigger, during these reflective conversations, some educators are relieved to have a moment to consider doing away with this sometimes torturous time of the day. You have been set free by your EYLF, “Intentional teaching is the opposite of teaching by rote or continuing with traditions simply because things have ‘always’ been done that way” (EYLF, p5). If group times are challenging for you, give yourself permission to be flexible, innovative and creative. Ask yourself:

Why do I conduct a group time? Whose needs does group time meet? How could I do things differently to maximise opportunities for each child’s learning? When group times have been identified as a behavioural trigger (which is, of course, not always), it is time to reflect on your practice and make some changes. Doing away with set group times, allowing children to group together with an educator spontaneously or voluntarily, respects children’s flow and involvement, rather than adhering to strict routine that repeatedly triggers behavioural escalations. It is beautiful to see many educators now offering spontaneous invitations to learn, as opposed to set compulsory group times that potentially interrupt play and flow.

By definition, Intentional teaching involves educators “being deliberate, purposeful and thoughtful in their decisions and action” (EYLF, p5), intentional teaching is NOT programming activities for whole groups of children. You are not judged on how much you can teach children at group time or by the way you “manage” children’s behaviour in groups. You are encouraged to value learning through play, have high expectations of children, reflect on your practice and be intentional. Do it! www.phoenix-support.com.au Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PhoenixSFE Join Closed Group Forums for Educators: facebook.com/groups/ forumforeducators facebook.com/groups/ educatorsengagingwitheducators

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

Solving the Childcare Puzzle What is my centr wort e h?

What is the best way to sell?

How do I attract a buyer?

Who are the buyers and what are they paying?

What is the best time to sell?

What is due diligence?

How can I minimise disruption to daily operations?

What information should I provide?

What regulatory processes need to be followed?

If you are contemplating selling your centre and need help solving the childcare puzzle, contact John Wall and his team today for a no obligation, completely confidential discussion. Phone 1300 851 331 or email john.w@totalchildcaresolutions.com.au www.foundationearlylearning.com.au

www.totalchildcaresolutions.com.au

Inclusivity inside and outside the classroom: Getting families onboard Lara Cain Gray > Global Kids Oz

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) encourages educators to create inclusive multicultural classroom environments. Luckily, there is a greater diversity of resources available than ever before to help us guide children towards acceptance and understanding of their own cultural heritage and the many exciting similarities and differences they can observe in other cultures. Like all aspects of education, however, children’s understanding of issues around diversity and multiculturalism is informed as much by their home environment as their classroom. Educators try to work in partnership with families to support children’s learning and development; but cultural identity can be a sensitive issue. What’s more, diverse languages and cultural mores can limit just how much of a connection educators are able to make with parents and carers. So, as an educator, how can you help foster an environment of inclusive learning and multicultural acceptance inside AND outside the classroom? Creating inclusive communities Parents and carers expect children to have a range of educational experiences in an early education environment, like literacy and numeracy exposure, building social awareness and developing motor skills. Child care services, kindys and primary schools are also a major site of personal development for parents and carers, who are learning to adapt to the requirements of the education system and seeking support from educators and other families as they raise their children. One of the biggest challenges for services and schools is to foster a supportive family network within a diverse community, where family groups may have difficulty communicating with educators, or each other. There can be a tendency for families who share a language, religion or culture to band together into their own support networks. This is only logical and, indeed, necessary in many ways, but it can work against the aims of an educator to encourage their class group to embrace diversity.

Of course, educators are not responsible for the social lives of parents, nor what goes on in the family home. There are, however, some activities and understandings educators can bring to the wider service or school community to help foster an inclusive culture that extends beyond the classroom. Everyone is welcome here Firstly, a policy of respect and acceptance needs to underpin all class activities. Consider creating a slogan or ‘class motto’ that can be displayed within the room and also included in service newsletters or noticeboards. Something simple like ‘Always treat others as you would like them to treat you’ can be effective. Or even just ‘Everyone is welcome here’. Perhaps you could consider having this translated into several of the most common home languages in your community. Encourage your class group to learn this ‘rule’ in other languages and share it with their families. A community noticeboard Many classrooms include an informative noticeboard for families, displaying the day’s activities or routines. This can be extended to offer space for promotion of inclusive information. Consider sourcing: • Flyers for local language classes or conversation groups • Ads for local multicultural playgroups or story sessions (ask your local library!) • A calendar of events including religious holidays and national days from across the world • Photos of children and their families attending weekend or extracurricular activities, like sports, dancing or church groups • A list of fetes or fundraisers taking place at other schools or community centres in your area.

Encourage families to share information from their own cultural community groups so that everyone – kids and adults alike – can get a better understanding of the vibrant diverse perspectives on offer in their own classroom. Respecting difference and understanding your limitations Respect for difference also means not forcing anyone to participate in something that goes against their beliefs. Some children will not celebrate Christmas, may never attend a birthday party, do not eat certain foods or may not attend playdates on a Sunday for cultural reasons. As an educator, it may help to remind families that these beliefs are valid and not a sign of ‘rudeness’. Some ideas include: • Ask every child to think of one special occasion that their family celebrates every year. This might range from religious feast days, to birthday parties, to football finals! Make this into a colourful poster or print-out to be sent home and discussed. • Invite families to share their special events in the classroom by making or describing the particular food, clothing, music or stories that form part of their unique celebration. Importantly, remember that no one child (or parent) can speak on behalf of an entire culture; even those who share a language or religion don’t necessarily share other beliefs. It’s this fundamental understanding that we are ALL different and ALL have unique cultural experiences to share, that helps us – and our children – embrace diversity. Global Kids Oz (www.globalkidsoz. com.au) stocks a huge range of creative multicultural educational resources. JJ Stranan and her team are happy to help you find the right teaching tools for your family or classroom to celebrate culture throughout the year. E: culture@ globalkidsoz.com.au P: 04489 46463 EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

Helping children grow towards a healthy future Rose Hughes and Aloysa Hourigan > Food Foundations - An NAQ Nutrition Program

We all want children to reach their full potential. This includes optimising their ability to learn, be physically active, and achieve healthy growth and development. As an educator you can influence healthy eating and physical activity early in life to provide a positive impact on children’s health, development and wellbeing.

develop healthy eating habits and include active play into their daily lives. There’s no denying that early childhood educators take on many roles, whether that be:

What role can early childhood settings play in developing healthy lifestyle habits for children?

• Role modelling a healthy lifestyle

Early childhood settings provide ideal environments to help children

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

• Implementing policies at settings that promote nutritious and safe food

• Being a source of information for parents; as well as • Providing opportunities for children to be physically active and engage in healthy behaviours. National guidelines such as the Healthy Eating and Physical Activity guidelines for Early Childhood Settings (Get up & Grow) support educators and Early Childhood

Education and Care (ECEC) settings to ensure all children have the best possible start in life. Putting the Get Up and Grow Guidelines into practice Consider for a moment how you might help children like Emily and Noah . . . . Emily has just been enrolled in your early childhood setting and has a number of allergies and intolerances (self diagnosed by her parents) and would rather sit and draw than play outside. Noah is an 18 month old boy in your care who still uses a bottle and has speech development problems due to a high intake of ‘squeezy foods’. How would you help Emily and Noah? Would you like to explore strategies on how to help Emily, Noah and other children in your setting, and how to integrate nutrition and physical activity into your programming? LEAPS (Learning.Eating.Active Play.Sleep) is a free professional development program that utilises a range of case studies to explore what changes can be made by early childhood services to support health and wellbeing for children in their care. The program provides a pathway for you to explore new ideas and strategies to ensure a supportive environment for children such as Emily and Noah. You will also learn some fun active play games that you can do in your setting! The LEAPS program is delivered by NAQ Nutrition face to face, or as an online program. It provides early childhood educators with the knowledge, skills and confidence to implement the Get Up & Grow guidelines in their setting. Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate and gain full access to the LEAPS support service. Integrating the National Quality Standards and Early Years Learning Framework, LEAPS supports educators to demonstrate commitment to the Quality Standards and to identify areas for improvement. The LEAPS program supports services to complete their own Quality Improvement Plan by gathering ideas, strategies, and practical information that can be integrated across the quality areas, such as to foster children’s health, build collaborative partnerships with families and enrich children’s learning and opportunities for the best start in life.

What educators have said about the LEAPS program

“I feel more confident in creating active games for the children for the appropriate age groups and what resources I can access to do this” “Knowing the recommended daily intake for children and their ages, l will provide more up to date knowledge to families” “I really enjoyed the training and will go back to my service armed with lots of knowledge and ideas around nutrition and physical activity” Ongoing Support for LEAPS participants Upon completion of the program educators have access to the full LEAPS Support Service, which includes many resources and tools to assist settings in implementing the Get Up & Grow guidelines as well as phone and email access to qualified nutritionists, dietitians and physical activity experts. Over 2000 ECEC staff have completed the LEAPS program which is now into its second year. The LEAPS program has been funded until mid 2016 so make sure you take advantage of this free professional development opportunity!

The goal of the Get Up & Grow guidelines is to: • Encourage appropriate fluids for children (breastfeeding, infant formula and water) • Promote the offering of healthy food choices to children • E ncourage children to eat to their own appetites • D evelop positive attitudes towards selecting food and enjoy eating • Support making play a priority • E ncourage early childhood educators, carers and families to provide frequent play opportunities in a positive environment.

Free resources and fact sheets including Active Play Cards are available on the LEAPS Support Service at www.naqld.org/category/ resources-fact-sheets?leaps. Are you interested in participating in the LEAPS program? For more information visit the LEAPS website at www.naqld.org/ product/leaps-training. To participate in the training online visit training. naqnutrition.org/courses/leaps or contact the LEAPS team on 1300 763 452 or email LEAPS@naqld.org. LEAPS is funded by the Queensland Government through a partnership between Queensland University of Technology (QUT), NAQ Nutrition and Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER).

Here are a few healthy eating and physical activity promotion tips to get you started: 1. Offer and talk about new/ different types of vegetables at meal and snack times 2. Grow some vegetables; use them in cooking activities 3. Use ‘Get Up & Grow’ recommendations and guidelines as a key reference point in setting policies for daily practice 4. Program some time for unstructured play 5. Use a variety of methods to communicate healthy food/ nutrition messages to families and carers including posters, e-newsletters, holding a ‘nutrition and healthy eating’ week and planning fun learning activities

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

Child Care Super understands the early learning industry. They helped me with a compliance audit and their clearing house saves paperwork.

childcaresuper.com.au Guild Trustee Services Pty Limited. ABN 84 068 826 728. AFS Licence No. 233815. RSE Licence No. L0000611 as Trustee for Child Care Super. Fund Registration No. R1000030 ABN 22 599 554 834. Child Care Superâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Clearing House solution is provided by MercerSpectrum. MercerSpectrum and the online service are products issued by Mercer Outsourcing (Australia) Pty Ltd ABN 83 068 908 912. AFSL 411980. Before deciding about any financial product you should consider the relevant PDS obtainable by calling GuildSuper on 1800 060 215. Guild Trustee Services ABN 84 068 826 728 AFSL No. 233815. Trustee for Child Care Super (part of the Guild Retirement Fund) ABN 22 599 554 834 is Guild Trustee Services Pty Ltd ABN 84 068 826 728. AFSL 233815.

Guarding against doorway finger injuries The team at Guild Insurance

Guild Insurance continues to receive reports of serious injuries to children’s fingers due to them being caught in doorways at early learning services. It may surprise you to learn that these injuries are often quite severe and may require long term medical treatment. Case Example 1 A staff member closed a door behind her. On hearing a scream she noticed a child next to the door who was bleeding from the hand. The door had been closed on the child’s finger resulting in the amputation of the fingertip. Case Example 2 A child’s finger was caught in a closing bathroom door; the child was alone at the time. The child’s finger was fractured and required surgery. Case Example 3 A staff member heard crying and noticed a child was bleeding heavily. Another child said her finger was caught in a door they had closed. There was a large gash on the child’s finger and stitches were required. The Education and Care Services National Law states that all staff have a responsibility to protect children from harm and from any hazard likely to cause an injury. Whilst unfortunately we can’t guarantee incidents causing injury won’t occur, early learning centres must ensure their service is safe.

TIPS FOR MAKING DOORWAYS SAFER IN YOUR EARLY LEARNING CENTRE: • Inspect all doors in your centre and assess the risk to children with each door. This should be done regularly as risks can change over time. When doing so, consider the appropriateness of each door. Are they heavy and therefore close with great force? Are they fast closing? This should be looked at in conjunction with the location of each door. Are there high risk doors in areas that children regularly use? • Install door guards or protectors as these are a very effective and relatively inexpensive method of reducing injuries to fingers. There are a range of options available to suit different door types, all aimed at preventing fingers being caught in either hinge or handle sides of doors. These are also designed to fit both hinged and sliding doors. • Educate all staff about the risk of fingers being caught in doors and the need to always be aware of children nearby when opening and closing doors. • Communicate with the families who use your service about the risks posed by doors. Some incidents have occurred when a family member, such as a parent, has closed a door not realising there were children nearby. • Place signs around the centre, particularly near doors, reminding staff and any visitors to the centre to be mindful of children when opening or closing doors.

Guild Insurance Limited ABN 55 004 538 863, AFS Licence No. 233 791. This article contains information of a general nature only, and is not intended to constitute the provision of legal advice. Guild Insurance supports your Association through the payment of referral fees for certain products or services you take out with them. EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

Educator in profile

Bryony Blanchard is the kindergarten teacher at Bindarra Daycare in Booval, Queensland. 1. What inspired you to forge a career in early childhood education and care? My initial inspiration came about from linking my own meaningful childhood experiences with my personal belief about how children construct meaning and learning from their environments and from people around them. As a child I was given the precious gift of ‘freedom to play’. My father was an art lecturer and my sister and I spent many hours exploring and playing on his university campus in Toowoomba. While Dad was busy in his studio we would be allowed to play almost anywhere we wanted to. We played on rooftops, in theatres, in hidden corridors, in gallery spaces etc. One experience I clearly remember was exploring the education department’s early learning centre. It was a preschool room fully equipped with good quality open ended materials such as construction

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

blocks, a home corner and children’s gym equipment. To this day I still remember the sense of freedom I had over my own childhood. Being an early childhood educator allows me to provide environments and experiences that allow children a similar sense of freedom and autonomy over their own childhood. 2. Why are you passionate about early childhood? How would you describe your early childhood philosophy? I believe that children are losing play space and valuable time in which they can simply ‘play’. I feel that it is even more important for us to provide play spaces in which children are given the opportunity to have this kind of experience. My early childhood philosophy is based on the ‘constructivist’ approach that recognises children as co-constructors of their own learning.

3. What do you find is most enjoyable and rewarding working in the early childhood sector? The most rewarding and enjoyable aspect of working in this sector is seeing how creative my children are. My program focuses on encouraging the life learning skills of creativity, curiosity and problem solving. My room has several permanent creative stations for the children to use as they feel the need to. The most satisfying part of the creative process is listening to the children’s explanations about what they have made and seeing how proud they are of their work.

4. What is your biggest challenge as an educator? What strategies do you put in place to manage these challenges? My biggest challenge has been to implement a Kindergarten program into a long day care centre preschool room for three to five year olds. When I first started teaching in my room there were resources that I thought I couldn’t use because I had three year olds in my room. I found it challenging to differentiate my teaching and to trust that children can be educated on how to use resources appropriately. From experience, I have learned that by teaching children how to use environments respectfully, three year olds can learn to use loose parts in safe and meaningful ways. 5. How has the challenges you face helped you to grow as an early childhood educator? Learning how to teach children to use their environment respectfully has empowered me to set up a stimulating environment in a way that allows the children to be creative and to extend their own learning.

6. What is the most important skill you hope to develop in the children you care for? I focus on helping the children to learn how to be empathetic and respectful citizens, but I think the most important skill is to teach children to be creative problem solvers. I endeavour to empower them by giving them the skills needed to recognise a problem and fix it. 7. What role do families play within the program you deliver? How do you engage them? I recognise that families are our children’s first teachers. I always make communicating with them a priority. I send daily emails about our day focusing on children’s learning as individuals and as part of a group. I make time for face to face communication so that I can connect with them personally about their child.

It is well documented that the early years are the most important in shaping a child’s life and setting them up for a successful future.

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I have a communication book for parents, so they can leave me messages or feedback should they not be able to see me in person. I also have parent teacher nights at the beginning and middle of the year so that if parents want to, they can see me face to face and discuss their child’s progress and needs. 8. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Teaching in a play-based Kindergarten setting. 9. What advice would you give to someone wishing to start a career in early childhood education and care? They need to believe that children are our most precious resource. They should also acknowledge the positive transformational effect that a teacher and a play-based education can have on a young child’s life. If you want your outstanding educator featured in our next magazine, contact us on 07 3808 2366 or send an email to qld@ childcarealliance.org.au.

Early Start Programs is born from a desire to support educators in early education and care services to deliver quality extra-curricular programs which enhance learning outcomes for children in the early years. Coming from an education background our team is dedicated to providing a seamless approach to the delivery of quality programs and choose to only partner with experienced professional providers. We understand that Directors and Managers are busy people, our team take the hard work out of introducing these programs including;  Coordinating timetables and streamlining invoicing;  Providing information to families including parent evenings  Assisting educators to link programs with the Early Years Learning Framework  Marketing to help increase your occupancy – we work for you! “This is FANTASTIC for a selling point when doing centre tours. Our families are talking with their friends about the added benefits of using our service, a big contributing factor is the Early Start Programs.” – Director comment June 2015 “I was so happy when I found out the Centre is offering these programs. They are activities I have been wanting my children to attend but with time and money constraints they have not been able to. But now that they have been able to experience them, it means a lot to them and they have really enjoyed them” - Parent comment June 2015

enquiries@earlystartprograms.com.au

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

training

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A word on leasing: What are “Outgoings”? Daniel Armfield > Porta Lawyers

In continuing our articles on leasing, we turn our attention to Outgoings payable by the Tenant. We will discuss both Commercial and Retail Leases to provide a general overview of what costs the Landlord is able to pass on to the Tenant and the definitions of Outgoings to be wary of. What are Outgoings? Outgoings in leases are costs the Landlord pays in operating a retail shopping centre or a commercial premises. These costs can include items such as rates, water, building insurance, cleaning, maintenance and repairs of common areas, centre management and State, Commonwealth and Municipal taxes and levies. The payment of these costs by the Tenant is based on the proportion of the retail shopping centre or commercial premises the Tenant leases. Because the majority of childcare centres are stand-alone commercial premises, the Tenant’s proportion of Outgoings will usually be 100%. Operating Expenses Outgoings are mostly defined in leases as a list of Operating Expenses contained in the Definitions section of the lease. There is also legislation that prescribes what Outgoings can be charged and those that cannot (see Division 5 and 6 of the Retail Shop Leases Act 1994 (Qld) S 12,12A and 12B of the Commercial Tenancy (Retail

Shops) Agreements Act 1985 (WA)) (“the Acts”). Tenants who want to ensure they are not paying for costs the Landlord is not entitled to, should highlight and read the definition of Operating Expenses in their lease. They should then compare them with the Acts and the Landlord’s Notice of Outgoings that the Tenant should receive at the start of each financial year. Tenants negotiating a new lease or considering a lease on an existing centre they wish to purchase, should beware of Operating Expenses definitions that are “catchall phrases” allowing the Landlord too much discretion in charging Outgoings. Beware of definitions that allow the Landlord to recover costs from the Tenant for capital or structural works that may come about in the future that are not connected to the Tenant’s permitted use of the premises. Double Dipping Most leases will provide that the majority of maintenance to the premises is to be undertaken by

the Tenant. The provision for the Tenant’s maintenance will usually include anything that is not of a capital or structural nature. This may include pest control, lawn and garden maintenance and rubbish removal. What a Tenant needs to ensure is that the Outgoings charged by the Landlord do not overlap with maintenance of the premises undertaken by the Tenant. To ensure that this is not the case check the definition of Operating Expenses and provision for Tenant’s maintenance under the lease. It will often be the case that the Landlord is unaware of the double dipping and will come to an arrangement to rectify the situation. If the lease is unclear, Tenants should speak to their solicitor who can advise them on how, when and who pays what. In addition, Tenants in Queensland who have centres in a retail shopping centre have recourse to mediation under the Act. For further information contact your solicitor. www.portalawyers.com.au

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

The intrinsic nature of food and mood

Penni Lamprey > Healthy Happy Staff

The link between mood and food is intrinsic. Almost every vitamin and mineral is responsible for mental stability. Symptoms such as fuzziness, fatigue, irritability, tension, anxiety, nervousness and depressed feelings can all result from poor dietary choices. I think we can all agree, regardless if at work or home, if there are measures to help reduce or avoid these symptoms, then lets jump in fork first! Firstly though, it is incredibly important to understand that mood disorders, depression, anxiety and other psychiatric conditions can benefit from dietary changes and any changes should be in addition to, not instead of, getting help from a qualified person or organisation. At a local level, having a good referral list on hand for staff and those around you provides a tremendous show of support for their wellbeing; one that will be greatly appreciated should it ever be required.

Well, here’s the thing; many people lament they want to do the right thing and make positive changes to their menu, but the gap between wanting and doing is just so hard with such an array of temptation at every turn, again the charity boxes, latte rounds and another farewell lunch. The good news is there are a number of workplace friendly initiatives available that can be conducted without significant cost or changes to your workplace, with staff and your bottom line benefiting.

But what can you do in the workplace for staff with regard to the food department and their mood?

I’m almost certain I can feel a shudder of fear at the thought of removing the coffee machine; staff uproar abounds. Never fear I’m not suggesting complete removal, but encouragement of hydration and binning the charity chocolate boxes – remember many people actually want this to happen, but don’t feel they have the support of their peers or want to cause a

You don’t pack the lunches or place the order with the wait staff, the charity chocolate box is doing another round and the volunteer roster to grab the single sourced lattes pleases those under the pump.

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

fuss. Why not reverse the norm and have vegetables in the fridge for a smoothie, donate 50c to the chocolate charity for each apple/carrot consumed instead, include gourmet salmon kebabs at the social club BBQ and/or start the day with a group breakfast such as a bircher muesli which has soaked overnight? These suggested measures are not difficult, time consuming or expensive; they will however go a long way in changing the mood and food culture of your organisation. If the content of the staff room fridge concerns you and you’d like to improve productivity of your staff with 6 easy and fun activities, download my free guide now. www.healthyhappystaff.com.au

✔ ✖

On the menu – the easy upside Hydration

Kicking off with the single most cost effective and easiest measure to apply for a great mood is water and have lots of it, please! I will discuss this in my next article, Hydration and staff performance: the link. Remembering your body is made up of 60% water, with the brain and muscle containing up to 75% water, so it makes sense that thirsty muscles tire easily, reducing work capacity or mental prowess. Omega 3

Considerable research into omega 3 and its ability to assist with mental disorders such as depression, postnatal depression and even ADHA suggest enormous benefits can be obtained from a dietary inclusion, particularly fish oil derived.

Apart from your mood, omega 3 can assist your heart, brain, ageing, eyes and inflammation; all things we want working well to keep us energised and mentally clear. Encourage staff to aim for 2-3 serves of fatty fish a week, especially as fatty fish contains less saturated fats than meat and good levels of iron and

B12 (all important dietary mood food inclusions). If food sources are not available in the workplace, omega 3 via fish oil capsules (10g per day to truly be effective) is a good addition to a diet. Having a communal bowl of unshelled walnuts, that not only taste great but also provide heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, placed in the staff break room (away from potentially allergic children) is a great way to encourage consumption of omega 3. Add a nut cracker to provide tension, stress or comic relief from the exertion required to get the actual nut!!

A mid-morning green smoothie break could easily provide a bountiful B complex hit and something that a progressive workplace can easily encourage and support. Blenders are cheap, powerful and tax deductible, same goes for a bag of spinach, some apples, cucumber and beetroot.

Try this simple green smoothie recipe. Spinach, Lime & Apple Smoothie • 1 large apple

• 60 g spinach

B complex vitamins

• 2 kaffir lime leaves

B vitamins are known to improve mood and increase mental function, but being water soluble, any excess is passed via urine making regular daily intake a requirement.

• 1-2 slices of lemon with the rind included

B vitamins are found in a number of foods, negating the need for expensive vitamin drinks and pills, which will not sustain you through the day. Instead, encourage your staff to opt for regular varied food sources such as whole grains and cereals or other low GI foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• cup water or ice cubes

• bitter free cucumber

• 1 stick of celery

Off the menu – the scary down side Caffeine

A natural stimulant found in coffee, tea, sports drinks, guarana and chocolate, caffeine acts on the nervous system, increasing the heart rate and breathing. Repercussions can be insomnia, headaches, fatigue, irritability and poor concentration, with everybody having a different reaction and tolerance level. While appearing to boost alertness and concentration and allay fatigue - all good reasons you may think to consume when under the pump or not feeling 100%, caffeine also triggers the release of fatty acids into the blood stream, which provides an alternative fuel to glycogen – blood sugar. This can explain the hunger suppression and displacement of your true appetite, meaning you will miss valuable nutrients by not consuming foods. Imagine feeling ‘peaky’, yet fatigued.

Sugary treats and junk food

The quick rise in blood sugar levels from the sugars can cause an addictive short lived rush which also triggers a release of the pleasure hormone dopamine. Your subconscious then becomes ‘trained’ to seek these feel good foods when your blood sugar levels drop and your brain is seeking more glucose as food, again ‘peaky’ yet fatigued… Encourage the vegetable smoothies for a vitamin and mineral loaded energy surge that won’t have your staff crashing. Alcohol

Alcohol and health is an issue of considerable discussion and research, and as a Lifestyle Food and Wellness coach, I adopt the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommendations. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit intake. For women who are pregnant, planning

pregnancy or breast feeding, not drinking alcohol is the safest option. Alcohol consumption can lead to dehydration and fatigue; even when consumed in moderation alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, and alters mood and sleep patterns; often waking you as it withdraws from your system. The ‘good news’ on alcohol continues, more than four drinks on any one occasion is considered a binge. Encouraging staff to limit drinks to 1-2 standard sizes and have a number of alcohol free days each week will benefit all, as will giving thought to non-alcoholic ways of celebrating an achievement or to wind down from the week.

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

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Fair Work Ombudsman focuses on Child Care sector The team at Child Care Super

News from the Fair Work Ombudsman of underpayment of hundreds of Child Care workers throughout Australia underlines the need for employers and their employees to be mindful of correct pay and conditions. However, Queensland was one of three regions that recorded well above the 71% overall compliance rate at 89%, slightly behind ACT and South Australia at 90%. The underpayments came to light in a report released in May 2015 following the Fair Work Ombudsman’s National Children’s Services Campaign during 2013-14. Features of the campaign include: • 420 businesses were audited, mainly those offering long day care and outside school hours care • More than $438,000 in repayments were made to 584 employees by 98 employers • 71% were compliant with all requirements of Federal workplace laws • 23% had errors relating to pay rates Fair Work Ombudsman, Ms Natalie James, says the Child Care sector was targeted in response to an increase in requests for assistance from employees. Requests for help rose from 341 to 498 between 2010 and 2012 and almost 10,000 phone enquiries were logged between January 2012 and April 2013. Ms James said the Fair Work Ombudsman was committed to helping employers to understand and comply with workplace laws. “It was pleasing that those with errors worked with the Fair Work inspectors to correct their mistakes by agreement. But operators also need to make an effort to get the basics right in the first place,” she said.

Underpayment in different areas

Superannuation is important too

Western Australia recorded the highest amount of underpayment with around $200,000 owed to 341 workers. Thirteen employees were impacted in Queensland with $9,536 repaid by their employers. Other regional results included:

Compulsory superannuation is a very important issue linked to wages for employers in the Child Care sector. In particular employers need to be clear which employees are eligible for compulsory super and those for whom it is not required.

• $170,100 for 164 employees in New South Wales

Child Care Super provides a range of simple, practical tools and checklists to help ensure employers’ super arrangements comply with rules set down by both Fair Work Commission and the Australian Tax Office (ATO).

• $46,575 for 49 employees in Victoria • $11,667 for 11 employees in Tasmania • $698 for five employees in the Northern Territory • $76 for one employee in the Australian Capital Territory • No money was recovered in South Australia. Detailed findings for Queensland showed 89% of the 124 businesses checked were compliant with all requirements. Fourteen employers had at least one error with six relating to pay rates and eight relating to records and payslips. The Commission’s report said, “The high compliance rate in Queensland was the result of employers having a sound understanding of their obligations. Of the audits completed, few employees were working hours attracting penalty rates or loadings where most errors were identified. “In the few instances underpayments were identified, they were often due to incremental progressions not being updated in accordance with minimum wage and progression clauses in the Award.”

Our dedicated Child Care Super specialists visit employers and members in the workplace to explain and assist with paperwork and answer questions about super and administration with no extra charges. We’re nominated in your Award, so we understand your needs. We have developed a plain English ‘how to’ guide with step by step instructions to help you provide the right information at the right time, and keep the appropriate records. We also have a free SMS service for a timely reminder about super payments. Employers can find out more at childcaresuper.com.au/employer or call our Employer Helpline on 1800 060 215 (8am-7pm AEST). For member enquiries visit childcaresuper.com.au or call our Member Helpline on 1800 060 215 to find out more. Source: National Children’s Service Campaign – 2013/2014, Report – May 2015; a report by the Fair Work Ombudsman under the Fair Work Act 2009, Australian Government.

Guild Trustee Services Pty Limited. ABN 84 068 826 728. AFS Licence No. 233815. RSE Licence No. L0000611 as Trustee for Guild Retirement Fund (of which Child Care Super is a part) ABN 22 599 554 834, MySuper Authorisation No. 22 599 554 834 526. The information in this document is of a general nature only and does not take into account your personal financial situation or needs. You may wish to consult a licensed financial adviser to obtain financial advice that is tailored to suit your personal circumstances. Before making a decision on whether Child Care Super is appropriate to your needs, you should read the Child Care Super Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) by visiting childcaresuper.com.au or calling 1800 060 215.

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015 23

Three reasons some educators are lacking motivation Galina Zenin > Bonkers Beat

According to the ‘Occupation report for early childhood teachers’ published in August 2014 by DEEWR, some states such as Queensland, New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory are experiencing a shortage of pre-school teachers and continue to experience significant difficulty recruiting early childhood teachers. The reasons for the shortage of staff range from “…education opportunities, graduates leaving the profession, work conditions and status of the profession. These reasons are exacerbated by the fragmentation of the profession, funding restrictions, limited career opportunities, mismatch between training and job expectations, level of administrative work required, workplace stress and burnout.” Other states did not have a shortage of applicants; however, “… many services find the candidates unsuitable for a variety of reasons

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

with the most common being: lack of experience, knowledge of the National Quality Standards (NQS), familiarity of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), absence of interpersonal or classroom management skills. The ability to work well with other staff and integrate within the workplace environment was also a key consideration in applicant suitability.” After teaching children for more than 30 years, I still remember how it all started for me… During my third year at the music college, I had a placement in one of

the primary schools in Moscow. After a few weeks of running music classes, I was invited to the principal’s office and offered a part-time job at that school. At the age of 16, my teaching journey began. Since the very beginning of the Bonkers Beat Music Kinder, I’ve met and worked with many early childhood educators. A few educators really stood out and are still part of the Bonkers Beat teaching team. But I also met so many who had no interest or desire for the job.

And I was wondering, why? Why are so many educators not motivated? Over the last few years I started asking directors, owners and early childhood consultants the same question: ‘What do you think is the biggest challenge across the industry and in your service?’ The most common answer was - motivating staff. So here, as I believe, is one of the reasons why early childhood educators are not motivated. They have: NOT ENOUGH PASSION Simple as that! ‘Passion’ came from the Greek verb ‘‘πασχω’’, which means to ‘suffer’. It is a very strong feeling about a person or thing or an intense emotion, a compelling enthusiasm and desire for something. Passion is an emotion, which drives and ignites us. I’ve heard many people saying that the shortage of educators is primarily due to low pay and poor conditions. But is this the main reason? If we focus on these two factors, then I can’t explain how we have unmotivated and not passionate doctors and lawyers, but have passionate gardeners and cleaners. Is it really a profession or our personal desires and our purpose in life? Tony Hsieh, the founder of Zappos, said, “When work is something you are passionate about it’s not about work or life; it’s just life.” I also found another common reason why some early childhood educators are not motivated. And it is: NOT ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE Knowledge is crucial for any profession, but to work with young children requires much more that just a piece of paper. Due to lack of sound knowledge and understanding of children’s development, not only are the educators unmotivated, but also many get stressed and change their career within the first few years after receiving their qualifications. So why is that? Time has proven that the quality of the high education and teaching degrees is much more important than the quantity of graduates. Now we have a number of reports from the early childhood sector indicating that students are taking leave from their courses because they are being employed as teachers or degree

qualified educators (‘Early childhood education under qualifications threat’, Prof. Kay Margetts, The Age, Feb 10, 2014). Over the last few years, I have witnessed myself how new graduates and inexperienced students rush to take on leading positions and start working on their own. In many cases they even reject an opportunity to temporarily work side by side with an experienced educator to lend knowledge and gain more skills. But knowing WHAT to do and HOW to do it are very different things.

The good news is that there are answers to all these reasons. PASSION If you are passionate about educating young children – enjoy every moment and every minute! You are blessed with having one of the most rewarding and extraordinary jobs in the world. If you are not passionate about your job, be brave - look for your purpose in life. Search for it and you will find it. KNOWLEDGE

Unfortunately, many educators even after completing their degrees and training courses are not equipped with basic practical tools and have:

Even if you have knowledge, don’t stop your education. Learning is a lifelong process. The world is changing, children are changing and education is changing too.

NOT ENOUGH SKILLS

SKILLS

“ABS data shows that annually around 20.4 per cent of childcare educators leave their occupation and change their profession” (Labour Market Research – Child Care Occupations, Australia 2014). So if the early childhood educators have a passion for teaching, a sound knowledge of what to do, what else could help them to enjoy work and be motivated?

Acquiring new skills will reduce stress, give you confidence and joy. When we apply skills, we can solve problems and be excited about every day.

How to set up a room and outdoor equipment, how to do programming, planning and observation, how to organise individual and group experience, how to deal with children’s behavior, challenges with colleagues and parents, how to run music and movement sessions, how to introduce wellbeing routines, how to organise smooth transitions, art experiences, displays, portfolios - the list goes on and on.

In Africa they say, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” So, follow your passion, keep learning, look for ways to gain more practical ideas, work as a team, share your knowledge, your skills - and motivation will be there. www.BonkersBeat.com www.Facebook.com/BonkersBeat

Most of these tasks, which are crucial for successful teaching, are learnt at work. So when university students have only 100 contact hours to learn all of the above plus a hundred more skills, I question how effectively can they teach on their own? But it’s not only how many hours students spent learning these practical skills, but where. Does the service have the best practice, passionate and experienced mentors, and a system in place to support the students and give them an opportunity to learn these skills?

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015 25

ACA Qld 2015 National Conference

Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland celebrated its largest conference yet with over 1400 attendees from across Australia. The conference was held from 17-19 July at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre with the theme Don’t Stop Believing. Over 500 people gathered in the Plaza Ballroom Concourse on Friday evening for the Welcome Drinks event. On Saturday morning, many people found themselves star struck in the presence of our keynote speaker – Mr Greg Page, the original yellow Wiggle. The following concurrent workshops were equally inspiring, with topics ranging from time management to effective leadership, and even a wonderfully interactive workshop on incorporating music into your daily routine.

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

Break times served as an excellent opportunity for delegates to mingle with exhibitors and sponsors, who were displaying a wide range of innovative products and services. The annual Conference Gala Dinner was a success once again. The opento-interpretation Black and White theme saw much variety in costumes, with attendees donning anything from cocktail dresses to nun’s habits. Some crowd favourites included a visit from KISS, a dance display by Batman and Cat woman, and sightings of Kung Fu Panda. After a little bit of a sleep in, Sunday’s events kicked off with Marc Armitage speaking on measuring play, followed

by morning tea and trade shopping, and the final set of concurrent workshops. The plenary session was entertaining, uplifting and inspiring with another fantastic presentation by Laurie Lawrence, reminding us to stay passionate and don’t stop believing! Selected presentations from the conference are available on our conference website (www. childcareconference.com. au). Photos from the conference are available on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ACAQld).

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015 27

Associate Member Directory Company

Contact

Location

Contact No

Website

Patrice Sherrie

Brisbane

07 3222 9777

www.bentleys.com.au

Lyn Lange

Brisbane

07 3947 5326

www.anz.com

Benchmark

Lincoln Bridge

Robina Town Centre

07 5562 2711

www.childcare4sale.com.au

Graeme Pettit

Benowa

0421 289 818

www.harcourts.com.au

Queensland Childcare Sales

Linda Harley

Pacific Paradise

0488 103 310

www.queenslandchildcaresales.com.au

Absolute Support, Training & Resources

Darlene Wadham

Twin Waters

0488 666 455

www.absolutesupport.com.au

Affinity Education Group

Fiona Alston

Biggera Waters

07 5528 0633

www.affinityeducation.com.au

Churches of Christ Care

Cathy Kennedy

Brookfield

07 3327 1681

www.cofcqld.com.au

Giggletree Pty Ltd

Samantha Ahearn

Rothwell

07 3204 7767

www.giggletree.com.au

Guardian Early Learning Group

Helen Baker

Kelvin Grove

07 3832 7933

www.guardianchildcare.com.au

Impressions Childcare Management

Jeanine Scull

Carindale

07 3393 9185

www.icmanagement.com.au

Kids and Adults Learning

Annette Cunado

Northgate

1300 783 880

www.kal.net.au

Limelight Management Group Pty Ltd

Rebecca Wilson

Caboolture

0476392724

www.limelightmanagementgroup.com.au

NumeroPro

Diane Girvin

Gold Coast

07 5592 5800

www.earlylearningmanagement.com.au

QLECS (Qld Lutheren Early Childhood Services)

Maryann Sword

Milton

07 3511 4079

www.qlecs.org.au

Ready Now Resources

Louise Thomas

Helensvale

0410456607

www.readynowresources.com.au

Total Childcare Solutions Australia

John Wall

Geebung

07 3632 1127

www.totalchildcaresolutions.com.au

Kids Gourmet Food

Matthew Krelle

Brookvale

1300 870 054

www.kidsgourmetfood.com.au

Little Tummy Tucker Too Pty Ltd

Dinah Pheros

Red Hill

07 3216 6021

www.littletummytucker.com.au

Yummies for Little Tummies

Natalie Lawson

Sumner

07 3161 8063

www.yummiesforlittletummies.com.au

Peter Jarrett

West End

07 3230 8501

www.guildgroup.com.au

Giovanni Porta

Geebung

07 3265 3888

www.portalawyers.com.au

Ryan Brough

Newstead

07 3124 5500

www.ezidebit.com.au

Accountants Bentleys Chartered Accountants Banking Services ANZ Business Bank Brokers

Consultancy/Management

Food & Nutrition

Insurance Services Guild Insurance Legal Porta Lawyers Payment Solutions Ezidebit Pty Ltd

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015

Company

Contact

Location

Contact No

Website

Ausplay Surfacing and Shade

Barry Healey

Wacol

07 3879 4444

www.ausplay.net.au

Timberplay

Sally Alderton

Southport

07 5503 0692

www.timberplay.com.au

Jardine Architects

Greg Jardine

Brisbane

07 3229 9322

www.jardinearchitects.com.au

Rochele Painting

Jeremy Festa

Albion

07 3262 8233

www.rochelepainting.com.au

The Natural Cleaner Company

Brian Connell

Yatala

0438 728 779

www.thenaturalcleaner.com.au

Sean Murphy

Morningside

1300 367 770

www.qikkids.com.au

Randstad Education

Maeve Cawley

Brisbane

07 3337 5230

www.randstadeducation.com.au

Expect A Star

Robyn Lee

Brisbane

1300 669 653

www.expectastar.com.au

Kayleen Tolley

Cannon Hill

0414 559 997

www.physikids.com.au

Child Care Super

William Ly

Brisbane

0418 199 279

www.childcaresuper.com.au

HESTA Super Fund

Bronwyn Barling

Brisbane

07 3223 4906

www.hesta.com.au

QIEC Super

Natalie Fone

Milton

07 3238 1267

www.qiec.com.au

Educational Experience

Mary McCafferty

Queensland

0407 693 391

www.edex.com.au

Modern Teaching Aids

Marco de Geus

Brookvale

0409 192 728

www.teaching.com.au

Australian Child Care Career Options (ACCCO)

Narelle Cossettini

Fortitude Valley

07 3257 1972

www.accco.com.au

Careers Australia

Karin Lesage

Burleigh

07 5593 4386

www.ku.edu.au

College for Australian Early Childhood Educators

Kiera Field

Springwood

07 3299 5784

www.caece.com.au

Evocca Workplace Training

Lorraine Eggers

Springwood

07 3827 5300

www.evoccawt.com.au

Gold Coast Institute of TAFE

Maxine Griffiths

Coomera

07 5581 8280

www.gcit.edu.au

Management Institute of Australia

Tim Mackew

Noosaville

07 5302 7730

www.mia.edu.au

GD Trivett & Associates Pty Ltd

Darren Trivett

Fortitude Valley

07 3216 1011

www.trivett.net.au

Herron Todd White

Simon Fox

Brisbane

07 3002 0900

www.htw.com.au

Playground Equipment / Surfacing

Property Services

Software / IT Support QK Technologies Pty Ltd - QikKids Staff Recruitment

Sport and Fitness Physi Kids Superannuation

Toys & Resources

Training Providers

Valuers

EARLY EDITION > Spring 2015 29

Creating engaging learning environments for over 50 years. Learning Through Play

Massive Art & Craft Range

Health, Hygiene & Safety

New Centre & Refurbishments

Just add $200 of Art & Craft OR Consumables

*Offer valid until 31st December 2015. Promotional value excludes GST & freight. Offer excludes export & new projects.

P 1800 251 497

F 1800 151 492

W teaching.com.au