Early Edition Winter 2016 by Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland

EarlyEdition

BE AN EAR O T

CA TO R

PROU D

WINTER 2016

U LD HOOD ED

Celebrate

Wednesday Early Childhood 7 September 2016 Educators Day

ENROL TODAY! 07 3299 5784

www.caece.com.au Special discount for ACA Qld members RTO Number: 40933

EarlyEdition WINTER 2016

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

Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Report

Choosing books for children

Ageless friendships formed

Guiding Young Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Behaviour in ECEC Settings

A disco for Ari

Shaping the Next Generation with a Holistic Approach

The Inherent Benefits of Peer Coaching

Spiced tea and teeism

Educator in profile

Understanding the three phases of child abuse

EpiPen Fear

Tackling Tardiness

What is a support person?

Transformation of childcare in the tech age

Associate Member Directory

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.

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Executive

Committee Members

ACA Queensland Office

President - Jae Fraser

Gwynn Bridge

Rosa McDonald

Office Manager - Jen Smyth

Vice President - Brent Stokes

Doug Burns

Peter Price

Office Admin Assistant - Rachael Boatfield

Treasurer - Linda Davies

Majella Fitzsimmons Janet Schluter

Secretary - Debra North

Kerrie Lada

Project Officer - Claudette Cabilan

Louise Thomas

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President’s Report Another great conference done and dusted for the year! Thank you to everyone who made the ACA Qld 2016 National Conference a great success. Over 1400 delegates and 170 exhibitors descended on the beautiful Gold Coast for a weekend of learning, networking and fun! We were delighted with the turn out and are so thankful to all of the exhibitors and sponsors without whom, the conference would not be the success that it is. Our conference committee have outdone themselves once again and the feedback coming in is incredible. I want to send a huge thank you to Debra, Brent, Kerrie, Graham, Gwynn, Jen and the office team who work tirelessly in their own time to put on this outstanding event each and every year. Believe it or not, we are already planning next year’s conference and we hope to see you all again! To have the opportunity to listen to experts such as Professor Frank Oberklaid and Rhonda Livingstone was great and to have Network Ten’s

“Molly” star Samuel Johnson join us was certainly a highlight. With the help of everyone at the conference, we also raised $20,000 for ‘Love Your Sister’! A great achievement! Julie Cross had everyone up singing and dancing and closed the conference with an energy that I hope everyone took back to their services and spread the sparkle around all of their children. If you have any topics or speakers in mind for our 2017 conference, please contact our conference team at qld. conference@childcarealliance.org.au and share your ideas. We always aim to provide delegates with the best conference possible.

Member meetings We held member meetings across Queensland. In the meetings we discussed important issues currently facing our sector including the Jobs for Families Child Care Assistance Package, QKFS/Kindy Funding, Inclusions Support Program and many more. Thank you to all of the members who attend these interactive forums. If you were unable to attend a meeting, you can access the PowerPoint presentation under our website’s members only section. After member feedback we will be running webinars for future meetings, so please be sure to get involved if you can’t make the face to face meetings. Budget 2016-17 highlights The Senate has recommended the passage of the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Jobs for Families Child Care Package) Bill 2015. Rest assured that we will continue our efforts to ensure the best possible outcomes for children, families, educators and services. The Budget 2016-17 was handed down on 3 May 2016. The Treasurer’s announcement that the Jobs for Families Child Care Assistance Package will be deferred until 1 July 2018 due to legislative delays, is disappointing. Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) believes that the Package has many positive aspects that would have greatly assisted families from 1 July 2017 in workforce participation and affordable early education and care for their children. Whilst ACA acknowledges that there are some gaps in the Package,

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the government has shown their willingness to work with the sector to address these concerns. ACA is disappointed that some earlier financial support for families has not been provided in this budget to encourage families to participate in the workforce now. Families are doing it tough now, with many reducing their workforce participation as their Child Care Rebate runs out and a further twoyear delay to the support that the Package will bring, is a long wait. The first financial relief on the horizon for families will be on 1 July 2017 when the freeze on the Child Care Rebate indexation concludes. ACA welcomes the government’s increased funding for Inclusion Support Services which will commence on 1 July 2016. This will provide much needed financial relief for this initiative and ensure that children with additional access are appropriately supported. Use the links below for more information on: • Jobs for Families Child Care Package (http://bit.ly/1l6zsfB) • Inclusion Support Program (http://bit.ly/1TgEljA)

We are working with the ACA committee to advocate and work with government to ensure affordability for families. We are working tirelessly with all levels of government to ensure that #AllChildrenCount. Please be sure to share our campaign information and posters with your families and the wider community. 2016 Federal Election The election strategy is in full swing and we are working very hard and close with the National body to ensure that our priorities are heard. Australian Childcare Alliance is calling on all parties to commit to early childhood policies and immediate investment capable of delivering quality and affordable early childhood education and care (ECEC) for families across Australia.

• Coordinated, strategic planning for early childhood education and care • Ensure that no child is worse off in their capacity to access ECEC • Maintain the current commitment to an additional $3 billion for ECEC

Detailed information on the Education Budget can be found in the Department’s Portfolio Budget Statements at www.education.gov.au/ budget

Have you renewed your ACA Qld membership? For further information about membership or if you haven’t received your renewal invoice contact us on 07 3808 2366.

Early Childhood Educators Day

joy to see all the photos from your celebrations, celebrating our nation’s unsung heroes.

Services around Australia and especially Queensland, have really owned their Early Childhood Educators Day celebrations with dress up days, picnics and high teas. It is such a

Don’t forget to turn to pages 28 and 29 of our magazine to check out our associate members.

• Immediate increase in childcare assistance subsidies for families

Member benefits

The event is held every year on the first Wednesday in September. This year, Early Childhood Educators Day will be on Wednesday 7 September 2016.

We are working to get many more deals and agreements with associate members for member specials and benefits. So make sure to renew your membership now.

Our priorities are:

• Nanny Pilot Programme (http://bit.ly/1ZVz69G)

Early Childhood Educators Day is fast approaching. Our association started Early Childhood Educators Day in 2011 to celebrate the important role early childhood educators play in educating and caring for tomorrow’s leaders.

As you may know we host a range of events and training opportunities. Aside from our conference, we offer a variety of professional development opportunities to all members at a special rate. Make sure to check out our website for great offers and deals with associate members and opportunities for your educators to benefit from.

This year, our aim is to involve parents and children in the celebrations and reinforce to educators just how much they are appreciated and respected for giving children a flying start in life. Keep a look out for your Early Childhood Educators Day celebration kit in August. Like all of you, I am proud to be an early childhood educator. Thank you for your support and if there is anything we can do for you please let us know.

Jae Fraser President

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Choosing books for children Dr Brenda Abbey > Childcare by Design Roslyn Copas > AusVoc Educational Publishing

In the early childhood sector, we choose books for children all of the time. We decide which books to read with children, and which books to have available for children to read for themselves. Think about how you currently choose books for children. Do you prefer classic favourites, buy latest releases from your friendly book supplier, select something that has been part of the program for a while, or do you seek stories you believe will most capture the imagination and interest of the particular children in your service? Maybe you rely on the booklists from a reputable source, such as the Children’s Book Council of Australia? Favourite books can have a lifelong impact on a child. They become the prompt for happy memories, positive associations, vital learning, and ways of looking at the world. Stories are how we learn language, how to relate to other people and creatures, the values of our society, as well as 4

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practical aspects of our own culture and others. Books are a way of delivering education, entertainment, relaxation, fun, visual enjoyment, new ideas, and inspiration. They provide windows into the world of children, and opportunities for communicating and bonding with children. They can support you to develop children’s sense of Belonging, Being and Becoming, and achieve Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) outcomes. However, an enormous number of children’s books are available today. They vary widely in their quality and desirability. What makes a good book for children? What books do children think are good?

Sometimes adults’ favourites are not the same as children’s favourite books. This matters, because the attitudes children develop about books in early childhood will be carried forward through their education and lives. Great experiences create enthusiastic readers and learners. However, if children learn early to experience books as unpleasant or boring or scary, then these negative experiences and attitudes can become a significant disadvantage for their developing skills and their future. Choosing a book to read at story time, then, shouldn’t be simply a matter of convenience for adults, and disconnected from children’s cues about the choice of book, the story it tells, and the way children respond

to the reading. This doesn’t mean that the choice of books should only be left to children. The goal is to find quality books that children love, and then use the characteristics of those books to help choose the next book, and the one after that, and ultimately to strengthen your curriculum. Some of the main features of books that are most loved by children include: 1. Great pictures. Children respond most positively to light and colourful illustrations. They are not as often attracted to dark and gloomy images – these might be beautifully created, but children aren’t art reviewers and pictures that are too dark (both in colour and subject matter) can seem quite scary to many children. 2. A character they can relate to. Maybe a character has traits that children can relate or aspire to, or remind them of someone they know, or just captures their imagination, but stories have more impact when children really care about at least one of the characters. 3. Fun. Books with humour and joy and silliness will often become favourites for children. That’s not to say that children can’t appreciate more serious stories, or won’t be okay when sad things happen in stories, but most will prefer the balance to be a positive one. 4. Enjoyable to read out loud and to listen to. The best children’s books sound wonderful when you read them out loud. They are easy to dramatise, include distinctive sounding words, and have rhythms that flow. They use words that speak easily, fit the story,

and are understood by children. The dialogue and viewpoint make sense to children, because they match the characters as they see and imagine them. 5. Repetition and reinforcing patterns. Children are drawn to patterns and rhythms, which make stories and characters easier to remember, and new words and information easier to learn. The familiarity can be comforting, and they can also make stories more fun to listen to and read in an interesting way for children. 6. Opportunities to use imagination. Good stories spark children’s imaginations and prompt conversation. They leave room for children to make connections, to fill in details, and to consider new ideas and images that extend on the literal words of the story. There are ready sources of expert advice to consult if you are looking for specific booklists, including, for example: • The Children’s Book Council of Australia (www.cbca.org.au), and their Reading Time Online for children’s book news and reviews (www.readingtime.com.au). • Queensland Department of Education and Training, Library Services, Premier’s Reading Challenge 2015 – Early childhood booklist (www.education.qld.gov. au/library/resource/prc2015-earlychildhood.html). • Victorian Department of Education and Training, Premiers’ Reading Challenge Book Lists, 2015 Lists (www.education.vic.gov.au/about/ events/prc/Pages/booklist.aspx).

An article by Helen Adam of Edith Cowan University, titled ‘Children’s Literature and the Early Years Learning Framework’, from eCulture (2010, Volume 3, Article 11, at http://ro.ecu. edu.au/eculture/vol3/iss1/11/), explores how to align book selection with the EYLF outcomes, and makes useful further reading. However, you can really benefit the children in your care by taking an active role in selecting and testing and discovering great children’s books. • Remember, all books are not equal, and not just any book will do on any given day. • Pay attention to how children, individually and in the group, react to specific books. • Trust in the spontaneous responses of your child audience. • Include different types of books that appeal to different children, and encourage variety and interest in the favourite books of other children. • Be conscious that some books have an agenda, often a positive one (e.g. cleaning teeth), but make sure it’s one that is consistent with the expectations of the wider community of the service. • Above all, have fun and read books to children with energy and enthusiasm – make it a highlight of the day, not just a way to calm and contain. Dr Brenda Abbey www.childcarebydesign.com.au www.facebook.com/ ChildcareByDesign Roslyn Copas www.ausvoc.com.au/contact.php

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Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 DATE August 2016

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Showcasing the latest resources to all educators Queensland’s premier education industry event will feature: • Exhibitors showcasing the latest resources, products and services for all levels of education. • Seminars & Workshops - A great opportunity to expand your CPD hours. • Special offers and competitions only for event visitors. • Professional Development – Collect your certificate whilst at the event.

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Ageless friendships formed Susan Cooper > Taigum Child Educare Centre

At Taigum Child Educare Centre, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to connect with The Holy Spirit Nursing Home within our community to promote connections between generations. Residents from The Holy Spirit Nursing Home frequently visit our service to spend time with the children. This is a great opportunity as we strive to teach children about real life situations and allow them to connect with real life experiences. Kindergarten children are able to apply skills that they have developed, and practice these skills such as storytelling, compassion and respect. We have seen children bring over storybooks, toys and their drawings to show to the nursing home residents, expressing such enthusiasm and interest. Our kindergarten children have responded exceptionally well to the addition to our program, referring to the residents as grandma, grandpa or nanna and papa. Through these visits, children are able to learn about different stages of life and aging in a supportive environment. We are able to sit back and observe children learning and growing, as well as observing the residents grow and learn from the children. Some beautiful moments have been shared between residents and our children. Some of the residents are suffering from dementia, some have lost their loved ones and some have lost their sight. Many have lost their short term

memory but they can recall long term. When the children sing some of their favourite nursery rhymes, residents will sing along with them. In the photo to the right, the lady has lost her sight, the children were talking to her about her lovely skin, stroking her arms and fingers. Apparently she barely speaks in the facility but is very vocal with the children. Connecting the two generations, brings a sense of joy and a real sense of purpose. The elderly crave the attention and interest of young children and children gain life experiences from the elders, enriching the learning for the young. The residents frequently visit our service and have scheduled visits for the year. We have been fortunate to have some of the same residents visit last year, which has allowed the children to begin to form a special connection with them. It is always an exciting time setting up for their visit and awaiting eagerly for their arrival. We organise a shared morning tea, the children are the servers for the event. In the future, we would like to visit the residents in their facility. www.taigumchildeducare.com.au

ories e exciting st Do you hav share? you want to ory to st r u Email yo rg.au realliance.o ca d il ch @ ld q EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2016

Guiding Young Children’s Behaviour in ECEC Settings

Dr Kaylene Henderson > Child Psychiatrist

“We are all more likely to do good when we feel good.” Whenever I reflect on times in my life when I haven’t been terribly well behaved, I’m reminded of the truth in this statement. The way we’re feeling has a significant influence on our behaviour choices. So it seems important to start a discussion about behaviour guidance in young children with the same motto, since children find the same to be true. When young children are upset, frightened, worried or stressed, their natural instinct is to turn to us for comfort. How we then respond to their need for comfort will, in part, determine the events that follow. We know from neuroscience research that children calm down most effectively when we make an effort to connect with them and respond to them with empathy. An example of such a response might be, “I can see you’re feeling sad that Mummy has to leave. You wish she could stay - I understand. How about you stick with me until you’re feeling better.”

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Alternatively, if we opt to distract a child, with no acknowledgement of his/her feelings, or instead choose to provide an explanation of how unnecessary his/her distress is (however logical this may seem to us), the child’s feelings of distress will actually last longer. Importantly, if this pattern is repeated often enough, the child will also learn that there is little benefit in seeking our help when he/ she feels upset. And what happens when the same pattern is established with each of the children in your care? You run the risk of having prolonged, recurrent situations throughout the day, in which you have upset children who feel that they have no-one to go to for help to calm down. Some may demonstrate this by withdrawing from you and their peers, unable to engage in activities and learning for a while. Others may act out, hurting their friends, knocking down block towers or yelling.

While this is an overly-dramatic example, you can see how easy it might be to then get caught in a vicious cycle, in which we find ourselves reacting to children’s behaviours rather than responding to their underlying emotional needs. Remember, “we are all more likely to do good when we feel good”. One of the most important things we can do when we are trying to improve children’s behaviour is to teach them that they can come to us when they’re feeling upset and that we will help them to calm down, before their feelings get too big for them to handle. By taking this approach, you will not only prevent many unwanted behaviours, but you will also strengthen your relationships with the children in your care. These strong, respectful relationships will, in turn, provide a range of added benefits to each individual child and to your group as a whole.

Online Training Raising Good Kids One of the biggest challenges faced by those working in early childhood care and education services is managing the behaviour and emotions of young children. ACA Qld has partnered with trusted Child Psychiatrist Dr Kaylene Henderson to deliver the acclaimed online professional development course series, Raising Good Kids: Managing Behaviour and Emotions in Early Childhood Care and Education Settings.

Go to qld.childcarealliance.org.au/events/ot-aca-qld/raising-good-kids

Workshop Expression of Interest

LDCPDP elig i

LDCPDP

The workshop will provide helpful strategies for managing emotions, behaviour and anxiety in ECEC settings.

activity ble

Helping children reach their potential (QA 1&2)

•

References the Circle of Security model for understanding children’s emotional needs

• •

le activity Explores children’s differing temperaments Guides on how we help children when they’re upset and needing comfort and when they’re ‘losing it’

•

Anxiety in children - different types and how we can help children and their parents (includes separation anxiety)

•

Outlines some strategies for positive behaviour guidance

•

Promoting emotional resilience in children

•

Teaches how children learn to identify and express their emotions and how best to support this

•

Reviews age appropriate expectations of behaviour

ig i

Workshops (If you would like to see this workshop come to your area, please register your interest using the link below.) • Saturday 10 September - Brisbane International Hotel Virginia •

Saturday 17 September - Southport Sharks Events Centre

COST: $95 pp (incl GST) - includes morning tea and you will receive a Certificate of Attendance

Are you interested in this workshop? Go to qld.childcarealliance.org.au/events/workshops.

But what about those children who seem to present with challenging behaviours in spite of your efforts to help them to regulate their feelings? In these situations, it helps to be curious and to wonder what might be happening for these children to behave in this way. Perhaps she’s hungry? Tired? Stressed and on edge as a result of the fights her parents are having at home? Maybe he’s frustrated by his speech delay - he has so much to say and doesn’t seem to be able to get the words out clearly. Perhaps he’s finding it hard to read other people’s social cues and needs for someone to bring his parents’ attention to his struggles, so that they can seek appropriate help for him. Perhaps she’s taught at home that hitting or yelling are reasonable strategies when feeling frustrated with someone’s behaviour. The reality is, there isn’t one reason why children present with challenging behaviour.

Just as there’s no single reason why we are sometimes not at our best. With this understanding, it follows that there is no effective one-sizefits-all strategy for addressing children’s challenging behaviours. The approach for the behaviour of a hungry child who has been brought along to your service having not eaten breakfast cannot be the same as for a frustrated, speech delayed young boy who is being teased by his peers. In both of these examples, each child has a different problem and as such, will require a different solution. That’s not to say there is no helpful approach to guiding children’s behaviour; Only that there is not one helpful approach. In fact, there are many helpful strategies and practical activities that you can use to guide children’s behaviour in your services. Indeed, an important part of your role is to teach children socially appropriate behaviour. And just as you use a variety of helpful approaches to teach children other new skills such as counting or letter recognition, the same concept applies - there are many strategies for teaching children to behave in socially appropriate ways.

The important question to consider when deciding which strategy to use is:

Will this approach help this child to learn how to behave better in future situations? What other activities can I incorporate in my program to reinforce this teaching? Never forget, you are an educator teaching children important life skills. So do what you do best! Develop strong relationships with children so that they know that they can come to you, however they’re feeling; then teach them how to treat themselves and others in ways which will set them up for success, not only in your service but all throughout their lives. Visit Dr Henderson’s website for her free parent tip sheets/newsletter inserts and other helpful resources: www.drkaylenehenderson.com

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A disco for Ari Janine Schokman > Bright Beginnings Child Edu-Care Centre

In February 2014, a beautiful child named Ari passed away from Mitochondrial Disease. In my 23 years as the Director of a childcare service, I have only faced a child’s death twice, and the enormity of the loss is like an ocean wave. It is an unstoppable, rolling feeling that knocks you down over and over. Mitochondria are extremely complex little organelles inside a cell and are responsible for creating over 90 per cent of the energy that a body needs to sustain life and to grow. Each one requires over 1,400 genes to create. Our genes are like the blueprints of our body, dictating the makeup and way our bodies function. Mitochondrial disease (‘mito disease’ for short) is due to a fault in one or more of the genes that make up the mitochondria. This means a hiccup will occur in the production of mitochondria from the time of conception. As the foetus grows, some mitochondria can divide and grow as normal while others will divide and grow abnormally. The ratio of healthy to unhealthy mitochondria can also vary greatly from cell to cell and organ to organ. This is the main reason why it is so difficult to know where, when and how severely mitochondrial disease can strike each person. By 2015, everyone who knew Ari were still very emotionally raw, but we wanted to raise awareness and funds to help a cause that was new to most of us. We held a colourful dressup day at the childcare service and collected donations.

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A year later, we still feel his loss but are a little stronger. We wanted to honour his memory again by holding another fundraising activity and it was decided to hold a disco with each age group encouraged to run small, individual events. Our service is co-located with Craigslea State High School and their auditorium is a small walk away. The school graciously allowed us access to hold the disco there.

For most early childhood educators, what we do is more than just a profession. We touch lives daily and make a difference to so many individuals. This cause helped bring our educators and the families in our care even closer together with the hope of making a difference in the lives of other families dealing with this disease. www.bright-beginnings.com.au

One of the service father’s hobbies is music and he volunteered his services for the event. It was held on a Monday afternoon between 4:30 and 5:30 so all the children would be able to attend. Children between the ages of two and a half and five years old were looked after by the service educators and the younger children were in the care of their parents. Each room was given the challenge of raising $100 and the room that raised the most won an afternoon off for the educators as a prize! The service employees were very creative with their fundraising and donated their time to organise it all. There were raffles to win, free babysitting, wine or afternoon tea with a teacher, framed photos for sale and scrabble names pictures. We have currently raised over $900 and the amount is still growing!

ories e exciting st Do you hav share? you want to ory to st r u o Email y rg.au realliance.o ca d il ch @ ld q

Shaping the Next Generation with a Holistic Approach Galina Zenin > Bonkers Beat

In early childhood education, each day we watch children building, playing, painting and singing joyously. We watch and guide them as they learn to wash their hands, use cutlery and master basic life skills. What we don’t always take the time to consider is that these children are the future. Our role working in early childhood education is of the utmost importance – helping to shape the next generation. Research continues to shed light on just how crucial those first five years of a child’s life are, and early childhood educators are entrusted with so much of this time. What a great privilege - one that undoubtedly comes with many challenges and responsibilities. Earlier this year, during the 2015 National Excellence in Teaching Award (NEiTA) presentation by the Australian Scholarships Group (ASG), I was asked, along with 11 other recipients of the award, what the most challenging aspect of being a teacher is. I’m sure many of us would agree that each day presents a series of challenges for early childhood educators. The challenge of creating a stimulating, caring environment for the children, along with getting to know and understand each and every child in our care. This takes time, but it is our job to find out about a child’s interests, concerns and dreams and to introduce them to a variety of experiences. We can help them discover the world and, therefore, discover their passions and strengths. A challenge that many services face is creating an environment conducive to passionate and enthusiastic educators. An environment where

our educators feel they can openly discuss their feelings, emotions, their problems and their views. It can also be a challenge to involve parents, but their participation is crucial for a sense of belonging. That is a reason why Bonkers Beat programs provide many opportunities for families to contribute and participate in a wide range of activities and support the programs at home.

Children, just like adults, have multiple intelligences and learn in different ways through listening, drawing, music, movement, building, making, creating and so on. But providing this approach doesn’t have to be a challenge – through ongoing professional development training and support, any educational setting can begin to enhance children’s learning and wellbeing.

The early childhood industry presents us with a number of challenges, but they can be overcome. Graduates and experienced educators alike should be open to continuing to learn. There are many different approaches to early childhood education, so it is important to discover various approaches, like Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Steiner, Vygotsky and many others.

As we continue along this path towards increased educational engagement and fostering the areas that promote children’s wellbeing, educators need to be given the opportunity to learn a wide variety of skills, so they can pass these on to children. Their training should include compulsory units in how to introduce music, musical games, wellbeing practices, art and craft experiences. We need to be equipping parents with the tools to further the learning experience at home too.

We need to be committed, lifelong learners and be open to different educational philosophies that may make you think about things in a completely different way. It’s an exciting time in education in Australia where we are seeing great emphasis being placed on children’s wellbeing. Subjects like mindfulness, resilience, meditation, yoga, and multiple intelligences are better understood and more appreciated than ever before, along with their power to impact children’s lives and education in an incredibly positive way. A holistic approach to early childhood education is essential - we need to see each child as unique and different.

The future of early childhood education in Australia is exciting! We must continue to be inspired and work on teaching children differently, offering more learning opportunities to enhance their multiple intelligences and nurture the wellbeing of the next generation. After all, the children of today will shape the future. You can find more information by visiting our website EarlyChildhoodEducationalPrograms. com.au.

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The Inherent Benefits of Peer Coaching Penni Lamprey > Healthy Happy Staff

Hands up if you’re one of the cast of thousands renowned for making regular health and wellbeing related resolutions. You know the drill: to quit sugar, lose some weight, exercise more type stuff. Maybe you resolve to be more mindful of the small but important things in life, to drop the pack a day habit, to recover those important yet fallen by the wayside social groups or even just to walk the dog occasionally. The list is endless and unique to each individual, and if these resolutions were successful, it’s safe to say many of today’s health and wellbeing woes would be reduced, if not eliminated – possibly having never occurred in the first place. But unfortunately, the vast majority of these attempts don’t last beyond

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a few weeks, let alone the long term: “I’ve tried every diet known”, “nothing sticks”, “I had every intention to be good”, “I fell off the wagon again”, “it’s no use”, “I can’t be bothered”, and the excuses goes on. They fly thick and fast, contributing to a perpetual cycle of relapse, stress and diminished selfesteem linked to the continual and relentless perceived failure. The fact is that lasting long-term change requires well designed, regular and consistent action that specifically taps into the internal drivers of an individual – their vision of health and wellbeing. To sustain those efforts of an individual, support in mastering the desired new habits is essential.

Why? To be brutally honest, we are social creatures who cherry pick the best facet of a regime to suit our cognitive biases. That, and change is hard – our pesky sub conscious has a nasty habit of reverting to the comfort of familiarity; even when we know it’s to our detriment. And while change is hard, it’s not impossible. Studies regularly show that a support group of peers facing the same, if not similar circumstances, have a better rate of success at change. And as a worldwide shift in focus from the treatment of disease to preventative health promotion

occurs, the time has never been riper to incorporate a non-hierarchical approach to the health and wellbeing of your workforce and to capitalise on the inherent benefits that can be obtained from peer coaching. What is a peer? In the context of this article, a peer is a workplace colleague who shares common characteristics (role, gender, age and/or workplace demographics) with another individual allowing them to relate to one another and encourage personal awareness and growth. As opposed to the usual expert led approach of bringing in a facilitator to prescribe a ‘cure all’. Peers don’t have the answer, but they have the questions and these questions then lead to a number of inherently gained benefits: • Knowledge and information sharing • Emotional and accountability support • Reciprocal relationships Given that most people spend the largest chunk of their day at work, empowering team members to share

their knowledge and information, and to identify obstacles together can result in the development of a rich and nourishing workplace.

while increasing self-efficacy of participants. Peer coaching with willing participants can positively contribute to the individual and collective need of an organisation, and expand social ties and a sense of community – with an astute employer using this to their advantage. The bonds formed through peer coaching play an important role in the health resolutions of individuals becoming an actual way of life, long after the initial program has concluded.

As new positive behaviours are experimented with and absorbed, role modelling is particularly important where participants new to the concept of peer coaching are involved. Plus, it’s more attractive than doing a structured program where the content is shared, discussed and explored together. Emotional and accountability support offers encouragement to goal setting, which also includes support through any relapses; not with validation to the cause of the relapse – “It’s ok, we all fall off the wagon sometimes”, but rather “what have you learnt from that experience and what will you do next time?”

If creating a positive workplace that nurtures healthy, happy staff is important to your organisation, the innate social needs and desire for inclusion of all employees should be embraced, celebrated and developed and peer coaching is the ideal tool to deliver that very outcome.

The development of reciprocal relationships offers the chance to share problems confidentially and allows thought provoking questions to be asked and potential solutions to be developed. This contributes to reducing or eliminating negative thoughts, statements and relapses

If you would like to learn more about increasing your workplace productivity through peer coaching, you can access our free guide ‘6 easy ways in 6 days’ at our website: www.healthyhappystaff.com.au.

FUNDED TRAINING

Fantastic opportunity to achieve your career goals

$550

CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care*

$1180

CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care*

$969

CHC50213 Diploma of School Age Education and Care*

Certificate 3 Guarantee Funding* for casual staff, relief staff, staff that are not eligible to undertake a traineeship, Family Day Care providers and Outside School Hours Care educators. Higher Level Skills Program* must be 15 years of age or above and no longer at school, can be unemployed, working full-time, part-time or on a casual basis, or be self employed Queensland resident. Enrol any time of the year.

Call ECTARC QLD today on 07 3345 8272.

www.ectarc.com.au EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2016

CA TO R

PR OU D C

BE AN EAR O T

Celebrate

Wednesday Early Childhood 7 September 2016 Educators Day

U LD HOOD ED

Early Childhood Educators Day is fast approaching. It is an annual celebration that acknowledges the important role early childhood educators play in educating and caring for tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leaders. The event is held every year on the first Wednesday in September. The next Early Childhood Educators Day is on Wednesday 7 September 2016. Services can host various events to celebrate the occasion. This year, our aim is to involve parents and children in the celebrations and reinforce to educators just how much they 14

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are appreciated and respected for giving children a flying start in life. Keep a look out for your Early Childhood Educators Day celebration kit in August!

Beautiful Spiced Tea

For each person

1-2 tsp each of Coriander See d, Fenugreek and Fennel seed 1 Cinnamon Quill 2 Star Anise Some fresh ginger and lem on slices with a dash of honey into a tea pot or infuser Steep in boiling water.

Spiced tea and teeism Penni Lamprey > Healthy Happy Staff

The rapidly cooling nights and frost covered cars in some parts of the country briskly reinforce to us at Healthy Happy HQ that winter has set in and as an organisation, it's time to consider winter strategies to support your workplace health and wellbeing because the cold and flu season can begin as early as March and usually ends sometime in October or November. Achoo, achooo, achoooo – there is never just one sneeze right…?

costs rise.

Can I ask about your own health last winter, were you ill, like, lying on the lounge sooking for days in a dressing gown sick? Or do you know of another who was? Nasty, wasn't it? The currently available flu shot is to fight the FOUR flu strains expected this coming winter, four because one isn't enough! These vicious strains can strike people down for days if not weeks on end, and if your staff do manage to make it to work, what condition are they in? Flat. Lethargic. Contagious...

The therapeutic power of spices is largely anecdotal, but they have a strong traditional use in complimentary medicine and are well worth enjoying on a cold winters day to help alleviate winter lurgies, or at the very least relieve some of the symptoms.

You may be familiar with the term absenteeism: “not at work – not working”, however a more alarming 'teeism' is emerging within the workplace - presenteeism: “at work – not working” (or 'I'm not at home in recovery mode but here when I really shouldn't be'). Both absenteeism and presenteeism present huge issues and costs to your business, with estimates suggesting one fifth of employee work time is not generating an outcome for the organisation. If either 'teeism' is because of sickness, just like dominoes, others around start falling as the business

At Healthy Happy HQ, we have a constant spice supply on hand in the cooler months, and I would encourage you to grab the collection of spices today and then train your entire workforce in the preparation of this soothing elixir you will thank me. Simply top up with fresh boiling water throughout the day! The communal nature of sharing a pot of 'tea' will see communication, wellbeing and self care flourish in your work place and is just one way to encourage your staff to engage in their health and wellbeing www.healthyhappystaff.com.au info@healthyhappystaff.com

EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2016

Educator in profile

Michelle Stanley is an Early Childhood Teacher at Bright Beginnings Child Edu-Care in Chermside, Queensland. What inspired you to forge a career in early childhood education and care? For me, this didn’t happen until much later in life but began when I was 11 years old, having to look after my baby brother for long periods of time. I was his teacher back then, and being part of his development planted the seed for my love of children and wanting to be part of their fascinating journey. However, it wasn’t until my late thirties that I embarked on my bachelor degree at Queensland University of Technology. Having worked in advertising for the best part of ten years, I still had the deep seated desire to work with children, and so began my journey into the world of teaching. During my practical, two of which were at a local preschool, it was there that I felt my passion emerge. After I graduated, I worked as a classroom teacher in contract and relief teaching roles with

various grades including children with additional needs. During this time, I realised that it was the early years I loved the most. I seemed to just connect with the younger children and I felt compelled to be part of making a difference in their educational journeys. Why are you passionate about early childhood? I am passionate about early childhood because children at this age are precious, curious, energetic and spirited little people who have a long way to go through their school lives. Early childhood educators need to be instinctive and motivated who can love, nurture and support individual needs, who can get down and play just as they do, who can recognise teachable moments, who can scaffold social interactions and facilitate problem solving, and who can infuse enthusiasm while calmly

managing a variety of wobbly little emotions on a daily basis. With the high expectations of Prep and all that these young children are expected to arrive with, I believe in doing my best to offer all of these things, and hope to provide children the right tools to begin their educational journey with confidence and pride. It is only the beginning for them, and they need strong foundations to build on, as they transition to Prep and beyond. How would you describe your early childhood philosophy? My philosophy includes patience, perseverance and passion. It includes listening to children, becoming involved in their play and conversations, spontaneity and learning whilst supporting inspiration and motivation. I enjoy facilitating children’s learning through positive engagement and meaningful interaction, finding and celebrating

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their needs and achievements. Children thrive on positivity and fun, and I aspire to great educators who are able to achieve this, bringing joy to learning and motivation to want to learn more. What do you find is the most enjoyable and rewarding, working in the early childhood sector? I find that children at this age are so busy that not a minute goes by without something new and exciting arising. If it isn’t a bug they’ve found, a sunflower they’ve noticed, a friend they’ve made, or just discovered they can run really fast, the life of an early childhood teacher is always filled with joyous moments of excitement. For the children, these moments are huge, and to be part of their joy, is something that comes from within. I have a little girl in my room who absolutely loves rocks, so much so, her pockets are always filled with rocks and her shorts are often falling off! She loves rocks so much that she tells me she will be a geologist one day. She studies them, she lines them up, she lies with them on her tummy and talks about where they come from and how she can collect even more than she has in her room already! When she comes to show me yet another rock, my eyes light

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up and I am excited to see it and we engage in conversations about her new rock. For her, that is something so wonderful, that I have responded to her personally with real joy. It’s those little things that are part of the early childhood teacher’s journey and part of what makes my career rewarding. Like coming home with pockets full of things that are given, as gifts, from the children. Whether it’s a tiny rock, a bead, a feather, or a cuddle, children give their teachers something out of love that comes from their little hearts. What is your biggest challenge as an educator? What strategies do you put in place to manage these challenges? There are many challenges that arise as an educator in this industry. One of them, for me, would be being able to wholeheartedly and successfully support children with additional or cultural needs, to the best of my ability. Having been in my role for almost eight years, I have been involved in the education and care of many children from a variety of diverse backgrounds and cultures and with an array of conditions and needs including high and low functioning autism, CHARGE syndrome, Down syndrome and developmental delays, some of which have been

very challenging. However, not to be perturbed, I always strive to do my best to know everything about the child as an individual through finding time to spend with them, bonding with them, learning what they love and struggle with, finding out the best way to respond to their needs, working with them and facilitating a supportive and engaging environment, maintaining composure and confidence when times are tough, and endeavouring to research and attend as much professional development as I can in order to best support each child, and cater to their individual needs. Another challenge for me, and I am pretty sure many other educators in this industry, is the new system of ‘under the roof’. This is a new rule that I believe does not support the quality and professional care expected of educators in the early childhood setting. Under the roof does not allow for professionals to provide for every child’s needs in a harmonious environment, especially if you are in a room on your own with 12 to 14 young children, unaided. Some of these children require support for behaviour, toileting, social and emotional concerns, and to provide quality supervision and care for these children would be impossible in this situation. In the childcare industry,

unfortunately, this is normal practice and fast becoming an issue for many quality educators. Instead of being a joyful, inspirational and passionate day spent with the children, it can become a day of survival and exhaustion. When I am placed in this situation, I take a step back and allow room to breathe. I change my day plans to be an outside day, or a day where we can just open ended play. Burn out is one of the biggest factors for educators, and it is not something to be taken lightly. How have the challenges you faced helped you to grow as an early childhood educator? I have never learned so much about additional needs, behaviour management and how to manage a large group of children, than I have in the past eight years in this industry. This is part of my dedication and passion to the role, to find out as much as I can about how to help children in the best way that I am able. Having the desire to help others, especially children of our future, and their families, is either deep within you, or it isn’t. I believe that my past experiences of working with such a variety of children, has facilitated my strengths in this area, to continue to be part of their journey, to support and help them grow as independent individuals themselves, and to support families with their own challenges to support their children. What is the most important skill you hope to develop in the children you care for? Many things including the ability to become independent and to be able to cope in a variety of social situations. To feel confident and believe in themselves. To become resilient to change and unexpected situations. To do their best and to be themselves. To be kind to others, and to become teachers themselves through their learned behaviours, morals and knowledge. Most of all, to laugh, play and have fun, no matter what age they are. What role do families play within the program you deliver? How do you engage them? My families are very engaged and are invited frequently to come and be part of our room. To mention just a few areas of involvement, we have a library borrowing system in where children borrow up to two books for up to two weeks. Children love the library and families love

the books they choose to take home to read with them. We also have a travel buddy called “Moose Music” (a moose from Norway), which is provided to families with the intention of maintaining a home/ school connection with families. This also provides children with a wonderful cultural experience and purpose to communicate and share their adventures with the travel buddy. It also adds an element of excitement to the class program and the development of caring for their buddy, Moose Music. Our children and families also have the opportunity to learn about others and different ways we live and explore our world. Two years ago our travel buddy visited Hong Kong, and sipped cocktails in Fiji, so they get around, and families really love taking photographs of them having fun and engaging in their daily life. We also have a closed personal Facebook Page just for our families only and each year we have 100% membership including immediate family members and some extended family members. This is very exciting and highly successful as it is thoroughly enjoyed by all. We are highly aware of privacy issues and therefore we ensure our set up is a closed group for Kindy B, which means that the group’s members have been “invited” to join. So far it has been a fantastic tool for keeping in touch with me, with each other, and for children to observe their day with their families at home. It is professionally operated, with only myself as admin. We use it to pass on any messages, information, feedback, notices or anything through messaging me, or parents, or our centre as well. We encourage, and receive a lot of family feedback, interests (e.g. holiday photographs, something exciting children have done etc.), which are shared by families to our group. These are screen printed and added to the children’s portfolios as well, as part of their journey. Having parents add their own stories and photographs also gives us something to follow up on (family and child interests) which is a very large part of our program. Using our closed page also enables parents to check all the latest information – for example, show and tell roster, upcoming events, recent photos, our daily write-up, and any other information about our room that parents or families would like to know.

Many people check their Facebook pages on their phones now, and this is quick and easy and they can see how their child’s day is going. So far this has been highly successful and enjoyed by all of our family members. Where do you see yourself in ten years? Still teaching. I hope to continue to mentor new teachers and to help them feel confident and excited about their role in this industry. I am able to provide new educators with knowledge about the QKLG and how to use the document, or how to link their observations, or even just write observations or learning stories. I can offer help with taking quality photographs, documenting, and making easy resources, or setting up areas for play. I have been a mentor for many educators in the past, and as working with children in this industry is my absolute passion, I enjoy sharing what I know and have learned, and helping others to feel more confident, comfortable and supported in their roles too. What advice would you give to someone who wishes to start a career in early childhood education and care? Come and see me! I would tell them that there are a lot of rich and deep rewards to working with young children. There is a certain feeling of the heart that makes us want to be around them, to help them grow, to be part of their journey, and make a difference in their lives, and the lives of their parents who often need your support too. Young children are so innocent, so curious, so fascinated with the world. Being part of that is something that comes from within, so don’t be afraid of it, even if it can get tough and exhausting. Just enjoy being part of their precious moments in life, where they take that step to learning something new, something significant that they have learned from you, something that will stay with them forever! It is all worth it when you see them years later, and they (or their parents) hug you and say you are still their favourite teacher! You know then, that you have made a difference in their lives, which is what it is all about.

tanding our outs our y t n a w d in If you r feature educato , contact us on e ail magazin or send an em u. 6 6 .a 3 g r 2 .o 07 3808 ildcarealliance h c to qld@

EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2016

Understanding the three phases of child abuse Michael Pecic > In Safe Hands

An educator in the Early Years sector needs to have the appropriate tools to understand and implement strategies to the three phases of child protection. 1. RESPONSE 2. EARLY INTERVENTION 3. PREVENTION This article will hopefully explain the importance of each phase and how a service should be able to demonstrate the ability to implement responses to each phase. 1. Response Most government, legislation and training initiatives emphasise the requirement of educators to efficiently and quickly respond to child abuse concerns within their work place environment. There is no doubt educators must possess the knowledge and skills to identify or manage a disclosure associated with child abuse, to ensure not only an effective reporting mechanism but the ongoing safety and wellbeing of the child/children involved. In reflection, is this the most effective strategy available to educators within their educational environment? In simple terms, hasn’t the child suffered already? 20

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Yes, we must ensure systems are in place to provide a critical response so the abuse does not continue. On the other hand, would it not be more logical to continually review our practices and environment so we can implement strategies that minimise the harm or risk of harm? To fulfil their duty, educators need to understand the following: a. How to identify abuse or a child at risk. b. What is their service’s policy and procedure surrounding reporting? c. What government tools are available to assist educators in assessing the risk? d. How to document and report child protection. 2. Early Intervention Early intervention is practiced within a service when educators can: • Use contemporary methodologies. • Identify families and children at risk.

• Implement targeted approaches to preventing abuse or escalation of abuse. Early intervention tools allow educators to identify indicators or concerns surrounding a child and implement strategies to address these issues before the child suffers further or the issues escalate to where the child’s immediate safety is at risk. The fundamental point for educators to understand is that a successful early intervention response needs to be targeted to the child’s environment. Providing a holistic response to one family may not meet the requirements of another. The following is an example of a situation an educator may come across in their work environment and how to provide a targeted response. How often has an educator seen a parent stressed in the service car park? Yell and scream at a child, slam a door or drive off aggressively? We know stress is the number one cause of physical and emotional harm to children in the household.

A parent in this frame of mind is most likely going to continue inappropriate behaviours around their child/children away from the service. Unfortunately, we also know these sorts of episodes present a situation to educators that they feel very uncomfortable dealing with, as they fear the parent may become upset with them if they try to discuss apparent inappropriate parenting. So we usually see educators refrain from ever speaking to parents about those small outbursts in the car park. There is a way of approaching this with parents and not worrying about the negative responses you may receive. Make what you heard or saw all about the parent by making it a concern about them. If we take for example, the mother who you heard yell and scream at her child and slam the car door and drive off aggressively. The next morning when the mum is at your service, approach her and make it all about her. Use questions like:

“Hi I saw you were a bit upset in the car park yesterday… just wanted to check that everything was ok?” “How was your evening?” “How did the kids go last night?” We know her response will be one about her, so she may give you one of these responses. Firstly, she might say, “Yeah, yeah I know. I was just having a bad day.” She may then keep on moving away from you but she now knows you heard her. She knows that you found this concerning and would hope she refrains from doing this again. Alternatively, she might be open about her problems, which will allow you to provide referrals and support to hopefully stop the incident reoccurring. In either of these situations, you have been able to provide an Early Intervention Strategy without the fear of the parent taking exception to you questioning her parenting ability.

If you are unsure of how to approach the conversation, you may like to talk to a colleague or your manager for some advice. Developing strategies in dealing with parents and conflict situations can be very difficult and effective training can provide educators with the skills and the ability to implement early intervention tools. 3. Prevention Prevention is practiced within services when educators can implement a program which: • utilises a whole of population approach and • prevents abuse before it has occurred. Prevention is clearly the most important long term approach our community can have to child abuse. Teaching subconscious behaviours and habits is so important in our education of young people. We can implement these into child protection strategies with the same positive outcomes. www.insafehands.net.au

Online Training Child Protection, Food Safety and Guiding Children’s Behaviour ACA Qld has partnered with In Safe Hands to offer training in areas relevant to the long day care and early learning sector. ACA Qld’s partnership with In Safe Hands Educators in Safety provides online training to all members and their staff at an extremely affordable rate. The courses offered are Child Protection, Food Safety and Guiding Children’s Behaviour. ACA Qld members pay only $25.00 per course.

Go to qld.childcarealliance.org.au/events/ot-aca-qld/insafehandsgeneral

Workshop Expression of Interest Handling the worst case scenarios in ECEC (QA 2&7) Situational control - controlling actual scene of incident, staff, children and any other person onsite

•

Emergency evacuation or controlled movement of child or staff member injured

•

Incident Management – preparation of contact lists, information for emergency services

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Communication Management – staff, children, parent, community and media

ig i

•

LDCPDP

Learning outcomes:

activity ble

LDCPDP elig i

ble

activity

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De-briefing strategies – staff, children, parents

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Reporting – mechanisms and information required from Government and non-government agencies

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Understanding of WPH&S investigations, Government investigations and Coroners Court

Workshops (If you would like to see this workshop come to your area, please register your interest using the link below.) • Saturday 8 October - Brisbane International Hotel Virginia •

Saturday 15 October - Southport Sharks Events Centre

COST: $70 pp (incl GST) - includes morning tea and you will receive a Certificate of Attendance

Are you interested in this workshop? Go to qld.childcarealliance.org.au/events/workshops. EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2016

EpiPen Fear Jackie Nevard > My Food Allergy Friends

In the work I do, I meet many parents, grandparents, childcare educators and teachers who have never had to administer an EpiPen. Although everyone is trained, it doesn’t take away the fear of a child’s life in your hands, and having to administer an EpiPen for the first time. My own son who is seven, had his first anaphylactic reaction recently. He wanted to share his story so others would not be afraid. Many people delay administering the EpiPen due to fear and the shock that it’s actually happening. Here is our story so other parents, carers and teachers can learn from our experience and take comfort that using the EpiPen is nothing to fear and can save a child’s life. Thai’s Story Thai ingested five teaspoons of yoghurt containing milk, our error not his. His reaction played out very differently from anything we had experienced before. I am sharing our story as I’ve always learnt so much from hearing real life experiences and how each reaction can be so different. After seven years of managing Thai’s food allergies, we had to use the EpiPen for the first time. To be honest, it’s almost a relief for all of us. It didn’t hurt him and it made him feel better within seconds.

Lesson 1 Read ingredients every time I’d just walked in from the airport after a week of allergy events in Melbourne and we were having coffee and snacks. Thai asked his dad for his soy yoghurt, but after having a few mouthfuls, he asked what flavour it was. There is only one flavour of soy yoghurt so I knew instantly something was wrong. My husband had inadvertently picked up the wrong yoghurt at the supermarket. Lactose free yoghurt has similar packaging to soy. It was our mistake and proves why it’s so important to read labels every time. We told Thai what had happened and kept positive about how he would react after having eaten five teaspoons of yoghurt containing milk. Thai has had reactions before to food and instantly comes up in hives. We knew we should read ingredients every time but this time, Carey had made a mistake. Many foods can look the same but ingredients may differ and food companies may occasionally change the content of their products without warning. We gave Thai antihistamine as stated in his Action Plan, though knowing that antihistamine does not stop

EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2016

anaphylaxis from happening. To our astonishment, nothing happened, no hives like he normally would get. Fifteen minutes passed and his skin went red, and his nose ran and his eyes watered. I gave him some eye drops to see if that would help. Thai looked so sad when I would not let him play outside and explained how we needed to watch him for a while. He knew something bad was happening though we were all feeling excited he didn’t seem to be reacting too badly. Thirty minutes passed when suddenly he started reacting: watery and runny eyes, runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, red face and hoarse voice. Then I heard it - the cough! I told Carey things were not good and get ready to call an ambulance. Thai started sweating and then complaining of a sore throat. I told Thai we were probably going to use his EpiPen soon though he begged me not to. There was lots of coughing and hoarseness and Thai said his throat was hurting. The cough continued. I knew if he wasn’t calm and restrained, the pen could hurt him, or worse still, the adrenaline may not be administered if

he knocked it from my hand. I grabbed the trainer pen from my suitcase and sat him between my legs and showed him what we were going to do and how he was going to help me count to ten. We quickly talked about what was happening to his body as we followed our Action Plan. He then asked for the asthma pipe, he remained still and didn’t object as I administered the EpiPen. Within seconds, he was well on the way to getting better. Lesson 2 Reactions can vary each time A person may have one, some, or all of these symptoms. Just because they have never had a severe reaction before, doesn’t mean they won’t have one next time. Always follow their Action Plan. I know this kept me calm in our crisis. Lesson 3 Don’t be afraid of the EpiPen It can save a child’s life. Thai was begging me not to give it to him, but once he remained still, it did not hurt him. He said it felt just the same as the trainer pen and didn’t hurt. Lesson 4 Use your action plan This helped me to stay focused and calm though I was not calm inside. I was worried for Thai and struggled to hold back my own tears, my voice shaking as we slowly counted to ten. I knew I had to follow the plan and that it was time to use the EpiPen. Please don’t fear the EpiPen. I’m so thankful for our amazing little boy. Allergy awareness saves lives. I’ve met so many families who have shared their stories. The day before our crisis, a mother was telling me

how her daughter moved when she administered the EpiPen and cut her leg. Because of her story, I knew I had to keep Thai calm. Note the time that you give the EpiPen as the child will need to go to hospital to be monitored for four hours to make sure there is no further reaction. I have known parents who write it on their child’s arm or leg. After Experiencing Anaphylaxis Don’t forget about siblings who do not have allergies as there is always so much attention paid to the child with allergies. Thai’s older brother was out at the time of our crisis at a soccer match. Even so, the event deeply affected him. The two of them were very close the next day. Afterwards, he told me he didn’t want his little brother to die. Today has been a day of questions. Thai wondered if he could have died without his EpiPen. He also asked if it was illegal for someone who makes food to start putting egg and milk into their products without a warning. Lesson 5 Before you leave the hospital, ensure you get a new script for an EpiPen Update your details on the EpiClub and give new expiry dates to your school or kindy. We updated Thai’s teacher about the weekend events. If this had happened at the school playground, it would not have been clear what exactly was occurring. It may have looked similar to hay-fever. It was only because we knew Thai had ingested milk that we were monitoring him closely and watching for any breathing difficulties. I printed information for his teacher which can be found on the this website: www.webmd.com/ allergies/allergicsymptoms. I highlighted the symptoms Thai experienced as I felt it covered his reaction well. However, because each reaction can be different, it is also very informative. Remember to follow the child’s Action Plan and know the signs of anaphylaxis.

Lesson 6 Go over any crisis event and talk about it with your family Thai’s initial symptoms such as sneezing, eyes watering, nose running and feeling hot, did not appear serious to him or us. Thai now knows that he needs to tell a teacher if he experiences any of the symptoms so they can monitor him like we did. Children also have their own way of describing how they are feeling. Thai complained of a sore throat and feeling like he needed his asthma pipe. Regular practice with a trainer pen will help you feel confident in using an EpiPen. It is important for all staff who care for a child with allergies to feel at ease with an EpiPen. Parents can practice with their child so they know what to expect. If they can still talk, get them to help you count to ten so they feel some involvement and control. Think about how you will hold a child if they become scared and won’t keep still. I sat Thai between my legs so he felt secure. When I quickly administered the EpiPen, I had one arm around his arms to secure him. Explain to the child that if they move they will not get the medicine or the EpiPen may hurt if it doesn’t go into the fatty part of their leg. I told Thai there would be a quick sting just like an ant bite, but that by the time we started counting to ten, he would be feeling much better. I did not force him when he refused to sit down as I knew he’d respond better by me talking him through. Every child is different. You will know what is best for the child in your care, but having a plan will help you. Decide who will call an ambulance. If you are on your own, carry the child to the phone. Never leave them alone. When I telephoned, it felt like I was on the phone for ages. Practice pens help you feel more comfortable. Key Contacts Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia www.allergyfacts.org.au Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy www.allergy.org.au EpiClub - www.epiclub.com.au My Food Allergy Friends www.myfoodallergyfriends.com

One contains milk and the other container is soy yoghurt

EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2016 23

Tackling Tardiness The Team at Meridian Lawyers

Do you have an employee who is regularly late for work? A one-off is excusable but how should you deal with an employee who is habitually late? A childcare service is a business that depends on the reliability of its employees. Strict ratios must be maintained at all times and having unreliable employees can make this a nightmare for operators. Although this can be a legitimate business requirement, which justifies the need for employees to attend work on time, if you are considering terminating an employee who is regularly late for work it is imperative that the employee is dealt with in a fair and reasonable manner. In a recent Fair Work Commission decision, an employer was commended for the way in which it dealt with an employee who was regularly late for work (Rooney v Pickles Auctions Pty Ltd [2016] FWC 858). Mr Rooney, a detailer/floor staff member, had worked for his employer, Pickles Auctions Pty Ltd (Pickles), for almost seven years. Although Mr Rooney’s work was at times considered praiseworthy, he was regularly late for his shift. He would not only fail to notify his employer that he would be late, but could also offer no reasonable excuse for the tardiness. Mr Rooney was issued with six written warnings spanning from 8 February 2011 to 4 May 2015 regarding both his lateness for work and some unsatisfactory conduct incidents. Pickles also had evidence that Mr Rooney had received several verbal warnings for his failure to attend work on time.

EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2016

It was made very clear to Mr Rooney that if he continued to be late without a reasonable excuse, disciplinary action up to and including termination may occur. On 17 June 2015, Mr Rooney was over an hour late for his shift. Although he did telephone his supervisor, this was not done until approximately 50 minutes after his scheduled start time. At 2.30pm that day, Pickles arranged a meeting with Mr Rooney. The purpose of the meeting was to allow Mr Rooney to provide a reason for his lateness that day and why his supervisor was not notified prior to the start of his shift. It was made clear that his employment was in jeopardy due to his continued tardiness. The only explanation offered by Mr Rooney was that he thought that it was earlier than it was. At this point Pickles adjourned the meeting to consider the reason offered by Mr Rooney as well as his work history and previous warnings. This was an important step in the procedure. The Commission found that by adjourning the meeting and carefully considering all of the circumstances as well as the ramifications, Pickles’ approach was measured and considered and the decision to terminate Mr Rooney’s employment was not arrived at lightly. Mr Rooney was given written notification of the reasons for his termination and was paid all accrued entitlements as well as four weeks in lieu of notice.

For these reasons, the Commission found that Mr Rooney’s termination was not harsh, unjust or unreasonable. TIPS ·· Deal with incidents of lateness as soon as practicable − meet with the employee to allow them an opportunity to provide an explanation and consider whether it is reasonable. ·· A one-off incident will usually not be a valid reason on its own for dismissal. ·· Ensure adequate documentation is maintained including details of each incidence of tardiness, notes of discussions and copies of any warnings issued. ·· Ensure the employee understands the effect their lateness is having on the business as well as the consequences if it continues. ·· Although habitual lateness may be a valid reason for termination, it does not constitute serious misconduct and therefore the employee must be either given notice of the termination or paid in lieu of that notice. If you would like more information or advice in relation to an employment issue, please visit www.meridianlawyers.com.au.

What is a support person? Chris Murphy > Synthesis Trainers and Consultants

So the time has come for you to have THAT meeting with one of your staff. You advise them in writing that they are required to attend a disciplinary meeting and list the areas of concern that will be discussed. Soon after, a reply arrives advising that they will be bringing a “support person” to the meeting.

A well-known legal practice recently provided this online advice for employees:

Do you get a sinking feeling with those words?

“Often, we find that an employer may not necessarily take issue with a lawyer or union representative representing or advocating during a disciplinary meeting. If this is the case, we advise to take this opportunity to advocate for an employee. However, if an employer at the outset makes it clear that a representative’s role is only a support person, we advise to adhere to this request.”

Disciplinary meetings are stressful for both sides and the right of the employee to have someone with them to provide support is vital to ensure that they are not overwhelmed or unable to present their best possible case. The trouble is that, all too often, the support person undertakes a completely different role and become the spokesperson or advocate for the employee. What are the employer’s rights when this happens? As an employer, you have an entitlement to communicate directly with an employee and it is reasonable to expect that the employee will respond to you in person. A recent decision by the Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission has made it clear that a “support person” is just that, and has confirmed that a staff member is not entitled to have an advocate attend a disciplinary meeting. This decision also reaffirms that appropriately managing disciplinary meeting is within the employer’s control.

Clearly, unless the employer sets the ground rules right at the start, you can expect to be dealing with an advocate! Professionals such as lawyers or union representatives will know the rules and should play by them if they are advised up front. So what can a support person actually do? In a recent article in FlagPost, the blog site of the Australian Parliamentary Library, Jaan Murphy commented on the Fair Work Commission decision: ‘Decisions suggest that a ‘support person’ is not confined to offering emotional support. Instead, whilst a support person cannot speak on an employee’s behalf, they can (at a minimum) help the employee formulate what to say, speak during the discussions to provide advice and also undertake other supportive actions (for example, taking notes).

It is important that you set the ground rules for the meeting up front, and ensure that both the employee and the support person understand that the role is not to advocate or speak on behalf of the employee. If you find that the support person attempts to act as an advocate, you are within your rights to remind them that they are outside the boundaries of the role, and ask them to stop. The support person should not be permitted to interfere with the reasonable progress of the meeting and if this does occur, you may consider adjourning the meeting to another time and making sure that the support person for the next meeting clearly understands and accepts his or her role. Best practice would dictate that you should advise the employee that they may choose to have a support person present for a disciplinary meeting; however, as the employer the reasonable and orderly conduct of the meeting is within your control. Don’t be hijacked into letting the meeting slip away from you. www.synth.com.au

EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2016 25

Transformation of childcare in the tech age The Team at Cloudbridge

Childcare – one of the most important and demanding of professions. Let’s face it, early childhood educators are helping to grow, nurture and educate future generations from the get-go. But should this job be so mired down in paperwork, diminishing the amount of quality time with the children? The answer is a resounding NO! At present, the childcare industry is firmly rooted in the ‘analogue’ past. Most repetitive tasks are completed and filed on paper, causing a great deal of extra work for managers and staff. Take document management and waitlisting for example. On the market now are digital document management solutions customised for the child care sector. These systems ensure ease of accessibility and time saving when creating, saving and updating policies and procedures important to the efficient operation of a childcare service. These document management solutions can save time and create efficiency, especially when working on planning, policy and staff training documents between multi-centre childcare businesses. In addition, staff can work in real-time on documents from any device, any place and at any time with clear audit trails and tracking. The waitlist process is notorious for causing headaches for childcare managers. At present, childcare service managers and directors have to manually sift through hard copy files to see who is on their waitlist, check whether they are the right age for a room vacancy and then personally phone the families to see if they still want a place. 26

EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2016

Waitlist applications can now be automated with integrated databases. Eligible families can be highlighted and automatic emails and/or texts can be sent to communicate vacancies with the families. Systems such as these, simplify the management of occupancy rates and can automate email communication with parents to advertise extra or more convenient days for their children. A Brisbane IT company has pioneered the change in the childcare industry by implementing this integrated digital IT solution that saves both time and money. The solution drastically cuts down on the amount of time that childcare managers and directors need to spend on ‘chasing staff’ for such things as compliance, training or even social events as well as the above mentioned waitlist processes that steal so much time. IT solutions such as these utilise cloud-based technology which removes the costly server upgrading cycle, creating further savings that could be directed towards children’s activities. It is also possible to increase productivity by creating and saving work from any location without security problems with colleagues working together in real time on Word, PowerPoint or Excel with easy to understand audit trails.

Management team decisions can be made remotely in real time with Skype for Business. All that is needed is an Internet connection. A service with enhanced workflow and happy staff will surely create an attractive option for prospective families. Robyn Briggs, the founder of a number of successful services on Brisbane’s south side has nothing but praise for the way this technology is transforming the sector and is benefiting from the enhanced workflow. Having implemented this new system, Robyn says, “It’s a win/win solution for me. With three busy child care services across Brisbane and all the staff we have, the system has definitely reduced the workload and saved us money. I’m so glad we have moved into the 21st Century! It was about time.” Since this type of technology is revolutionising so many sectors, it seems fitting that the childcare sector is getting its turn. Ultimately, technology should enhance quality of life so it will be interesting to see how these technology changes transform the culture and functioning of the child care industry. www.thecloudbridgegroup.com.au

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Associate Member Directory Company

Contact

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ANZ Business Bank

Lyn Lange

Brisbane

07 3947 5326

www.anz.com

Bank West

David Annand

Brisbane

0418 423 355

www.bankwest.com.au

Benchmark

Lincoln Bridge

Robina Town Centre

07 5562 2711

www.childcare4sale.com.au

Graeme Pettit

Benowa

0421 289 818

www.harcourts.com.au

Absolute Support, Training & Resources

Darlene Wadham

Wynnum

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

Elite Childcare Management

Debbie Thompson

Capalaba

0435 743 212

www.elitechildcaremanagement.com.au

Childcare By Design

Brenda Abbey

Mooloolaba

0419 661 921

www.childcarebydesign.com.au

G8 Education

Chris Sacre

Varsity Lakes

07 5581 5336

www.g8education.edu.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

Kids and Adults Learning

Annette Cunado

Northgate

1300 783 880

www.kal.net.au

Limelight Management Group Pty Ltd

Rebecca Wilson

Caboolture

0476 392 724

www.limelightmanagementgroup.com.au

QLECS (Qld Lutheren Early Childhood Services)

Maryann Sword

Milton

07 3511 4079

www.qlecs.org.au

Ready Now Resources

Louise Thomas

Helensvale Town Centre

0410 456 607

www.readynowresources.com.au

Mark Elliott

Balmain

02 9235 2807

www.careforkids.com.au

Karen Burgess

Sunshine West, VIC

03 9909 7743

www.help2buy.com.au

Little Tummy Tucker Too Pty Ltd

Les Cook

Coopers Plains

07 3216 6021

www.littletummytucker.com.au

Yummies for Little Tummies

Natalie Lawson

Sumner

07 3161 8063

www.yummiesforlittletummies.com.au

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West End

07 3230 8501

www.guildgroup.com.au

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EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2016

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Timberplay

Sally Alderton

Southport

07 5503 0692

www.timberplay.com.au

Ausco Modular

Jessica Rodwell

Goodna

07 3864 7800

www.ausco.com.au

Jardine Architects

Greg Jardine

Brisbane

07 3229 9322

www.jardinearchitects.com.au

Cloudbridge

Tony Musgrave

Yeronga

0409 268 648

www.thecloudbridgegroup.com.au

JourneyTree

Bryn Jones

Robina Town Centre

0412 810 569

www.journeytree.com.au

Kidsoft

Kidsoft Team

Gold Coast

1800 827 234

www.kidsoft.com.auÂ

MiCare Global

Samantha Ahearn

Brisbane

0413 636 790

www.micareglobal.com

QK Technologies Pty Ltd - QikKids

Sean Murphy

Morningside

1300 367 770

www.qikkids.com.au

Kayleen Tolley

Cannon Hill

0414 559 997

www.physikids.com.au

Expect a Star

Robyn Lee

Brisbane

1300 669 653

www.expectastar.com.au

McArthur

McArthur Team

South Yarra, VIC

03 9828 6565

www.mcarthur.com.au

Child Care Super

William Ly

West End

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

Brisbane

0407 693 391

www.edex.com.au

Modern Teaching Aids

Marco DeGeus

Brookvale

02 9938 0411

www.teaching.com.au

ACE Community Colleges

Robyn Keenan

Burleigh Heads

07 5520 3026

www.acecolleges.edu.au

Australian Child Care Career Options (ACCCO)

Narelle Cossettini

Fortitude Valley

07 3257 1972

www.accco.com.au

College for Australian Early Childhood Educators (CAECE)

Richard Fimeri

Springwood

07 3299 5784

www.caece.com.au

Gold Coast Institute of TAFE

Maxine Griffiths

Gold Coast

07 5581 8280

www.gcit.edu.au

The Training Store

Danielle Peters

Southport

1300 399 665

www.thetrainingstore.com.au

GD Trivett & Associates Pty Ltd

Darren Trivett

Fortitude Valley

07 3216 1011

www.trivett.net.au

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www.htw.com.au

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EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2016 29

Learn and play the sustainable way High quality, safe, natural rubber wooden toys for early years

P 1800 251 497

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