EarlyEdition WINTER 2019
Abecedarian Approach Early Recognition of Shock in Children How Role Play Empowers Children
EarlyEdition WINTER 2019
ACA Qld
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
ACA Qld President’s Report
2
ACA President’s Report
3
How we as a Centre have Embedded the Abecedarian Approach into all Aspects of the Children’s Day
4
Not Just Baby Sitters
6
Early Education it IS Rocket Science
8
Early Recognition of Shock in Children
10
Awards for Excellence
12
Our Little Scientists
14
Understanding Social Media Risks
16
Educator in Profile
18
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.
Wild Imagination: How Role Play Empowers Children
22
Intoxicated Parent at Collection Time
24
Many Women are Retiring into Poverty
27
Supporter Members Directory
28
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Executive
Committee Members
ACA Qld Office
President - Majella Fitzsimmons
Linda Davies
Rosa McDonald
General Manager - Brent Stokes
Vice President - Jae Fraser
Nicole Fowler
Katy Paton
Office Manager - Jen Smyth
Treasurer - Doug Burns
Kerrie Lada
Louise Thomas
Office Admin Assistant - Letitia Murphy
Secretary - Debra North
Pam Maclean
Brent Stokes
Marketing and Communications Officer - Brianna Salmond
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
1
ACA Queensland President’s Report Welcome to Early Edition Winter 2019! It is hard to believe we are already halfway through the year with the last few months flying by! ACA Qld Vice President Jae Fraser, GM Brent Stokes and I, attended the quarterly ACA National meeting on the Gold Coast and another successful round of ACA Qld Members’ Meetings was hosted by Brent Stokes across Queensland. We trust that our valued members gained an insight on ACA’s advocacy work #BestStartInLife in the lead up to the federal election including the various parties commitments to ECEC and how possible policy changes may impact our sector. We were fortunate to receive an Industrial Relations update directly from Sophie Whish at ABLA, discussing the four cases currently before the Fair Work Commission including Equal Remuneration Order (ERO), 4 yearly review of modern awards and Work Value. The ACA Policy Paper: Let’s give our children the best start in life #BestStartInLife covered the importance of a better future within early learning including, continued funding for integrated Kindergartens the year before formal schooling, potentially extending this funding for a second year of Kindergarten for 3 year olds, improvements to the Child Care Subsidy – bringing all families back into the picture, and improvements to the National Quality Framework and Workforce strategy. On behalf of ACA Qld I would like to thank the Labor party for the pivotal role they played during the election in generating awareness about the benefits of quality early learning and congratulate Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Minister for Education Dan Tehan and the Coalition on their election result. We are grateful and humbled on another successful ACA Qld National Conference! This year we attracted over 850 delegates and over 1200 participants with many embracing the Early Education... it IS rocket science
2
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
theme. We had several inspiring presentations, welcoming back Maggie Dent and international speakers, Nathan Wallis, Dr Vanessa Lapointe, and Chris Dee and not to forget the amazing Rising Stars, Educators and AP Management workshops. One of the major highlights from the conference was witnessing the creative imagination of costumes behind this year’s Gala Dinner theme ‘Out of This World’. We thank all our wonderful sponsors and exhibitors for being a part of this year’s conference, and we hope to see you all again in 2020! Following ACA Qld’s regular and ongoing professional engagement with Queensland Department of Education and Minister Grace Grace you would have received the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme – Teacher qualifications survey in early April. With transitional provisions relating to “Persons taken to be early childhood teachers” (National Regulation 242) scheduled to end on 31 December 2019, your participation in the survey helps us all understand the current environment, how prepared (or not) the sector is for these changes and guide conversation. ACA will continue our professional consultation with the Department and report information as it is received. We are never too old to learn! I had the opportunity to attend one of the several CAECE Team Leader Skill Set courses that were hosted across Queensland in April and May. This skill set provides Directors, Educational Leaders, Nominated Supervisors and 2ICs with skills to mentor and provide on-the-job coaching to colleagues. It was great to see the involvement and to have one course fully booked out! The course included 3 accredited course units and was designed for professionals with existing experience
or qualifications in early childhood education. We encourage our members to keep their eye out for more opportunities like this one in the future! In April your ACA Qld committee undertook a half day workshop on Corporate governance including the importance of each of our roles as a member of the board, directors and officers duties, maximizing efficiencies, risk management, setting and measuring performance and fiducial processes and responsibilities. Although it was very comforting to reinforce that we are acting in many cases to best practice, there are always key takeaways and areas that we can improve on to take ACA Qld to the next level and position us as positively as possible. Thank you to everyone who completed our Member Survey. We appreciate and value your membership and want to ensure we meet all your expectations. The responses allow us to continually improve and better understand what you need from us as the peak body for early childhood education and care services in Queensland. Please note you are always welcome to contact our ACA Qld office on 07 3808 2366 or qld@childcarealliance. org.au. We thank you for your continued support and will continue to work hard and ensure all families receive the #BestStartInLife.
Majella Fitzsimmons ACA Qld President
ACA President’s Report After what feels like an enormously long lead up to this federal election, Saturday night finally delivered an outcome. ACA extends its congratulations to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Coalition on their federal election win. ACA has enjoyed a positive working relationship with the government, the Department of Education and the Department of Human Services during the design of the Child Care Subsidy, as well as during the transition and implementation. We look forward to continuing this relationship with the government to ensure that their policies affecting the early learning sector delivers the best possible outcomes for Australian families and the sector as a whole. I would like to take this opportunity to thank ACA Qld and also their members for their incredible effort in organising early learning centre tours for Members of Parliament and candidates in the lead up to the election with ACA’s Best Start In Life pre-election campaign materials. It has been a fantastic group effort, and I feel that our collective hard work has generated an unprecedented level of awareness of the benefits of early learning and why investment in Australia’s youngest generation makes economic sense. ACA will continue to work with the government and all of our political stakeholders to maintain this important recognition of early learning, with a view to giving every child in Australia the best start in life, regardless of their parents’ circumstances or where they live.
Other big picture items include ACA’s submission to the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO), which has been tasked with assessing the early learning sector’s transition to the Child Care Subsidy (CCS). We have drawn on feedback from our members from the period leading up to 2 July 2018 along with all feedback about ongoing issues. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to this submission, whether via one of our surveys or directly talking to the ACA Qld team. You can read our submission on the ACA website at https://childcarealliance.org.au/ advocacy/submissions ACA is also producing a submission for the National Quality Framework Review, which is due in July. On a final note, it was wonderful to meet so many enthusiastic ACA Qld members at the ACA Qld 2019 conference recently at the Star Gold Coast. We hope you enjoyed this year’s event which acknowledged and elevated the hard work that we all do to ensure that our youngest generation have the best start in life!
Paul Mondo National President Australian Childcare Alliance
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
3
How we as a centre have embedded the Abecedarian Approach into all aspects of the children’s day Mrs Lori Pearman > Educational Leader and ECT
Take a moment right now to reflect on your teaching practice and how you are delivering/teaching/ inputting knowledge and vocabulary to your children. How often are you engaging in purposeful dialogue, where you have a clear intention and focus on an individual child. Think about what your day is like. When do you have time for the children, how much time do you intentionally teach each child? Think about your group time, how many children are actually engaged. I firmly believed in a group time for delivering new concepts or learning numbers and letters. I believed that I was teaching so many new concepts at an appropriate level and pace. I would ask questions and get answers, feeling accomplished that my children were getting it, that my children were learning everything. The reality was that most of them were not. When I assessed them individually through observations or assessments or having them
4
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
play games I was surprised at their lack of understanding. I had to rethink how I was delivering information. Thankfully I attended a professional development training on Abecedarian Approach Australia (3a). It changed the structure of my program delivery and my teaching style. The children are the real winners. 3a is not about making dramatic changes but in tweaking what you already do to benefit each child in your care.
Abecedarian Approach Australia (3a) is a way of teaching and engaging children and their parents or carers unlike no other method. I am not here to sell the course but to get you to think or rethink how you deliver your curriculum. 3a is different to other approaches in dealing with children, as the focus is on the individual and has a frequent and intentional teaching purpose. The aim is to develop the child’s vocabulary by talking with them ensuring that you as the adult/teacher have their focus and attention one on one preferably - something that you cannot achieve in group sessions. I have changed how I conduct my group sessions - I still have them but they do not last as long and they are mainly for regrouping and transitions. Since I have changed my thinking my group times are more engaging as the children have had one on one opportunities and their interest in learning has been sparked. They now know answers and are more confident to speak out during group times. As a Primary Teacher (ECT) and now 3a Practitioner, Trainer and Coach I have changed how I think about my connections with the children in my care. I work at Playschool Early Learning Centres, where I have trained
all the staff in the Abecedarian Australia Approach and all are running as 3a centres. This means that all educators are trained practitioners and all rooms are using this approach with the children. I now intentionally and individually engage with each child in my care daily. Using this approach enables me to make a difference for all children, but in particular those that have English as a second language, are introverted, or disadvantaged, who are struggling to fit in and interact with their peers and adults. The difference is notable almost immediately. The children gain confidence, trust and a sense of security. They get to have your attention and the connection with you provides them with the knowledge that you really care about them and their needs. The gain for you as a teacher is a connection with each child and I believe that this connection is conducive to a rich learning environment. The other benefit is that you can support parents or carers to continue to practice 3a at home. This is beneficial for parent/carer and child connections. For some families these connections don’t exist. Also, the connections between home and Kindy are advantageous for getting everyone ready for the next step, the transition to Primary School.
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
5
Not Just Baby Sitters Berenice Cheng, Educator > Aspen Community Early Learning Centre
Parents know all the work we do as Educators and appreciate all our efforts, but sometimes they don’t see the extras we do. These are the moments we are more than educators, we are family. Special times, when an Educator cuddles a child who may be having difficulties separating from their parents in the morning. We are constantly thinking of new strategies to help benefit both parent and child. Reading that same book over and over again, just because it’s a favourite and they can’t wait to hear you read it again. Comforting a child who has fallen, collecting seed pods in your spare time just because the children love to break them open to reveal the seed. Sharing the children’s excitement, sadness or worries, when a major event happens in their lives. Helping children deal with the arrival of a new brother or sister, moving house, getting ready for big school or struggling with the death of a loved one which is hard enough for adults to deal with let alone a child to understand. We learn each child’s likes and dislikes, we teach our children resilience, strength, empathy, caring for each other, celebrating our successes and comforting each other in our failures. We laugh together and we feel their pain likes it’s our own. I keep referring to the children as OUR children because as a collective group of 22 Educators we have 120 children, wow, but it’s true we treat the children from our own rooms and the other rooms like they are our own.
6
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
We share our own family stories with the children and we hear lovely stories from them. Sometimes their stories need an interval, but still we listen intently and ask questions about their experiences. Some of us will spend our spare time with the families, developing a special relationship and other families may come to us when they are at their wits end and have no other place to turn. When the “powers that be” refer to us as ‘Baby Sitters’, it degrades all the work we do as Educators and as the Special People in the children’s lives. We are passionate about our chosen vocation and love all of the children in our care, even on those days that are not so great. The good days more than make up for any minor issues that may occur, and most days I will have a funny story to tell my family about something that has happened while working with our most innocent, big hearted little people who are getting ready to take on the big adult world.
“I want a super fund that understands my industry.” Anne Mitchell, HESTA member
We’re the national industry super fund dedicated to health and community services, and have been for over 30 years. We know how important your work is. And how well you do it. We’re your fund. For life.
Before making a decision about HESTA products you should read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (call 1800 813 327 or visit hesta.com.au/pds for a copy), and consider any relevant risks (hesta.com.au/understandingrisk). Issued by H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd ABN 66 006 818 695 AFSL 235249, the Trustee of Health Employees Superannuation Trust Australia (HESTA) ABN 64 971 749 321.
Early Education… it IS rocket science.
ACA Qld Conference 2019 Another successful conference done and dusted! Over 1200 attendees descended on the beautiful Gold Coast for a weekend of learning and networking with friends! This year, our annual conference was held from 31 May – 2 June at The Star Gold Coast. We had an incredible line up of speakers and presenters this year, featuring Maggie Dent and international travelers Nathan Wallis, Dr Vanessa Lapointe, and Chris Dee. To begin this year’s conference, we had the Approved Providers Panel Discussion and Lunch sponsored by Childcare Concepts. Our panel of presenters this year were the professional Nigel Ward: Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors, Dean Ireland: Elston Financial, Nesha Hutchinson: Vice President of ACA National, Tamara Brown: PwC. This event was back by popular demand due to the overwhelming amount of positive feedback! We formally welcomed attendees at our Welcome Event kindly sponsored by Storypark on a very chilly Friday night. It was safe to say you could pick the Queenslanders out of the crowd huddling under the heaters! It was a great night with a vibrant atmosphere, delicious food, great company and live music. We have received such positive feedback on this year’s keynote speakers! We were treated to an informative yet inspiring speech by Maggie Dent sponsored by Penelope QIP on 9 Things: Why the basics matter for Early Years’ Educators, Nathan Wallis on The developing brain in an early learning setting and how the ECE role has changed and not to mention Dr Vanessa Lapointe, Why adults need to be in charge: Creating the most spectacular chance for you and children to grow, exactly as nature intended. This year’s dinner theme was a Gala Dinner Out of This World and it sure did not disappoint! We are always amazed by the creativity and thought that everyone
8
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
puts into their costumes. The best dressed was awarded to the Recycle Team whose entire outfit was made from recyclable materials! We also had a few Avatar characters, Star Wars characters and astronauts make their appearance. We would like to thank ACA Qld patron Laurie Lawrence and Emma Lawrence for their ongoing support and attending the Gala Dinner. This year we were honored to have two very important charity organizations on board: Super Max and Bryce (www.supermaxandbryce.org) and Walk With Us (www. walkwithusgc.com.au). It was incredible to hear the Super Max and Bryce team tell their story to all attendees, their endless work and efforts are so inspiring. We were also honoured to support the Walk With Us campaign. Thank you to all those who donated your toiletries, the people from the Walk With Us team are so grateful and thankful for the generosity of all those who donated. We are grateful to our sponsors and exhibitors, who year after year, support our conference: Guild Insurance, Child Care Super, Modern Teaching Aids, QK Technologies, HESTA, Australian Department of Education and many more! Finally, thank you to all our delegates. We do what we do because of you and you are what makes our conference such a success! Super Early Bird Registrations for the 2020 ACA Qld conference are open until 30 June 2019 only! Make sure to register your spot today and secure 2019 prices, by visiting www.childcareconference.com.au See you all in 2020!
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
9
Early Recognition of
Shock in Children National First Aid Training Institute
For the last several years it has been a requirement for anyone working in childcare to be trained to a higher first aid level in anaphylaxis and asthma management. This is brilliant as these are valid medical conditions that can be dangerous to small children. Something we have noticed though, not many trainers go into much detail about recognising the early signs and symptoms of shock. This is a significant killer of children in Australia and the most reversible cause of death in children as long as it is identified early.
10
Firstly, what is shock?
What shock isn’t?
The definition of shock is: ‘A life threatening medical condition caused by lack of oxygen to major body tissue.’ For example, a major bleed patient is also a shock patient because if they are losing a lot of fluid (in this case blood), there is now not enough blood to transport the oxygen around. Some other causes of shock can include anaphylaxis, asthma, dehydration, severe infection or associated sepsis, viruses or severe burns.
You will often hear on the news for example, ‘there was a large car accident, no major injuries, but ten people at the scene were treated for shock.’ If we see or experience something scary or traumatic it can trigger a burst of adrenaline, which is our bodies preparing to flee or fight. When the adrenaline wears off patients can get pale, sometimes shaky, and feel a bit sick. While this can feel terrible, it isn’t life threatening, and it isn’t shock.
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
What are the RED FLAGS we should be worried about? There are several symptoms of shock that are easily recognisable that will help you to identify early warning flags of a very sick child. With most of these symptoms, you would usually be looking for more than one symptom together before being seriously concerned or phoning an ambulance. For example, if the child has only a high temp, but no other symptoms, we really shouldn’t be concerned. If the child had a high temp but was also pale, sweaty and disinterested you should absolutely phone an ambulance.
The most concerning of these can include: Pale, sweaty or blotchy skin – pale, sweaty skin is one of the most commonly recognised symptoms of shock and is certainly a concern. The mottled or blotchy appearance on a child’s skin is the one symptom that would warrant an ambulance just by itself. Fever, shivering or very low temperature – fever is a natural response to an infection or virus and by itself should not be concern enough to phone an ambulance, fever with any of the other symptoms, is a concern.
In conclusion Shock is a significant killer of children, but if it is recognised early it is the most reversible cause of death in kids. One of the above symptoms would be worth watching the patient closely, two or more together is reason enough to err on the side of caution and phone an ambulance. Possibly the most important point we can get across is that when you are caring for the child, and something about them seems wrong or ‘off’, don’t hesitate, ask for help.
Disinterest or lethargy – children are naturally curious creatures, not wanting to do anything, excessive tiredness are worrying signs. Hard to rouse or floppy – if a small child in care has a nap that is far longer than normal and is very difficult to wake up, or is floppy when picked up. Not eating/drinking or no wet nappies – not eating or drinking links usually with disinterest and lethargy and the no wet nappies is usually an indication of severe dehydration. Pain or excessive irritability – if a toddler is complaining of bad pain, a baby will generally just continually cry. Nausea and vomiting – it takes a lot of blood to run the digestive system, if a patient is suffering from shock they are lacking sufficient oxygen to run the digestive and the major organs. The brain will simplify things and eject anything that is in the stomach as it doesn’t have enough blood to process it.
The team at NFTI are a Queensland based First Aid Training Provider and Registered Training Organisation. We specialise in contextualised first aid training for those in the Early Education Industry. We also offer the following services First Aid Kits and Supplies, Customisations for centres who need something a little extra for example advanced training in Epilepsy/Diabetes Management or debriefing following an incident.
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
11
Awards for Excellence
Every year, ACA Qld Supporter Member, HESTA Super Fund offers outstanding students of College for Australian Early Childhood Educators (CAECE) the opportunity to nominate for the Awards for Excellence program.
12
The intent of the Awards for Excellence is to promote commitment to professional development and community spirit. HESTA, CAECE and ACA Qld aim to support the advancement of talented early childhood educators who are seeking to pursue a leadership role in the early learning sector.
Congratulations to Caylen Staples: Little Scholars School of Early Learning Yatala (2nd runner up), Nicola Thornton: Albert Waterways Children’s Centre (1st runner up) and Jane Morris: Treasure Island Childcare Centre (Winner) for exemplifying Passion, Dedication and Professionalism – the three Pillars of Excellence.
There were three separate HESTA Awards payments of $1000, $750 and $500 awarded to CAECE students.
The awards were presented at the ACA Qld 2019 National Conference Gala Dinner on Saturday, 1 June 2019.
We received extremely high quality nominations, a testament to the quality of students that we have at CAECE and our hard-working trainers and assessors.
The 2020 Awards for Excellence nominations will open later in the year. Go to www.caece.com.au/about/awardsfor-excellence/ for more information.
It was a tough decision to choose the three finalists, receiving nominations from some of the most inspiring and passionate educators. The early learning sector is very lucky to have educators inspiring and motivating our students and we are so proud to say they are part of the CAECE family!
Congratulations!
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
ES CAYLEN STAPL UP 2ND RUNNER
ON NICOLA THORNT UP 1ST RUNNER
JANE MORRIS WINNER
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
13
Our Little Scientists Michelle Stanley, Teacher and QCCS ECT Mentor > The Prince Charles Early Education Centre
14
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
Our new outdoor Science Hub has become the hive of excitement for our eager little scientists in School Readiness. The children even helped to set it all up by moving the tables under our Bali hut and then eagerly worked as a team to carry all the equipment to our new exciting discovery space. As the Science Hub began to evolve, our children enjoyed contributing to a discussion about what they would like in the science area. They drew pictures of their ideas, all of which went into a big outdoor book. Following this, we’ve added a range of new fancy science materials to enhance our experiences and learning. Suddenly the Science Hub excitement exploded and children began taking on such roles as little geologists who were excitedly chiselling rocks to find out what was inside them, and little entomologists, fearlessly collecting different types of insects to study, bringing them back to the Science Hub to observe, and later research using the internet! Our new experiences have also included discovering the flavours and aromas of different herbs and spices by grinding them up with our mortar and pestle, and then adding them to our sand, seed and leaf concoctions. The children have also enjoyed exploring the use of magnifying glasses and magnified containers to study ‘ant trails’, and learning how to use the microscopes to study insects and different microscopic objects. The children have been excited to wear our special science glasses while making magic smelly potions and fancy medicines. They’ve immersed themselves at the water and food colouring tables, using a variety of eye droppers and tiny squeezy tubes, small buckets of water for adding to their food colouring to observe shade changes, trays for messy discoveries and learning with sand and other natural materials, clear cups for collecting from the garden, spoons and stirrers, and a few straws. The children have also enjoyed lots of extended learning as we have added bicarb soda and vinegar to our explorations, as well as cornflour, rice, seeds and bark from the garden, and more herbs and spices for different textures and smells. After observing our children so engaged in their learning through play, we created some inspirational “Little Scientists” posters to decorate our Science Hub! We all LOVE our Science Hub, and our children can’t wait to explore and discover every day!
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019 15
Understanding social media risks Social media is an ever increasing form of communication for many people in both their personal and professional lives. It presents people with many benefits in allowing them to communicate a variety of messages to many people with great speed and efficiency. However, those benefits need to be balanced with the many risks social media presents. Social media is a very broad term which includes any websites and applications which allow users to interact with other people as well as create or share information (text, photos, videos etc.). There are endless examples where people appear to have not stopped and thought before they’ve posted on social media. Poorly considered social media posts can and do affect the personal and professional reputation and image of individuals as well as a business; even if the post isn’t directly related to a business. The following tips will assist individuals and businesses manage their risks when using social media.
16
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
Have a business plan for how and why social media is to be used When deciding whether or not to create a business social media presence, it’s very easy to think ‘if everyone else is doing it, so should I’. However there needs to be greater thought put into this decision. The decision to use social media should be well thought out and based on a company’s needs and business plans; the benefits and risks need to be considered.
Business social media should be based on business requirements, not personal views
Understand that you can no longer separate personal and professional use
Business owners and managers need to be sure that when they make a decision on whether to use social media for their business, this decision is based on the needs of the organisation, not the owner’s/manager’s personal views of social media. For example, a person who chooses to not use Twitter for personal use may still decide it’s a great tool for them professionally. Business decisions and personal decisions regarding social media use should be separated.
Unfortunately many people hold a view that what they write within a personal social media account in their own time will have no bearing or impact on them professionally. However this is not the case. Whether fair or not, professionals are always representing their profession and professional self; personal social media posts can be considered to be representing a professional view. Therefore the professional impact needs to be considered before any personal post is made.
Create clear business guidelines and processes regarding who is able to post on social media and how this is to be done
Don’t believe that any post is ever private
Due to the risks associated with social media interactions, it’s very important that businesses have a clear process for who is responsible for posting on social media. The person undertaking this role needs to understand when social media is an appropriate form of communication and what sort of messages are to be shared using social media. This process should also provide guidance on how often social media is monitored and responded to and how to respond to negative comments.
Too often people post information on social media which they intended to remain private and not be seen widely. However social media can never truly be private. Many online groups claim to be private and state that members require approval. However non-approved users don’t need to be particularly savvy to access these groups and then share or copy information being posted. Professionals need to remember that if they don’t want their colleagues, clients or competitors seeing a social media post, it should never be posted on either personal or business accounts.
Consider training for those staff responsible for social media
Never post in haste, all posts need to be carefully considered
It’s often assumed that young people are well versed in social media use however this isn’t always the case. Also, not all users of social media understand appropriate business use and its associated risks. Therefore it’s worth considering training in social media communications and its risks for the responsible staff members.
As mentioned earlier, social media is designed for quick short messages to be shared widely. This means social media can encourage messages to be shared with little thought or planning which on occasions leads to poorly worded messages which are easily misinterpreted. It’s important to pause and think through a message before it’s shared.
Understand the social media site you’re using There’s a wide variety of social media sites available to businesses, all providing similar yet different benefits. When a business is using any of these sites, it’s very important they understand the various functions within that site. Not fully understanding how a site works is going to increase the risks of using it. Consider what messages should be shared using social media All businesses have various ways in which they communicate with their customers and clients. Social media is generally designed for short sharp messages, yet not all information suits this style of communication. When businesses are communicating with their customers, they need to carefully consider how that particular message should be shared. Carefully consider the implications of engaging with clients on social media Professionals and businesses should consider if social media is an appropriate forum for them to be communicating with clients, both through business or personal accounts. Engagement through personal accounts can blur professional boundaries. When using business accounts, some conversations may not suit social media, especially if the conversation appears in a public setting. It’s important to consider what conversations are best had away from social media and when to take a discussion off line.
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 > WINTER 2019
17
Educator in Profile: Hannah Strachan 18
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
Meet Hannah Strachan, Group Educator Relief worker, across the whole centre at A Country Garden Early Childhood Centres. What is your role within your service and what do you want to achieve in the next five years? I have been fortunate enough to work at A Country Garden Early Childhood Centres for the last 4 years. Starting out as relief/cleaning staff, then an Assistant in the kindy room, an Assistant in the nursery, and this year becoming a Group Educator Relief worker, across the whole centre. Since starting out in Childcare I have discovered there are many different avenues where I can take my learning and experiences. For example, branching out and exploring the pathway of an Early Learning Trainer, setting up and helping other people who may wish to gain their qualifications to work in this industry. Being a trainer down the track is something I have thought about as my skills and experiences have developed.
How would you describe your early learning philosophy? My philosophy is based around children and how we shape their learning experiences through nurturing, care and fun. These early years are important, and they go by so fast. This is the time that the children begin to make memories and experience social interactions apart from family and I believe that it is important to make your presence known to the family and the child to scaffold safe and secure relationships between the family and the child.
What/who inspired you to forge a career in early learning? From a very young age I have always loved helping family and friends look after their young children. When my youngest brother was born, I was by my mum’s side helping her with bathing, feeding, changing nappies, dressing him and playing with him. My mum was my biggest supporter when I was growing up, she would tell our friends that I was a great baby sitter and was available to help. I had lots of people tell me “you should pursue a career in child care, you’d be great”, but I perceived looking after young children more as a hobby than a career. It wasn’t until late 2015 that my mum came across a traineeship position available at A Country Garden. I had been job hopping since I graduated school in 2014 and hadn’t found a job that I was really enjoying. I applied for the position, was called in for an interview, worked a couple trial days and before I knew it, they had offered me a job at the centre. I was over the moon and haven’t looked back since I started at the beginning of 2016. Since then, I have completed my Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and am about to finish my Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care. What do you find rewarding about working in the early learning sector? Turning up to work every morning, it is lovely to see parents and children walk through the door and being able to greet them with a big smile. The positive response you get in return can really make your day, especially when the child starts getting excited to see you again. Also being there for the parents and being a part of their child’s early learning experiences is so rewarding. It is wonderful to see how each child overcomes challenges and finally master their abilities from infants learning to walk to older children writing their own name for the first time. I find these events and so many others like these so rewarding and inspiring that I get so much enjoyment being a part of these big achievements in each child’s life.
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019 19
How do you engage the families in your service? Every morning I am presented with the opportunity to greet families and warmly welcome them into their child’s room. We as educators, value parents input very much, as it can assist to shape our programs and learning experiences for the children. We have various ways that we communicate with our families, verbal communication being the biggest one. Each room also has a daily journal that is updated with their children’s information each day (sleep times, what we had for lunch, etc). We also encourage families to provide input into our Quality Improvement Plans with information provided in the front foyer. Monthly newsletters are emailed out to all the families, and we also use an online program where parents can see their own child’s observations, pictures and programs from day to day activities. Engaging with families and making them feel welcome plays a key role in making them feel comfortable and making the child feel comfortable.
20
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
What is your biggest challenge as an educator and what strategies do you put in place to manage these challenges? My biggest challenges as an educator is finding the right balance between work, study and family life. As I am working and studying for my Diploma it has been quite challenging particularly keeping on top of my studies and staying motivated. You don’t get the regular school breaks throughout the year and the training plan is worked out to cover the full year. It is so important to keep on top of your studies but also to still be able to have some down time and enjoy life. How have the challenges you faced helped you to grow as an educator? I have grown into a confident educator who feels ready for almost any challenge. Working four to five days a week and studying full time has taught me to manage my time well to complete tasks. I have had to practice time
management in the rooms I have worked in over the last couple of years in order to complete my tasks on time and to have adequate time to interact with the children and help them learn and grow. What is the most important skill you hope to develop in the children you educate and care for? I hope to develop, display and encourage children to love and care for themselves and for others. I also hope to develop an importance for interaction in our young children. I think smart phones and iPads seem to be something that you see quite often in a young child’s hands nowadays, so I believe that it is important that while the children are under my care, that I encourage and engage in as much human interaction as possible so that young children continue to develop their social skills in preparation for school and later life. What advice would you give to someone who wishes to start a career in early learning? I think you must have a real passion, lots of patience and a love for learning. Working with children definitely has its challenges, and the days can feel like they are going on forever, but there are definitely rewards at the end of the day, and if you have a real passion for working with young children, the challenges may not be much of a bother. I would encourage someone interested in early learning to do some research. Look at the qualifications required and talk to educators and find out about their experiences they have had working in early learning. Finally, what’s your fondest memory from your own childhood? I grew up in the country on a big block of land. We had trees to climb, tire swings, bikes, a cubby house and even a pool. I remember getting home from school, kicking off my school shoes and racing outside to play with my brothers before the sun went down. We’d stay out there for as long as we could. Then it was time for homework, tea, play time and bed. We didn’t have a Wii and only got a PlayStation 2 when the PlayStation 3 was released, but we didn’t really care for it or crave the idea of having those types of technology. I loved my back yard, every space had a purpose; the grass was for football games, the driveway was for bike races and the trees were for playing imaginary space ships. To this day, I feel truly blessed for having such an amazing space to play, imagine and create with my brothers. I hope that one day I can offer something similar to my children, a huge play space to let their imagination run wild!
n o i t a n i g a m i r i e Let th run wi ld! EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
21
n o i t a n i g a m I Wi ld
How Role Play Empowers Children Caitlin Murphy > Wearthy
Imagination, that wonderful child-like ability that enables uninhibited thought and gives us the power to create, to dream. Imagination is boundless, fearless and full of hope. Introduce a book and we magically find ourselves in Narnia. Start a conversation and we are suddenly curing disease and saving the planet. Imagination allows entrepreneurs to form new ideas and artists to thrive but for our younger generations, it gives children the confidence to think and act beyond themselves. “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.” — Albert Einstein
“ The ability to play is one of the principal criteria of mental health.”
Imagination is the foundation of role play. It’s no surprise that it’s therapeutic for kids (and adults), offering relief from emotional tension through empowered creative freedom. Making sense of the world and understanding our environment is crucial to childhood development. Piecing together elements of life as we live it by expressing ourselves through role play, allows for natural learning in disguise. There are several types of dramatic play that expand children’s intellectual growth:
— Joan Almon
Fantasy – Superheroes, supervillains, super powers! Kids LOVE make-believe. Whether they are pretending to be a princess or a dinosaur, fantasy gets those creative ideas flowing, promotes bravery and helps them differentiate good from bad. Real life – Construction and chores! Acting out real life situations helps kids develop physically while problem solving and learning new skills. Besides, who doesn’t love a little helper around the house?!
22
Occupational – Doctors, nurses, policemen and the lollypop lady! Imitating adults inspires play and when it comes to jobs that help people, empathy is developed. Children are able to look outside their own needs during role play and these qualities tend to stick in real life.
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
Breaking through the walls of reality with the freedom to express themselves and dramatise situations is a lot of fun for kids but also super beneficial in creating selfawareness. Smaller kids are known for acting on impulse so dramatic play encourages emotional self-regulation and working within boundaries. This type of engaging play increases the depth of concentration and is especially helpful for children who have experienced trauma. Drama therapists use role play for children to gain perspective on their feelings and better handle situations. Role play not only encourages imagination and thinking but develops social and emotional skills, communicating feelings they otherwise might not be confident to share. Dramatic play also supports language and communication, motivating children to speak from the perspective of their pretend role.
“Inside all of us is hope. Inside all of us is fear. Inside all of us is adventure. Inside all of us is... a wild thing.” Where the Wild Things Are > Maurice Sendak
How To Encourage Role Play Structured play – When the adult sets up an imaginary scenario. It could be at the supermarket, airport, or zoo. Then encourage the children to take the lead in assigning or choosing roles.
ACCOUNTS ADVANTAGE bookkeeping + payroll
Unstructured play – This is child-initiated play, giving kids the freedom to choose the scenario based on what’s available to them. Letting them set the pace makes it less tedious and more playful. Outdoor play – Enabling exploration and putting our own fears aside is essential for developing confidence and resilience in kids. Let children run onto fields and into the bush, climb trees and hide behind logs. Being immersed in nature truly lets the imagination run wild…instead of being plonked in front of a screen, absorbing other people’s stories and imaginations. Ditch the teaching script and let the learning begin! Children are born with the natural urge to learn and flourish. If imagination is nurtured from the very start, it promotes learning later in school subjects like literature, history and geography where the mind needs to visualise in order to understand. With imaginative play, children learn to function better in a greater community, setting them up for social success. So turn that couch into a pirate ship and sail into your child’s imagination – you might have some fun along the way too.
BUSINESS
PERFORMANCE POSSIBILITIES
1300 400 105 www.accountsadvantage.com.au
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019 23
Intoxicated Parent at Collection Time
Absolute Support
A parent/guardian arrives at the service to collect their precious little one and you have reasonable suspicion to believe that they are intoxicated and not in a condition fit to care for their child safely – what do you do? This is a very real and very difficult situation to be confronted with. Let’s face it, as educators we are nurturers, everything we do is about relationships and for most of us conflict is the enemy, we would rather sit back and let someone else deal with it. As educators though, we also have a duty of care to the children at our service and must ensure that we advocate for the child. Having strong policies and processes which align with your service philosophy are key to both guiding educator responses and protecting the service should there be a concern around any restriction on collection by a parent or authorised person. While Regulation 99 states that a child may be collected by a known parent or person with authorisation, the
24
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
service is also required under Regulation 168 to have a policy which outlines the refusal of any authorisation such as Regulation 99. Service policies on collection of children and refusal of authorisations, should state clearly that collection by a parent or an authorised person may be refused if educators reasonably believe that it would not be in the best interest of the child’s health, safety or wellbeing. This should be consistently supported by other documentation such as the enrolment form and family handbook. Having some examples in these policies may assist both educators and families in understanding their responsibilities. For example, policies purchased through ACA Qld state:
“A written authorisation may be refused by the service if it contravenes with a regulation, service policy or the Nominated Supervisor or responsible person in charge has serious concerns for the child’s health, safety or well-being. For example: A child may not be released to a person who is authorised in writing if: • The authorised person does not appear, at the time of collection, to be fit and well to collect the child due to being under the influence of a drug, medication or alcohol; • The person collecting does not have a safe and suitable way to transport the child, for example no suitable child restraints fitted to a vehicle which will transport the child; • The Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor or Responsible Person in charge reasonably believes that the collection is not in the best interest of the child’s health, safety or wellbeing; Where it is reasonably determined that it is not in the best interest of the child to release them to an authorised collector due either to their current state or transportation method, the Nominated Supervisor or Reasonable Person in Charge will consider the best alternative at the time to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of the child. This may include, but not be limited to: • Contacting a parent or alternative person who is authorised to collect • Suggesting the child remains at the service until such time as a suitable collection can be conducted • Arranging alternative transport where practicable • Contacting the local police station or dialling 000 if deemed necessary”.
Ok, so we have the policies and processes to allow us to intervene, but seriously, what do we do and how do we determine if a person is “fit and well to collect”? • Firstly, a decision such as this should be ultimately made by the Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor or Responsible Person in Charge depending on who is available at the service at the time. If an educator is unsure of the collector’s condition they should try stalling firstly to allow time to consult with the person at the service who is currently the “Responsible Person” where this is reasonably practical. • Reasonable suspicion is difficult, you may see signs which you assume are related with alcohol or drug use but these may also be similar to signs of other conditions such as diabetes. “Reasonable” as defined in the Oxford Dictionary includes; “having sound judgement, fair and sensible” and “based on good sense”. • Ask the parent respectfully if they are ok, tell them that they don’t seem themselves. Any decision to refuse collection should consider a range of factors which may also include your knowledge of the parent. • Never accuse a parent of being intoxicated or incapable of looking after their child. Remember to come from a place of kindness and respect. Suggest that they don’t seem well and that you recommend that we call another parent or authorised person to meet them to collect or perhaps they wish to leave their child at the service for a little longer and have them collected by another authorised person at a later time. Offer them a cup of tea/coffee and a private place to wait. • Following on from this, consideration should be given to how the parent arrived at and intends to leave the service. If you have reasonable suspicion or confirmation by the parent that they are not fit to drive, recommend that you call alternative transport or arrange another person to come and collect them. Police should be contacted if you are aware of any person driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs including providing a registration number and vehicle description.
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019 25
• Where collection of the child by the parent or authorised person may pose a potential risk to the child’s safety and it cannot be addressed through alternative measures then the Nominated Supervisor/ Responsible Person should contact the Child Safety Services Regional Intake Centre or Police for further assistance. • Staff should implement a lock down procedure and call 000 should any person become aggressive or threatening. This situation must be reported to the Approved Provider and Regulatory Authority through the NQAITS. • It is important that this is documented objectively, and the record kept confidentially.
Child Protection Policy and use the online Child Protection Guide. Regardless of the outcome of the guide, if you reasonably believe that a child is at risk contact your local Child Safety Services Regional Intake Centre. Remember as a mandatory reporter you have an obligation to report any harm or risk of potential harm to a child. We are all about relationships, confidentiality in these situations is paramount as is maintaining respect for the family and the child. Every situation is unique and while it is not pleasant, the way it is handled should still be with compassion, respect and kindness. Avoid judgement and be sensitive both in the moment and moving forward. What you do today impacts tomorrow.
If there is no other person to care for the child and/or there are other signs of concern you should refer to your
Darlene Wadham is an early childhood teacher, consultant and Approved Provider. She has many years’ experience in senior roles and supporting services, educators and leaders to be the best they can be. She has a thorough knowledge of the National Quality Framework and associated legislation. Her policies are designed to be learning tools to educate both families and educators about WHY we do WHAT we do. ACA Qld members can purchase the Absolute Support, Training and Resources policies and forms at a heavily discounted rate.
o d u o y t a h W s t c a p m i y a d to to m o rro w .
26
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
Many women are retiring into poverty Many Australian women are retiring into poverty. It doesn’t seem fair, because it isn’t fair. Take Claire – she’s a is a typical Child Care Super member. She’s 34, earns $34K a year and has a current super balance of $18K. She is currently projected to retire with a superannuation balance of $141K – which is not great. According to ASFA, singles will need $545,000 to retire comfortably. Of course, Claire knows she should be saving more super, but it’s not really something she can afford to do, what with all her bills and other financial commitments. So, until free money comes flying her way, her super balance is something she’ll continue to put off until later – until she has some actual money to spare.
Say hello to SUPERSUPER™
The impact of SUPERSUPER
Created by Child Care Super – especially for women who have been at a disadvantage for so long when it comes to saving for retirement - SUPERSUPER is a first of its kind shopping rewards program where the savings you earn on your shopping go straight into your super account. Its genius.
Let’s go back to Claire. If Claire was to spend what she normally does using SUPERSUPER for a quarter, half or all her shopping (without spending any more than she already does), Claire could add as much as an additional 75% to her retirement balance. That’s huge!
By using SUPERSUPER, each time you shop, you’ll be continually adding to your super account. And when it comes to your super account, a little extra can go a long way. Small regular amounts added to your super can add up to thousands of extra dollars over time.
To find out more about SUPERSUPER visit supersuper.com.au
Assumptions: Annual Salary $34,011, current super balance $17,761, career break at 30 years for 4 years, Government Co-Contribution included, household spending – Couple Family with Dependent Children aged 5 to 14: $633.66 per week, average SUPERSUPER reward: 7.59%. 4.8% gross return, 1.6% yearly fee on balance, 0% fee on contributions, $0 admin fee, 2% price inflation; 3.2% wage inflation, retirement age 67, no partner, no TTR. Note: Actual figure is $140,857. This editorial contains information of a general nature only. It is not intended to constitute the provision of advice. Before acting on any information, you should consider its appropriateness having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs. Guild Trustee Services Pty Ltd. ABN 84 068 826 728. AFSL 233815. Trustee for the Guild Retirement Fund ABN 22 599 554 834 (which includes Child Care Super). RSE Licence Number L0000611. You should consider whether GuildSuper is right for you by reading the PDS available at childcaresuper.com
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019 27
Supporter Members Directory Service
Contact
Area
Phone
Web
Accounts Advantage
Wanda Reynolds
Beenleigh
07 3209 8266
www.accountsadvantage.com.au
Elston
Ben Greenwell
Gold Coast Mc
1300 357 866
www.elston.com.au
Ezidebit Pty Ltd
Nathan Mullan
Newstead
07 3124 5500
www.ezidebit.com.au
Peter Price & Associates Pty Ltd
Peter Price
Mt Ommaney
07 3376 3411
www.peterprice.com.au
Lyn Lange
Brisbane
07 3947 5326
www.anz.com
Hilary Knights
Fortitude Valley
07 3257 2027
www.childcareconcepts.com.au
Bickerton Masters
Mason Harrop
Fortitude Valley
07 3257 3622
www.bickertonmasters.com.au
Cyber Drafting & Design
Jodie Mark
Tingalpa
07 3393 9159
www.cyberservicesgroup.com.au
Jani King
Rohan
Kenmore
07 3870 9966
www.janiking.com.au
Mathiou Services
Justin Miller
Burleigh Heads
1300 363 423
www.mathiouservices.com.au
Sensus Building Group
Zane Taylor
Brendale
0409 498 429
www.sensus.com.au
Surface Pro
Janet Osborne
Nerang
0418 741 507
www.surfacepro.net.au
Timberplay
Sally Alderton
Chirn Park
07 5563 3755
www.timberplay.com.au
Wearthy
Caitlin Murphy
Mudgeeraba
0456 780 201
www.wearthy.co
Absolute Support Training & Resources
Darlene Wadham
Wynnum
0488 666 455
www.absolutesupport.com.au
Early Learning Management
Naomi Freney
Gold Coast Mc
07 5592 5800
www.elm.net.au
Elite Childcare Management
Debbie Thompson
Cannon Hill
0435 743 212
www.elitechildcaremanagement.com.au
Varsity Lakes
07 5581 5336
www.g8education.edu.au
Accounting, Bookkeeping & Financial
Banking Services ANZ Business Bank Brokers Childcare Concepts Building & Property Services / Consultants
Consultancy / Management
G8 Education Giggletree Pty Ltd
Samantha Ahearn
North Lakes
07 3482 2490
www.giggletree.com.au
Guardian Early Learning Group
Helen Baker
Kelvin Grove
07 3832 7933
www.guardian.edu.au
Kids and Adults Learning
Annette Cunado
Northgate
1300 783 880
www.kal.net.au
QLECS (Qld Lutheran 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
Scholars Consulting
Jae Fraser
Labrador
0408 872 492
www.thescholarsgroup.com.au
Mark Elliott
Balmain
02 9235 2807
www.careforkids.com.au
CaterSafe - Food Safety Programs
Glenn Raine
Port Curtis
0409 685 344
www.catersafe.com.au
Kids Dig Food
Deb Blakley
North Lakes
0413 433 144
www.kidsdigfood.com.au
Wholesome Child
Ricky Rosettenstein
Sydney
0413 956 129
www.wholesomechild.com.au
Yummies for Little Tummies
Darlene Clark
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
Directories/Marketing Care For Kids Food & Nutrition
Insurance Guild Insurance Legal Porta Lawyers
28
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019
Service
Contact
Area
Phone
Web
1Place Online
Martin Bing
Auckland
+64 9 5200612
www.1placeonline.com
ChildCareCRM
Chuck Gibbs
Brisbane
02 8880 0404
www.childcarecrm.com
ChildHR
Barry Lehrer
South Yarra
03 9098 4317
www.childhr.org.au
Kidsoft
Kidsoft Team
Broadbeach
1800 827 234
www.kidsoft.com.auÂ
MiCare Global
Sharyn Fewster
Brisbane
1300 393 359
www.micareglobal.com
Penelope QIP
Steve Collier
Toowoomba
1300 435 962
www.penelope.com.au
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
Matthew Hodges
Sydney
02 8238 0200
www.randstadeducation.com.au
Child Care Super (part of Guild Group)
Melinda Di Vita
West End
1800 810 213
www.childcaresuper.com.au
HESTA Super Fund
Joanne Fenton
Brisbane
07 3223 4906
www.hesta.com.au
QIEC Super (NGS Super)
Kate Graham
Fortitude Valley
0437 516 830
www.ngssuper.com.au
ABC School Supplies
Graham Bone
Capalaba
07 3823 2999
www.abcschoolsupplies.com.au
Bellbird Kid-z Educational Resources
Chris Carson
Lynbrook
03 8795 6999
www.bellbirdkidz.com.au
Bright Spark Enterprises
Keith Garrett
Samford Valley
07 3289 2800
www.brightsparkenterprises.com.au
Bunnings
Gerard Brewty
Mansfield Bc
0447 032 873
www.bunnings.com.au
Educational Experience
Andrew Williams
Newcastle
02 4923 8259
www.edex.com.au
Modern Teaching Aids (MTA)
Marco De Geus
Frenchs Forest
02 9938 0411
www.teaching.com.au
Pre-School Equipment
Karen Clark
Elsternwick
1300 555 972
www.preschoolequipment.com.au
Step 4
Katie Kennard
Lisarow
1300 720 353
ACE Community College
Robyn Keenan
Burleigh Waters
07 5520 3026
www.acecolleges.edu.au
Australian Child Care Career Options (ACCCO)
Narelle Cossettini
Fortitude Valley
07 3257 1972
www.accco.com.au
Australian College of Teacher Aides and Childcare (ACTAC)
Admin Team
Nundah
1300 511 455
www.actac.com.au
College for Australian Early Childhood Educators (CAECE)
CAECE Team
Springwood
07 3299 5784
www.caece.com.au
ECTARC
Melissa Moutia
Warrawony
02 4223 1111
Fluid First Aid
Gayle Guthrie
North Lakes
1300 976 276
www.fluidfirstaid.com.au
In Safe Hands Educators in Safety Pty Ltd
Michael Pecic
Arana Hills
1300 794 644
www.insafehands.net.au
Inspire Education
Kirsten George
Brisbane
1800 506 509
www.inspireeducation.net.au
National First Aid Institute (NFTI)
Liz Bryant
Maroochydore
07 5443 1966
www.nfti.edu.au
ParentTV
Sam Jockel
Albany Creek
0401 198 625
www.parenttv.com
Phoenix Support for Educators
Sandi Phoenix
Wellington Point
1300 361 243
www.phoenix-support.com.au
Safe Sleep Space
Cindy Davenport
Collingwood
1300 775 337
www.sleepsmarteducation.com.au
Herron Todd White
Simon Fox
Brisbane
07 3002 0900
www.htw.com.au
Trivett Childcare Valuations
Darren Trivett
Eatons Hill
0419 776 008
www.trivett.net.au
Software / IT Support
Sports and Fitness Physi Kids Staff Recruitment Randstad Education Superannuation
Toys, Resources & Suppliers
Training Providers & Consultants
Valuers
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2019 29
Quality Assured
FREE Freight*
Widest Range
Local Team
Curriculum Relevant