EarlyEdition WINTER 2020
Be You: Embedding mental health in your QIP Integration of Auslan in Early Learning Learning through Play
By working together, we’re stronger than ever The natural world is inspiring at the best of times. When things get tough, there’s a lot we can learn from nature. As we speak, communities across Australia are banding together to support each other however they can, and that spirit is truly inspiring. That’s why Guild and ACA QLD are working closely together to make sure that you have what you need to get through this, for right now and well into the future. Visit guildinsurance.com.au to find out how we are moving as one towards a brighter tomorrow, for you and your community.
C= 67 M= 56 Y= 52 K= 30 R= 81 G= 85 B= 88
C= 0 M= 100 Y= 49 K= 20 R= 196 G= 8 B= 75
Insurance issued by Guild Insurance Limited ABN 55 004 538 863, AFS License No. 233791 and subject to terms, conditions and exclusions. Please refer to the policy wording and policy schedule for details. For more information call 1800 810 213. EAR109903 ACA QLD Winter Edition Full Page Ad 05/2020.
EarlyEdition WINTER 2020
Cover Photo: Early Education… Searching for snow in QLD.
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 Queensland President’s Report
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ACA President’s Report
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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 Qld 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.
Embedding mental health in your Quality Improvement Plan through Be You 4 Embracing Bush Kindy
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Study Tips and Tricks
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The risk of flexi hoses in early learning
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Member in the Spotlight: Integration of Auslan in Early Learning
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Educator in Profile 14 Getting on the front foot as a leader post COVID-19 17 CAECE Congradulates 18 ACA Qld Member Offers 20 Employers and Financial Advice: What you can and can’t say! 22 Learning through Play 25 Real-life stories bring home the positive message 26 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 Mason
Office Manager - Jen Smyth
Treasurer - Doug Burns
Kerrie Lada
Louise Thomas
Office Admin Assistant - Letitia Berndt
Secretary - Debra North
Pam Maclean
Brent Stokes
Marketing and Communications Officer - Brianna Salmond
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ACA Queensland President’s Report Welcome to Early Edition Winter 2020! First and foremost, on behalf of ACA Qld, I would like to thank all our valued members – early childhood teachers, educators, cooks, cleaners and administration staff who have gone above and beyond during COVID-19. Now, more than ever, we appreciate your contribution to our children and want to thank you all for your patience and support during this strenuous time. ACA Qld understands the challenges our members have been experiencing and we would like to take this time to remind you all that we are here to support and assist you. Before state lockdowns were implemented, ACA Qld Vice President Jae Fraser, GM Brent Stokes and I were fortunate enough to attend the quarterly National Presidents meeting in Melbourne back in March. The timing was a fortunate coincidence that we along with representatives from each ACA State body, discussed a detailed COVID-19 strategy that we presented to government. Our planned advocacy day in Canberra to discuss ACA Qld State election manifesto with Qld based Federal MPs took place via Zoom meetings due to the restrictions. Minister Andrew Laming MP, Graham Perrett MP, Shayne Neumann MP, and Anika Wells MP all participated in discussions that naturally centred around the impending crisis in the early learning sector as a result of significant children attendance withdrawals. Over the past couple of months, we have been participating in weekly ACA National working group teleconferences discussing COVID-19. It has been remarkable the shift from rescue to recovery. I was fortunate enough to have discussions with Government Department and Ministers in the lead up to the announcement of the Early Childhood Relief package, whilst evaluating and addressing members concerns towards this package, in collaboration with JobKeeper and other business stimulus packages. We are currently continuing to conduct meetings surrounding possible scenarios as we head into more stable health and economic times understanding
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the possible risk of a second wave of infections and potential shutdowns. ACA Qld has been advocating with both local and state ECEC departments regarding the impact COVID-19 has had on our early learning sector. Focus is on where and how we proceed and what is needed moving into recovery. We are grateful to be involved in so many levels of government ensuring the welfare of children and our sector. I would like to take this time to thank our members who reached out and contacted Federal MPs, participated in the radio vine and ‘stay enrolled’ campaigns which began within your services. Your continued passion, active involvement and support for the early learning sector never goes unnoticed and your collaboration with these campaigns resulted in our sector remaining prominent when we needed to most. During this time, ACA Qld committee members were conducting media interviews addressing the effects COVID-19 has had on early learning services. We still have lots of interest in interviews with media as the government releases more information on packages and reviews over the coming weeks. As we lead up to the Qld Election in October, we will be regularly consulting with Jannette Cotterell from Executive Counsel Australia to discuss ways to ensure our #BestStartInLife manifesto is presented to all sides of government. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, ACA Qld has produced a number of webinars which have been extremely well received. We are hoping to produce more webinars in the future on topics to support you and your services. We continue to review this on a regular basis however are still operating our ACA Qld & CAECE service remotely and held our first ever committee meeting via Zoom.
For the first time in history, we made the extremely difficult decision to cancel our ACA Qld National Conference and whilst the decision was devastating, we believe it was in the best interest of all involved. It is our expectation that next year 4 to 6 June 2021 will be even better to make up for this. If there are any professional development topics that you would like us to offer, please contact the office. It is great to have CAECE trainers and assessors back out in services supporting students learning. I would like to commend all our dedicated trainers who adapted very quickly to ensure students were supported to enable them to continue their studies. It is a true testament to the quality of student centric training that CAECE provides when numbers of enrolments continue to increase into our 100% member-owned registered training organisation. 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. I would like to end this with an appreciation message for the ACA Qld office team, Jen, Letitia, Brianna, Brent, and committee members who have advocated passionately, often outside of hours to ensure all enquires have been addressed in this very uncertain time. I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say we definitely have our own team of superstars.
Majella Fitzsimmons ACA Qld President
ACA President’s Report 2020: Navigating our way through the COVID-19 crisis. In a short period of time we have been forced to evolve in a way that could never have been predicted. During the best part of the last ten years, the implementation of change and new legislation has been a constant for our sector, but the changes that have taken place at a sonic speed over the last few months make those changes feel like a mere speed hump. In February it seemed inconceivable that we would have enrolments drop by over 40% in a large majority of cases, with those who remain enrolled absent in nearly 50% of cases almost overnight. But they did. This was the cold stark reality for the majority of providers and whilst in some cases services were able to maintain enrolments, albeit with many absent children, it’s debatable how long parents would have been comfortable paying gap fees for those absences over the coming three to six months. With enrolments continuing to peter out, existing CCS funding became increasingly inadequate to support families and services. The impact of potential closures, be they localised or across the sector more broadly, were also a factor for consideration. The tension in the sector was at fever pitch from 23 March, creating an urgent need for financial certainty for our sector, which would address the range of scenarios that may eventuate during this ongoing health crisis, while also responding to the ever-present health concerns for our children, educators and families. With the future of Australia’s economy at stake, the Australian Government developed a series of business support mechanisms with one sector specific policy – the Early Childhood Education & Care Relief Package. It is fair to say that the responses to these announcements have varied quite significantly across our sector. Those who were in the midst of sudden and catastrophic withdrawn enrolments and decreased revenue were more likely to
welcome the changes than those who had not yet been largely affected by these changes. With ACA’s membership base in excess of 3,000 services nationally, it is always difficult to capture the feelings of each individual member when such significant announcements are made. With every one of our board members at both a national and state level being approved providers themselves, with the large majority having between 1 and 5 services, ACA understands the impact of each of these policy decisions and we use our collective experience to guide our responses. Even so, it can still be difficult to ensure that each individual perspective is represented at all times. What is clear is that the range of Government support made available for our sector should be used in combination, to provide the opportunity for providers to ride through the challenges that the next few months will bring. There is no doubt that with such a diverse group of providers in our sector, even with all of the supports available there will be some who may find it tough to survive.
new information, and we hope that this support has been helpful. As always, ours is a resilient and diverse sector; we have survived and thrived through the most recent decade of change. Whilst this year will very much require us to switch to survival mode, I have no doubt that we will have a sector that comes out the other side, allowing us to fill our vital role in supporting working families and more importantly ensuring that every child in Australia has access to high quality, affordable and sustainable early learning services, and therefore the best start in life. I want to thank each and every one of you for your ongoing engagement and support during this time of crisis. ACA will continue to support you as we adjust to these changes and the impact that COVID-19 continues to have on our sector.
Paul Mondo ACA President
We encourage you to avail yourself of all of the financial supports available beyond the ECEC Relief Package and JobKeeper Payment, including the Cash Flow Support for Small and Medium Businesses, Payroll tax exemptions and refunds, trainee and apprentice incentives, state-based small business support mechanisms and consider the totality of these supports and how they impact your services. Furthermore, should the policy settings cause significant distress for your service then we urge you to make an application under the ECEC Relief Package Exceptional Circumstances Supplementary Payment provisions. This will also help to inform the Government’s initial four week review. ACA continues to work hard on the ongoing guidance to help our members through the overwhelming amount of
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Embedding mental health in your Quality Improvement Plan through Be You Maria Curtis > Be You Content Advisor
A Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) helps everyone at an early learning service stay focused on implementing strategies needed to achieve goals. When developing or reviewing a QIP, there are particular elements within the National Quality Standard (NQS), and outcomes in the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) that directly relate to children’s mental health and wellbeing. There are many ways early learning services can support children’s social and emotional learning and wellbeing but to help identify what is being done well and areas for improvement, it is important to first understand the unique needs of your service.
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Be You Be You Planning and Implementation Tools can help guide early learning services through a process of identifying current strengths, and opportunities for improvement in relation to mental health. Be You also provides online professional learning for educators which has been mapped to the NQS and the EYLF and can form part of a service’s strategy for achieving QIP goals.
Be You Planning and Implementation Tools which can assist with embedding mental health into your QIP include: • Surveys • Implementation and Reflection Toolkit • Action Plan Surveys Be You Surveys empower educators, families and children to share their perspectives about mental health and wellbeing in relation to your service. Information gathered can help highlight strengths to build on and areas for improvement. The survey questions are linked to the Be You Professional Learning, which consists of 13 content modules grouped under five domains. This can assist with deciding what professional learning is needed to achieve goals in your QIP. For example, the surveys can help determine the level of educators’ confidence in partnering with families to support children’s mental health. If this is identified as an area for improvement – engaging educators in reflection on the Be You Family Partnerships domain can be one of the strategies for achieving goals in relation to NQS, Quality Area 6: Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities. Implementation and Reflection Toolkit A QIP depends on three continuous activities: planning, implementing actions and reviewing. This is the process of continuous improvement and it is underpinned by identifying next steps to progress towards goal achievement. The Be You Implementation and Reflection Toolkit can be used together with the Surveys to identify your learning community’s needs and next steps. It contains reflective prompts in relation to each of the five Be You domains: Mentally Healthy Communities, Family Partnerships, Learning Resilience, Early Support and Responding Together. The Toolkit provides a profile of where your service is currently at in relation to the level of engagement with each domain: ‘participating’, ‘exploring’, ‘embedding’ or ‘sustaining’. The profile identifies successes to celebrate and gaps which can then be embedded into your Be You Action Plan and linked to your QIP.
Action Plan A QIP includes actions, or strategies, to address areas identified for improvement. The Be You Action Plan is a record of actions as well as resources and timeframes in relation to your goals for supporting the mental health of your learning community. In this way The Be You Action Plan and your QIP can work together. For example, The Be You Action Plan can be an appendix to your QIP, providing an in-depth and detailed plan of how you are planning to achieve your QIP goals in relation to supporting children’s wellbeing. QIPs are living documents that require ongoing maintenance. The Be You Planning and Implementation tools – including the Action Plan, Surveys and Implementation and Reflection Toolkit - can be a way of ensuring that your QIP is regularly updated with information about the needs, strengths and challenges of your early learning service in relation to supporting children’s wellbeing. Professional Learning One of the possible strategies for achieving goals in a QIP is engaging educators in Be You Professional Learning. The 13 modules across five domains have been mapped to the NQS and EYLF and can become a part of the actions for achieving QIP goals in relation to supporting children’s social and emotional learning and wellbeing. For example, if knowing how to support children experiencing mental health difficulties is identified through the Surveys or Implementation and Reflection Toolkit as an area for improvement, an early learning service can plan to provide educators with time and space to engage in the Early Support modules. Be You Planning and Implementation Tools are available on the Be You website to registered Be You Learning Communities. Be You is completely free, and available to every educator, early learning service, and school in Australia. Register today at www.beyou.edu.au/register To learn more about QIPs and mental health, attend a National Check-In event www.beyou.edu.au/events
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Embracing Bush Kindy Michelle Stanley > Prince Charles Early Education Centre
Our Kindergarten children at the Prince Charles Early Education Centre have been embracing the natural environment as we visited some local bushlands nearby. With our excited little cherubs in tow, we walked safely to our destination and observed many things on the way including a helipad, lots of different cars in the car park, road signs, pedestrian crossings, many plants and trees, and also some buildings. Everything was up for discussion, and there were some great opportunities to talk about safety and crossing the road. On our arrival at Bush Kindy, we sat down in a big yarning circle and used some ‘tapping sticks’ that we found around us to sing and do the actions to our Acknowledgement of Country. We talked about the significance of paying our respects to the traditional owners and ongoing custodians of the land, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The children were fascinated to learn that aboriginal people have very strong connections to the land and mother earth and that they communicate through the use of symbols, artworks, music and dance. We all touched the earth and ground with our hands and said hello to ‘Mother Earth’, then looked up at the tall trees rustling around us. Armed with magnifying glasses to study anything and everything, we soon went off to explore with great care, curiosity and intrigue.
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We all touched the earth and ground with our hands and said hello to Mother Earth, then looked up at the tall trees rustling around us. As the morning progressed, our children freely explored raw nature around them. It was wonderful to observe how they interacted in this environment and the different ideas they came up with to explore mother nature’s gifts including the dirt, sticks, seeds, twigs, branches and leaves. We found large boulders, one with a hole that we thought perhaps had a living creature inside. We found a huge ant nest inside a big broken piece of a log which sent the children scurrying when billions of ants emerged.
We found a golden cicada shell stuck to a log which of course we studied and asked lots of questions about! We also found lots of spider webs and remembered our rules not to touch, only look. We were also fascinated with the beautiful dark pink tree sap we discovered. Looking at the texture, colour, and the way it oozed down the trunk, some children thought the tree was bleeding and sad! Some children chose to draw nature pictures and indigenous inspired artworks, while other children were busy collecting autumn leaves, a few feathers, some seed pods, and a range of sticks for study. Just before we gathered to leave this nature wonderland, many children had used their eagle eyes to find rubbish strewn around the environment, so we put on our gloves and all helped to collect as much rubbish as we could find scattered around which was perfect for Clean Up Australia Day! We managed to fill a whole bag and were super proud of our efforts to put all our sustainable practices learning into action and help save the environment. We were all very sad to leave such a lovely place, but we know we’ll be back in the future.
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RTO: 40933
TRAINING TAILORED TO YOUR NEEDS College for Australian Early Childhood Educators (CAECE) are committed to serving the early childhood education and care sector through high quality and practical workplace training.
We currently offer: • CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care • CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
Qualifications are delivered through workplace training.
Start your early learning journey today! Contact CAECE on 07 3299 5784 or info@caece.com.au | caece.com.au
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Study Tips and Tricks Mandy Walker > CAECE Training Operations Manager
So you have decided to study, this is a massive step in your life and may lead to stronger employment outcomes, promotion, higher pay and what I believe is the most important thing, a deep understanding of why you do what you do. It may have been some time since you have studied, or you may be feeling burned out from finishing one qualification (certificate III or high school) and thinking about study might seem daunting. I have good news for you! If you plan your time, prepare your studies and set yourself realistic goals, you can achieve your qualification in your set time frame. It takes discipline, dedication, and planning, but you can do it. Follow the simple steps below, and you will be surprised at how easy it is to succeed
Don't make studying a struggle. If you have barriers, identify them and make a plan to knock them down. 1. Plan your time What does that mean? It’s about setting a time each day/week/month that you are going to dedicate to study and NOTHING ELSE. It needs to be pre-planned and set, so you stick to it. It is better to do smaller chunks of time more frequently than trying to find a full day and get bogged down. Choosing how much time will be a personal choice as you and only you know your schedule. Schedule between 30 minutes to 1.5 hours is long enough.
The adult brain can only concentrate for on average 90 minutes. If you plan on studying for longer than 90 minutes, be sure to take a break and refresh. If 30 minutes is all you have, then you need to be ready and prepared to make the most of your time. However long you have it is essential to set the time and write it on your calendar, diary, or schedule. Writing it down commits it to paper - making you accountable. 2. Know your limits Don’t make studying a struggle. If you have barriers, identify them and make a plan to knock them down. Some common barriers are: • Limited time • No or limited access to technology • Struggle to understand the readings • No support at work • Needing to study not wanting to study Once you have identified your barrier, you can start to knock it down or work with it. You are the only thing stopping you from achieving your goals. 3. Divide and conquer
If you have set yourself a goal of completing your assessment in 4 weeks, then divide the sections and tasks into 4. Setting yourself mini goals will help with progression as it provides positive reinforcement when you achieve a smaller goal. 4. Be flexible Things will go wrong! This is a truth that no one can explain or expect. Just when you think things are great, something will stand in your way. Be flexible; don’t let little setbacks become big setbacks. We all get sick, and things happen at work and in our personal life. We have to be adaptive and roll with the punches. 5. Celebrate your successes DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! No matter how small the success is, it is important to celebrate it! Finished a section of your assessment – CELEBRATE! Completed a workplace task – CELEBRATE! Finished a full unit - you guessed it CELEBRATE!!! Celebrating might be a treat, taking the day off from studying or simply telling the world you finished or achieved a goal.
No this is not an “Art of War” reference but a method of working through your assessments. When you start a unit, start by looking at the assessments. How many sections are there? How many practical tasks are there? Is there anything you need a supervisor to observe?
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The risk of flexi hoses in early learning Guild Insurance
Imagine that you’ve closed your centre at about 6pm on a Friday. Unbeknownst to you, later that evening water starts flowing from underneath one of the bathroom sinks. As no one is there to see or stop this, it continues with water inundating the entire building. By the time you’re aware of this on Monday morning, the building has suffered extensive water damage to the floors and furniture and mould has started to form. What is a flexi hose? Many business and home owners will have little understanding of a serious risk lurking beneath their sinks. Flexible braided hoses, commonly called flexi hoses, are frequently found underneath bathroom or kitchen sinks right across Australia. A flexi hose is a flexible hose with braided or woven stainless steel
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which have overtime replaced standard copper pipes. They’ll usually be used to connect water to an appliance, such as a dishwasher, sink or toilet. The flexibility in them makes plumbing connections easier in a range of settings. However, it’s this flexibility that also creates a very real risk of water damaging your property
and disrupting your business if the hose fails or bursts. What could go wrong? It’s quite simple really. When the stainless steel outer of a flexi hose fails by either corroding or fraying, this allows the inner tubes of the hose to expand to a point of bursting.
How will this impact your centre? Any building, both commercial and residential, faces the risk of a burst flexi hose. However early learning centres face a higher risk than many other buildings given their high number of toilets and basins, and therefore the high number of flexi hoses. The scenario at the beginning of this article highlights the damage which can occur with water potentially inundating the entire building before it is realised and stopped. However, the impact unfortunately doesn’t end there. Guild Insurance has seen many cases where extensive water damage has led to an early learning centre being closed for a period of time, possibly a week. This may be because of the time it takes for the floors to completely dry. Driers can be used to speed up this process, however these are quite noisy and it’s difficult to operate a centre while these are being used. There is also the issue of mould building up due to the water damage and this creating an unsafe space for both children and the staff. There is an unfortunate potential consequence of an early learning centre being unable to operate for a period of time. Several centres have experienced their children attending other centres during a closure and
then not returning once the centre is up and running. While insurance can assist with the cost of repairs and lost revenue during a closure, it can’t assist with valued clients choosing to not return. What can you do about this? Use a qualified plumber – there may be a temptation for some people to consider installing flexi hoses themselves, however the majority of issues with flexi hoses come about due to poor installation. Therefore, always use a qualified plumber to be sure flexi hoses are correctly installed. Create a maintenance program – flexi hoses should be regularly checked for damage, approximately every 6 months. When undertaking these checks be on the look out for leaks, bulging pipes and fraying or rusting stainless steel. Your plumber may be able to assist you with this process. Only use quality products – while all flexi hoses have a limited lifespan, some will last longer than others. Your qualified plumber should only be using products which adhere to the WaterMark Certification Scheme and carry the recognised WaterMark logo. While a high cost isn’t a guarantee of high quality, be mindful when trying to limit spending as sometimes cheap options will be of a lower quality.
which can be attached to a flexi hose and will stop the flow of water from a burst hose. These are small devices which are relatively cheap yet should be installed by a qualified plumber. Replacement program – quality flexi hoses are generally thought to have a lifespan of about 10 years, however this can vary and some have been known to burst within a few months of installation. It’s therefore recommended hoses are replaced approximately every 8 years, unless maintenance checks suggest it should happen sooner. If you’ve moved into a new premises and you aren’t sure of the age of the flexi hoses, consider replacing them all to be on the safe side. This may seem overly cautious, however the time and money spent doing this will be much less than dealing with water damage to your business. Storage of chemicals nearby – it’s very common to store cleaning products in cupboards under sinks, which is where you’re also likely to find flexi hoses. It’s thought that the chemicals in these cleaning products may contribute to the corrosion of flexi hoses. Therefore, find another safe place to store these products away from your flexi hoses.
Flood stop valve – there are a few products on the market, usually called flood stop valves or isolation taps,
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.
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Member in the Spotlight Integration of Auslan in Early Learning Eastwood Early Education Toowoomba
Member in the Spotlight aims to share stories of members and the things that make them special. This is the space to share with the ACA Qld family what you are doing to improve outcomes for Australia's youngest generation.
"We find, at home, this encourages her desire to learn as she witnesses us asking more questions and being shown the right way to sign. Thank you so much!!" In January 2019 a smiley, bright blue-eyed five-month-old little boy joined the Eastwood Early Education community. Fletcher and his parents Samara and Sam fit seamlessly into the fun and festivities of the centre. In the sixteen months since, the team of Educators at Eastwood have joined Fletcher’s family on a rollercoaster of discovery into hearing loss and the world of Deaf Services. Fletcher was diagnosed with complete hearing loss as an infant. Since that time, the service has worked with NDIS, Department of Education and Deaf Services Queensland to have all Educators at Eastwood Education learn Auslan. Auslan is now integrated into all classrooms at Eastwood Early Education, not just in Fletcher’s class. This enables all Educators, including the Director, float staff and cook, to interact with him. Furthermore, embedding the learning of Auslan into classroom practices now also means that children of every age group can communicate with Fletcher, and each other using sign.
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Recently the Educators completed an eight-week course taught by Deaf Services Queensland and now know in excess of 200 signs. Centre owner Katy says “one of the most memorable interactions was in the dining room with Fletcher’s class. Lunch had been served and the Educators and children were chatting away, speaking and signing. One of Fletcher’s classmates (a hearing and verbal child) pushed the bowl of food in front of him towards the teacher. He held out his left hand, palm to the table. With his right hand he used his thumb to circle to the top side of his left hand. He was using the Auslan sign for ‘biscuit’. At the ripe age of 19 months Charlie was negotiating replacing his lunch for a biscuit”. The concept of inclusion is authentic and embedded in practice at Eastwood. During the COVID-19 isolation of some families has meant diversifying the lessons to include online learning. The amazing team of Educators, like Miss Hope, Miss Tara and Miss Demi, have been uploading Auslan signs to learn at home via our Educa App. Families from all classes have enjoyed this.
"I really love that Auslan is taught at Eastwood" Saanj (parent of 4 year old) says “I really love that Auslan is taught at Eastwood. Rupinda really enjoys coming home and teaching us how to sign words and we love learning from her. We find, at home, this encourages her desire to learn as she witnesses us asking more questions and being shown the right way to sign. Thank you so much!!” The successful integration of Auslan across the service is a testament to the productive partnership between the service and Fletcher’s parents, Samara & Sam. Samara says, “We are so thankful Eastwood came into our lives. They have been so incredibly supportive, and we cannot thank them enough for all they have done for not only our little man but for us as a family unit. Thank you Eastwood from the bottom of our hearts!” Reciprocally, the broader Eastwood community are thankful for the enrichment that Fletcher, his family and Auslan have brought to our lives.
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Educator in Profile: Tim Peters Meet Tim Peters, who works at Bright Buttons Kindergarten Currumbin. 1. What is your role within your service and what do you want to achieve in the next five years? As an Educator at Bright Buttons Kindergarten Currumbin, I am part of a dedicated team of early childhood professionals who work in collaboration with our children, their families and the wider community to create a rich variety of environments dedicated to guide children through their learning journeys. It is my responsibility to ensure the delivery of quality holistic teaching practises that offer an environment that is constructive, inclusive and nurturing for all involved. Each child develops differently, and while there are various strategies that serve as effective guidelines to catalyse growth in general, I am continuously seeking the knowledge of additional concepts, theories and skills. To utilise individual children’s unique interests, and to enhance their overall development, I intend to
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continuously engage in comprehensive research aiming to further my understanding surrounding early years pedagogy, as well as the psychological aspects that occur through the delivery of meaningful learning opportunities.
2. What or who inspired you to forge a career in early learning? Whilst I have always had an interest in child development and how learning takes place, my extended interest in the early learning profession developed through discussions with my mentor Rebecca (Service Manager, Bright Buttons). It is in no small regard thanks to her that I began to comprehend how to channel my interest into an early year’s education career. Now, a few years later, Rebecca still supports and challenges me both as an individual and as the professional, she is always prepared to expand on the endless lines of questioning she knows are heading her way. 3. What do you find rewarding about working in the early learning sector? There is this incredible feeling of pride and purpose that I am privileged to experience through observing the children, acknowledging the skills they learn and extending on this to progress their development. Just knowing that I played some part in equipping a future generation with the skills to become lifelong learners and witnessing the children demonstrate the potential within each of us, brings enormous rewards. 4. How would you describe your early learning philosophy? ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ - an expression most of us have undoubtedly heard at some point in our careers would be an accurate summary of my personal learning philosophy. To keep true to this concept, effective educators must continuously compile their personal life experiences and professional knowledge to suit the forever changing needs of the child, this cannot be done alone. Building strong relationships and being part of a solid support network is paramount in achieving an environment rich in diversity and purpose and recognising the abilities necessary to create essential learning foundations. 5. How do you engage the families in your service? Bright Buttons Kindergarten Currumbin is a small, family orientated service privileged with majority of staff having
worked together for many years. This stimulates a sense of seamless cooperation between us educators and the families we work with. Our families feel comfortable to share their interests and offer valuable feedback for us to reflect on. The drive to provide a place for the children to belong is highly regarded, and we believe the way to achieve this is by building and maintaining strong relationships with our families and incorporating their ideas and suggestions into a program that every child can feel a sense of identity and connectedness. 6. What is your biggest challenge as an educator and what strategies do you put in place to manage these challenges? One considerable challenge every educator must overcome is absorbing and applying the vast amount of information surrounding our everyday operation. The passion to provide the best for children can consume you and before you know it, you are overwhelmed and ineffective. To mitigate occupational effects such as this you need a team that will notice your struggles, provide support to you and looks after your wellbeing as they would their own. Fortunately for me, I am part of a team that is akin to family. We understand what it means to struggle and know that the reason we do so, is to better us as a unit. 7. How have the challenges you faced helped you to grow as an educator? I believe that in order to grow, one must be challenged! It is about identifying the necessary skills or information you can apply, and the learning achieved. When I first entered the profession, I was incredibly eager to be of use and focused on imitating other educators, so much so that I was ignorant to the qualities I had to offer to the team. On reflection, this was my first substantial challenge to overcome as an early childhood education professional. Coincidentally, this was also my first time experiencing an entire team coming together in order to lift me up and offer guidance, nudging me into a journey that allowed me to grow into a strength of my own.
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"Our role is extremely important and rewarding and I strongly recommend that more males consider an opportunity to be part of this profession" 8. What is the most important skill you hope to develop in the children you educate and care for? The skill to learn ‘learning’. Once a child can identify the necessary components to acquire a skill, their entire world opens for them. Picking up a rock now has an entirely new catalogue of meanings, turning a corner is an adventure limited only by imagination and learning becomes a choice – their choice, this is the beginning of how children identify as an individual.
Tim & Rebecca Bright Buttons Kindergarten Currumbin
9. What advice would you give to someone who wishes to start a career in early learning? Trust your team, no single person can do this on their own. Do not be afraid to voice what you feel and most importantly, let the children see you for who you are. Join them in their adventures and play like we all did once before, it will all come back to you I promise. Our role is extremely important and rewarding and I strongly recommend that more males consider an opportunity to be part of this profession. 10. Finally, what’s your fondest memory from your own childhood? One memory I have from my own Kindergarten days back in my hometown of Kalkar, Germany that has stayed with me throughout my life would be; a pleasant spring afternoon where a parent joined our room to teach us how to build our very own paper aeroplanes. The instructions were far beyond our collective capabilities, which I am sure he realised was a slight miscalculation on his part, however, we all loved it. Little did we know, he would come back to help us practise again and again, offering such encouragement that I believed I could do it without a doubt. He may never know this, but I now teach the children how to make the very same paper planes.
Engage in play, and join in the children’s adventures
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EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2020
Getting on the front foot as a leader post COVID-19 Barry Lehrer > Founder & CEO, ChildHR
There has never been more uncertainty about the future of the workplace than now. If you are an early learning team leader or education centre owner, this time of adjustment will call upon your vision, leadership, and operational knowledge to rebuild a united, cohesive team for the long term. View this as an invitation rather than a burden to respond, and you can positively shape your team’s future. Seize this opportunity to lead As we start to emerge from our shared COVID-19 experience, it feels like embracing and adapting to change has become the new normal, and that is a huge opportunity for anyone in a position to lead. This is your chance to lead with purpose, make your team’s journey inspiring and uplifting and build a loyal team of people who want to stay with your business because of your leadership. Pam Maclean is an expert in early childhood. She says, “Your team will appreciate that they have a leader who takes time to consider the best options, shares information with them and plans for success with them. It is a shared recovery journey you are on together.” - Pam Maclean. (M. Ed). Child’s Play Consultancy Services Keep it simple and meet regularly with your team Sometimes just getting back to basics can be helpful, and simply getting everyone together in one (social distanced) room can be a very powerful way to reconnect, but this is also a chance to try new things and test what a new normal means for your team. For online meetings, try regularly injecting some fun or humour to put people at ease and practice inclusivity. For example, ask people to bring along their favourite baked goods or mocktail for a virtual show-and-tell, or start a quiz-style intro (think: two truths and lie) to help learn more about each other in a light-hearted way.
“Extended periods of time away from our primary work purpose means a shift in how we think, and function, and it can be hard to get our heads back in the ‘workspace’ we knew before” - Pam Maclean. (M. Ed). Child’s Play Consultancy Services Take the time to ask insightful questions so that you can truly understand each person’s position. Demonstrate genuine empathy and prioritise the mental wellbeing of your team members. Each person brings something valuable to the group, and as a manager you can lead by example and ensure this is understood and acknowledged within the team. “Your educators are your front line; they build positive relationships with your families and children that are vital to your service. During the recovery phase of your team, it is important to show them you understand and care about their journey and know how you can all move forward to a positive future together. Strong positive leadership shows the way and inspires others to follow”. - Pam Maclean. (M. Ed). Child’s Play Consultancy Services However you communicate, your style and the consistency of your conversations should foster a supportive environment where people are safe to express their thoughts and emotions. There has never been a better time to instill trust in your team, that there are no silly or stupid questions, and that every person matters.
Invest time and effort into effective conversations Of course, communication is one of the keys to successful team management but what that means can be different for everyone. Understand how each member of your team responds to different communication modes and develop new ways to engage in person and online. For example, WhatsApp chat groups can be an effective way to stay in touch (and then mute after hours).
Barry Lehrer has built successful tech companies from the ground up, including DiffuzeHR and ChildHR. After over two decades of experience running small businesses, he now combines his extensive business marketing and HR experience with a passion for growing and sharing game-changing tech solutions.
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2020
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CAECE
Congradulates... CAECE congradulates highlights recent CAECE graduates having completed their Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care. Over the last quarter we have had the opportunity to congratulate CAECE graduates from both our Diploma and Certificate III qualifications. With the ongoing support from our lovely CAECE trainers, students have been guided to achieve their goals in becoming fully qualified educators. If you or someone you know may be interested in studying and working towards their qualifications in early childhood education and care, our friendly staff and trainers are willing to guide and support your early learning journey! For more information please contact our team on 07 3299 5784 or email support@caece.com.au.
CAECE would like to congratulate the following graduates and wish them all the best for their future as an early learning educator! CAECE graduates for the last quarter: Tianna: Diploma Redbank Plains Child Care Children’s Centre Trainer - Kellie
Jordan: Diploma Little Characters Early Learning Centre Trainer - Lauren
Brittany: Diploma Tiny Tiger Early Learning Centre Runcorn Trainer - Karla
Alisha: Diploma Nottingham World of Learning Trainer - Karla
Bailey: Certificate III The Learning Garden Child Care Centre and Kindergarten Trainer - Karla
Zoe: Diploma Calvary Christian Early Learning Centre Trainer - Lainie
Lucy: Diploma Sparrow Early Learning Eagleby Trainer - Sonja
Amber: Diploma Goodstart Early Learning Centre Kirwan Trainer - Lainie
Ellie: Diploma Bella Grace Early Learning Centre Beerwah Trainer - Lauren
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Jasmyne: Diploma Daisies Deeragun Early Learning Centre Trainer - Lainie
Hannah: Diploma A Country Garden Early Childhood Centre – Willow House Trainer - Kellie
Helena: Diploma Goodstart Early Learning Kawana Trainer - Lauren
Tamsyn: Certificate III Munchkins Early Education Centre Trainer - Sonja
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2020
Courtney: Diploma The Children’s Centre of Beenleigh Child Care Centre Trainer - Sonja
TAMSYN
BRITTANY
HANNAH
ZOE
BAILEY
ALISHA
TIANNA
COURTNEY
AMBER
ELLIE
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2020 19
ACA Qld Member Offers ACA Qld Supporter Members are here to support you and have kindly provided our members with access to exclusive offers and products. Please note that these offers are exclusive to ACA Qld members only and are not to be shared outside of your services. We trust you will find these offers and products beneficial for you and your service. A full list of our Supporter Members can be found in our Supporter Member Directory. For more information and to view the full list of offers, please visit the ACA Qld website at qld.childcarealliance.org.au.
Training Providers In Safe Hands has online training available with In Safe Hands Educators in Safety. If you are an ACA Qld member, please contact In Safe Hands on 1300 794 644 or enquiries@insafehands.net.au for multiple course discounts.
Building and Property Services / Consultants Bunnings have an exclusive commercial cleaning range available for ACA Qld members. This range includes sanitiser, antibacterial hand wash and other key cleaning essentials as required. To order your supply, please fill out the online order form. Also on offer is Scott’s Hand Sanitiser which is now available for bulk order delivery or instore at the trade desk. For more information regarding these offers please contact the team at Bunnings at organisationsqld@ bunnings.com.au.
Building and Property Services / Financial Make It Cheaper is ACA Qld’s official energy partner. If your business is experiencing temporary changes or extended disruption to its usual operations do get in touch – Make It Cheaper are happy to review your network tariffs and demand charges to check if you qualify for the Government’s electricity and gas network relief package, or interim contract terms with from your current energy retailer. These simple checks could save your business thousands of dollars. Submit a bill on the Make It Cheaper website for an immediate assessment of your energy rates or call 02 8077 0179 to speak to an expert.
Building and Property Services ACA Qld new Supporter Member, Stoddart are offering their brand new, locally manufactured, refillable hand sanitiser dispensers that can be wall-mounted or paired with their anti-tip stainless steel stand to create a complete solution. Contact Stoddart today on 1300 79 1954 or email info@stoddart.com.au for your business sanitation and hygiene needs and mention you are an ACA Qld member.
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EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2020
Training Providers ParentTV has put together a full response pack for parents, educators and children to the current coronavirus situation and are providing resources for early learning services including daily social/ emotional support from your favourite parenting experts and activity ideas relevant to the age of children. For more information about this offer, contact Sam at sam@parenttv.com or 0401 198 625 and mention you are an ACA Qld member.
Software / IT Support 1Place Childcare have been supporting early learning services with their compliance needs for 10+ years. 1Place Childcare has come up with a suggested Health & Safety Compliance / Cleaning checklist, which ACA Qld members are free to use. For more information on this offer, contact the 1Place Childcare team at sales@1placeonline.com or 1800 416 431 and mention you are an ACA Qld member.
Software / IT Support
Superannuation Child Care Super is here to support you and your staff as much as possible during these times and are giving employers and their staff the opportunity to conduct a one on one discussion over the phone regarding their Super. Topics that can be discussed include questions of Early Release due to COVID-19, insurance, nominating beneficiaries, updating contact details, searching for lost super, making contributions, investments, and any other general questions on super. For more information on this offer, please contact Kylie at khancock@ guildtrusteeservices.com.au or Ben on bfagan@ guildtrusteeservices.com.au. This document contains general advice only and doesn’t take into account what you currently have, want and need for your personal circumstances. It is important for you to consider these matters and read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before you make a decision about a superannuation product. You can obtain a copy of the Child Care Super PDS from childcaresuper.com.au/pds
Building and Property Services X-Alt Solar will provide ACA Qld members free and no-obligation analysis and assessment of the potential savings and environmental impact from solar for your centre(s). For orders placed up to the end of June 2020, X-Alt Solar will offer ACA Qld members a free extended warranty on the inverter used in the installation (between 5 and 8 years depending on the inverter). Please register your interest by completing the form on the X-Alt Solar website. For more information about this offer, contact the X-Alt Solar team on 07 3040 2255 and mention you are an ACA Qld member.
ChildHR is providing ACA Qld members with a free subscription to ChildHR TODAY. ChildHR TODAY is the streamlined version of the revolutionary ChildHR application that allows early learning services to use the right tools for a compliant and sector-consistent approach to managing their human resource obligations. For more information on this offer, contact ChildHR at sales@childhr.org.au or 1300 410 340 and mention you are an ACA Qld member.
Toys / Resources / Suppliers All ACA Qld members now receive significant discounts across a range of Officeworks products most popular to ECEC services including paper, binders, learning development and craft, bathroom and kitchen paper, beverages and sweeteners, cleaning chemicals and equipment and information technology. Depending on the mix of products in your cart, you could save up to 32% off your total purchase - just select the items with a red star! For more information on this offer, contact John at jrizk@officeworks.com.au and mention you are an ACA Qld member.
Toys / Resources / Suppliers ABC School Supplies specialise in early learning, school and childcare centre supplies and resources. They stock a large range of products from art and craft supplies to cleaning supplies all the way to vinyl gloves, nappies, and wipes. Stocks vary so please contact ABC School Supplies at info@ abcschoolsupplies.com.au with your query and they will be more than happy to assist you.
Food and Nutrition In the new age of COVID-19 and delivering flexible services online, our webinars are a great way to reach more of your parent and educator/staff communities and offer unprecedented value for money. Kids Dig Food are pleased to offer ACA Qld members exclusive discounts on their Parent and Educator webinars. For more information on this offer, contact Deb at contact@kidsdigfood.com.au or 0413 433 144 and mention you are an ACA Qld member.
Software / IT Support Penelope QIP is a complete quality improvement platform for Australian early learning services. Penelope invites ACA Qld members to complete a free online self-assessment of your early learning service’s preparedness for the increasing coronavirus (COVID-19) threat. For more information on this offer, contact the Penelope QIP team at on 1300 435 962 and mention you are an ACA Qld member.
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2020
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Employers and Financial Advice: What you can and can’t say! Child Care Super
The first half of 2020 has been tough for everyone. Changes in the way we have been living and working as a result of the uncertainty caused by COVID-19 has placed a lot of pressure on businesses and raised a number of questions for employees. It’s only natural that you want to help your employees through this difficult time, as research shows staff who feel supported at work are happier, more motivated and more productive. But there’s a fine line between providing information and giving financial advice, so you need to be aware of what you can and can’t say so you don’t unintentionally overstep the mark and find yourself in hot water. What can’t I say? A recommendation or statement of opinion that might be regarded as intending to influence someone to make a particular decision about a financial product may be considered “financial advice”.
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EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2020
This includes anything you might say about: • joining or making contributions to a super fund; • making additional contributions to a super fund, including by salary sacrifice; • rolling super into or out of a fund; and • selecting particular investment or insurance options within a super fund. Only people with an Australian Financial Services Licence can provide financial advice. Very few employers fall into this category, so you need to make sure all of your staff, from Human Resources to Line Managers, are aware of their responsibilities, as giving financial advice, even inadvertently, could lead to prosecution.
What can I do to help my employees? So how can you support your employees at this difficult time? First of all, just listen. Sometimes it helps knowing there’s someone who cares.
Get a bonus from th
e Government! If you are a low or mi ddle-income earner an d make a personal, aft er-tax contribution to super, the Government will also make a contribut ion (called a co-contribut ion) up to a maximum amount of $500. The co-contribution is tax free and isn’t taxed when it’s deposited into, or withdrawn, fro m your super account, so it’s a great way to boost your super savings. Just make sure you submit your contribution be fore the end of the fin ancial year so you don’t mi ss out on your bonu s! It will be applied once you lodge your Tax Retu rn.
If your employees ask you specific questions about their super, you can provide them with factual information like the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) of your default super fund. But don’t provide any explanation of the material inside or make any recommendations that might influence them as this may be considered financial advice. Child Care Super is also here to help Child Care Super employs dedicated Business Development Consultants who are available to support you and your staff online or over the phone, at no cost to Child Care Super members.
you shop! Boost your super every time there’s a way your Even in these uncertain times, er without having employees can add to their sup arned salary. to sacrifice any of their hard-e ing winning With SUPERSUPER, our award s can get money yee plo em rewards program, your e Super account paid straight into their Child Car our hundreds of while shopping through any of a program that participating retailers. Having er each time they allows them to grow their sup real and practical shop for everyday items is a viate some of alle solution. It may also help to tion to their rela in the stress they are feeling financial future. to super today can Small regular amounts added dollars over time, ra add up to thousands of ext nd returns. Find pou com thanks to the magic of u/supersuper m.a r.co upe out more at childcares
We’re here to answer any questions you may have about: • • • • • • • • •
the Early Release of super due to COVID-19; insurance; nominating beneficiaries; saving super through your everyday shopping with SUPERSUPER - our shop-and-save super rewards program exclusive for Child Care Super member updating your contact details; searching for lost super; making contributions and getting a bonus from the Government; investments; or any other super questions you may have
Please note we cannot provide personal advice or general advice about other super funds. Our team is ready to assist you if you have any question. Get in touch with one of our consultants childcaresuper.com.au/employer/contact-a-consultant
The information contained in this article is intended only to be a summary of the subject matter covered. It contains general information only, it does not purport to be comprehensive, nor does it purport to provide you with legal advice. It has not taken into account your specific circumstances. You should seek legal advice from an appropriately qualified professional. Guild Trustee Services Pty Limited ABN 84 068 826 728 AFS Licence No. 233815 RSE Licence No. L0000611 is Trustee of the Guild Retirement Fund ABN 22 599 554 834 (which includes Child Care Super and GuildSuper) My Super Authorisation No. 22599554834526. Before making a decision about Child Care Super, you should consider whether the product is appropriate to your needs, objectives and circumstances. Accordingly, you should read the Child Care Super Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before you make a decision about this product. You can get a copy of the Child Care Super website.
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2020 23
Change the way your employees grow their super With Child Care Super, your employees can make additional contributions into their superannuation account each time they shop at participating retailers.
1800 060 215 childcaresuper.com.au/supersuper
Guild Trustee Services Pty Ltd. ABN 84 068 826 728. AFSL 233815. Trustee for the Guild Retirement Fund (which includes GuildSuper and Child Care Super) ABN 22 599 554 834. RSE Licence Number L0000611. You should consider whether Child Care Super is right for you by reading the Product Disclosure Statement www.childcaresuper.com.au/pds
Learning through
Play
Tammy Hare > Kidz Magic Heathwood
Play is an important part of early childhood. Play is essential to the development of a child because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social and emotional wellbeing of children. It promotes the holistic development of a child. Today’s children need to be well prepared to be tomorrow’s leaders. Play helps children develop new competencies that lead to enhanced confidence and resiliency that children will need to face future challenges. Play however can often be overlooked. It’s important that our philosophy at Kidz Magic Early Learning Centre focuses on a play based curriculum and that our early childhood educators advocate the need to ensure play is protected as it balances a child’s lifestyle and is the optimal developmental milieu (environment). The importance of play is also listed in the United Nations Convention of the rights of the Child. #7 Every child has the right to play and enjoy whenever they have the opportunity. Play based learning is described in the EYLF as ‘a context for learning through which children organise and make sense of their social worlds, as they actively engage with people, objects and representations’ (EYLF, 2009, p.46). We are seeing the importance of play slowly diminishing, outside the Early Childhood Education and Care services. Some of the contributing factors to this in today’s society are: • A hurried lifestyle • An increased attention to academics • Pressures of surrounding society • Media coverage • Use of technology – ipads, phones etc With the ever-changing world we emphasize the importance of learning through play at our service. Taking play away and focusing on clear cut experiences can have implications on children’s ability to store new information. The cognitive ability of clear cut experiences reduces the child’s ability to think outside the box and does not support their creativity and imagination to flourish.
Children are curious when ‘free’ to play and through play they continue to learn and develop. Play based learning is an essential tool to developing essential life skills. It is through play that children start to interact with the world around them. A play-based approach involves both child initiated and educator assisted learning. We maximise the children’s full benefits of play with a carefully planned environment. Provocations – we deliberately set up thoughtful learning play spaces to stretch the ideas of the children. Our educators encourage children’s learning and inquiry through interactions that aim to extend a child’s thinking. This allows children to learn to be inventive, flexible thinkers and encourages them to plan and reflect. Open – Ended Experiences – experiences that are not clear cut, materials that create a never ending use so that play can be richer and more complex. These should be experiences that enable children to explore, investigate, problem solve and represent their understanding. Children can use any object for their imaginative play and are not discouraged. Stencils are not used within our service. Flexible Learning environment – children are given the option to leave areas set up and return to their play at a later stage. Flexible meal times has created an unhurried atmosphere. Children do not find the need to leave their play to meet routine times. Having a flexible approach with routines and meal times creates a sense of calm within the environment and we have found children’s concentration levels to have increased. Play is a simple joy that is a cherished part of childhood. Children deserve the right to quality education and the memories of play through their early childhood years that has contributed to who they are today.
Through play children learn how to interact, take risks, play in small or large groups, negotiate, share, resolve conflicts, make decisions and discover their own passions.
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Real-life stories bring home the positive message Triple P – Positive Parenting Program
Working every day with children and families can be exhausting as well as exhilarating. While it’s lovely if families keep in touch and you get to see some of those gorgeous little kids “all grown up”, it doesn’t always happen. But those positive stories of how you made a powerful difference to a child’s life can be very motivating. It’s a bit the same for the hundreds of Queensland health, education, and family support professionals who deliver Triple P – Positive Parenting Program to families.
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things get better for everybody, basically,” says Jeff Chesters, president of Kulila Indigenous Kindergarten in Toowoomba, and Triple P provider.
Those real-life stories and seeing how families change make it all worthwhile. And it can be surprising how small changes can make big differences to families, by setting up a new dynamic.
Sallie Clare, a Triple P provider with Red Cross who works in the Rockhampton area, shares a similar sentiment: “With Triple P, I like the fact that it’s strengths based, and based on positive talk, and explaining the behaviour you’d like to see not just the behaviour you don’t want to see,” she says.
“We see families noticing changes within a couple of weeks of them doing the course, and the feedback is just – it’s great…Mum and dad are happy, then the kids are happy, and
“I like the strategies and the explanations of why behaviours might happen, and then some strategies of what to try to improve things.”
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2020
"I'd 100 per cent recommend it. It's really worth it, especially if you're frustrated. Because parenting is rewarding, but it can be really tiring and demanding."
And what about the parents? Gold Coast mum Sarah went to a Triple P Seminar out of curiosity, and because her fellow Bachelor of Education students had recommended it: “There were just a whole lot of strategies that they gave you for dealing with the little issues that come along, and just realising – I think hearing that it’s quite normal, all the things that I was experiencing with the kids at home.” For Yulia and Peter, from Brisbane, Triple P help was suggested by a paediatrician, as they were finding the behaviour of their son, who’d been diagnosed with ADHD, difficult to cope with. “If I wanted him to do something, I tried the nice way first, and then after several times it didn’t work, I’d increase my voice, and shout,” says Yulia. “And then I would think, ‘well it worked, but I feel guilty’.” Yulia and her husband were stuck using what had worked with their previous child. “We tried different things like reward systems, and consequences, but the thing is, there was no plan – no proper plan of how we would use it,” says Yulia.
After doing Triple P, she says she’s calmer, and so is her son. He’s also happier and doing better at school. “I’d 100 per cent recommend it. It’s really worth it, especially if you’re frustrated. Because parenting is rewarding, but it can be really tiring and demanding.” And for Queensland dad, Brendan, who found himself unexpectedly taking on the role of stay-at-home parent, doing a Triple P program meant he had new skills to deal with typical toddler tantrums and constant demands. He says there were a lot of things he was already doing, but didn’t really know why. “Finding out why things work really helps consolidate the reason you’re doing it,” he says. In fact, he’s been inspired to start reading more about child psychology. “It’s made for a much better home life and a much less stressful one, and I think that’s been the value.” All Queensland parents and carers of children under 16 can access free Triple P programs. To find out more, visit www.triplep-parenting.net
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Supporter Members Directory Service
Contact
Area
Phone
Web
Elston
Ben Greenwall
Gold Coas Mct
1300 357 866
www.elston.com.au
Ezidebit Pty Ltd
Nathan Mullan
Newstead
07 3124 5500
www.ezidebit.com.au
Make it Cheaper
Lucy Block
Sydney
02 8077 0005
www.makeitcheaper.com.au
Peter Price & Associates
Peter Price
Mt Ommaney
07 3376 3411
www.peterprice.com.au
ShineWing Australia
Jeremy Wicht
Brisbane
07 3085 0888
www.shinewing.com.au
Lyn Lange
Brisbane
0401 992 583
www.anz.com
Jason Stephenson
Miami
1300 537 227
www.jdschildcaresales.com.au
Jardine Architects
Greg Jardine
Brisbane
07 3229 9322
www.jardinearchitects.com.au
Jorgensens Pty Ltd
Tim Cox
Molendiner
07 5597 6620
www.jorgensens.com.au
Mathiou Services
Justin Miller
Burleigh Heads
1300 363 423
www.mathiouservices.com.au
Stoddart
David Richardson
Karawatha
07 3440 7600
www.stoddart.com.au
Surface Pro
Janet Osbourne
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
X-Alt Solar
Brian Mills
Ormeau
0402 658 313
www.x-altsolar.com.au
Absolute Support Training & Resources
Darlene Wadham
Wynnum
0488 666 455
www.absolutesupport.com.au
Elite Childcare Management
Debbie Thompson
Cannon Hill
0435 743 212
www.elitechildcaremanagement.com.au
G8 Education
G8 Education Team
Varsity Lakes
07 5581 5336
www.g8education.edu.au
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
0410 456 607
www.readynowresources.com.au
Scholars Consulting
Jae Fraser
Labrador
0408 872 492
www.thescholarsgroup.com.au
Deb Blakley
North Lakes
0413 433 144
www.kidsdigfood.com.au
Peter Jarrett
West End
07 3230 8501
www.guildgroup.com.au
Giovanni Porta
Geebung
07 3265 3888
www.portalawyers.com.au
Accounting, Bookkeeping & Financial
Banking Services ANZ Business Bank Brokers JDS Childcare Sales Building & Property Services / Consultants
Consultancy / Management
Food & Nutrition Kids Dig Food Insurance Guild Insurance Legal Porta Lawyers
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EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2020
Service
Contact
Area
Phone
Web
1Placechildcare.com
Martin Bing
Auckland
6495 200 612
www.1placechildcare.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
Penelope QIP
Steve Collier
Toowoomba
1300 435 962
www.penelope.com.au
QK Technologies - QikKids
Sean Murphy
Morningside
1300 367 770
www.qikkids.com.au
Kayleen Tolley
Cannon Hill
0414 559 997
www.physikids.com.au
Child Care Super
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
Kate Graham
Fortitude Valley
0437 516 830
www.qiec.com.au
ABC School Supplies
Graham Bone
Capalaba
07 3823 2999
www.abcschoolsupplies.com.au
Bunnings
Gerard Brewty
Mansfield Bc
0447 032 873
www.bunnings.com.au
Modern Teaching Aids (MTA)
Marco De Geus
Frenchs Forest
02 9938 0411
www.teaching.com.au
Officeworks
John Rizk
Brisbane Airport
0439 284 173
www.officeworks.com.au
Pre-School Equipment
Karen Clark
St Kilda
1300 555 972
www.preschoolequipment.com.au
Think Education Supplies
David Knibbe
07 3376 3497
www.thinkeducation.com.au
Software / IT Support
Sports and Fitness Physi Kids Superannuation
Toys, Resources & Suppliers
Training Providers & Consultants ACE Community College
Robyn Keenan
Burleigh Waters
07 5520 3026
www.acecolleges.edu.au
Australian College of Teacher Aides and Childcare (ACTAC)
Admin Team
Bowen Hills
1300 511 455
www.actac.com.au
Child Wise
Paolo Piccinno
Carlton
03 9079 0427
www.childwise.org.au
College for Australian Early Childhood Educators (CAECE)
CAECE Team
Brisbane
07 3299 5784
www.caece.com.au
ECTARC
Melissa Moutia
Warrawony
02 4223 1111
www.ectarc.com.au
Inspire Education
Kirsten George
Brisbane
1800 506 509
www.inspireeducation.net.au
In Safe Hands Educators in Safety
Michael Pecic
Arana Hills
1300 794 644
www.insafehands.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
PST Training Store
Danielle Peters
Gold Coast
1300 399 665
www.thetrainingstore.com.au
Herron Todd White
Simon Fox
Brisbane
07 3002 0900
www.htw.com.au
Trivett Property Group
Darren Trivett
South Brisbane
07 3216 1011
www.trivett.net.au
Valuers
EARLY EDITION > WINTER 2020 29
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