EarlyEdition AUTUMN 2018
Don’t burn out, burn bright! Four steps to enormous emotional intelligence Implementing the child safe standards 1 - 3 June 2018 The Star Gold Coast #TogetherWeGrow18
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EarlyEdition AUTUMN 2018
2018 Conference - Together We Grow
ACA Queensland
Contents
Location: 11/6 Vanessa Boulevard, Springwood Mailing: PO Box 137, Springwood QLD 4127 Telephone: (07) 3808 2366 Fax: (07) 3808 2466 Toll Free: 1300 365 325 (outside Brisbane) Web: www.qld.childcarealliance.org.au Email: qld@childcarealliance.org.au
ACA Queensland President’s Report
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ACA President’s Report
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Don’t burn out, burn bright!
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Four steps to enormous emotional intelligence
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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 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.
Have Fun! Move and Play Everyday
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Understanding Anxiety and Building Resilience in Young Children
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Breaking the cycle of diet culture in the early years
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2018 Conference - Together We Grow
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Lilly Orange Seed – Our Science Experiment
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Children, family violence, and the early years
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Empowering children and implementing the child safe standards
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It Takes a Village to Grow your Childcare Business
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Five tips for staging tough conversations in early years settings
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Are Small Business Employers exempt from unfair dismissal claims?
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Associate Member Directory
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MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Executive
Committee Members
ACA Queensland Office
President - Majella Fitzsimmons
Gwynn Bridge AM Rosa McDonald
General Manager - Brent Stokes
Vice President - Jae Fraser
Linda Davies
Louise Thomas
Office Manager - Jen Smyth
Treasurer - Doug Burns
Kerrie Lada
Brent Stokes
Office Admin Assistant - Letitia Murphy
Secretary - Debra North
Project Officer - Claudette Cabilan
EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2018
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ACA Queensland President’s Report Welcome to the first Early Edition magazine of 2018! I am not sure if it has to do with my age or how busy we all are, but doesn’t the time seem to just be passing faster and faster? There has been and will continue to be, significant change in the Early Education and Care (ECEC) sector. ACA Qld congratulated Annastasia Palaszczuk and her Government for their success in the election. We welcome our new Queensland Minister for Education, Grace Grace MP; new Opposition Leader, Deborah Frecklington MP; new DirectorGeneral Department of Education, Annette Whitehead. We would also like to thank and acknowledge Minister Kate Jones for her dedication and achievements in ECEC in Queensland. We hope that you have all seen and welcomed our FindChildcareNow.com. au television and social media campaign that launched on 22 January for eight weeks. ACA Qld believes that this was strategically the right time to support our members when it is most needed, and we trust that it has resulted in many more enquires and most importantly, enrolments. We believe we have successfully started to educate families, government and the media about the true issue of supply (oversupply) of ECEC services in Australia. Starting with our Urban Economics report that provided us with the data to dispel the sensationalised media about the true accessibility and affordability of quality ECEC services. On the 15th and 16th of February, your Vice President, Jae Fraser and General Manager, Brent Stokes joined me for our quarterly ACA National face to face meeting, this time in South Australia. Again, it was another vigorous meeting where we advocated for the best interests of families and services in Queensland. By now I hope you’re feeling more confident with the changes to the National Quality Standards (NQS) that
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came into effect on 1 February. Please note that with any change, ACA is here to support you. We have welcomed another member to our close knit and hardworking team, Ms Cheryl Way. Cheryl’s role is to support you with all the exclusive ACA Qld member offers from our Supporter Members. Have you taken advantage of the hugely discounted policy and procedure offering that we launched? If not and you would like to know more, please contact our office. The Child Care Subsidy is drawing closer and at time of writing, we are expecting the Government information road shows to have been delivered in all capital cities including virtual meetings. ACA is committed to supporting members through this time. ACA released our pre-budget submission on your behalf for early education and care. Please see the Submissions section of the ACA National website for a copy: www.childcarealliance.org.au. If you haven’t already, I suggest you get in now for our ACA Qld 2018 National Conference – places are filling fast! This year’s theme is Together We Grow – It takes a village. We are confident that this year’s event will be even more amazing than it was in previous years as we are always reflecting and improving. This year we have the unique opportunity to offer an Approved Providers only expert panel session on Friday, 1 June including a Q&A and lunch. We are also offering a ‘Back to Basics’ workshop, sponsored by your own training college, College for Australian Early Childhood Educators (CAECE). Visit our conference website, www.childcareconference.com. au for more information and make sure to follow us on all our socials and open all our emails to keep updated. We continue to work on a vast amount of issues including, Disability and
Inclusion, 2020 ECT requirements, QKFS requirements, Industrial Relations issues including Equal Remuneration Order (ERO) and 4-year modern award review, Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline (QKLG) and resources and many more.
Majella Fitzsimmons ACA Qld President
ACA President’s Report As we settle into 2018, the main focus is getting ready for the new Child Care Subsidy. 2018 will bring about big changes for our sector, with the new Child Care Subsidy (CCS) package due for implementation on 2 July this year. We aim to ensure that all our members and their families understand what they need to do between now and July to ensure a successful transition to the new system. We have launched a webpage which will act as a central point for all our resources about the new CCS. We will continue to update these resources as further updates become available, via our regular engagement with relevant government departments. You can access this at www.childcarealliance.org.au/ ChildCareSubsidy. ACECQA’s Annual Performance Report was released in late December. The report presents analysis of the ECEC sector against the objectives and outcomes of the National Quality Framework (NQF). Overall the report found that: NQF support – overall support for the NQF among providers of education and care services has remained consistently above 95%. Quality improvement – the proportion of services meeting or exceeding the National Quality Standard (NQS) has increased over time. Furthermore, around 60% of services improve their overall quality rating at reassessment.
services nation-wide. However, there is a clear need for further parent education about the NQF and the quality ratings, to allow families to make more informed choices about their options. ACA supports the aims of the NQF and acknowledges the positive impact the regulations have had on the quality of ECEC services. However, we would like to ensure that the sector is adequately resourced to meet these expectations. The revised NQS took effect on 1 February. ACA is reviewing these changes and their impact on ECEC service operations in a practical sense, as well as financially, socially and environmentally. We’re also keen to ensure that the NQF does not impose unnecessary administration on staff. We are always keen to hear your views on this and will continue to provide feedback to ACECQA and the Department of Education and Training as issues arise.
Changes to Australia’s privacy law took effect on 22 February. The new law introduced a requirement for ECEC services to contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and affected individuals if they become aware of any data breaches that are “likely” to result in “serious harm”. Read more about this law at www.bit.ly/ACAPrivacyLaw. Thank you again to our members for your support and continued engagement. ACA will continue to provide our members with updates about the implementation of the new CCS as news come to hand.
Paul Mondo ACA National President
As part of our Pre-Budget Submission to the Federal Government, ACA recommended that further government funding should be allocated to a program similar to the Long Day Care Professional Development Program (LDCPDP), which would allow ECEC service providers to determine the most appropriate training needs for the staff in their services.
Family awareness – the NQS and quality rating system is not yet well understood by families. Increasing the level of awareness is an ongoing focus for ACECQA.
Many thanks to members who completed our recent survey about the number of places for children aged 0-36 months. Approximately 54% of the representative sample said yes, they would benefit from a potential 30% increase in the CCS rebate for children in this age group, in the context of possibly increasing the number of places available for this age group in their ECEC service. Of those that said yes, 95% said they would consider increasing the number of places in this age group, if such a rebate increase became a reality, at an average of 8 new places per service.
These are encouraging outcomes that indicate the NQF is achieving its objectives to ensure a nationally consistent, high quality delivery of ECEC
We have therefore urged the Federal Government to target additional CCS funding to the 0-36 month age group, to help close this gap and provide the
Skilled workforce – 85% of paid contact staff in long day care, family day care, outside school hours care and vacation care services had an education and care related qualification in 2016, up from 80% in 2013 and 69% in 2010.
infrastructure to support the future economic success of the nation.
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Don’t burn out, burn bright! Christopher Phoenix > Phoenix Support for Educators
Honey light filters through the windscreen and warms Mary’s white knuckles that cling to the steering wheel. Sitting out front of the centre where she has worked for the past six years, a familiar unease rests in her belly. It is the same knot in her stomach she feels every morning lately as she pulls up into her parking space. ‘Why do I even work here?’ she thinks to herself, gazing at the red brick in front of her. ‘I mean, what am I doing with my life? Every day I live the same old routine, and every day it gets harder and harder.” Just like an elusive dream, the more Mary tries to recall how excited she once was about this role, the further it seems to go. She has only a vague recollection of the accomplishment and joy she once felt. She can’t even remember what it feels like now to wake up in the morning and not dread getting out of bed. Mary is clearly burning out. Often when we suffer burnout, we blame the job. Although this can be the case, often, however, it isn’t the job so much that has changed, it is our perspective which has. Like a new outfit that we once adored, and now sits idle in our closet.
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Around two thousand years ago a slave named Epictetus said, “People are disturbed not by things, but by the views they take on them.” What he is saying is that it is rarely a thing itself which upsets us, but our judgements of that thing. For example, if your co-worker left the milk out and you were having a great day you wouldn’t be as upset as you would be if you were having a crappy day. Therefore, it is not the milk being left out which upsets you but your own judgements of the situation. We must realise then that it is not external things which make us feel a certain way, it is our thoughts about those things. Therefore, the way we think about things, changes the way we feel about things. So how do we change our thoughts and judgments about the workplace? To begin with, we need to think more realistically. We
often have unreal expectations about what work is supposed to be like. Ever heard that old saying “Do what you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”? In my opinion, this is utter BS, and sets us up for dissatisfaction. Even Ernest Hemmingway, the famous American novelist once said “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” I think it is foolish to think that you can love every aspect of your job, or any other part of your life. Over time we start to pay more attention to the parts that annoy us, even mentally tallying them up, whilst simultaneously not giving enough attention and respect to the parts we admire. Our judgements then are formed around what we choose to focus on. What we also need to realise is that happiness, sadness, frustration, these are all normal emotions that make us human. More than likely we have many fond memories of times which had frustrated us in the moment. Think of it like a movie. We don’t skip all the drama scenes just to get to the happy ending, we experience the whole ride to have it all make sense. Therefore, we need to adjust our focus over to the parts of our roles that we do actually enjoy and are grateful for. Finding meaning Sometimes we burn out because we cease to see meaning in our roles anymore. Viktor Frankl was a holocaust survivor whose book ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ details the importance of finding purpose. Frankl said that once he found purpose he didn’t even bother to alleviate the suffering of the concentration camps. Frankl often used to quote Nietzsche’s statement, “He who has a Why to live can bear almost any How.”
I am fortunate enough to have been able to present my wellbeing workshop to numerous industries and sectors. If I am to leave you with just one thing let it be this; without a doubt I find the child care sector to have the largest ‘Why’ of any other area I have presented in. Forget what your salary says, or what some ridiculous politician quoted on social media; you have one of the most important roles of all. You are shaping the next generation of human beings. Did you know that on average we have just over 27,000 days upon this earth? We could spend our limited days living in the past, and imagining some unrealistic future. Or, we could ground ourselves in the present, and be mindful of what we do have. Remember, there is no dress rehearsal. This is it. Right now. Each moment that passes is gone forever. Shakespeare so famously proclaimed through a despairing Macbeth, “Out, out brief candle.” Worrying and complaining doesn’t stop the undesirable, it just prevents you from enjoying the moments that do matter. You can either take control of yourself and what you want, or you can be a victim of circumstance. No matter what you chose that candle wick continues to burn. Indeed, one day that candle must go out, so until then I say, burn bright. Do you want to know more about this topic? See Christopher Phoenix at the ACA Qld 2018 Conference! Christopher is the wellbeing specialist for Phoenix Support for Educators. It is Christopher’s goal to increase wellbeing practices in the early education setting and is excited to be developing programs that do just that. www.phoenix-support.com.au
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Four steps to enormous emotional intelligence Dr Justin Coulson > Happy Families
Kindergarten teacher, Mrs Boonen gathers her Kindergarten class from outside. Children were heading back inside, when Mrs Boonen noticed one of her children stumbling across the playground towards her, fists clenched, rubbing her eyes, sobbing. Mrs Boonen crouched to the ground and extended her arms to Amelia, and the four-year-old rushed into her teacher’s embrace. Mrs Boonen asked, ‘Amelia, what happened?’ Amelia pulled away from her teacher and pointed to a group of girls leaving the playground and walking to their room. ‘She’ (sobbing) ‘ she …’ (more sobs) ‘… pointed at me.’ The accusation was followed by more tears. Mrs Boonen was confused. ‘She pointed at you?’ Compassion was quickly turning to incredulity. Amelia nodded, feeling the change that had come over her teacher. Imagine for a moment that you are Mrs Boonen. What do you say to Amelia? (And what do you want to say?) The Standard Response Asking this question to a group of well-educated people who work with kids is fun. Everyone knows
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what they’re supposed to say. But in the moment, well… we just kinda say what we want to say instead. It usually sounds like, “Oh come on Toughen up princess.” But what impact does such a hard-nosed response have on a child – or even a big person, like, say… a spouse or partner? Typically, the person feels misunderstood. We’ve tuned them out. We’ve turned away from them, or worse, we’ve turned against them. These responses rarely inspire others to be more resilient in the future. Instead, they are left feeling unimportant, unworthy, insignificant, and unloved. It can be particularly tough working with younger children. They usually have limited self-regulation ability, and even less emotional intelligence. Our best bet is to stay calm, show empathy and then as they catch our calm we can explain where those big emotions come from, shift the focus towards
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Emotionally Intelligent Responses
If we can respond to challenging behaviours with emotional intelligence, we’ll do things differently – and the outcomes will be tangibly better, for the other person and for us. Emotional intelligence requires us to do four things: 1. Become aware of how we’re feeling. Am I feeling angry? Upset? Frustrated? Chances are high that my response may not be helpful right now. 2. Regulate our own emotions. Have you ever shouted at someone that they should “Just. Calm. Down.”? Did both you and they instantly lock eyes, slowly inhale for three seconds, then hold that breathe… and exhale, before smiling and confirming, “Ok. I’m calm. Let’s talk things through”? Emotions are contagious. It’s very, very challenging to help someone through their fear, sadness, or anger when our emotions are high. Knowing how we’re feeling (step 1) and regulating our emotions to keep ourselves in check allows us to think more broadly and helpfully in our efforts to help someone else.
solutions (and away from the emotion itself), and gently empower them to come up with great ways to make things better. Some kids (and those who work with them) will be high on emotional intelligence. They’ll know how they feel, regulate it well, perceive others’ emotional states, and work with them to keep everything calm. But for most, it’s a learned skill that takes lots of practice. Fortunately (??) life gives us lots of chances to practice this particular skill. Learning how to be emotionally intelligent is a big challenge for kids (and adults), but it’s a vital skill that improves relationships, wellbeing, and life. Do you want to know more about this topic? See Dr Justin Coulson at the ACA Qld 2018 Conference! Dr Justin Coulson is one of Australia’s most respected relationship speakers, authors, and researchers. Justin has spoken to tens of thousands of people about relationships in leadership, education, and especially in family life. www.happyfamilies.com.au
3. Show empathy While it’s tempting to tell someone (particularly a child… or an adult behaving like one) to “calm down” or “stop it”, they’re unlikely to follow our directives. Statements of instruction should always be preceded by statements of understanding. Empathy is feeling your emotion in my heart. When I know you get how it feels to be me, I’m more likely to listen to you. When I feel like you’re judging me, I get defensive and turn away. 4. “Work with” rather than “do things to” the other person Once we’re aware of how we are doing and in control, and we really get how the other person is going, we can start to deal with things. We recognise that the other person isn’t the problem… but they may be having one. So we work with them to figure things out rather than doing things to them as a punishment.
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Have fun! Move and play every day! Darlene Wadham > Early Start Programs
“Have fun! Move and play every day!” That’s the advice from the Australian Government Department of Health with the release of their “Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years” in late 2017. The guidelines include a picture of what a child’s day during a 24-hour period may look like including not just active and sedentary play, but also essential sleep and rest requirements. The guidelines specifically look at babies (under 1 years of age), toddlers (1-2 years) and pre-schoolers (3-5 years), however guidelines have also been developed for 5-12 years, 13-17 years and 18-64 years so everyone can benefit with useful tips and recommendations across the ages! “Don’t be restricted by your environment – you can be safe and active in all seasons, in all weather, indoors and outdoors. Remember play can involve other children, adults or the child alone.”
As educators we are in the prime position to educate both families and children to develop healthy habits and while changing a routine may seem difficult, positive changes can be gradually introduced. Include stretching or games like “statues” before you transition and don’t just set up obstacle courses – get actively involved and join in with the children to encourage participation. Active play isn’t restricted to outside either, dancing, stretching, yoga, crawling and moving on the spot are all excellent ways to bring active play inside. And don’t forget to dance in the rain and stomp in the puddles, just ensure children are suitably dressed and you have alternative dry clothes!
Services wanting to extend on these learning opportunities, but need help starting, can enlist the help of external companies such as Early Start Programs to bring fitness, yoga, dance, music and foreign languages into the service daily with fully inclusive programs from birth to school-age. Services can order free resources for educators and families by visiting The Department of Health http://www. health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing. nsf/Content/pasbr or visit www. earlystartprograms for further details in our BLOG page. Darlene Wadham is a teacher, early childhood consultant and co-owner of Early Start Programs.
SUMMARY OF GUIDELINES AGE GROUP Babies (infants under 1 year of age)
Toddlers (1-2 years)
Pre-Schoolers (3-5 years)
PHYSICALLY ACTIVE
SEDENTARY PLAY
SLEEP
Be physically active several times a day in a variety of ways. For younger babies include at least 30 minutes tummy time/day and include grasping, pushing and pulling.
Encourage reading, singing, puzzles and storytelling. Not being restrained for more than 1 hour at a time (high-chair, stroller, car seat etc). Screen time not recommended.
14-17 hours for 0-3 months 12-16 hours for 4-11 months Including good quality sleep and napping
At least 180 minutes in a variety of energetic play spread across the day, more is better!
Encourage reading, singing, puzzles and storytelling. Not being restrained for more than 1 hour at a time (high-chair, stroller, car seat etc). Sedentary screen time not recommended under 2 years, over 2 years no more than 1 hour per day.
11-14 hours of good quality sleep, including naps with consistent sleep and wakeup times.
At least 180 minutes in a variety of physical activities of which at least 60 minutes is energetic play spread across the day, more is better!
Engaging in reading, singing, puzzles and storytelling. Not being restrained for more than 1 hour at a time (high-chair, stroller, car seat etc). Sedentary screen time of not more than 1 hour/day.
10-13 hours of good quality sleep, including naps with consistent sleep and wakeup times.
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Understanding Anxiety and Building Resilience in Young Children Dr Kaylene Henderson > Child Psychiatrist
We often hear that anxiety is a growing problem among young children. Yet what does this mean? Anxiety is a universal human experience affecting every one of us, adults and children alike. So how can we tell the difference between ‘normal anxiety’ and that which has become a ‘problem’? When should we simply reassure children and when is it best to suggest an assessment? As educators, when should you ‘worry about worry’? And, importantly, what can you do to help? As we think about anxiety, it’s helpful to imagine an iceberg with three levels becoming smaller towards the tip.
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These nicely represent the levels of anxiety our children experience. As we move up towards the tip, the number of children affected decreases while the severity of their anxiety increases. At the base of the iceberg we have the typical anxiety that most children experience. Of course, the types of things that worry our kids will be different according to their age and circumstances. Very young children can often worry about being away from their parents, particularly as they head to childcare or preschool for the first time. As children
want to give all kids a head start on learning skills that they can use for life? And who better to teach these skills to our children than the people who spend the most amount of time with them, namely parents and educators. After all, you are perfectly placed to teach children skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. Through your daily interactions, you can teach children strategies to cope with the setbacks, stress and tough times that will inevitably come their way. You can teach children to understand and control their own anxiety while promoting greater resilience within your centres. I can’t wait to teach you how… Do you want to know more about this topic? See Dr Kaylene Henderson at the ACA Qld 2018 Conference! Dr Kaylene Henderson is a medically trained Child Psychiatrist, parent educator, popular speaker and highly regarded PD provider for the ECCE sector.
get older, the range of experiences they’re exposed to becomes broader, so they can find themselves with more to worry about - they may begin to feel anxious about exams, friendships, upcoming school performances or even world events.
You are invited to access Dr Kaylene Henderson’s free tip sheets, webinars and her popular online course for educators, ‘Raising Good Kids’ by visiting her website: www.drkaylenehenderson.com Or visit ‘A Dose of Awesomeness’ to check out her new, online advice packs for parents: www.adoseofawesomeness.com
In the smaller, middle section of our iceberg, we have those children who experience more ‘problematic’ anxiety - anxiety that occurs either at the wrong times or in the wrong amounts - this can result in frequent upsets or cause children to try to avoid various situations. And finally, at the tip of the iceberg we have those few children who experience anxiety more severely. For these kids, this anxiety tends to fall into certain definable categories, known clinically as ‘anxiety disorders’. Types of anxiety disorders that occur in young children include specific phobias (for example, a fear of dogs or a fear of lifts), separation anxiety, social anxiety, generalised anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The threshold for an anxiety disorder is the point beyond which the anxiety is intense, ongoing and causes a child to experience significant distress or an impaired level of functioning. Sadly, some children will struggle with an anxiety disorder for years before seeking help for what is actually a treatable condition. No child should have to needlessly struggle; As educators, you are in a wonderful position to identify these children early and to suggest that they seek an assessment. There are many practical anxiety and stress management skills that children can learn and that are best learned early. This certainly applies to those children affected by anxiety disorders but since every child will experience anxiety in their lives, shouldn’t we also extend this teaching to all children? Since we can all benefit from knowing how to manage our anxiety at different times, why wouldn’t we
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Breaking the cycle of diet culture in the early years Deb Blakley > Kids Dig Food
After over 20 years as a Dietitian, I have seen the hysteria of the “obesity epidemic” continue to escalate. It breeds fear, weight stigma and general body dissatisfaction for adults and children and it has disconnected us from the food we eat and from our bodies. A strong Diet Culture has developed in Australia and other western societies over the past century, and it has convinced us that we can’t be trusted to make healthy choices on our own. Enter the diet plans (both the crazy and the moderate ones) that assume to tell us what to eat, when and how much. It’s a world gone crazy, and it isn’t helping us achieve good health. Indeed, it seems to be making things worse. Whether we intend it or not, our kids are soaking up these messages from the world around them and from us. Messages like… Junk foods are bad. Fatty foods/sugar/[insert other maligned food here] will make me fat. Don’t eat this food. Do eat that one. But not so much. I’m good if I eat the apple. I’m bad if I eat the cake.
My 5 top tips for growing kids who are at peace with food and their bodies in the early years are: 1. Embrace all bodies – teach children that every body is amazing, strong and capable. 2. Teach children that all foods are equal and have a place and a purpose in their lives. Take judgement out of the language of food e.g. good, bad, healthy, unhealthy. 3. Stop using the language and behaviours of diet culture when engaging with children and be aware of your own food and body history that form your beliefs and perceptions. 4. Observe where kids may be receiving unhelpful messages about food and their bodies from the world around them and consider how you can address them if appropriate. 5. Support children to explore food from a place of enquiry, discovery and fun!
A thin body = healthy. A fat body = unhealthy. Being fat is bad.
There is growing evidence of the link between poor health and wellbeing outcomes with poor body image developed in early childhood:
childhood. Attributing negative characteristics to larger body sizes and positive characteristics to thinner body sizes, have been consistently observed among very young children. Such stereotypical body size attitudes have been associated with increased weight stigma and engaging in teasing and discrimination and being a recipient of such behaviours may increase children’s vulnerability to experiencing low self-esteem, depression, and body dissatisfaction. A preference for thin bodies, body dissatisfaction, and dieting awareness have also been observed in pre-schoolers and young children aged five to eight years; which are potential risk factors for the development of disordered eating” (Damiano et al, Journal of Eating Disorders, 2015).
“… children’s body size attitudes and body image are formed in early
However, when we teach kids to positively engage with food and
I can’t be trusted around [x] food. As food fear and body dissatisfaction grows, we become more and more judgemental of the food we eat and mistrusting of our own bodies. I believe we are not in the midst of an obesity epidemic but rather an epidemic of disconnect with food and our bodies. This disconnect is what drives ill-health. Teaching kids to fear food and dislike their body is a sure-fire way to a disordered relationship with food and for kids not growing predictably.
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their bodies and to eat mindfully and intuitively, we build their capacity to grow in the way nature intended. To get the bodies they were meant to have. To grow in health. Parents and educators, we are at the front-line of reclaiming food and body peace for our children. The little actions we take day-to-day matter. Eat happy! Do you want to know more about this topic? See Deb Blakley at the ACA Qld 2018 Conference! Deb is an accredited dietitian and nutritionist. She is passionate about supporting parents, carers and early childhood educators to positively and joyfully connect or reconnect with food and eating and share this with the children in their care.
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ACA Qld 2018 National Conference
1 - 3 June 2018 The Star Gold Coast
Together We Grow It takes a village
Go to www.childcareconference.com.au to register! Major Sponsors
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LEARN We meticulously developed a program to address the quality areas covered by the National Quality Standard, bringing you an exceptional group of speakers including Dr Justin Coulson, Teacher Tom, Sharron “Mirii” Lindh, Andrew Alford and many more.
Teacher Tom
Sharron Lindh
Chris Phoenix
DISCOVER
A key aspect of the conference is the ability for all delegates to form linkages and connections to support their service, business, career or professional development goals. Discover over 70 exhibitors showcasing the latest products and services.
CONNECT Approved Providers are welcome to the inaugural Approved Providers Panel Discussion & Lunch! One of the biggest highlights is the Gala Dinner and this year’s theme is Through the Decades . From the roaring 20s to the naughty 90s, come dressed in the music, fashion or pop culture influences from the decade of your choice!
FROM $595 REGISTER FOR 2-DAY PACKAGE! N O W EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2018 15
Lilly Orange Seed – Our Science Experiment Michelle Stanley > Teacher and Company ECT Mentor, Prince Charles Hospital Early Education Centre
The school readiness children at the Prince Charles Hospital Early Education Centre have been very enthusiastic and curious to learn more about science and what it has to offer. Running a fantastic STEM program at our centre has begun to motivate and stimulate lots of little minds as children have engaged in hands on and practical learning, explored a variety of new concepts, and begun to use skills in investigation, reasoning and making judgements. One of our most exciting discoveries has been to germinate our very own orange seeds, right out of our morning tea oranges! 16
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This amazing little learning project won our centre an award and we were very honoured to have Hayley from Little Scientists Australia came out and present our centre with a special plaque for becoming a certified Little Scientist House. It all began when one of our school readiness cherubs asked if he could keep his orange seeds to see if they would grow into a tree. As a group we were all fascinated with this concept,
and decided to research orange seeds to see how long they take to grow. We learned that it would be best to place the little seeds in a cup with some damp cotton wool so that we could monitor their growth each day. After a very long few weeks, nothing seemed to be happening, and Miss Michelle almost tossed the orange seeds out! After a lot of deliberation about the orange seeds, and further discussions with the children about
different types of seeds, we decided to see if we could germinate some other seeds while we waited for our orange seeds to sprout a root. We tried strawberry seeds, which were so very tiny but we picked them right out of some strawberries. We also tried seeds from our pears, apples, pawpaw, and rockmelon! We also tried some broad beans we found in a packet, along with marigold seeds, as we had seen that the marigold seeds from the shop were exactly the same as the seeds from our marigold flowers in our garden! We soon found out that the broad beans were the fastest to germinate, as they began to sprout and grow within three days! We also enjoyed some cool stories called ‘Sid the Seed’ and ‘The Tiny Seed’ as well as some time lapse videos of seeds growing, which was just wonderful and fascinating to watch. However, we hadn’t forgotten about our orange seeds. Every day we checked them, and sprayed them with water a few times each week. Then suddenly after about six weeks, there they were! Tiny little roots coming from the seeds! Everyone was very excited about this discovery, and with lots of nurturing and not too much water, our little orange seedlings began to sprout taller and taller. They got so tall that we decided it might be a good idea to place them, very carefully, into a pot plant. We talked about why this needed to occur, because our little seedlings now needed real dirt, sunshine, water, and further nurturing. When we took our seedlings out of their cup for transplanting, some of us wanted to smell them to see if they smelled like oranges. We were amazed at the beautiful little leaves and stems and how the tiny roots had grown around the cotton wool. The children lovingly named our little plant “Lilly Orange Seed”, and little Lilly Orange Seed was loved and cared for, for a long time, and eventually taken home by her original owner who used his seeds to grow her!
EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2018
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Children, family violence, and the early years Sasha Goodwin > Child Protection Specialist
Child abuse, neglect and family violence are not new social issues, nor are they desultory and uncommon activities in Australian homes. Both are harmfully and somewhat entrenched into our culture. Both are also issues we see being reported in the media daily, often with devastating results. Each and every day, the safety and well-being of some children across our country is threatened by child abuse and neglect and family violence. Intervening effectively in the lives of these children and their families is not the responsibility of any single organisation, agency, professional group or any one person, but rather is a shared community concern and responsibility. Domestic and family violence is a significant public health issue in Australia today. Australian police deal with 5,000 domestic violence matters on average every week. Fortyfive per cent of the homicides that occurred in Queensland between 2007 and 2013 have been linked to domestic and family violence, with fatalities among women four times the rate of males (Queensland Coroner, 2014). The annual cost of this violence to the Queensland economy is estimated at between $2.7 and $3.2 billion (KPMG 2009). Additionally, the ramifications of family violence on children can be long lasting and lamentable. There is increasing and emerging literature on the effects of witnessing family violence on children’s psychological development. Much of the research, particularly in the early years, focuses on how children learn the importance of emotions for communication as well as self-regulation. By the second year of life, children are developing basic attempts to relate causes to emotional expressions (Jaffe et al. 1990). Children as young as two and three can experience heightened stress levels when exposed to adult anger and violence, additionally there appears to be some correlation between witnessing family violence and aggressive behaviour in young children (Blanchard, 1992). Due to the increasing issue of family violence, the Australian States and Territories have worked together to initiate and implement changes in this landscape. Sweeping and effective changes have made it possible for interstate orders to be recognised. As of 25 November 2017, laws have been passed by each Australian State and Territory which enables the recognition of interstate orders to improve the protection of domestic violence victims. Protection orders made on or after 25 November 2017 will automatically be recognised and enforceable nationwide. The new laws also allow for orders made prior to 25 November 2017 to be registered and declared as nationally recognised in any state or territory court (not necessarily in the state of territory in which it was made). Once an order is nationally recognised, local police should enforce the conditions of a protection order regardless of where the order was made. 18
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If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or family violence, you can contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. This is a 24-hour national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault. Do you want to know more about this topic? See Sasha Goodwin at the ACA Qld 2018 Conference! Sasha has over 25 years’ experience with child protection, foster care and early years projects. Sasha spent 15 years in the Queensland Police and Child Abuse Unit and currently lectures and teaches at Bond University.
sometimes you just want more Based on a starting income of $50,000 and a starting account balance of $50,000 HESTA has delivered $17,837 more to members than the average retail super fund over the past 10 years*. This was because of both lower fees and higher investment earnings.
hesta.com.au/betteroff
*Comparisons modelled by SuperRatings, commissioned by HESTA. Modelled outcome shows 10 year average difference in net benefit of the main balanced options of HESTA and 77 retail funds tracked by SuperRatings, with a 10 year performance history, taking into account historical earnings and fees – excluding contribution, entry, exit and additional adviser fees – of main balanced options. Outcomes vary between individual funds. Modelling as at 30 June 2017. This information is of a general nature. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or specific needs so you should look at your own financial position and requirements before making a decision. You may wish to consult an adviser when doing this. Before making a decision about HESTA products you should read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (call 1800 813 327 or visit hesta.com.au for a copy), and consider any relevant risks (hesta.com.au/understandingrisk). Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance and should never be the sole factor considered when selecting a fund. See hesta.com.au/superraterassumptions for more details about modelling calculations and assumptions.
EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2018 19
Empowering children Implementing the Child Safety Standards in Early Childhood settings Andrew Alford > McArthur
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has recently handed down its final report. This represents the culmination of four years of work, with over 8,000 private sessions with survivors of abuse and the production of 17 volumes detailing the Commission’s work. The Executive Summary alone is over 200 pages long. The Commission has documented horrendous systemic abuse that spanned decades, affected generations of children and destroyed lives. It has also highlighted the “extraordinary personal determination and resilience” of survivors. Significantly, we now have dozens of recommendations from the Commission designed to address the failings of the past, prevent child abuse and effect real and positive change in the future. So what are the implications for those of us in Early Childhood Education? And what can we do to create safe, empowering and supportive environments for children? Recommendations in Volume 6, Making institutions child safe in the Commission’s Final Report provides us with some guidance on these matters.
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It recommends ‘creating child safe communities through prevention’ and states that our national strategy should include: raising community awareness and knowledge and provide information and help-seeking services. It recommends prevention education is delivered through preschool, school and other community institutional settings. It also recommends these should be mandatory for all preschools and schools. Early childhood services should be complying with these ten elements. (See sidebar). Educators will understand the importance of creating a positive environment where children can learn, develop and grow and reach their true potential. It is enshrined in the National Quality Framework and educators dedicate
themselves to these principles daily. Relating to this, the Commission has focussed our attention on the Rights of children and the importance of empowering them and giving them a voice. In particular, Standard 2 focusses on involving children in decision making and taking them seriously. Recommendation 6.6 states that – “Staff are attuned to signs of harm and facilitate child-friendly ways for children to communicate and raise their concerns.” In my experience, Standard 2 is often one which can be challenging for educators. The subject matter and issues related to child abuse are never easy to directly confront. It can provoke fear, anxiety and distress. Often people focus on the worst possible scenario and don’t know how they will manage it. That’s where it is critically important for staff to receive training and support to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to handle these situations and support children. We need to strive to make these conversations with children, parents and fellow educators a part of our everyday practice and breakdown notions of secrecy, denial, taboo and fear. The good news is there are an incredible array of resources available for educators and parents. They can offer advice and support on how to manage child safety matters in a sensitive and age-appropriate way. Most importantly, one of the key messages to come out of the Royal Commission is its emphasis on prevention. This is an important point. Many children we work with have not necessarily been abused, although we need to acknowledge that some may have. However, critically we need to ensure that all children find their voice and can form empowering and trusting relationships with each other, their families and educators. This creates safe environments and helps identify and prevent abuse. Educators are pivotal in this process of empowering children. They are on the front-line, with an array of skills and knowledge for engaging children and creating trusting relationships. The educators I know are gifted in relating to children through play, games, stories and activity-based learning. We all know the importance of play-based learning and it is through these approaches that children are empowered to understand emotions, develop empathy, find their voice, make decisions and understand and advocate their own needs. With training and support, educators can scaffold these learnings daily. Building on these skills will help educators implement the Royal Commission’s recommendations and create child safe environments in our early childhood services. Do you want to know more about this topic? See Andrew Alford at the ACA Qld 2018 Conference! Andrew Alford’s background in early childhood, disability services, child protection and social welfare is combined with senior management experience both in Australia and overseas. Andrew is focused on developing strong relationships and striving for positive, creative solutions. www.mcarthur.com.au
10 Child Safe Standards
Summary of the core components of the Child Safe Standards 1. Child safety is embedded in institutional leadership, governance and culture 2. Children participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously 3. Families and communities are informed and involved 4. Equity is upheld, and diverse needs are taken into account 5. People working with children are suitable and supported 6. Processes to respond to complaints of child sexual abuse are child focussed 7. Staff are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children safe through continual education and training 8. Physical and online environments minimise the opportunity for abuse to occur 9. Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is continuously reviewed and improved 10. Policies and procedures document how the institution is child safe
EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2018
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It Takes a Village to Grow your Childcare Business Hilary Knights > Childcare Concepts
It is true that it takes a village to raise a child, and while centre owners and managers understand the importance of nurturing a community for the benefit of children, it’s common to forget the impact your ‘village’ can have on your business’ sustainable growth. Our industry is now more competitive than ever, so it is essential to have multiple marketing tactics in place. If your marketing budget is limited, you can still develop an effective strategy and marketing plan by focusing your efforts on building relationships with the local community. There are many ways you can do that in fact, and some approaches, which we will cover in greater detail below, will cost you little more than your time – networking and partnering with local business owners, participating in local events, being consistently active on social media, placing ads in local newspapers and magazines, hosting open events, etc.
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Whether you have a staff member who helps you with promotion and marketing activities or you manage it all on your own, the secret to making it work is planning your activities ahead of time. Once you decide what channels you will use, what events you will take part in or host, and what material you will need, you won’t feel overwhelmed by your tasks. Have a good think about what makes your centre different, that is your unique selling proposition – what do you offer families that other centres don’t? Make sure you communicate this as part of your key messages/ value proposition in every promotional message and marketing opportunity you have.
Networking and Partnering with Local Businesses This is the most affordable way to increase enrolments and have your centre be seen as an important part of your local community. Think about what businesses in your local area target the same market that you do – local families or specifically Mums or Dads. These could be local real estate agencies, gyms, cafes and restaurants, hair salons, barber shops, toy stores, baby goods retailers, pharmacies, etc. Focus on the businesses that have similar values as you and give them a call. Explain who you are and what you are after – maybe as a first step
to your partnership you can agree to display each other’s flyers or posters at reception/cashier counter. If you have a newsletter or social media profile, offer to include their ad in your next edition or post – maybe they can even offer a special deal for your families. Make sure to follow up and nurture these relationships. If it’s a hair salon, for example, you can have a lucky draw at your next open day for a pampering voucher, or they could have a ‘one free day of childcare’ to giveaway to one of their customers. The only material you will need are flyers – make sure you get them professionally designed, as this will make them eye-catching and polished, which will help your centre be seen as a high-quality service provider. Think about how many flyers you will need to display at each local business – we recommend at least 30 – and also how many businesses you are partnering with. Add a few hundred extra if you intend on participating in or hosting local events and get them printed on the highest quality paper you can afford. Participating in Local Events Participating in local events is the easiest way of meeting potential families in a relaxed and informal manner. Have a look through your local council’s website and community newspapers and magazines – where
you can easily find events and ‘what’s on’ sections. Select the events targeting your ideal families, such as Mums and Bubs markets, weekend fruit and veggie markets, family events at the local park, or local church events. Check with event organisers if you need to register for a marquee or booth, or if you are welcome to bring entertaining activities for the children on the day – think play doh, colouring sheets (make sure you have these fully branded with your logo and contact details too!), balloon twisting, facepainting; anything that will attract and entertain the children and allow you some time to have a friendly conversation about your service with their parents. Bring an iPad to collect contact details – remember to offer an optin subscription to your newsletter and have plenty of flyers around to distribute to interested parents. Social Media If you have social media profiles, make sure you make the best possible use of these platforms. Of course, use it to keep in touch with current families by sharing photos of the activities the children have been up to at your centre (make sure you have written authorisation from parents to share photos of their children online), but also share information that other parents will also be interested in.
Healthy recipes or how to sneak veggies into children’s favourite foods, fun weekend activity ideas, as well as information about your centre and your education philosophy are great to attract new parents to your page and website. Remember to also create promotional posts, showcasing everything your centre has to offer and, of course, what makes it different from the rest. Make sure to read, acknowledge, and reply to each and every comment and message you receive. Encourage parent discussions on the comments section and share information about local events you are attending or your next open day. Marketing is absolutely essential in our ever-competitive industry and investing some of your time and resources in building strong relationships with your local community is a fantastic first step, however sometimes it might not be enough. If you need strategic guidance, marketing support, or simply need someone else to take this task off your plate, our team at Childcare Concepts Marketing can help you. Childcare Concepts provides value across the disciplines of centre brokerage, centre developments and marketing to generate results for childcare stakeholders. Contact Hilary Knights 0407 572 725. www.childcareconcepts.com.au
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Five tips for staging tough conversations in early years settings Michael Hawton > Psychologist, Parentshop
Centre directors face often painful emotional encounters when they need to address issues with staff or parents. Achieving harmony and balance so staff look forward to coming to work and build the best environment to build a child’s emotional development are important factors in creating the right work atmosphere in early years centres. But, it’s tough out there for educational leaders at the moment. Take the recent reductions in trust in authority, for example. An ongoing survey on the health and well-being of educational leaders shows that they are experiencing increasing levels of stress and more emotionallyfraught situations in their work life,
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compared to 20 years ago. Being any kind of educational leader, so it appears, is exacting an enormous personal toll on our otherwise esteemed leaders. It appears that nothing sets a parent’s jets flaring than when a perceived injustice is affecting their child – and
educational leaders are in the thick of it - in regard to making sometimes unpopular decisions about children, each and every day. More generally, it would appear that people in authority or more broadly, management, are having to hold tough conversations with people who
5
tips for staging more successful conversations
1 Make sure you have all the facts before you have any tough encounter - and do your preparation. You may have to go and dig a bit deeper than you expected to get the best facts.
2 Prepare for being interrupted. In other words,
expect to be questioned or detoured and to have strong emotions come your way. Learn ways to handle these likely interruptions.
3
Use a written script to work out what you’re going to say first, second, third etc. Many professionals use scripts, including mediators, to guide them in their words and actions.
4
Work out what you want as far as an outcome goes, by establishing SMART goals, before you hold a tough conversation.
5
Because you’ll be prepared before you begin, you’ll be better able to take a calm but firm demeanour into a tough conversation which may turn out to be difficult. So, go into a tough conversation as if you were going over to the neighbour’s place, to make a complaint about the noisy party last night. Remain, as best you can, matter of fact.
There are a number of ‘go-to’ conflict resolution sayings and skills which will work across many tense encounters. If you know some of these, you will feel more confident and you won’t get blindsided or stuck. Do you want to know more about this topic? See Michael Hawton at the ACA Qld 2018 Conference! Michael Hawton, MAPS, is a registered psychologist, trained teacher, author, international speaker, media commentator and father of two. www.parentshop.com.au
possess varying capacities to tolerate frustration. That is, leaders are having to engage with individuals who have widely differing abilities for not losing the plot! People are getting more uppity than a generation ago and it would appear that people are quicker to arc up than used to be the case. In my experience, the types of difficult interactions that leaders are dealing with, fall into two main camps: ones where someone comes ‘at’ you unexpectedly and ones that go pear-shaped in the middle of a conversation. In both these types of conversations, it’s important to know how to manage yourself (and not get caught, like a kangaroo in the headlights) and to know how to apply what I call ‘a dropdown menu’ of things to say that will help manage a tough conversation.
We expand children’s development through unique inclusive learning experiences at your centre.
I used to see a lot of these types of heated conversations when I worked in The Family Court of Australia, as a court mediator. In the court, I saw people who were often cranky at each other and some who were angry with the court’s inefficiencies and decisions. Sometimes they were cross with the court staff. So, I had to learn ways to manage tough conversations on almost a daily basis. It was here, in the sessions, I learnt that there were ways to help people to be their best self. By listening earnestly and by using some good conflict resolution skills, it was often possible to help people solve problems and to not flip-out, if they became frustrated. While it is not necessarily our job to make people behave themselves (after all they’re adults), there are some simple things you can do as a leader – which you can do to help someone else to hold it together.
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Become the centre of choice in your area! *Offer valid until 31 May 2018. Conditions apply.
Physical Activity | Creative Arts | Languages www. earlystartprograms.com.au EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2018 25
Are Small Business Employers exempt from unfair dismissal claims? Employer Services
ACA Qld provides members with up to date and comprehensive industrial relations support, through our industry partner, Employer Services. In addition to free advice on IR and HR issues, ACA Qld members have free access to Children’s Services Award 2010 and the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2010. Members also have free access to a wide range of customisable templates and a wide range of fact sheets and best practice guides. A small business employer is defined by the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) as one employing fewer than 15 employees (on a headcount, including casuals employed on a regular and systematic basis). We often speak to employers who believe their business is exempt
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from unfair dismissal claims because they are small businesses. In actual fact, employees of small business employers have had the benefit of unfair dismissal protections for over five years now. It was only under the ‘WorkChoices’ legislation that employers with less than 100
employees didn’t have to worry about unfair dismissal, and that brief window of relief only lasted a few short years. However, it isn’t all bad news for small business employers. Firstly, to be protected from unfair dismissal, an employee of a small employer would need to serve a minimum employment
period of one year of service (nonsmall businesses only get a six-month period). During that first year of service, the employee’s employment can be terminated for performance reasons without the employee having to first be engaged in a detailed performance management process. An employee who has not served the minimum employment period can have their employment terminated simply by the giving of notice, in writing, by the employer. If an employee achieves one year of service with a small employer, they become an employee protected from unfair dismissal – this includes casuals – but in some more good news (or perhaps just ‘not so bad’ The team at Employer Services news) for small business owners, the Small Business Fair Dismissal Code & Checklist comes into play. The Small Business Fair Dismissal Code & Checklist only requires a small employer to give an under-performing employee ‘at least one warning’ prior to dismissal and that warning doesn’t even have to be in writing, though we would always recommend that it is recorded in writing. Furthermore, if a small employer is dismissing an employee for serious misconduct (e.g. fraud, theft, assault, etc) the Small Business Fair Dismissal Code & Checklist only requires the employer to have ‘believed on reasonable grounds’ that the employee had engaged in behaviour that would constitute serious misconduct. Keep in mind: Whilst small business employers are cut some slack when it comes to unfair dismissal, it is vital to remember that every employee, regardless of the size of the business they work for, is covered by the general protections provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) with no qualifying period applying. As such, no employee should ever be dismissed as a result of unlawful discrimination (e.g. being dismissed for being pregnant) or for exercising a workplace right (e.g. questioning their rate of pay/classification; taking personal/carer’s leave or parental leave, lodging a bullying complaint or WorkCover claim, etc) or not exercising a workplace right (e.g. choosing not to join a trade union).
Cashing out paid annual leave entitlements ‘Cashing out’ refers to the act of an employee receiving a cash payment, equivalent to the amount of leave they are forgoing, in lieu of taking the annual leave period as paid time off. The rules applying to when and how annual leave may be lawfully cashed out differ, and alternative arrangements can apply depending on whether an employee is covered by a modern award or the employee is award/agreement-free. Employees covered by the Children’s Services Award 2010 Thankfully, in mid-2016, every modern award was varied to include standard provisions allowing awardcovered employees to request a portion of their accrued annual leave be cashed out. Previously it was rarely lawful to do so, though it commonly occurred in practice. Under the model provisions an award-covered employee may request that up to two weeks of annual leave be cashed out in any 12-month period, providing that the employee’s remaining annual leave accrual is never less than four weeks. Every time an award-covered employee makes a request to cash out annual leave, a written agreement must be made between the employer and employee and retained on the employee’s file (every modern award provides a template agreement form that can be used for this purpose).
The payment the employee receives must not be less than the amount that would have been payable had the employee taken the leave (as paid time off) at the time the payment is made. This stipulation generally means annual leave loading will still be payable on a cashed out portion of annual leave and superannuation should also be contributed, as appropriate. Award-free/Agreement-free Employees The National Employment Standards (NES) apply to an employee not otherwise covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement. The NES permits the employer and an award/ agreement-free employee to agree, in writing, to cash out a period of annual leave providing the employee’s remaining accrued entitlement to paid annual leave would never be less than four weeks. The employer must pay the employee at least the full amount that would have been payable to the employee had the employee taken the leave as paid time off. Again, this would require the contribution of superannuation on the cashed-out portion of leave and the payment of annual leave loading, if it is normally paid to the employee during annual leave periods. Note: Where an enterprise agreement applies, reference should be made to that document to determine when cashing out of leave of any kind is permissible. If you are an ACA Qld member and have any questions about this information, please call the team at Employer Services on 07 3220 3500. You can also access a wide range of online resources, as part of your membership with ACA Qld, by logging into the ACA Qld website and clicking on the industrial relations link.
EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2018 27
Associate Member Directory Service
Contact
Area
Phone
Web
Accounts Advantage
Wanda Reynolds
Loganholme
07 3209 8266
www.accountsadvantage.com.au
Bronze Business Services Pty Ltd
Tracey Jory
Thuringowa Central
0422 112 777
www.bronzebusiness.com.au
ANZ Business Bank
Lyn Lange
Brisbane
0401 992 583
www.anz.com
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Stephanie Kovacevic
Brisbane
07 3014 0714
www.commbank.com.au
Benchmark
Lincoln Bridge
Robina
0424 370 025
www.childcare4sale.com.au
Childcare Concepts
Hilary Knights
Fortitude Valley
0407 572 725
www.childcareconcepts.com.au
Graeme Pettit
Graeme Pettit
Benowa
0421 289 818
www.harcourts.com.au
Mathiou Services Team
Burleigh Heads
1300 363 423
www.mathiouservices.com.au
Absolute Support Training & Resources
Darlene Wadham
Wynnum
0488 666 455
www.absolutesupport.com.au
Childcare By Design
Brenda Abbey
Mooloolaba
0406 920 390
www.childcarebydesign.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
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
Kidsoft
Kidsoft Team
Broadbeach
1800 827 234
www.kidsoft.com.auÂ
QLECS (Qld Lutheran Early Childhood Services)
Maryann Sword
Milton
07 3511 4079
www.qlecs.org.au
Ready Now Resources
Louise Thomas
Helensvale Town
0410 456 607
www.readynowresources.com.au
Triumph Early Learning Centre Management
Jill Gomez
Zillmere
07 3254 6093
www.triumphearlylearning.com.au
Stephanie Smith
Oxenford
0402 252 762
www.shilus.com.au
Mark Elliott
Balmain
02 9235 2807
www.careforkids.com.au
Compliance Auditing & Training Australasia Pty Ltd
Jerome Cramer
Brisbane
0412 024 258
www.cataptyltd.com
Kids Dig Food
Deb Blakley
North Lakes
0413 433 144
www.kidsdigfood.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
Ausplay Playscapes
Barry Healey
Wacol
07 3879 4444
www.ausplay.net.au
Timberplay
Sally Alderton
Gold Coast
07 5563 3755
www.timberplay.com.au
Cyber Drafting & Design
Jodie Mark
Tingalpa
07 3393 9159
www.cyberservicesgroup.com.au
Jardine Architects
Greg Jardine
Brisbane
07 3229 9322
www.jardinearchitects.com.au
Accounting / Bookkeeping
Banking Services
Brokers
Building Maintenance Mathiou Services Consultancy / Management
Consultancy / Training Shilus Directories / Marketing Care For Kids Food & Nutrition
Insurance Services Guild Insurance Legal Porta Lawyers Playground Equipment / Surfacing
Property Services
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EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2018
Service
Contact
Area
Phone
Web
MiCare Global
Sharyn Fewster
Brisbane
1300 393 359
www.micareglobal.com
QK Technologies Pty Ltd - QikKids
Sean Murphy
Morningside
1300 367 770
www.qikkids.com.au
RBC Business Solutions
Jason Burgess
Southport
0412 258 085
www.rbcgroup.com.au
Kayleen Tolley
Cannon Hill
0414 559 997
www.physikids.com.au
McArthur
Nicola Taylor
Brisbane
07 3211 9700
www.mcarthur.com.au
Randstad Education
Silva Everaers
Brisbane
07 3337 5230
www.randstadeducation.com.au
Child Care Super
Julie West
West End
0498 001 193
www.childcaresuper.com.au
HESTA Super Fund
Joanne Fenton
Brisbane
1800 813 327
www.hesta.com.au
MyLife MySuper
William Ly
Milton
1300 695 433
www.mylifemysuper.com.au
QIEC Super
Pam Abrey
Brisbane
0417 260 825
www.qiec.com.au
ABC School Supplies
Graham Bone
Capalaba
07 3823 2999
www.abcschoolsupplies.com.au
Bellbird Kid-z Educational Resources
Chris Carson
Dandenong
03 8795 6999
www.bellbirdkidz.com.au
Educational Experience
Andrew Williams
Brisbane
0407 693 391
www.edex.com.au
iSandBox
Joseph Golubinsky
Gold Coast
1300 748 989
www.iSandBox.com.au
Modern Teaching Aids
Marco DeGeus
Frenchs Forest
02 9938 0411
www.teaching.com.au
Pre-School Equipment
Karen Clark
Elsternwick
1300 555 972
www.preschoolequipment.com.au
Suppleyes
Chelsea O'Neill
Ashmore
07 5539 1668
www.suppleyes.com.au
The Book Warehouse
Sean Berkeley
Albion
07 3862 6177
www.thebookwarehouse.com.au
ACE Community College
Robyn Keenan
Burleigh Waters
07 5520 3026
www.acecolleges.edu.au
Astute Early Years Specialists
Mel Comerfood
Chapel Hill
1300 928 228
www.weareastute.com.au
Australian Child Care Career Options (ACCCO)
Narelle Cossettini
Fortitude Valley
07 3257 1972
www.accco.com.au
College for Australian Early Childhood Educators (CAECE)
Richard Fimeri
Brisbane
07 3299 5784
www.caece.com.au
Fluid First Aid
Ben Cleaver
North Lakes
1300 976 276
www.fluidfirstaid.com.au
Gold Coast Institute of TAFE
Maxine Griffiths
Gold Coast MC
07 5581 8280
www.gcit.edu.au
In Safe Hands Educators in Safety
Michael Pecic
Arana Hills
1300 794 644
www.insafehands.net.au
Inspire Education
Kirsten George
Brisbane
1800 506 509
www.inspireeducation.net.au
Practical Outcomes
Tracey Dear
Kelvin Grove
1300 799 610
www.practicaloutcomes.edu.au
Sasha Goodwin
Sasha Goodwin
Gold Coast
0411 751 442
Traxion Training
Vanessa Tanner
Gold Coast
1300 286 694
www.traxiontraining.com.au
Herron Todd White
Simon Fox
Brisbane
07 3002 0900
www.htw.com.au
Trivett Property Group
Darren Trivett
Fortitude Valley
07 3216 1011
www.trivett.net.au
DET Team
Brisbane
1300 566 046
www.education.gov.au
Software / IT Support
Sports and Fitness Physi Kids Staff recruitment
Superannuation
Toys / Resources
Training Providers
Valuers
Others Department of Education and Training
EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2018 29
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