Early Edition Winter 2012 by Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland

CHILDCARE QUEENSLAND NEWS - Winter 2012

NQF: ASSESSMENT AND RATING OF SERVICES UNDER THE NATIONAL QUALITY FRAMEWORK EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES PLAY AND THE MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY KASS KINDERGARTEN ADVISORY SUPPORT SERVICE ARE YOU WORRIED THAT YOU CHILD IS TOO GOOD? YES SERIOUSLY! PORTA LAWYERS - TALKING LEASES HOW MUSIC CAN BEAT THE BULLIES, TEACH SELF-ESTEEM AND MORE! EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FOSTERS HAPPY WORKERS PREPARED FOR PLAY MANAGING A HEALTHY BUSINESS WITHOUT COMPROMISING QUALITY

Childcare Management • New Centre Start Up • Consultancy

Total Confidence. Experience you can trust. Total Childcare Solutions (TCS) is a vibrant childcare management company that assists owners and investors in managing their childcare centres effectively. How does Total Childcare Solutions do this? At TCS, our core belief is that managing relationships is the key to a successful childcare business - “Happy staff make for happier children, and happy children means happier parents...this makes childcare easy for everyone”. The TCS team is made up of a group of talented people... the best in the business with proven skills and experience in managing long day childcare centres around Australia. They know what works and what doesn’t because they’ve already done it! You’ll find the TCS team has a ‘can do’ approach - no task is too big or too small, and we are always committed to achieving successful outcomes, with optimal results for everyone involved. Total Childcare Solutions is your professional solution provider servicing everything you need to know about childcare. We provide advice and support in understanding the mechanics behind the childcare industry.

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Childcare Management • Acquisitions & Sales • New Centre Start Up/Consultancy • Leadership Training

CHILDCARE QUEENSLAND NEWS - Winter 2012

Executive

Committee Members

President Peter Price

Gwynn Bridge

Vice President John Keast

Brent Stokes Majella Fitzsimmons

Treasurer Graham Sagar

Fiona Haber Christine Mayer

Message from Childcare Queensland President

Secretary Debra North

Kathryn Mason

Message from Childcare Queensland CEO

Kerrie Lada

NQF: Assessment and Rating of services under the National Quality Framework

Early Childhood Education and Care Services

Play and the multicultural society

KASS Kindergarten Advisory Support Service

Jae Fraser

Childcare Queensland Location:11/6 Vanessa Boulevard, Springwood Mailing: PO Box 137, Springwood QLD 4127 Telephone: (07) 3808 2366

Are you worried that you child is too good? Yes seriously!

Fax: (07) 3808 2466

Porta Lawyers - Talking Leases

How music can beat the bullies, teach self-esteem and more!

Email: info@childcarequeensland.com.au

Early childhood education fosters happy workers

CEO: Gwynn Bridge

Prepared for play

Senior Office Administrator: Jen Smyth

Managing a healthy business without compromising quality

Toll Free: 1300 365 325 (outside Brisbane) Web: www.childcareqld.org.au

Editorial

Associate Member Directory

Editor: Jen Smyth, Julie Fenech Contributors: Peter Price, Gwynn Bridge 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, Childcare 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.

Message FROM

Childcare Queensland President, Peter Price

elcome

In our last issue, I reviewed 10 characteristics of good staff, as determined by many businesses on a worldwide basis over the years. It should be noted that the analysis was taken from the viewpoint of a customer of your business – and this viewpoint may not always be the same as management perceives, or what other staff perceive.

‘Leaders’ lead people (staff ). Good team leaders spend as much time as possible with the people they lead. They may be working beside the staff, helping the staff with their workload, and providing encouragement and support when things go wrong, and praise when things go right. The best leaders spend the majority of their time with their team.

No doubt you have heard of the ‘Golden Rule’..."Do unto others what you would have them do unto you".

The Centre ‘Nominated Supervisors’ are obviously partly managers, partly administrators, and partly leaders. The danger is that the most important function of ‘leader’ will be dwarfed by the ‘bureaucratic’ and ‘technocratic’ functions of management and administration. The National Quality Framework has so many management and administrative functions within its pages, that many practitioners feel that it has overlooked the most important role of leadership.

I remember many years ago being told that a business only provides ‘silver’ service, by giving the customer the best service that the employee is able to give. They can however, give the customer ‘gold’ service by treating the customer the way that you would like to be treated. Today, this is not good enough…we must follow the ‘platinum rule’…Treat customers the way that the customer would like to be treated. This is the foundation of customer service, and we in Childcare are a part of the “service industry”. The leaders in your childcare service have a two-edged sword in regard to service….They must teach the room-staff how to be effective with regards to customer service, as well as setting the example as the role model for staff to follow. This issue, we will therefore cover…… Leadership As hopefully you are all aware, the National Quality Framework that has been introduced has, amongst other things, changed a lot of terminology of leadership. Centre Directors are now called Nominated Supervisors, although their role has really not changed from what it was previously. From a business perspective, all leaders in centres are managers, administrators, and especially – and most importantly - leaders. It is important to understand that ‘managers’ do not manage people. They manage things, such as resources. This is very much a ‘bureaucratic’ role. ‘Administrators’ process paperwork. They sit in an office, and often work at a computer. Administrators are also responsible for staff issues such as rosters, and compliance. This is very much a ‘technocratic’ role.

Think of the people around you who have a leading role in childcare. This may include other Centre Directors (sorry, that should be Nominated Supervisors), head of your Parent’s Committee, or perhaps your ‘Authorised Early Childhood Department Officer’. Are they really leaders (as they should be), or are they merely managers and/or administrators? How do you tell if the ‘Management’ and ‘Administrative’ functions are dominating the leadership function ? Look for these symptoms within your centre…. 1. High absenteeism by staff. 2. Low attendance at staff meetings. 3. High staff turnover. 4. Staff not doing allocated duties correctly or at all. 5. Decision making without staff involvement. 6. Leadership from an office - no mixing with the team. This is often associated with differentiating the centre ‘leaders’ from the ‘coalface workers’ and always results in the breakup of the team. The Centre Nominated Supervisor should always remember that it is the team-members that make management successful. This contradicts what one Childcare Director told me many years ago…”It is very difficult to soar like an eagle, when you work with turkeys”. Regards,

Peter Price

Message FROM

Childcare Queensland CEO and Australian CHILDCARE ALLIANCE PRESIDENT,

Gwynn bridge

Behind the scenes the Childcare Queensland office and personnel have been working like little beavers through the winter. The Childcare Queensland conference is shaping up to be by far the biggest that we have ever hosted and enthusiasm from delegates around the nation is high. Our speakers are amongst Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best and it will be an exceptional weekend of learning, immersing ourselves in understanding of quality practices, 20 more trade displays than ever before to visit and of course the networking and feeling of togetherness in a sector that comes with having so many likeminded people in the one space. The conference welcome drinks and gala dinner are not to be missed and this year the dinner will be a spectacular event. If you are requiring costumes for the Hollywood theme, Childcare Queensland delegates have been offered very generous hire terms plus free collection of the costumes from Jupiters the next morning from That Costume Shop at Ashmore. Please contact Karen Madam on 0412 813 800 or karen@ thatcostumeshop.com.au for details or to book. As the association is growing, the desire of the committee is to provide more extensive services to our membership throughout Queensland, we have engaged a General Manager, James Blake, to move the association to the next level of member support. With Queensland being such a huge state to cover, we are very mindful that our regional and remote services require additional training and support. James commences with us on 5th September and we look forward to a long and mutually rewarding association with James. The Kindergarten Advisory Support Service, headed by Linda McConville, is actively working around Queensland to assist services to take up the Kindergarten Program and to provide advice and support to those who currently operate a program.

I launched our document titled Meeting the Expectations of Australian Families in Long Day Care. Committee members of ACA on that day also met with 18 members of Parliament including Minister Ellis, Minister Garrett, Senator Hanson Young, Andrew Robb MP, Shadow Minister Sussan Ley, Senior Adviser (Childcare to the PM) and Senior Adviser to the Treasurer. Discussions were robust and frank and we found that there was understanding for how the sector is stretched at the present time and also for the challenges that we are facing from many directions. Affordability for families and staffing requirements to meet the 2014 regulatory requirements and United Voice's Big Steps campaign were high on the discussion list. The document is available for download on the CQ Website in the Members Area under Resources. Early Childhood Educators day was held on Wednesday 5th September and we look forward to seeing your photos and reading about the special events that our educators enjoyed to celebrate their dedication to children in early education and care. I look forward to seeing you all at the conference. Regards,

Gwen Bridge

The Federal arena has been extremely busy. Childcare Queensland has been active in attending forums being held by both the government and the opposition. To answer the many suggestions and concerns of our membership Australia wide, the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) , your federal association, recently hosted a morning tea in Parliament House, Canberra where all politicians were invited. It was very well attended and Minister Ellis, Shadow Minister Ley and I addressed the gathering. On behalf of ACA,

CHILDCARE QUEENSLAND NEWS - Winter 2012

Pho Phot P Ph hotogra ogr g ap phy phy: hy: y: y Mic M ch Mi hael ael ell Mar M rston sto on

Does your long day care service deliver a kindergarten program? Funding is available to support more long day care services to provide a kindergarten program delivered by an early childhood teacher. Participating services receive funding for each kindy-aged child enrolled and are eligible to use the Approved Kindergarten Program symbol to promote their program. Services in disadvantaged and remote areas are also eligible for additional subsidies to help local families access kindergarten. The Kindergarten Advisory and Support Service (KASS), operated by Childcare Queensland, offers advice and support to long day care services on becoming an approved kindergarten program provider. KASS has a job board to help services and teachers link up. Contact KASS on 1300 4 KINDY (1300 4 546 39) or www.kass.net.au For more information visit www.qld.gov.au/kindy

Authorised by the Queensland Government, Mary St, Brisbane 120233 kindy long day care advert.indd 1

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Assessment and rating of services under the National Quality Framework Prepared by – Department of Education, Training and Employment

n important milestone was reached on 18 June this year with the commencement of the quality assessment and rating of early childhood services.

The assessment and rating process aims to be empowering and collaborative. Early feedback from first assessment visits is that it provides an opportunity for approved providers and educators to work together with their Authorised Officer. To ensure the National Quality Standard (NQS) and regulatory standards are consistently applied, Authorised Officers have passed a rigorous reliability test developed by the University of Melbourne. Authorised Officers will draw on this extensive training and use a common lens (rather than personal judgement) to look for evidence to inform decisions about ratings. What to expect of the assessment visit Before and during the assessment visit, services are encouraged to ask questions, provide more information, discuss and demonstrate quality outcomes for children. During and after the assessment visit: • Services will have the chance to highlight their ‘usual practice’ • Authorised Oﬃcers will provide broad feedback but will not indicate ratings at this stage • Approved Providers may have the opportunity to make minor adjustments in specified areas and timeframes before receiving their final assessment report • Services will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft assessment report. Make the most of the visit Services best placed to do well in the assessment and rating process will have: • Conducted an open and honest self-assessment against the National Quality Standard and the related regulatory standards • Used and revised their quality improvement plan to inform practice and promote quality improvement • Reviewed the Guide to the National Quality Standard to know what the Authorised Oﬃcer might observe, discuss and sight • Implemented the relevant approved learning framework. More information about the assessment and rating process is in the latest edition of the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) newsletter (Edition 8, 2012). These additional resources from ACECQA are also useful: • Guide to the National Quality Standard • National Quality Standard Assessment and Rating Instrument • Guide to Assessment and Rating for Services • Guide to Assessment and Rating for Regulatory Authorities • NQF Assessment and Rating Process • Assessment and Rating fact sheet

CHILDCARE QUEENSLAND NEWS - Winter 2012

Early Childhood Education and Care Prepared by – Department of Education, Training and Employment

ew kindy resources for families and services

The Department of Education, Training and Employment is finding new ways to ensure everyone can access the latest kindy information.

The new resources and translation function will help services to support non-English speaking families to learn more about kindergarten programs, the benefits and how to get involved.

Translations and at-home materials are among the expanding range of resources for families with kindy-aged children.

Parents and carers of kindy-aged children also can access an improved range of resources to use at home.

Kindergarten resources translated into 30 languages can now be downloaded from the department’s website (www.qld.gov.au/ kindy).

Service providers are encouraged to let parents and carers of young children know about the new material, which was developed by the department in consultation with the Brisbane School of Distance Education.

Further, there is a quick translation function available for the pages in the Families, Kindergarten programs section of the department’s website.

Parents, carers and services can download resource sheets, music videos and books from the new Resources for parents page of the Families section of the website.

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7/09/2010 4:20:36 PM

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Play and the multicultural society Article created by Annie Besant & JJ Stranan from Global Kids Oz

ulture arises and unfolds in and as play. Johan Huizinga, Dutch historian 1872–1945

What culture is rising and unfolding in your classroom today? Research suggests that any kind of noncompetitive play increases the child’s sense of belonging and cooperation. In the present multicultural world, this sense of belonging is what makes the difference between a united or fractured society. A secure sense of self and belonging also makes it easier to adjust to a rapidly changing society. So, it’s time to examine the play that is taking place in your multicultural classroom. Why multicultural play? Firstly, multicultural play through the aid of well chosen multicultural play materials can prepare children for meaningful experiences. It widens the child’s mind and expands their capacity to accept people and things that are different from them. It also equips them to navigate the multicultural maze effectively and often instinctively. Moreover, multicultural play exposes children to a variety of cultures all within the comforts and safety of their classroom. This exposure further helps them explore their identity in the context of another culture. Also, when teachers provide multicultural play in the classroom they are essentially providing a practical, cognitive and behavioral cross-cultural social skills training package that gives children the tools needed for succeeding in unfamiliar societies. How to indulge in multicultural play? If you are considering introducing multicultural play in the classroom for the first time, here are some tips to help you cruise through!

1. Multicultural play should be accurate: What this means is that the resources you choose should be an accurate representation of the culture. It should also be respectful. Avoid play materials that are not true to racial features or tend to stereotype cultural practices. 2. Blend contemporary and traditional: In order to give children an accurate sense of a culture, you need to incorporate the past and the present. So, if you choose to bring a Japanese doll in a Kimono to the classroom, consider bringing a contemporary representative too! 3. Introduce indigenous games and activities: Children love games – just watch them in the school yard. Use this love of games to get them interested in games and activities specific to certain tribes or communities. A good example is a traditional mancala game or even hopscotch, which is played differently in different countries. 4. Cross-cultural simulation: Take older children a little out of their comfort zone and do a cross cultural activity in class by giving groups different sets of cultural rules to role play. Encourage them to work out ways to communicate and solve tasks using customs specific to that culture. 5. Multicultural counting games: Yes! Add a bit of logical thinking to the mix by incorporating fun counting games. Find out what kind of tools different cultures used to help them with daily math and recreate that experience in class.

and discrimination. The intensity of this should be determined by the age group and the cultural readiness of the child. 7. Celebrate traditions and festivals: Use multicultural play to celebrate important days in other cultures. 8. Use multicultural manipulatives: Source culture specific puzzles and toys to stimulate the imagination and add a twist to everyday play. It is an established fact that children learn through play. Moreover, many prominent and popular schools of pedagogy advocate the use of play in education. The young minds that you mould through play now will be the young minds that make a difference in this world tomorrow. So, why not consider multicultural play in your classroom today? Global Kids Oz is Australia's largest multicultural resource supplier with over 1,500 different multicultural resources from over 145 countries of our world to help support cultural understanding in Childcare and Primary schools Global Kids Oz 1300 32 00 65 culture@globalkidsoz.com.au www.globalkidsoz.com.au & www. recycledmats.com.au

6. Address prejudices: Children, young and old, are very sensitive to discrimination. Introduce play material that addresses the issues of oppression, prejudice, stereotypes,

CHILDCARE QUEENSLAND NEWS - Winter 2012

KASS CONNECTIONS Prepared by Linda McConville (Operational Project Manager) KASS

EACH KINDY IN A LONG DAY CARE SERVICE

A sharing moment from Merryl, a Kindergarten Teacher in a Long Day Care Service – “Friedrich Froebel was an educator who dedicated his life to provide children with an education that developed their spirit as well as their bodies by making use of a child’s natural playfulness and creativity. Looking for a word to describe an education that would ‘cultivate children like plants and let them bloom like flowers’, he called it a ‘children’s garden’. Today known as Kindergarten. The very environment that we have chosen to pursue as our career. Kindergarten is an exciting time for children and their parents. Kindergarten guides the children along a path of a lifetime of learning; together we enjoy the learning journey. Our programming reflects this, as we build upon our mind map or web, and co-facilitate the learning which can evolve in any direction. Our day is open to exploration, experimentation, reflection, observation, co-constructing ideas, and celebrating learning. Beginning with a concept – a child’s interest or enquiry or teacher initiated, our program branches off into a world of discovery……..” The high level of need in the sector is creating new and rewarding opportunities for teachers.

• are responsible for the delivery of the kindergarten program using the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline (a recognised Queensland curriculum), giving the children in their care the best possible preparation for school. Teaching in long day care offers many benefits including: • Using a recognised curriculum/learning framework • Building on children’s individual strengths • Helping children develop a love of learning • Planning for learning and outcomes that are child-centred and teacher supported • Working in partnership with families to assist in achieving positive outcomes • Opportunity to negotiate mutually beneficial and flexible employment arrangements • Maintaining teacher registration with the Queensland College of Teachers • Identifying pathways to build a teacher’s professional learning

With the implementation of the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme (QKFS), long day care services approved to deliver kindergarten programs are seeking qualified early childhood teachers.

Moving from primary teaching to teaching kindergarten in a long day care service has proven to be a rewarding change for Amanda. She has the following comments regarding her teaching experience in a long day care service:

Kindergarten teachers:

“I really enjoy the flexibility in approach to planning. Although there are routines and structures in place, we can slow down the situation and share in the learning with the children as opposed to the person who has all the knowledge and has to transmit it. For example, if the children see a bird land in the playground, we may spend all day learning and discussing birds together, brainstorming, researching and developing skills through our interests.

• have the opportunity to provide a balance of play based, child centred and teacher intended learning opportunities.

We get to know the whole child, spend valuable time with individuals and small groups, develop greater partnerships with families and educating is made so much easier. I enjoy working with the Kindergarten Learning Guideline. It’s a fantastic document to work with in developing our curriculum for learning.

It is an awesome feeling that we are able to get the children to reach their potential and we play a vital role in getting them ready for school. When we receive feedback from their teachers at school on how well prepared the children are and we can continue to develop relationships as professionals, working towards positive outcomes for children, it makes it all worthwhile. I work under fantastic, flexible conditions and enjoy teaching in a long day care centre so much; I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to go back to a school setting.â&#x20AC;?

TEACHING POSITIONS ARE AVAILABLE KASS is in direct contact with services across Queensland requiring a qualified teacher for their approved kindergarten program. By providing KASS with your information we may be able to assist with your employment and put you in contact with a long day care service approved to deliver kindergarten programs. To find out more, call KASS on 1300 4 KINDY, email info@kass. net.au or visit www.kass.net.au and register your interest using the teacher registration form.

Proudly funded and supported by the Queensland Government

CHILDCARE QUEENSLAND NEWS - Winter 2012

Are you worried that your child is too good? Yes Seriously! Prepared by Meg Parkinson

hildren who get too much validation for being good find it very difficult to handle the tiniest mistake without feeling they are failures. These children, if they do make a mistake, are apt to lie, or worse, avoid activities that they are not sure they will succeed at to cover the fact they are not perfect. Is your child being good to win approval? Or are you blessed with a sensible little person who always seems to get it right?

Things to do and say to ensure your child doesn’t become an approval seeker: 1. Don’t compare. Don’t say, ‘Look at your sister, she is sitting up well.’ Or, ‘Why can’t you be good like your brother/cousin?’ It makes the ‘bad’ child feel bad and therefore act ‘bad’ and it puts pressure on the ‘good’ child to please you. 2. Use encouragement. Notice progress and effort rather than results. Say, ‘You are working hard at keeping your room tidy’ instead of ‘good boy’. Separate the behaviour from the person. That is, keep what people do, separate from who they are, so that a bad behaviour does not make the person bad, nor a good behaviour make a person good. This is very important for self- esteem. 3. Say ‘Try again!’ to let your children know that it is ok to make a mistake and that they are wonderful opportunities to learn. Create a ritual during car trips/ dinner of having everyone take turns sharing a mistake and what they learned from it. 4. Make sure your children get the message that ANYONE can fall down, but it takes courage to get up and try again. 5. Don’t let your children get away with avoiding new activities. Let them know they can decide to stop an activity after at least three or four activities. This will help to reduce the likelihood of your child not taking risks in case they are not the ‘best’. Teach that a mistake is just that, a mis/take. It is impossible to grow and learn without making them….. and that is what being a kid is all about isn’t it?

Meg Parkinson holds a Bachelor of Education (Special Education) and a Master of Education in Guidance and Counselling. She is a member of the William Glasser Institute and is accredited to provide training in Choice Theory, Reality Therapy and Lead Management. She also holds a Certificate IV in assessment and Workplace Training. Meg supports parents by teaching simple, easily applied and practical techniques that reduce behaviours causing frustration, anxiety, stress and irritation. She runs classes and offers individual coaching in your home or remotely via Skype. Her style inspires action. Her approach is designed to give you the biggest results with the least amount of effort. Meg’s experience includes 16 years working in the education sector, in special needs - learning support, classroom teaching, gifted and talented education mentor, counselling and facilitation. She has created and facilitated training programs on behavioural management for teachers, principals and parents in Australia and the UK. International leaders in personal effectiveness, Franklin Covey Australia worked with Meg to launch and implement their program ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens’. This process involved the delivery of the program to staff and students in schools throughout Queensland. Visit Meg’s site at http://www.pepa.com.au/

PORTA lawyers Article by Porta Lawyers

ALKING LEASES

Guarantees There is an old saying that ”[A] guarantor in nothing but a fool with a pen.” However, this need not be the case if guarantee documents are either read carefully or taken to your solicitor. In the case of guarantees provided under Leases they can in many instances be negotiated. When entering into an Agreement to Lease or a Lease where the Tenant is a Company or Trustee, the Landlord may ask for due performance of Tenant’s obligations by way of personal guarantees. The directors, trustees, beneficiaries or shareholders usually provide these guarantees. Landlords ask for guarantees due to the commercial and trading nature of trusts and companies. An individual providing a guarantee is entering into a covenant with Landlord to perform all the Tenant’s obligations under the Lease in the event of the Tenant’s default. These guarantees need to be read carefully before signing because in most instances the Landlord can demand performance from the guarantor prior to enforcing a default against the Tenant. Furthermore, guarantors need to be careful in the circumstances because most guarantees provided also incorporate an indemnity allowing the Landlord to recover almost all costs in connection with the issuing and recovery of any default against the Tenant. It is best to provide guarantees and indemnities that can only be enforced once a Landlord has reasonably perused the Tenant for payment of the default. Assignment Guarantors also need to be aware that their obligations may extend to guaranteeing the performance of the purchasing Tenant should they sell the center. This will usually be the case for commercial and not Retail Shop Leases. However, the Landlord’s Deed of Assignment documents should be studied carefully to ensure that the guarantee is not transferred to the obligations of the new Tenant under a Retail Shop Lease or extended to the new Tenant’s Option Term on a commercial Lease.

CHILDCARE QUEENSLAND NEWS - Winter SPRING2012 2011

HOW MUSIC CAN BEAT THE BULLIES, TEACH SELF ESTEEM & MORE!

PRUEWHOO - International Educational Music Programs for Kids

lato once said that “Music is a more potent instrument than any other for education”.

Music is an undeniable source of connection. We can all hear a piece of music, a song from somewhere and that piece of music will take us back to a place, time, event – something that happened. It can evoke emotion, timelessness, peace, memories, even fury, lessons can be learnt, but whatever the means.......the association & link is there. It’s real and accessible anytime you want it. In saying this, the same principle can be attached to teaching young children about the effects of bullying & anti-discrimination, self esteem, health, learning about cooperation, Maths, English & Science, hygiene, the world around us & much more. Using music as the instrument to associate & therefore connect the subject matter, allows children a chance to absorb the message without confrontation, without fear. It gives children from all backgrounds, cultures, abilities and even disabilities a level playing field as music has no boundaries, is non selective & is of course, inclusive. Making the song fun & interactive is the start. Actions can be done to consolidate the story line in the verses and chorus etc. which in turn engages the child in the learning practice. Open discussions about the meaning of the song’s lyrics can provide dialogue on relevant issues and allows the children to instantly become involved and immersed in learning whilst having fun! There is no better way to learn! If you take Prue Whoo’s song “It’s OK TO Be Different” © http:// www.pruewhoo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Its-OkTo-Be-Different.mp3 for example, this song couples with the perfect opportunity of introducing the very sensitive subject

about bullying, acceptance & tolerance. Educators, parents & grandparents can discuss with their children (regardless of age) how they would manage being bullied if they become the victim. Open discussions in the classroom or at home can result in some very interesting debates. Brainstorming, even with the very young, gives an opportunity to confer & these children will all have ideas on how to cope with this insidious behaviour or what to do if they witness it etc. Open the discussion in the classroom or in the home after listening to the song by asking “What do you think bullying is about”??? “What is meant by ‘being a bully’”? “When you see someone in a wheelchair, someone who is blind (associated with the song) how does this make you feel”? At home, it may be a simple act like one child taking another child’s toy or pushing someone over, making them cry. “How does that make you feel when you do that”? “How do you think it makes the other child feel when you do that”? Educators & parents can teach, through association, all sorts of subject matter using this method e.g. time, fractions, renewable energy, our solar system, teeth, safety, recycling, co-operating and much more. It’s a matter of understanding the lyrics of the song and connecting those with relevant questions to achieve educational outcomes. Prue Whoo has been doing this for the past 20 years. She has used this experience and a collection of her songs in her resource “Let’s Sing To Learn” where she has linked her original songs to themes and outcomes in the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and Early Primary School syllabus for children aged 0-7 years. This allows teachers and discerning parents an opportunity of connecting with their children whilst delivering valuable lessons in a fun way.

Music’s gestalt of sound makes it so very powerful and causes us to experience unique effects on our brain and in turn, all our body systems. According to a Norwegian Research Council for Science and the Humanities report, there is a very high correlation between positive self-perception, high cognitive competence scores, healthy self-esteem, total interest in and involvement in school activities, and the study of music. Why not start with using this incredibly

powerful teaching tool to educate our kids, starting from the very young? It is a simple, yet highly effective way of engaging and interacting with children. Kids will want to learn, enjoy being at school & preschool & develop a strong sense of identity and self esteem as positive messages & educational content are delivered in a fun & exciting way. What better way to learn is there????

Website: www.pruewhoo.com.au Email: pruewhoo@pruewhoo.com.au Phone: 0412 875 514 'My Body' animated song: http://www. pruewhoo.com.au/kids-biz/ 3 min video : http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=YkWwxSLWka4 Testimonial: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=uIgwXzYXJZE WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE

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CHILDCARE QUEENSLAND NEWS - Winter 2012

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Early childhood education fosters happy workers Filling critical vacancies biggest concern for employers Prepared by - Christine Curphey, Operations Director, Randstad

t seems if you’re looking for flexible working arrangements, training and development opportunities, work-life balance and job security, a position in early childhood education is ideal.

Employees working in early childhood education are among the most satisfied in Australia, revealing healthy levels of happiness in Randstad’s Early Childhood World of Work Report 2012. The report highlights ‘flexicurity’ (flexibility and job security) as a key component of their love for their work. More than half (54%) of employees intending to stay with their current early childhood education organisation say good work/life balance and flexible work options are the primary reasons. Yet employee retention is an escalating issue - a third of employees in this sector are intending to leave their job — citing a lack of opportunity for growth and development as the main reason. This is almost three times the number that will leave due to uncompetitive salary. This highlights the need for early childhood centres to work closely with employees to develop individual career paths and think creatively about how to offer opportunities for growth. The message is loud and clear — retention of high performing talent will depend on it. With a skills shortage evident in this sector, it’s little surprise 82 per cent of employers in the industry are planning to maintain or increase staff numbers in 2012. Given the impending regulatory burden of the National Quality Framework and the introduction of minimum qualifications for early childhood employees, it’s not surprising qualified early childhood education professionals will be in strongest demand. Early childhood employers are particularly anxious about filling critical vacancies with almost two-thirds slating this as their biggest concern in their world of work. Other key concerns are government legislation impacting workforce flexibility and costs (55%) and developing leadership skills for the next phase of growth (40%).

It seems there exists a divide between what is expected of leaders and what they are delivering in the sector. Almost half (47%) of early childhood education employees believe the single biggest attribute of a successful leader is the ability to motivate and inspire others, yet 32% rate their own direct manager as poor or average in this area. This is something that needs addressing quite urgently to ensure ongoing growth and success of early childhood centres. Employees also have high salary expectations with 38% of early childhood employees expecting a salary rise of up to 4% this year; 21% expect a 5–10% rise, and 11% hope for more than a 10% rise. Employers need to manage expectations if pay rises are not possible this year by looking at other creative ways to offer benefits and retain talent within the organisation. Organisations also need to work smarter to harness knowledge and talent as 41% of all early childhood education employers surveyed believe their business doesn’t have effective processes to capture ideas for improvement or innovation. To create better services and ensure ongoing growth and development, early childhood centres must find a way to tap into the knowledge of their staff and even their customers. The early childhood sector is particularly exposed to the ageing workforce and the impact of one of the country’s biggest mass exodus’ of workers with Baby Boomers moving into retirement. With such a high number of Baby Boomers among its workforce, many mature-age workers in early childhood education may leave the workforce prematurely, particularly when faced with the requirement to gain a new accreditation from the National Quality Framework. A quarter of early childhood organisations anticipate an increase in

staff turnover, and of those, 37% cite the reason being retirement. Despite this, just 56% of survey respondents agree or strongly agree the nation’s ageing workforce will have a negative impact on their organisation in the next ten years. This means one of two things — organisations are largely uninformed about this impending challenge, or they have already developed attraction strategies to combat it. For a full copy of the Randstad World of Work Report for the Early Childhood Education sector, please visit www. randstad.com.au and register for your copy or contact your specialist Randstad consultant. Christine Curphey is available for interview. A full copy of the Randstad World of Work Report is available on request. About Randstad Christine Curphey is the Operations Director of Randstad’s specialist education division. Randstad specialises in solutions in the field of flexible work & human resources services and globally employs over 520,000 people every day with the aim of “shaping the world of work”. Randstad is passionate about matching people with organisations that will develop their potential and matching organisations with people that will take their business to the next level. Visit www.randstad.com.au for further information.

Childcare Queensland 2012 National Conference

Hands Up For The Future Jupiters Hotel & Casino Friday 14-Sunday 16 September 2012 Dress up for the

Hollywood Gala Dinner!

Keynote Presenters:

Anne Stonehouse and Sue Elliott

Conference MC: Richard Cohen an Early Childhood Education and Care specialist from Washington DC Special Guest Speakers: Minister Kate Ellis, Minister for Employment Participation; Minister for Early

Childhood and Child Care and Karen Curtis, ACECQA CEO

Visit www.childcareqld.org.au to register online or contact the office on (07) 3808 2366

Prepared for Play.

Prepared by - Rebecca Rose Perkins

e all have our hands up for play, but are we all prepared for it?

What is a prepared educator? Is it someone who’s planning is spot on? Do they have everything set up on time? Do their learning stories look fantastic with matching photo stories and links to guidelines? Are they in control of the learning and know where the program is going? If this is the case, is a prepared educator an excellent practitioner? I believe if you stood up in front of a most of the population, they might say a resounding “YES – that is the type of person I want working with my child, and what is best for a child’s future!” My answer to that is “REALLY”? I have never thought that looking “good on paper” nor what is publically popular was best for children (some people would love to see all 3 and 4 year olds sitting at tables doing alphabet books, but this is not best practice for young children!). I want to see educator’s whose genuine interest and enthusiasm for how children think, grow and learn drives what they do. I have seen many excellent educators in my career, many I have strived to be like. They believe every interaction is an opportunity for learning. When a child walks through the door in the morning…that is when an excellent practitioner and mentally prepared educator starts their program. The

educator listens to that child, they watch what that child is drawn to, and they act now. If a child brings in a leaf from a tree at home, today might be about leaves and trees… Can they see a tree like the one it came from? Can they see other leaves that are the same or different? Would they like to do something special with the leaf? It could lead to amazing things, or it could lead nowhere. The prepared educator is ready for where this leaf could lead, today… and is prepared to go there, get the resources required and change the previous plan to the one the child is leading. Excellent practice is never afraid to throw the paper plan out the window. That’s where I believe the term “documentation” came from, much of the happenings are recorded and reflected on after the event and future plans are made. Fabulous, wonderful…but there are, of course, some obstacles in the way of “running with it” in Long Day Care. Other forms of education and care have the advantage of having one or 2 educators with the same children, all day. How do you run with a child’s interest at 7am when you have limited staff, because those on “Lates” don’t arrive until 8.30/9am and you have “Schoolies” and family grouping as well?

Many educators may also think that because it is not “core learning time” (yes, I have heard this type of terminology used in early childhood: after the Schoolies leave, the late staff have arrived and children move into their age appropriate rooms), those children are not really their responsibility, educationally speaking. However, as we know, every educator who has contact with that child is responsible for their learning and development. No more “just supervising” family grouping… when a child’s there, it’s learning time! Not just free play, but rich, meaningful play and interaction. There are other obstacles to following the children’s lead …how many staff members does one child have contact with in the course of their day? Four, five, six (Earlies, Lunch, Lates)? How do you ensure continuity and linking learning through the transitions in the day? How can you extend and build on that arrival excitement with news or interesting things, if you’re not part of the conversation? However, this sort of continuity is the key to rich experiences and enhanced learning outcomes.

Another important key to learning is an interesting learning environment. Most Long Day Care has come a long way from spotlessly, sterile environments, where astro turf and safety were king and everything has to be in bright primary or secondary colours to be educational. Yes, I know many of you are still living with astro turf and other relics of past beliefs, however, everyone is working towards changing, unfortunately, it takes time and money! However, there is still some way to go. Children love old things, interesting things, things they can use in many different ways, natural things. It’s not just about colour, or adult perceived educational benefit. When resourcing and creating a leaning environment, think about texture, feel, and interest level. Do you have lots of equipment and resources the children can choose themselves and move to create their own environment? Can resources be used indoor and outdoor? Do you have a “free-flow” program (indoor/outdoor), so children can act on their thoughts and interests now, instead of waiting until a specific time? Can you let play time extend to continue some interesting play?

Reality check, again…what about supervision issues with “free-flow” play? How do we extend play time, when meals have to be served in certain timeframes or we are locked into certain rest times due to lunch time staffing issues? My answer to all of these questions is, there is always a solution…it usually just takes a bit of creative thinking, trying something new and stepping out of our comfort zones. A prepared educator identifies possible obstacles and barriers to extending learning, then thinks and reflects on how to improve and change, so these barriers disappear. Brainstorming and discussion with fellow educators is fantastic way to resolve issues and find solutions, through staff and network meetings and conferences. If at all possible, arranging for staff to see other environments in action, so great practice and ideas can be shared, is a fantastic boost for finding creative solutions, bring them back to your environment.

A prepared educator is mentally prepared, everyday. I’m not saying that the paperwork be ignored, quite the contrary, it is a key ingredient to mental preparation. Documentation and planning is not just about writing down what art experience you are going to put out tomorrow, or a special theme or week that’s happening soon. It’s about creating an environment and routine that works with the children, allowing them to create, problemsolve, investigate and imagine, at their own pace and in their own time. Early childhood educators who are striving for the best for the children in their care are ready to act now, being in the moment, with the children. They think about how to create a rich learning environment to springboard learning. They listen, observe and remember: every interaction is an opportunity.

www.rose3.com.au

CHILDCARE QUEENSLAND NEWS - Winter 2012

Managing a Healthy Business without compromising Quality Written by Jae Fraser Prepared by - Jae Fraser, General Manager of Operations for G8 Education.

wning and operating an Education and Care Service can be a very challenging and rewarding career. Success in this field requires dedication, love and patience. The work day is longer than a normal eight-hour day, but the satisfaction of watching children grow and develop is the best part of what we do. Operating a successful and profitable Education and Care Service in today’s economic climate and under the new national Quality Framework is possible without compromising the quality of the care that you are providing the families and children. In this article we will look at 7 keys for managing a healthy business without compromising the quality. 1. Ability to Manage Occupancy and use age mix of children to ensure profitability It is well known that in order for a service to be profitable, it has to have over 70% occupancy, so the maintenance and improvement of this percentage is crucial. Effective management of your waitlist, movement of children between rooms and marketing of your service to secure new enrolments are all ways that this can be achieved. It is also important to consider studying your floor plans closely and assessing if there is the ability to change the number of children utilising the individual rooms to better suit the needs of your local community and increase your occupancy. 2. Ability to manage Parent Fees and Minimise Debt The way that your service manages the payment of parent fees and minimising the level of debt, needs to be examined closely to ensure it is the most efficient and cost effective method. Moving to a direct debit system can be a way to assist you in this management process, but this must go hand in hand with a Nominated supervisor/ administration team that understands the importance of debt management and actively works towards achieving a zero debt outcome. 3. Ability to take advantage of Government Subsidies and Grants. There are several avenues for grant funding or subsidies in each state and they are accessible to most services who meet the criteria. In relation to government subsidies it is important that your Education and Care service Team members are ensuring that sign in sheets are being filled out correctly and that any absences are being recorded to ensure that your submitted data is correct and you are getting all of the funding you are entitled to. For grants it is important to be aware of and capitalise on the funding that is available such as Kindergarten funding, health care card subsidies as well as the various other grants that can assist your bottom line so it pays to do your research.

4. Managing Expenses- Wages, consumables, resources etc. Keeping a close eye on your rostering to ensure that it is in line with your occupancy can make your wages more manageable. Collecting recycled materials and asking for material donations from the families (e.g. yogurt containers, architect paper, log off cuts etc.) in your service not only assists with your resource budget but also contributes to the sustainability of the environment. Your team should look outside the box for new ways to use recycled and natural materials in the experiences that they are providing for the children. 5. Compliance with Government Regulations. Non-compliance with the National Law and Regulations can lead to the service receiving on the spot fines and short time frames to remedy the compliance issue. This will cost you time and money to fix which will eat into your potential profit. Ensuring your service is compliant requires ongoing maintenance of the policies and procedures of your service but has the positive flow on eﬀect of ensuring the families in your service are happy with the care that you are proving and will recommend you to others. 6. Ability to Market your Service. It is difficult to increase you occupancy if people do not know you exist. Providing the highest possible care to the children and families in your service is great for marketing as referrals and word of mouth is far reaching. Best of all it costs nothing extra. There are a number of other marketing strategies that you could use such as hosting open days, distributing flyers and having your service team participate in local events such as fun runs etc. You do not have to spend a fortune to get great results. 7.Quality Improvement Making quality improvements to your service does not need to be an expensive exercise. Start off with making small changes that reflect your budget and build on this as the year progresses. A small outlay can make a huge impact in your service and shows families that you are committed to improving and growing. More information and an opportunity to ask questions about each of these key points will be available during the presentation by Jae Fraser, General Manager of Operations for G8 Education in his workshop “Managing a Healthy Business without Compromising Quality” at the Child Care Queensland Conference in September.

Early Childhood Educators Day 5th September 2012

We would love to hear how you celebrated Early Childhood Educators Day in your centre. For a chance to win great prizes, send in photos and a brief article that we can publish in the Spring issue of our Early Edition magazine to info@childcarequeensland.com.au. Prizes will also be awarded separately for FaceBook posts, so like us on FaceBook for more chances to win!

What’s the key to high occupancy in your centre?

Well Trained Your employees will receive extensive hands-on and theoretical training You will receive regular feedback on the progress of your employees Your employees receive quality mentoring and regular scheduled visits from qualified and experienced trainers

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CHILDREN’S SERVICES TRAINEESHIP, APPRENTICESHIP OR DISTANCE STUDY COURSES. ECTARC is an award winning RTO that specialises in early childhood training and professional development and is well known for the high level of personalised support given to each student. Visit www.ectarc.com.au or call 07 3345 8272 today to learn more about our courses, new live online study sessions, EYLF inservices, RPL initiatives and existing worker opportunities.

Receive up to $4000* per eligible employee via the Queensland Government’s User choice Funding Scheme * Conditions apply

PO Box 3317 | South Brisbane BC | Qld. 4101 P +61 7 3217 6655 | www.firstchoicechildcare.com.au

CHILDCARE QUEENSLAND NEWS - Winter 2012

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