Early Years Journal
Volume 2 Number 1 2013 Australian childcare Alliance
r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e f u t u r e o f A u s t r a l i a ’s c h i l d r e n
Outdoor Education Natural elements build children’s resilience
Fun food games for kids
EMOTION COACHING Skills for staff and children
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President’s report Welcome to 2013, members and colleagues. We experienced a year of intense change in 2012 as we implemented the requirements of the National Quality Framework, and many of us are looking forward to 2013 as a consolidation time where we can grow in the knowledge and understanding of the framework.
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s I write this, many of our Queensland and New South Wales members, our children and their families have been battered by wind and torrential rain from a week of trauma. Some have been living without electricity with floodwaters still ebbing and flowing in and around their homes and services. At the same time, we have had bushfires raging throughout every other state. With lives lost and people declared missing, we absolutely applaud the State Emergency Service crews and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to assist, and minimise the pain for others. Children and adults can be severely traumatised by events such as these, and we urge you to be aware of the services available in your community as we are well informed that early intervention saves much pain into the future. From members’ feedback we have received low occupancy levels for 2013 are concerning. We have had several closures recorded and information
It is astounding that there is such a call from government for developers to build new services when survey results clearly reveal that the area of low availability for families is limited to children under three years of age BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 1
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suggests that there will be more if occupancy does not improve after the first quarter of this year. It is astounding that there is such a call from government for developers to build new services when survey results clearly reveal that the area of low availability for families is limited to children under three years of age. When developers build a completely new service, which no doubt will take the minimum number of babies, it only exacerbates the problem of under-utilisation in the three- to five-year-old groups. We must continue to advocate for a sustainable planning system to be introduced – one similar to the Planning Advisory Committees that were established in each state and territory in 1997. The Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) is also advocating for a 30 per cent increase in Child Care Benefit (CCB) funding for children under three to assist in recouping the 20 per cent decrease in CCB funding over the past 10 years and to encourage services to increase baby numbers to meet demand. Many of you have expressed the predicament you find your service in with the need to have a certified
Early Years Journal
Volume 2 Number 1 2013 Australian childcare Alliance
Co
r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e f u t u r e o f A u s t r a l i a ’s c h i l d r e n
lcome e w s ntribution
The Australian Childcare Alliance covers a diverse, national network of education and care services. If you would like to report on the issues affecting your service and those around you, submit to Belonging, Early Years Journal. We welcome articles from members between 600 and 1200 words in length and on all subject areas: business planning, staffing, programming and resources. If you’ve just landscaped your outdoor play space or created a new classroom, send the pics and blow your trumpet! Before you start keying in a story, email your pitch to the editor, Megan McGay: megan.mcgay@executivemedia.com.au to ensure its theme fits with the next edition. Contributions for the July edition must be received by 24 May 2013.
2 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
We must continue to advocate for a sustainable planning system to be introduced – one similar to the Planning Advisory Committees that were established in each state and territory in 1997 supervisor on duty at all times, and the unreasonable length of time that certified supervisor approvals are progressing through the departments. The ACA has taken this up with all political parties and also with ACECQA. We feel confident that this will be addressed in the future, but it is urgent and we will continue to advocate for you, ensuring that it is dealt with sooner rather than later. We will continue to voice our concerns that services will be unable to meet the requirement of engaging an early childhood teacher (ECT) by 1 January 2014. In our 2011 Budget submission, we raised the option for government to encourage ECTs into the sector through a bonded HECS system. This and very few additional incentives to grow the ECT workforce have not been implemented. The ACA is still advocating for government to provide financial assistance to ECTs and to assist services to meet the national regulations. We were encouraged recently when the Australian Greens declared its support of the bonded HECS initiative. The ACA has prepared our budget submission for 2013–2014, and we urge you to contact your state association for information on this submission. We wish you all a safe, happy and successful 2013.
Gwynn Bridge President, Australian Childcare Alliance Email: President@australianchildcarealliance.org.au
contents Child health + safety Stuttering in young children: cause for concern 51 What should you do when you hear children struggle to speak?
Incursions Education to relax and soothe 53
General news President’s report 1
Teaching children to relax can help them cope with everyday problems.
State roundup 5
Competition
Reforms expected to improve outcomes for both 12 children and early childhood staff
Groove and Learn 55
Minister Kate Ellis is pleased with the implementation of the National Quality Framework.
Win the latest children’s music album which was created by musicians and leading health and education authorities.
Risk assessment, not risk-aversion 14
Finance, business + property
Outdoor play allows children to take small risks.
Shiny + happy people = valuable business 58
Regulation changes 18
Create a culture of optimists and reap the financial rewards
There are changes to first aid requirements and English
Look for the angle 62
language skills.
Learn the secrets to writing an effective press release.
Education + training T uning in to Kids: emotion coaching for 22 early learning staff A new program trains caregivers to help children with their emotions.
Nurturing a gift 26 Gifted children come with their own set of special needs.
Always striving for more 33 A Victorian childcare director shares her centre’s awardwinning success.
S ustainability: re-using, reducing, rethinking and 37 recycling materials An inner-city childcare is leading sustainable practice.
Educational resources, programs + planning
Human resources management Educating leaders 67
Interactive classrooms 42
A Victorian program is building and shaping its early learning leaders.
New technology is engaging young audiences in childcare.
Nutrition + menu planning
Occupational health + safety
Making food fun 70
Norovirus, Sydney 2012: prevention is key 48
Food activities for growing minds and hungry bodies.
A new virus is predicted to infect 400,000 Australians this winter. Editor: Megan McGay
Cover image: istockphoto.com
Designed by: Alma McHugh
The editor, publisher, printer and their staff and agents are not responsible for the accuracy or correctness of the text of contributions contained in this publication or for the consequences of any use made of the products, and the information referred to in this publication. The editor, publisher, printer and their staff and agents expressly disclaim all liability of whatsoever nature for any consequences arising from any errors or omissions contained in this publication, whether caused to a purchaser of this publication or otherwise. The views expressed in the articles and other material published herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor and publisher or their staff or agents. The responsibility for the accuracy of information is that of the individual contributors and neither the publisher nor editors can accept responsibility for the accuracy of information that is supplied by others. It is impossible for the publisher and editors to ensure that the advertisements and other material herein comply with the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth). Readers should make their own inquiries in making any decisions and, where necessary, seek professional advice.
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4 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
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State round-up Ratio change in 2016 1:8 to 1:5
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elcome to 2013! There will be a continued focus by the Child Care New South Wales executive to work for its members and ensure they are given the best opportunities to succeed in business. In recent times the association has completed an extensive industry survey through PwC Australia. A summary of the survey is below:
PwC Australia Childcare Industry Survey Approximately 2900 services in NSW were invited to participate in the survey from all sectors of the industry. Surveys were completed by 654 services. Of these, approximately 55 per cent were metropolitan-based services and 45 per cent regional-based services; while 57 per cent were private long day care centres, and 43 per cent were preschool, council, community or not-for-profit services.
Forty-six per cent of respondents expect to reduce the number of child places as a result of the ratio requirement for two- to three-year-olds. From these results, respondents were almost six times as likely to reduce the number of places available for twoto three-year-old children. While, 68 per cent of respondents expect to increase fees for all children as a result of the expected ratio reduction by around $5–9 per day.
Impact on services More than 25 per cent of services are unsure about whether to close, or are considering closure as an option in light of these changes. Sixty-one per cent of respondents noted that they are either unsure or require additional time for transition. Child Care New South Wales noted that other states have delayed the rollout of the ECT requirements by as far as 2020 (Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia). New South Wales currently has one of the fastest roll-out times of these reforms.
Early Years Exhibition and Conference The survey results Qualification requirements Forty-nine per cent of respondents have not recruited the correct number of early childhood teachers (ECT) to comply under the regulations. Forty-two per cent said they have paid above award wages or provided other incentives to attract an ECT.
Impact on families Since the introduction of the National Quality Framework (NQF), 97 per cent of respondents have increased their fees by approximately 6–8 per cent ($4–7 per child, daily). The primary driver to increased fees is staffing/workforce requirements. Forty-eight per cent of respondents are planning to pass on further NQF cost increases through increased fees.
On the back of the 2012 success, the Early Years Exhibition and Conference is being held at Rosehill Gardens on 16–17 March this year. The event promises to be bigger and better with more exhibitors, larger conference rooms and a wider variety of workshops. This year’s event sees the introduction of a new benefit through Child Care New South Wales member rates. For more information on the event, please visit: www.eyec.com.au.
2013 Training Calendar Many of the Early Years Exhibition workshops will lead into longer, more in-depth training workshops being conducted by Child Care New South Wales as part of its 2013 training calendar. This year, there will be an increased amount of webinars available, which will be particularly useful for regional members. Members and BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 5
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non-members can access the various training options via our website www.childcarensw.com.au. Full details of our workshops are now available online.
Australian Child Care Week National Winners Child Care New South Wales would like to congratulate the following New South Wales members on their success as National Winners at the Australian Child Care Week Awards held in Canberra, 2012: • Best Multicultural Activity or Program – Castle Grove Early Learning Centre, Castle Hill • Best Sustainability Activity or Program – Gumleaf Cottage Early Years Learning, South Windsor • Outstanding Contribution by a Team – Bungendore Kids Zone, Bungendore • Outstanding Contribution by an Individual – Anja Kasterliener, All Star Early Learners, Botany.
Jason Sultana, Association Services Manager, Child Care New South Wales,
Child Care Centres Association of Victoria (Child Care Victoria) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 19 November, 2012. The following members were elected to the executive: President:
Paul Mondo
Vice President: Lucian Roncon Treasurer:
Steve Creelman
Ordinary Members: Sharon Smith, Jennifer Kearney, Jan Hamilton and Suzanne El-Katateny. This AGM saw the retirement of valued executive Rose Lavery after serving for four years. We welcome new executives: Jan Hamilton (Nurture One) and Suzanne El-Katateny (Grow to Learn).
We started the year with a fabulous training opportunity entitled, ‘How music and wellbeing PO Box 660, Parramatta NSW 2124 programs can improve your National Quality Standard T: 1300 556 330 F: 1300 557 228 E: Jason@childcarensw.com.au rating’ presented by Galina Zenin, a Child Care www.childcarensw.com.au Victoria member and approved provider of Bonkers Beat Music Childcare and Kinder. Galina has a wealth of experience in presenting at conferences both in Australia and internationally, and is always an engaging and lively speaker. We aim to follow this up with other relevant and informative training opportunities during the year aimed at both staff and owners. Planning is already under way for what promises to be our biggest and best conference in October this year. Details will be posted on our website www.cccav.org.au as they come to hand. In 2013, we will continue to expand our popular member benefits program, giving our members access to supplier discounts across a whole range of products and services. In addition, we are only a phone call away for advice on all aspects of centre management.
Child Care Centres Benchmark Survey November 2012 As of 1 January 2012, wide-ranging national reforms were introduced into the childcare sector. In November 2012, Child Care Victoria’s membership was invited to participate in a survey seeking information about the impact of these reforms on services and families. Fifty-three services responded to the survey. A summary of responses is as follows: 6 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
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Implementation of National Quality Framework (NQF) Ninety-eight per cent of respondents are implementing the National Quality Framework, while two per cent are not sure whether they are or not. Fifty per cent of the respondents are worried about their ability to meet the demands of the NQF, while 23 per cent are not worried and 27 per cent are not sure.
Staffing requirements Fifty-six per cent either believe that they cannot fulfil the demands for new qualified staff or are not sure that they can. Approximately 42 per cent require an additional one to two hours per week for staff development, while approximately 33 per cent require an additional three to four hours per week. Over 88 per cent have increased staff to meet requirements, but approximately 60 per cent have been unable to find the right staff when needed.
Ninty-eight per cent of respondents reported spending extra time on paperwork since the introduction of the NQF, with 45 per cent spending one to two hours per day, 22.6 per cent spending three to four hours per day and the rest (30 per cent) spending more than five hours per day on paperwork.
Fee increases • Over 92 per cent of respondents raised their fees in 2012 as a result of the NQF. For 88 per cent of respondents, fees increased by $1–10 per day. • Eighty-seven per cent say they will raise their fees again in 2013 as a result of the NQF. Of those, 93 per cent will raise them between $1–10 per day. • Approximately 47 per cent of respondents say parents have withdrawn and are likely to withdraw their children because of costs. • Approximately 87 per cent say parents have reduced their children’s hours because of increased costs. • Over 73 per cent say parents are likely to reduce their children’s hours because of increased costs.
Time and Red tape Approximately 75 per cent of respondents are spending more than 5 hours per week on dealing with the reforms. Approximately 90 per cent say the time is being spent on administration, compliance and staffing, rather than with the children.
Frank Cusmano CEO, Child Care Victoria Child Care Centres Association of Victoria, Inc Suite 6, 539 Highett Road, Highett VIC 3190 T: (03) 9532 2017 F: (03) 9532 3336 Email: info@cccav.org.au www.cccav.org.au
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 7
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changes and we certainly can’t afford to pay for them.’ Both families said they would have to reassess their working week if the additional costs hit them, and one parent said they had already cut back to a fourday working week due to the 2012 fee increase.
What’s happening to child care in South Australia? Affordability of childcare for families Governments continue to deny the financial impact of the childcare reforms for families. Federal Minister for Early Childhood and Child Care Kate Ellis asserted on South Australian radio that the total cost of the reforms spread over a 10-year period will be $8.67 per day. This alone is a serious departure from her previous claims that the total increase would be $8.67 per week! Given that childcare fees have already risen across the country for all sectors of the industry by $7–$10 per day in 2012, these assertions appear ridiculous. Goodstart Early Learning has publicly forecast a further 20 per cent increase in the pipeline, driven by upcoming reforms while the respected Australian Productivity Commission has calculated a 15-per-cent impact on childcare fees from the reforms. The cost impact of 95 per cent of the reforms will be over the five-year period to 2016, not the 10-year period stated by the Minister. In the same radio interview, Minister Ellis asserted that the average daily fee for childcare in Australia is $67 a day. We do not know anyone in the country charging fees that low, so where is the Minister getting this figure from? In South Australia we are forecasting that the reforms will drive fees up to, and in excess of, $100 a day, by 2016 for all sectors of the industry. The reforms must be slowed down so the federal government can assist parents with funding them, otherwise, we fear the impact on families and their work commitments, especially for disadvantaged families, will be major. Families’ wishes are being ignored by government. During discussions with two parents of different families using childcare in Adelaide, they were asked, ‘are you satisfied with the present level of care and education your children are receiving at this centre or would you like to see it lifted by the new reforms that are coming from next year and pay the associated cost?’ The response was unequivocal from both parents: ‘we are already very pleased and satisfied with the current high levels of care and education and the quality of this centre. We do not see the need for further
8 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
In a telling media article, the previous former Australian Labor Party Treasurer Kevin Foley labelled the reforms of childcare as ‘absurd’ and declared the need for childcare to be ‘more affordable’ as he defended past high levels of care.
The South Australia campaign on affordability for families The Australian Liberal Party in South Australia proposed a state parliamentary inquiry into all aspects of childcare in this state on 20 February 2013. In addition, the party is putting forward a private members bill to directly address and delay the implementation of the more costly reforms. Childcare South Australia (CSA) is supporting these actions with a strong media campaign and a petition from families and employees. Our efforts to get action from the South Australian Labor Government have so far been rebuffed. This is highlighted by the state government’s cast-iron public promises, which have been broken.
Red Tape There are about 1067 pages of legislation and regulation requirements that came into operation on 1 January 2012, including the National Regulations, the National Law, the South Australian Education and Services Act, the National Quality Framework (NQF) and the Early Years Learning Framework. Much of it is complex, subject to interpretation, punitive and bureaucratic. This is a remarkable level of reform and cost to impose upon an industry where 88 per cent of centres in 2011 were considered high-quality under the previous national regime. As a consequence, each centre has to review policies, procedures and practices with management, staff and families. Countless hours are spent training and coaching staff in the new requirements, increasing stress for all involved. This impacts on morale and often represents a counterproductive distraction from the staff’s core roles and responsibilities to families. Here are some examples of excessive requirements in the reforms: • There are 78 offences for approved providers and 25 for staff with heavy fines for breaches. This is almost an attempt to move childcare providers and staff into the criminal class.
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• The new requirement surrounding certified supervisors is a profound example of bureaucratic overkill that adds nothing to the quality of care but creates administrative complexity and cost, delay and potential breaches. • The failure to provide a probationary period for new unqualified employees to enrol in Certificate III from 2014 is another example of inflexibility with impractical outcomes in the legislation. • The additional requirement for risk assessments, in some cases, provides an example of management and staff being bogged down in paperwork and red tape. • The role of the educational leader, if carried out effectively to its legislated requirements, requires the services of a person with outstanding abilities and experience, and with about 40 per cent of their time ‘spare’ and available for this function. • The sustainability requirements in the NQF, while laudable, impose a new level of burden and responsibility including meeting the requirements for wide-scale changing of practices and monitoring within the centre, where management must take direct responsibility for educating and extensively training staff, children and families. This is over-thetop and the requirements will bring many otherwise high-quality centres undone at accreditation. • The additional training requirements for asthma, anaphylaxis, and bus seat/seatbelt qualifications have driven up costs significantly. • The requirements to substitute diploma-qualified educators with degree-qualified early childhood teachers in centre kindergartens drives up costs unnecessarily in centres and can create tensions among staff without necessarily adding to educational outcomes for children. We need to scrutinise the rampant overloading of industry requirements, and that review needs to be moved from 2014 to now.
Kerry Mahony, President, Childcare South Australia
Dear WA Services, I would like to wish you a very happy New Year and hope you all had an enjoyable and relaxing Christmas.
Childcare Association of Western Australia (CAWA) update: National Quality Framework challenges: CAWA is still working hard with various stakeholders and departments to make them aware of the challenges that different services are facing. One big issue has been the amount of time it takes to get a certified supervisor certificate. We have asked, as a matter of urgency, that the law be changed to function similarly to a Working with Children Check, where a receipt can be used in the interim until the staff member is approved.
Regulation changes We are hoping that by the time this has gone to print that we will have the changes made to the Western Australian Regulations, which will include fixing the incorrect wording on Regulation 376 and a new regulation similar to the old regulation on Transitioning Children. CAWA made the Department aware of these two issues from the draft and we look forward to a realistic resolution soon.
PO Box 406 Hindmarsh, SA 5007 T: 0407 580 645 Early Education and Care Awards E: info@childcaresa.com.au We look forward to the 2013 CAWA Early Education www.childcaresa.com.au
and Care Awards. CAWA will be hosting a cocktail event on 19 April to award all finalists and announce the winners of each category. CAWA would like to congratulate everyone that has entered and thank the sponsors: Educational Experience, Guild Insurance and Randstad Education.
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Assessment and Rating The Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) is looking for Western Australian Services that have been through the assessment and rating process for feedback. The ACA is quite concerned already of the differing reports between services and assessors and we wish to get onto this as quickly as possible to avoid future problems. For the ACA to get a fair and unbiased view, we need as many services that went through the process as possible to assist. Please note that all communication will be done through me only and when collating all information, service names and staff will not be included in the report.
Rachelle Tucker Executive Officer, Childcare Association of WA Inc (CAWA) PO Box 196, South Perth WA 6951 T: 1300 062 645 | M: 0433 498 147 Email: info@childcarewa.com www.childcarewa.com
Please contact me as soon as possible if you wish to participate or please alert a service that has gone through assessment to get in touch. If you are a Western Australian service and have been through the assessment and rating, please take part in our anonymous survey by going to: www.surveymonkey.com/s/cawa
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10 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
2/7/13 4:28 PM
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Reforms expected to improve outcomes for both children and early childhood staff By KATE ELLIS MP, Minister for Employment Participation, Early Childhood and Child Care
The federal government is pleased with the ongoing implementation of the National Quality Framework.
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ith 2013 now underway, we mark a year since the introduction of the National Quality Framework (NQF), a huge step forward for early childhood education and care in Australia. At the core of this historic reform is recognition that the first five years of a child’s life are crucial for their development, and that access to quality childcare in the early years makes an enormous difference in giving children the best start in life. That is why all governments of all persuasions signed up to the reforms in 2009 to improve child-tostaff ratios, raise qualification standards and publish quality ratings of services. I am very proud of the effort each staff member in childcare centres across the country, has put into the transition and thank you for your work so far and for embracing the new system.
12 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
This is the single biggest reform to the childcare sector in Australia. I know that the framework has meant big changes for many services and that’s why it’s being implemented gradually to 2020 to give services time to adjust. The NQF is about raising the bar in early childhood education so that all Australian children get the best development opportunities, including social, educational and health outcomes. But it is also about raising the status of the childcare profession and changing the way parents think about the childcare industry for the better. Services began being assessed and rated from June last year and I have been really pleased to hear that the majority of services have found the assessment and rating process to be a positive experience.
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The results of our work together to make childcare better quality and more affordable has meant that we’ve seen a nine per cent increase in the number of children in childcare
The results have since been independently verified by the Australian Council for Educational Research and the results will be published on the MyChild and ACECQA websites later this year to help parents better
understand childhood education and the childcare their children receive. The results of our work together to make childcare better quality and more affordable has meant that we’ve seen a nine per cent increase in the number of children in childcare – reaching a record 1.3 million children in childcare in Australia. This is a huge achievement, but brings with it our next challenge – keeping up with demand. Last year, I brought together all state and territory childcare ministers to put childcare waiting lists on the agenda, and I will to continue to lobby for more action to be taken at a state and territory level to put better planning in place for childcare centres. Unfortunately, too many parents still find themselves on childcare waiting lists and I want to make sure state and territory governments are stepping up to the plate to free up more space for childcare centres to be established where there is demand. Ultimately, the Australian Government wants to see even more children access the benefits of quality early childhood education and care. I will make this a priority this year and I look forward to continuing to work with everyone across the sector to deliver a better childcare system for Australian families. Results from the Australian Council for Educational Research will be made available at these websites: http://www.mychild.gov.au/, http://acecqa.gov.au/.
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Risk assessment, not risk-aversion By Giulia Heppell
Outdoor play allows children to develop an active lifestyle, and encourages them to take smaller, measured risks.
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n outdoor-based play program is a trend making its way through the early childhood sector in Australia, and childcare directors need to consider implementing this methodology for a child to properly develop, according to an early childhood consultant. Award-winning childcare author and education consultant Claire Warden has used her 30 years experience as a teacher and as a lecturer of education, to explore the idea that a child’s development is dependant on a high-dose of the outdoors. After penning many books on the matter, including the aptly titled, Nurturing through Nature, Ms Warden has used her skills to set up two nature kindergartens in Scotland: Whistlebrae in Perth and Auchlone in Kinross. She has developed a sound methodology that has influenced childcare practitioners around the globe to introduce a more rigorous outdoor-based play curriculum. But why is outdoor-based learning so important? Ms Warden believes that children thrive through strong connections with their environment because of the positive effect that nature has on all human
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beings. ‘Young children use their whole bodies to gather information that includes movement in the senses. Nature gives us all the possibilities and variables imaginable. Changes in temperature, colour, pattern, texture and light stimulate the young brain and really [assist] neural development that sedentary, over-processed experiences cannot,’ Ms Warden explained. Learning through nature also combats the threats posed by ‘second-hand’ living, via children’s increased exposure to television and video games. They experience life through these second-hand sources thanks to the continual advancement of technology in society today, and, according to Ms Warden, that threatens the imagination of children, their development, and their overall health. ‘The further away we have moved from a natural way of being, the more issues have arisen. These include reduced cardiovascular development with increased obesity, a fear of failure and challenge, an overdependence on “entertainment”, and a diet that has become too processed,’ Ms Warden said. Ms Warden further explained that the human body is not meant for indoor activities. ‘The human
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body was designed to move and we have made it sedentary; it was designed to meet challenges and we have made it conform; it was designed to look at long distances and we have made it focus on a screen; it was designed to be free and we have penned it in; it was designed to take risks and we have wrapped it up in cotton wool; it was designed to be sensorial and we have given it plastic.’ Nurturing children aged three and under through nature, however, combats these concerns that plague the early childcare sector. Nature’s calming influence on children offers a place of solace in a world that seemingly focusses on making childhood disappear at an early stage. Ms Warden argued that nature allows a child to experience the freedom it provides though its limitless boundaries. ‘Natural spaces provide the opportunity to have a sense of freedom to get dirty, to run and leap, and to have long blocks of time to explore nature in all its wonder.’ Getting a child to engage in the natural environment also encourages them to develop a
Natural spaces provide the opportunity to have a sense of freedom to get dirty, to run and leap, and to have long blocks of time to explore nature in all its wonder voice. While the self-help skills encouraged in an indoor or outdoor environment support children to develop a sense of self, nature gives them that extra push as the tall trees and ancient rocks also give children a more subtle message of being part of something bigger. Ms Warden said, ‘Nature is variable, and as such, it requires us to develop an inner strength to deal with it. The stickiness of a hot day or the cold of a winter’s day call on each of us to be resilient, we can apply this emotion to many contexts that we meet beyond the natural space as it exists in us as a residual memory. The voice of a child is always there as a seed, the environments we create nurture the seed and help it to grow.’ A child’s risk-assessment and decision-making skills are finely tuned through play in the natural outdoors. The aim of a nature kindergarten is to provide a natural space for a child to discover and experience the challenges of the real world. These include risks. Children learn from assessing a situation’s benefits and negatives, and they learn through mistakes made. If a child was to fall from a tree and hurt himself, he knows the consequences of those actions and can, in the future, try a different approach and judge a better way to successfully complete the climb. However, if a child is merely told not to climb something because the activity may end in pain, they will never be able to truly understand the extent of the consequence. The key skills that are learned through risk-taking are self-confidence, emotional resilience and the ability to judge a situation’s risks. Allowing children
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The benefit of riskassessment also includes weather parameters. The changing temperatures and conditions allow a child to form an awareness of the climate and adapt accordingly to experience challenges and risks is a vital part of growing up, and allows them to develop skills that will see them transition into adulthood with ease. In order for children to develop their risk-assessment and judgment skills, early childhood teachers and carers need to understand the importance of being hazard-aware and not risk-averse. ‘The role of the adult is to know the wild space, where do key animals such as spiders and snakes like to live? Map the area and note their location and avoid it. Understand how to deal with animals or tools, or sticks and create procedures around their use with the children,’ Ms Warden explained.
16 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
The benefit of risk-assessment also includes weather parameters. The changing temperatures and conditions allow a child to form an awareness of the climate and adapt accordingly. ‘Extreme heat, wind and storms would have caused Stone Age man to take cover – nothing has really changed. We need to understand and be aware of the planet we live on, but it is not a survivalist program of endurance,’ Ms Warden noted. ‘We shelter when it is very wet, and we get warm by the fire when we are cold and we cool off in the shade when it is hot. At the Nature Kindergarten, children are outside for 80–100 per cent of the time spread over a year with four seasonal variations. We dress in a way that is appropriate for the weather; we follow the maxim that there is no such thing as inappropriate weather, only inappropriate clothing, so we can all learn from the rain to find the potential of a puddle!’ While the age of the child and their developmental stage does affect the point of intervention, a problem that plagues the early childhood sector today is that staff and even parents have a tendency to overprotect, rather than guide children to understand. However, a problematic situation
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that has no benefits to a child and could cause extreme harm with a high probability of occurrence, would most certainly be a hazard that requires adult intervention. Outdoor play relies heavily on childcare staff and their cooperation and enthusiasm to the cause. ‘There are times where demotivated staff can be a real barrier to being outside. The secret is to demonstrate how many benefits there are,’ Ms Warden said. Not only do the children benefit through their time spent outdoors, but the staff at preschool centres that place an emphasis on outdoor play also reap the rewards. According to Ms Warden, the staff benefit through: ‘More contented children who sleep at nap time, and eat their food because they are hungry, and grow up to be strong individuals with wonderful childhood memories enabled by us.’ But how can early childhood carers and directors implement this methodology? The answer is simple: early childcare workers simply need to provide their children with three spaces – indoor, outdoor and wild wood. Ms Warden explained that when she was forming her Nature Kindergartens in Scotland, she had to think hard about the structure of both the indoor area of the centre, as well as ‘the beyond.’ ‘As practitioners and teachers, we have the nuances between provision of resources, the time allocated for the play, the space in which to play and the adult interaction that create the spectrum of experiences. There is structure to the inside environment; I designed it to be like a home, with rooms rather than play areas. So the lounge has a cosy corner to read in, a fire to sit beside and curtains at the window that we draw in the winter months when it’s dark by 4 pm,’ Ms Warden said. ‘The outside area is home to the KinderKitchen, garden plot and small forest area. The area we call “the beyond” is the space where the children meet nature on nature’s terms. It can be a bush or creek, a beach or mountain. It is the links in the learning between all three of these spaces that has made our work leading the early childhood sector across the world.’ There are many ways childcare workers and carers can create an appropriate wild space for their children, yet it need not be an expensive task. Introducing natural elements such as mud, water, sand and dirt into outdoor play areas are great ways to get children to discover and interact with their environment.
Ms Warden said, ‘In terms of landscape design, look to nature to guide you, go beyond the spaces around where you live and look at the natural way that the land is shaped, the enclosures and the points of elevation. ‘Be sustainable in what you do. Consider the wider element of nature; ensure that it is not being wrecked at the expense of an outdoor play landscape, or overuse of an area.’ Yet, while the focus here has been on nurturing children under three through nature, the reality is that Ms Warden’s methodology can be applied at any stage of childhood. ‘The four- and five-year-olds have increased independence and a real love of learning that can be easily structured to explore elements of a more defined curriculum with a knowledge and skills focus.’ Ms Warden added that out of all the curriculum she has read, there wasn’t one that could not have been delivered in an outside, natural environment. For example, counting skills could be taught through gathering seed pods, weight could be taught through weighing stones, creative art could be encouraged through drawings on a beach or in the woods, and science could be taught through flora and fauna. She said learning through nature is a right that all children should have, and is easily introduced into any curriculum.
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 17
general news
Regulation changes
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he National Quality Framework (NQF) and Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) both celebrated a one year anniversary on 1 January 2013.
For services on a school site, educators with the approved training may be elsewhere on the school site, but must be immediately available in an emergency.
The first year of the NQF was a milestone for the sector, ACECQA and regulatory authorities. It was a ground-breaking step in the national journey to improve children’s education and care.
For family day care, each educator and assistant must hold all three approved training courses to meet the NQF requirements.
Some regulations and requirements introduced by the NQF are still being phased in under transitional arrangements. This allows for a period of adjustment and gives time for the sector to meet the higher standards. Read on for more information about some of the changes introduced in 2013.
First aid, anaphylaxis and emergency asthma requirements From 1 January 2013, all states and territories, except Western Australia, have the same requirements for first aid, anaphylaxis and emergency asthma management training. All centre-based services must now have an educator in attendance with approved current first aid, anaphylaxis and emergency asthma management training. One educator may hold one or more of the qualifications.
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In Western Australia, these changes come into effect on 1 August 2013. The lists of approved qualifications and training courses are available on ACECQA’s website.
Evidence of English language proficiency ACECQA has also made a minor change to one of the ways a person can demonstrate English language proficiency if they have an overseas qualification being assessed. A person with an overseas qualification can demonstrate English language proficiency by showing they have: • completed at least one year of full-time tertiary or higher-education level study in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the United States of America; or • obtained a score of seven (7.0) or more for reading and writing, and a score of eight (8.0) or more in
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• obtained B and A in each component of the Professional English Assessment for Teachers (PEAT) test. The minor change is that if the evidence is from the IELTS, the test must show a score of eight (8.0) or more in speaking and listening. This is up from a previous seven (7.0) and brings ACECQA in line with the new requirements of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. There have been no other changes to how a person can demonstrate proficiency. If an applicant cannot provide evidence in one of the four ways above, their application may still be considered if they can demonstrate English language proficiency to ACECQA’s satisfaction in another way.
speaking and listening in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or
For further questions about first aid, anaphylaxis and emergency asthma management requirements or qualifications assessments, please email enquiries@acecqa.gov.au or call 1300 4 ACECQA (1300 422 327).
• obtained a score of four (4.0) or more in each component of the International Second Language Proficiency Rating (ISLPR) test undertaken during the two-year period prior to submitting the application; or
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 19
education + training
Authentic dramatic play for children BY DR CAROL CARTER, LECTURER, HOLMESGLEN
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esearch suggests that young children in contemporary societies are less likely to naturally engage in dramatic play (Dunn and Stinson 2012, p.116). My own informal observations and experiences in early childhood settings don’t support this. Instead, I continue to witness children engaged in dramatic play, for example, being make-believe monsters, finding ‘hidden treasure’, serving ‘cakes’ in the sandpit, or a ‘dog owner walking her dogs’ (willing children). What concerns me, however, is how frequently this play ends up in fighting and tears or the activity is shut down by the teacher precisely because the monster becomes violent or the dogs start ‘biting’ their owner. My concern is with the need to consider ways of improving the quality of dramatic play and drama in the early years, rather than closing down children’s dramatic play. The ‘play for the child’ or the way in which children engage in dramatic play and the direction in which they want to go may be vastly different from the ‘play for the teacher’ or the educational potential of the dramatic moment. Adult participation in such forms as taking on a role and setting up the space can contribute to a richer learning experience and provide a model for working alongside children to create effective dramatic processes. However, it is vital that this is authentic participation rather than adult intervention or disruption.
Mediation involves sensitively finding moments in the play where involvement legitimately contributes to the imaginary world. Mediation is about being invited into children’s imaginative play rather than imposing a teaching agenda that makes the dramatic play ‘unreal’ or contrived. Quality processes require realistic expectations of child participation, including starting slowly (e.g. story sounds) and gradually building up dramatic skills (e.g. creating dramatic tension). Finding rich resources that stimulate imaginative play in the form of engaging stories and picture books is crucial. A quality dramatic experience requires bidirectional decision-making, between adult and child, as they co-construct meaning. Drama will then be built on children’s interests and experiences, not narrowly constrained by them. Strategies such as setting up dramas that offer different perspectives (for example a ‘friendly monster’) or where children’s help is enlisted (for example, giving advice to a bully) can contribute to quality dramatic experiences that are authentic and meaningful to children. In this discussion I have outlined some ideas that I have found useful for adult mediation and providing quality dramatic experiences within the early years, including realistic, sensitive and authentic participation. Key reference
Bachelor Of Early Childhood Education Customised delivery for graduates of the Diploma of Children’s Services (or equivalent) full time study pathway: 3 qualifications in 4.5 years* (Waverley campus) year 1 Holmesglen Degree completion: total of 4.5 years
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www.holmesglen.edu.au
Dunn, J & Stinson, M 2012, ‘Dramatic play and drama in the early years: re-imaging the approach’, in S Wright (ed), Children, Meaning Making and the Arts, 2nd edn, Pearson Education, French’s Forest NSW.
education + training
Tuning in to Kids: emotion coaching for early learning staff By Dr Sophie Havighurst and Ann Harley M.Ed
A new program is training caregivers to help children understand and manage their emotions.
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he early years are a time when children’s emotional development is at the fore. Early childhood teachers and carers play a pivotal role in shaping a child’s capacity to understand and manage their emotional world. This is a time when development shifts in leaps and bounds, with brain development, language acquisition, emotional development and cognitive changes occurring rapidly. Those close to children play important roles in teaching them about their emotions – and in doing so play a vital role in shaping their emotional development. At Mindful, the Centre for Training and Research in Development Health at the University of Melbourne, Sophie Havighurst and Ann Harley and their team of researchers have been developing a program called Tuning in to Kids (TIK). TIK is a program for parents and caregivers of children between 18 months and 18 years of age. It is an evidence-based program focusing on emotions and it is designed to establish better relationships with children. The program teaches parents and carers simple emotion-coaching skills –
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that is, how to recognise, understand and manage their own and their children’s emotions. When children are emotional, parents/carers: notice the emotion, name it, show empathy and then wait for the emotion to subside (often by comforting the child), before trying to talk about the situation leading to the emotional experience and what to do about it. The program aims to prevent problems developing in children, promote emotional competence (in parents, carers and children), and when present, reduce and treat problems with children’s emotional and behavioural functioning. For many parents, the program helps them to see that a range of emotions often lie behind anger and challenging behaviours. When parents learn to emotion coach they enable children to express these feelings while feeling valued and accepted by those closest to them. TIK was developed and evaluated for parents of preschool children in community and clinical settings, but has also been evaluated for parents
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of school-aged children with emerging conduct disorder, parents of early adolescents, and parents of toddlers. A father-specific TIK program is also currently being evaluated. Outcomes of the program in these different contexts include parents acquiring emotioncoaching skills as well as improvements in children’s emotional competence, social functioning, academic performance, and behaviour. This evidence provides an important endorsement of the benefits of TIK, enabling many organisations to have their staff trained in the program. Professionals from a range of disciplines have attended TIK training and are now using it in different settings including kindergartens/childcare centres, schools, community services, child and youth mental health services, residential units, inpatient mental health services, and prisons. Many of the professionals who train in the program use it directly with the children and young people they work with. Childcare workers play an important role in shaping children’s emotional development, often spending lengthy periods of time with them in contexts where many emotions are experienced. Managing separations from parents, negotiating peer relationships, learning effective responses in conflict situations, and adhering to new limits are some of the many emotional experiences of young children in the childcare setting. The way childcare workers respond to these emotions can function in a similar way to parents: emotioncoaching may be a key skill necessary to facilitate emotional learning in this setting.
Childcare workers play an important role in shaping children’s emotional development, often spending lengthy periods of time with them in contexts where many emotions are experienced Childcare workers are also often the first port of call for parenting assistance as families negotiate the many challenges of raising children. Childcare workers, therefore, may greatly benefit from learning emotioncoaching skills taught in the TIK program. In 2012, the Tuning in to Kids team was asked to participate in a pilot program funded by Forest Hill Foundation to provide professional development to early childhood educators in child care centers in the western suburbs of Melbourne. This was a collaboration with City of Brimbank early years’ staff, ParentsLink, the regional parenting service for the Western Region based at MacKillop Family Services and staff from a nominated childcare service. The project delivered professional training in TIK to 11 childcare workers while the parenting program was organised for parents of children attending the service. A holistic approach such as this has been found to result in more effective outcomes1. The program was delivered in six weekly, evening sessions. While this was often hard for tired workers to attend, they reported that this cemented their skill development. Staff reported that thay enjoyed participating in the program and saw tangible results, including changes, in the way they and the children were noticing and connecting around emotions. There was an increase in the use of emotion words, which has been found to be central for children learning 1 Department of Premier and Cabinet (2011). Keep them safe: A shared approach to child wellbeing. Department of Premier and Cabinet: Sydney, (Online). Available: http://www.keepthemsafe.nsw.gov.au/
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 23
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to understand and regulate emotions2. Other key changes reported by childcare staff were increased: • awareness of emotions in themselves and the children • awareness of ideas about emotions that had come from their own family of origin (often more dismissive or critical responses to emotions) • empathy for children’s emotional experience • understanding of brain development and its impact on emotional expression • use of skills to respond in emotional moments including building in a pause (rather than just reacting), connecting emotionally before problemsolving, and accepting the feeling the child was experiencing • ability to sit with the child through their emotional times rather than having to always cheer them up or distract them (useful skills at times, but not when helping a child to learn to feel accepted and comfortable with their emotions) • understanding the difference between feelings and behaviours (such as providing reassurance when a child is feeling angry, and using words to express this without hitting other kids). Childcare workers also reported using specific emotion resources such as ‘feeling faces’ posters. They found the ‘whole-of-centre’ approach where families also learned similar skills to be very beneficial. Lastly, many realised that emotion-coaching skills take time to learn and continue to develop over one’s life. One example given by a childcare worker illustrating the changes that came about for her after completion of the TIK training was the following: ‘There was a little boy howling for 20 minutes – but I just sat with him, and he knew I was there. And then when he was ready you could see it in his body language… Before doing the course I would not have sat with him… I would have said, “If you can’t talk to me then I’m going”… Now I say, “I’m here and when you are ready you can come and talk to me.”’ This example shows this worker providing acceptance and emotional support until the child can calm down. Then the ‘thinking part of the brain’ can start to engage and they can work through the issue. Childcare workers play a vital role in shaping children’s emotional development. The Tuning in to Kids program, with a focus on teaching emotioncoaching skills, potentially provides an important 2 Saarni, C. (1999). The development of emotional competence. New York: Guilford.
24 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
new development in training of childcare workers, especially with the strong emphasis on having children school-ready by enhancing their social and emotional wellbeing. No longer is it just about having children primed to be able to read; equally important is the child’s capacity to self-soothe, express their emotions prosocially and be competent at knowing how to respond to other children’s emotions. Childcare workers are perfectly positioned to shape these skills in children. Perhaps in the next decade many more childcare workers will be using emotion-coaching skills. Dr Sophie Havighurst, PhD is a senior lecturer and clinical psychologist at Mindful: Centre for Training and Research in Developmental Health, in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Melbourne. Ms Ann Harley M.Ed is the Training Manager of Tuning into Kids. She has over 30 years experience in education. For further information: www.tuningintokids.org.au.
education + training
education + training
How to resolve conflict in your team Leadership is a critical component of any organisation and Early Years Education and Care is no exception. A good leader can retain productive staff and create a calm and happy work environment with a team that is motivated, inspired and empowered to achieve success.
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ost importantly, a good leader can cope with the challenges of resolving conflict within their team. For most people, this can seem like a daunting process. You may not feel as though your training has prepared you for the challenges of dealing with emotional staff or difficult situations.
and the feelings they are communicating, even if you disagree with them.
Notice Observe your own reaction. Take some deep breaths and centre yourself so you are open to communication and prepared to listen respectfully.
Listen Ask yourself what messages you are picking up from the communication. Filter out the invalid concerns and separate feelings from facts.
Reflect Respond to the other person calmly, reflecting their feelings and messages. Think about their needs and concerns, and ask questions to shift the focus from anger to exploring the issue at hand. For example, ‘You’re concerned that…,’ or ‘Let me check that I understand you correctly’.
Repeat ‘Great leadership skills are essential when trying to resolve conflict,’ says John Cook, Managing Director of Rise Education & Training. ‘We find that with the right management training, early years educators can develop the skills to not only help them deal with difficult situations, but often prevent them from happening in the first place.’ Disagreements and misunderstandings between staff are only natural. However, if they’re not addressed quickly, what was once a small issue can easily blow out of proportion. Next time you feel the tension building in your service, use these trouble-shooting tips:
Receive
Continue listening and reflecting until each person’s feelings and facts are mutually understood and their needs and concerns are acknowledged.
Move You may like to take some time out at this point, to think about what the next steps may be. It’s important that everyone agrees on the actions moving forward, so the conflict is resolved to everyone’s satisfaction. Rise Education & Training is a nationally accredited Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that provides management training tailored to the Early Years Education and Care sector. For further information on the Certificate IV in Frontline Management or Diploma in Management, visit www.riseeducation.edu.au
Listen to the other person and say nothing for the moment, giving them room to express their concerns and emotions. Make sure you respect their opinion
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BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 25
education + training
Nurturing a gift By Duncan Campbell-Avenell
Gifted children come with their own set of special needs. Belonging spoke to expert Anne-Marie Morrissey on how to deal with advanced learners in childcare settings.
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ifted children need specialist care and guidance to realise their full potential, according to an education expert.
Lecturer in Deakin University’s School of Education Anne-Marie Morrissey said mental and emotional stimulation, as well as challenges, are vital to ensuring a gifted child’s positive development, and preventing the ossification of their abilities. Ms Morrissey is a recognised expert in the field of gifted children and her book, Young Gifted Children: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Supporting Their Needs, details the collaborative process required by caregivers and parents to stimulate these children. ‘People sometimes think that gifted children can learn lots of things on their own – and, sometimes, they can. But if they’re wanting to learn new things, or new skills, or challenging things, they actually need help to do that,’ Ms Morrissey said. Gifted children aren’t always easy to identify, so it’s possible for well-meaning caregivers to miss the signs that a child might be gifted. So, in a childcare setting, how do caregivers recognise a gifted child? According to Ms Morrissey, it’s not easy to do.
26 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
‘Gifted children are all unique individuals, so you can’t necessarily say, “Oh, this child’s reading at a year one level; they must be the gifted child in the group.”’ Often, she said, the clues are subtler. Caregivers should watch for ‘children who are curious; who are highly motivated to learn; who show good thinking skills; who might be thinking more abstractly than other children their age; who show good language skills, [and] who may be showing signs of early reading and writing’. In a childcare setting, gifted children’s abilities can manifest themselves in diverse ways. ‘If you’re reading a story in a group,’ Ms Morrissey said, a gifted child ‘might suddenly come out with a comment that shows they’ve been thinking about what’s being read, and relating it to some other information they’ve been given, or some other situation… They’re making those links.’ Where toddlers are concerned, very young gifted children ‘listen to their caregivers talking to them; they pick up words easily; they show interest in people talking; they might show an interest in being read to; and, they can focus for a long time on activities that they are interested in’. For example, a gifted toddler
Child Care isn’t Child’s play Management and Leadership Training, tailored for Early Years Education and Care professionals
Experts in child care, passionate about training 1300 653 613 info@riseeducation.edu.au www.riseeducation.edu.au
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‘might be able to work for a long time on more complex puzzles than you might expect a child that age to be doing’. Despite all these blessings, Ms Morrissey said being born gifted isn’t always a bed of roses. ‘Sometimes, their strengths may have not-so-positive outcomes. They might be perfectionists; sometimes, that can be really good, but sometimes, it can make things difficult for them. They may be very emotionally intense. They may be reluctant to try things where they don’t feel they’re going to succeed – and this can be related to the perfectionism thing – or they may be more aware of difficulties or fears. So, for example, they may be more fearful of going on the monkey bars, because they can see what might happen if they fall.’ Becoming risk-averse and self-conscious about the possibility of failure can be one of the more unfortunate side effects of advanced thinking in a young child. ‘Usually, young children are quite unselfconscious about making mistakes,’ Ms Morrissey said, ‘but these children can sometimes be wary of that.’ Because of their potential and ability to overanalyse, gifted children require special strategies in a childcare setting. If they are not challenged, Ms Morrissey said, ‘they can become bored; they can become switched off; they can become frustrated; they can withdraw; and, they might act out their frustrations. They can, in a sense, switch off their thinking.’ Gifted children’s development and wellbeing will be negatively affected if they are not stimulated. ‘Normally, a gifted child is very curious and motivated to learn. If they’re continually spending time in a setting that’s not providing challenges and new and interesting things for them to learn, they may just switch off, and become one of those dreamy children who stares off into space because the inside of their head is more interesting than what’s going on around them.’ Another problem some gifted children face relates to the way in which they interact with their peers. If a gifted child feels unable to connect with likeminded others, there is a risk that he or she will drift into isolation. ‘The literature shows that moderately gifted children are often very socially capable, and can be leaders, but more highly gifted children can face problems because they’re thinking so differently from other children,’ Ms Morrissey said. In a childcare setting, this means that ‘you might have a gifted child who has wonderful, complex ideas for dramatic play, but their peers are just not understanding what they’re thinking about, or can’t follow on the ideas, or are not interested in those ideas’. While solo play is beneficial – 28 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
The literature shows that moderately gifted children are often very socially capable, and can be leaders, but more highly gifted children can face problems because they’re thinking so differently from other children
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The dangers of under-stimulation are real, so caregivers have an important role to play in nurturing and developing the abilities of gifted children particularly where it allows a gifted child to pursue his or her own singular interests – the importance of group play to a child’s development has been welldocumented. According to Ms Morrissey, ‘it may be that, for gifted children, their most important peer relationships are not with the children at their preschool’. Other avenues – extracurricular programs, mixing with older children during playtime – can be useful in establishing the human connections all children need. In the context of childcare, Ms Morrissey suggested preventing disenagement of gifted children by mixing children’s ages in class groupings. ‘To me, one of the ideal settings – particularly for children from birth to three, for example – is if you have vertical age grouping; so, instead of having children grouped from birth to 12 months – and then at 12 months, they move up to a room that’s 12 to 24 months – you can have groups of children who have a wider age range.’ The dangers of under-stimulation are real, so caregivers have an important role to play in nurturing and developing the abilities of gifted children. Ms Morrissey is optimistic about their ability to do so. ‘I think the most important thing is that caregivers and educators are working with children individually, so that they know each individual child and where they’re at, and they’re providing appropriate challenges in relation to that child. And this should be a real strength of early childhood programs: that they’re working with individual children.’ Additionally, for caregivers, communication and cooperation with the parents of gifted children is paramount. But how
should they raise with parents the possibility that their child is gifted? ‘If you’ve noticed a child who you think might be showing advanced learning or development, I wouldn’t necessarily go to the parents and say, “I think your child might be gifted.” I would say something like, “Your child has been showing some behaviours that indicate that their learning or development might be a bit advanced. Have you noticed anything at home?”’ Ms Morrissey said branding children with tags like ‘gifted’ is not always beneficial. While there are situations in which it’s proper for children to have their aptitude assessed – for example, when ascertaining whether or not early school entry is appropriate – in fact, ‘often … you don’t need to actually label a child as gifted: you just need to make sure that you’re meeting their needs’. Young Gifted Children: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Supporting Their Needs, Published by Teaching Solutions, PB, RRP$24.95 www.teachingsolutions.com.au BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 29
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Brighter future with Better Beginnings
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he family literacy program Better Beginnings has been rolled out to more than 150,000 families in both rural and regional Western Australia since it began in 2005, dramatically improving the literacy skills of the children who have taken part. As Australia’s most extensive family literacy program, developed by the State Library of Western Australia, Better Beginnings provides books to children as young as six weeks old, encouraging parents/carers to share stories, songs and nursery rhymes with their children at an early age. Edith Cowan University (ECU)’s Centre for Research in Early Childhood, led by Dr Caroline Barratt-Pugh, has been evaluating the program for the past seven years. Their research has formed the building blocks for understanding why Better Beginnings has been such a successful tool in early literacy development. Dr Barratt-Pugh and her team evaluated the pilot program in 2005 and then conducted research into the program over two stages – from 2007 to 2009, and then again in 2010. Speaking to parents one-on-one as their children took part in the program, she found that Better Beginnings played an integral role not only in early literacy development, but also in strengthening the bond between parents and their children. ‘The importance of early childhood as the foundation of future development in all domains is now well established across the world. During the first three years, the brain is developing rapidly and a child’s relationships and experiences during the early years significantly influence how their brain grows,’ Dr Barratt-Pugh says. Dr Barratt-Pugh’s research has revealed that the program has already had a significant positive impact on the children involved. Her findings include: • In 2009, 62 per cent of mothers reported that after being involved in the Better Beginnings program, their confidence in sharing books with their child had increased. This figure increased to 88 per cent in 2010. • In 2009, 23 per cent of parents took out a library membership for their child. This figure increased to 65 per cent in 2010, and most parents who had taken out library memberships indicated their decision had been influenced by Better Beginnings.
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• In 2009, 79 per cent of those surveyed reported that Better Beginnings had influenced their beliefs about the importance of sharing books with their child. • In 2009, 85 per cent of mothers surveyed reported that they read to their child after receiving the Better Beginnings reading packs. Dr Barratt Pugh believes Better Beginnings gives parents the tools and support to help their children develop good literacy habits early, which is one of main reasons for its success. ‘Research has shown that sharing books and stories from birth has a positive impact on language and literacy development,’ Dr Barratt-Pugh says. ‘By supporting parents and carers in reading to children from birth, Better Beginnings helps young children to build the early literacy skills and love of books they need to become good readers and succeed at school.’
SEE YOUR EARLY CHILDHOOD CAREER GROW At ECU, we offer many courses specialising in Early Childhood studies. So whether you’re starting your teaching career, or extending your qualifications, we’ll help you develop the skills you need to become an outstanding teacher. If you already have a degree in any area and want to pursue an exciting career change, our Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood Studies) can be completed in just 12 months. These courses are taught by experienced professionals and offer extensive prac placements, giving you valuable experience in a range of childcare, kindergarten, pre‑primary and primary school settings. If you currently work in the education field, we offer Early Childhood specialisations at a Graduate Certificate and Masters level. These will help you develop specialist skills through projects that directly relate to classroom needs. We also offer a four year, specialised undergraduate course for those beginning their teaching journey. To find out more about our wide range of Early Childhood courses, call 134 ECU (134 328), email futurestudy@ecu.edu.au or visit reachyourpotential.com.au
★★★★★ TEACHING QUALITY ★★★★★ GRADUATE SATISFACTION The Good Universities Guide 2013 303 ECU10037 CRICOS IPC 00279B
education ++training training education
Nurturing education Australian Child Care Career Options (ACCCO) is a successful and well-established National and International Accredited Early Childhood training organisation. Its principal aim is the provision of quality education, with particular emphasis on meeting the practical requirements of Children’s Services. (Established 1995) Awards and achievements • Five years QUEST Business Achievers Award ‘Education and Training’ (Hall of Fame) • 2010 Workforce Council Individual innovation award ‘Melissa Flanders’ • 2010 and 2011 CareerOne Excellence Awards in Education and Training • 2009 NSW Local Business Award • 2007 Sponsors of two women’s soccer teams. • 2007 signed up the very first New South Wales Diploma Trainee. • 2004 Montessori Dual Diploma (World First). • 2002 Signed up the very first apprentice in Australia for Children’s Services. • 2000 donated prizes for Children’s Services industry award since its inception (Trainee of the Year).
Available services • Professional development workshops
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nother main goal is our dedication and personalised attention to our students, making sure of regular contact. We believe that the provision of quality learning impacts not only on our students and the child care sector, but also upon the broader society, both directly and indirectly. ACCCO staff make a particular effort to get to know each student personally in order to provide a service that best suits their individual needs. Our perception of this ‘real world’ is not only that inhabited by our students, but also that of future employers. We place particular emphasis on maintaining meaningful contact with child care services, enabling ACCCO to provide the most ‘up-todate’ practical and theoretical perspectives.
ACCCO believes that people choosing a career in children’s services have decided to assume responsibility for nurturing the growth, development and education of young children. 32••BELONGING BELONGINGEARLY EARLYYEARS YEARSJOURNAL JOURNAL••VOLUME volume22NUMBER number11••2013 2013 X
• Government-funded traineeships and apprenticeships • Fee for service training – Certificate III, Diploma and Advanced Diploma • Directors network meetings. www.accco.com.au or infor@accco.com.au
education + training
Always striving for more By Dai SIm
Awards are like goal posts – keep them in your sights and aim high.
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ustralian Child Care Week (ACCW) is a great opportunity for services to showcase the wonderful programs and activities that are conducted daily by many talented early childhood educators around the country. It is also a great event to express appreciation and recognition of the children’s learning outcomes, which is made evident by the hard work of staff and parents. For two consecutive years, Complete Care for Kids (CC4K) in Alphington, Victoria, was a state winner in multiple Australian Child Care Week award categories. This was surpassed when CC4K won a prestigious national award in 2012. These efforts have cemented CC4K as the most awarded Victorian service. The amazing results were achieved through commitment,
Stacey Murphy CC4K manager, Kate Ellis MP, Minister for Early Childhood and Child Care, and Lila Robbins, CC4K kindergarten teacher at Parliament House, Canberra.
ECTARC is celebrating 15 years!
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CTARC is proud to be celebrating 15 years of delivering specialised early childhood training and professional development to the early childhood sector. Over 20,000 people have studied an early childhood accredited qualification by correspondence or undertaken a professional development workshop (face to face or online) since 1998. We have a dedicated team of 25 Training Officers who support students throughout Australia from offices in New South Wales and Queensland. To celebrate 15 years, ECTARC is giving away 10 full-day professional development workshops to services in New South Wales and Queensland – visit www.ectarc.com.au for details.
ECTARC is celebrating 15 years! Win one of ten professional development workshops for your service. Each prize valued at $1200.
ENTER TO WIN
To celebrate our birthday we are giving away a full day professional development workshop to five NSW and five QLD early childhood services. To enter your service in the draw visit www.ectarc.com.au Each staff member can enter the draw for their service. Competition closes 30 April 2013. Competition terms and conditions at www.ectarc.com.au 323385AE_Ectarc | 1844.indd 24
The early childhood training specialists 2/8/13 11:14 AM
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 33
education + training
collaboration, and contribution by staff, parents, children and the local community. These are the core ingredients to success, and stimuli to achieve more.
Below are 10 steps that have been used by CC4K to achieve successful outcomes: • Remember the quote ‘You have got to be in it to win it’, so register to participate in the event. • Have winning an ACCW award as a goal for your service this year. • Garner early commitment and support for this goal from your employees and local families. • Use the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the National Quality Standard (NQS) to implement your daily programs. Start now! These are great tools to help you generate new ideas, and for linking your program to learning outcomes (http:// acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework/ national-quality-standard/). • Look out for publicity on the awards and what entry requirements are needed. Read about previous award winners here: http://www.childcareweek. info/. • Leading up to the event, communicate regularly to all stakeholders about the process, the planned outcomes and the dates involved. • Assign a driver for the event and develop a project plan with clear tasks, responsibilities and deadlines. • Brainstorm ideas with staff members based on the ACCW program themes, and assign leaders to core activities. Ideas need to be original, and not
CC4K team receiving awards at 2012 ACCW reception in Victoria.
34 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
just an everyday activity. Build them up with extra glamour, creativity, colour and excitement. • For each activity, identify who should be involved and how it will be achieved. It is prudent to link the activity to the ACCW themes and highlight the relevant quality areas in the National Quality Framework. Importantly, the activity should involve staff, children, parents and members of the local community. • Celebrate during ACCW with decorations, displays and newsletters to highlight the importance of your event. And don’t forget to celebrate your success with your teams! Being part of Australian Child Care Week gave everyone at CC4K a sense of pride. Being a winner brought even more enthusiasm, motivation and excitement to the workplace. Each year as the event draws near, we try to create a program that surpasses the previous year. It is a great way to solidify teambuilding skills with the common objective of highquality outcomes to benefit the children’s learning, and it’s a good opportunity to involve parents and local communities. The ultimate benefit is helping to raise the public profile of the great work that your service can do by displaying the key role you play in the lives of children, their families and the broader community. Dai Sim is the Director of Complete Care for Kids (CC4K), Alphington Victoria.
Australian Institute of Childcare Training provides extensive training courses that will supply you with all the necessary knowledge and experience to succeed in the childcare industry. We offer nationally recognised qualifications: • •
Certificate III in Children’s Services CHC30708 Diploma of Children’s Services (Early Childhood Education and Care) CHC50908
and run EYLF workshops. Study now and pay later scheme is available as we are VET FEE-HELP approved. (conditions apply) Evening classes and Saturday classes are available. New campuses are now open in Brisbane and Melbourne
Ph: 1300 889 678 | Web: www.aict.net.au | email: admin@aict.net.au RTO Provider No. 91067
education + training
Creating confident and involved learners BY LUKE TOUHILL
Children’s learning happens most effectively when they are engaged and interested in what they are doing. Sounds simple? Not always.
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nsuring ongoing interest and engagement is one of the most important skills that an early childhood educator can have. Mostly, it is about being attuned to the group of children that we are working with. Skilled educators use their knowledge of the children, combined with their knowledge of different teaching strategies, to build and maintain interest. Through astute questioning and conversation, they guide children’s thinking and learning – helping them to investigate, explore and create meaning.
Such supportive relationships and interactions are critical to effective learning. As the EYLF highlights, ‘secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships’ are central to what we do as educators. Without them, there is little chance that children’s experiences will be positive, or that meaningful learning will occur. And yet, vital as they are, relationships do not occur in a vacuum. How we relate to children, how we get on with each other, and our ability to support and foster learning, are all determined, at least in part, by the environment we find ourselves in. Of course, a well-organised physical environment alone is not enough to guarantee effective learning, but it is an important enabling factor, and one that makes it either easier or harder for effective learning and supportive relationships to occur. If, as the EYLF suggests, we aim to help children become confident and involved learners, then we need to not only think about how we do this through our interactions, but also about the materials and resources that we provide. It is hard to have an interesting conversation when there is nothing interesting to talk about. Equally,
it is hard to be enthusiastic when there is nothing interesting to do. Resources that stimulate children’s curiosity and imagination; that allow for creativity and multiple uses; and that grow with children’s developing abilities, are an important factor in children’s learning. The best resources and play materials should be interesting enough to support ongoing involvement; challenging enough to encourage new learning and persistence; and should promote both independence, team work and social play. Importantly, interest shouldn’t be confused with novelty. The most effective learning happens over time – as children engage with materials repeatedly and develop their skills in using them. Confidence in particular develops as we get better at doing things. Without opportunities to master materials and techniques, it is likely to develop slowly. The true test of a good resource is, therefore, not whether it grabs a child’s interest initially, but whether it holds it. Almost anything is interesting the first time you see it. But not everything is worth going back to again and again. The best resources, like blocks, or sand, or water, or painting and drawing, reward continued use. They allow children to get better at using them, they encourage creativity and imagination, and they can be used over and over again without becoming boring. Of course, an element of novelty is important. There is nothing like something new and exciting to pull from the cupboard on a long, rainy afternoon. But if we base everything we do on the appeal of the new and exciting, then we risk favouring superficial and shallow learning over deeper and more meaningful experiences. Finding the right materials to stimulate and challenge the children with whom we work is a critical part of our role as educators. If we truly want to encourage children’s learning, we will pay as much attention to the decisions we make about resources as we do to the other elements of our program. Wellchosen resources coupled with great relationships and interactions are the key to confident and involved learners.
36••BELONGING BELONGINGEARLY EARLYYEARS YEARSJOURNAL JOURNAL••VOLUME volume12NUMBER number21••2013 2013 X
education + training
Sustainability: re-using, reducing, rethinking and recycling materials By Stephanie Denton and Anna Moutzouris
An inner-city childcare centre is leading sustainable practice.
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ll year, at Bridge Road Early Learning Centre, Melbourne, our focus inquiry topics were related to culture, looking after the environment, and looking after each other. The children developed curiosity, empathy, and a shared understanding that their contributions are valued and required for positive change in the world Our program leading up to Australian Child Care Week was based on sustainability and reusing, reducing, rethinking and recycling materials. This emerged from the children’s interest in box construction, caring for new plants, and the recently developed outdoor garden. A worm farm was introduced and we then started the composting process. Within all of these learning experiences, children demonstrated their knowledge from previous focuses throughout the year. They understood the impact humans can have on the environment and the importance and interdependence of all living things.
Our science teacher contributed to the focus with her expertise to further extend on the knowledge and ideas that we had been discussing with the children. This added depth and an on-going interest in ideas around sustainability. The children learnt about solar energy by creating their own sustainable mini-city with box construction. Solar panels were added to the children’s constructions as a means of explaining more efficient ways of using energy. New ideas and knowledge as to what an ‘ecosystem’ is were co-constructed with the children throughout Australian Child Care Week. The children were interested in how everything is interrelated and dependent on each other. We decided to create a mural to visually represent their understanding of a balanced ecosystem. Recyclable materials were used and each child made a contribution to the group artwork.
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 37
education + training
The children participated in daily discussions about sustainability and their desire to keep a balanced ecosystem. The children were involved and made responsible and independent contributions. Some examples were: • watering plants with leftover water from meal times (cups, jugs) • collecting scraps from morning tea fruit to add to the worm farm • reducing their paper towel usage when washing hands • putting art paper and cuttings in the recycling bin • being part of planning and creating the mural • sharing their ideas on what materials to use • sharing their ideas about a balanced ecosystem
• mini presentations in front of their peers explaining the ecosystem, which was filmed for parents to see. We had a parent come in and read stories to the children about gardening and the importance of plants in our environment. This parent then helped us plant different seeds and spoke to the children about setting up a worm farm and the importance of having worms in our ecosystem These learning experiences were a collaborative team effort, and were rich, meaningful, and relevant for the children. The children were empowered by the realisation that they can have an impact and make positive change in the world. Throughout program planning, there were several links to the Australian Early Years Learning Framework, ‘Being, Belonging, Becoming.’
Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity • Children develop their emerging autonomy, interdependence, resilience and sense of agency. • Children increasingly co-operate and work collaboratively with others. • Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect. • Children express a wide range of emotions, thoughts and views constructively.
Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world • Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment. • Children develop an awareness of human activity on environments and the interdependence of living things.
38 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
education + training
Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing • Children become strong in their social and emotional wellbeing. • Children recognise the contributions they make to shared projects and experiences.
Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners • Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity. • Children are curious and enthusiastic participants in their learning.
As a result of our quality program, which involved contributions from the children, educators, parents and the community, we were nominated and received an Australian Child Care Week award. Our centre won ‘The best Sustainability Activity or Program.” The children were so excited and proud of their achievements and efforts. Each child received a copy of the award in their learning portfolio along with a photo of themselves in front of their impressive mural. Stephanie Denton is the preschool teacher and Anna Moutzouris is the director and education leader of Bridge Road Early Learning Centre. Bridge Road Early Learning Centre Ph: 9429 2944 | Fax: 9429 2955 email: info@bridgeroadelc.com.au Images courtesy of Bridge Road Early Learning Centre.
Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators • Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media. • Children use the creative arts such as drawing, painting and storytelling to express ideas and make meaning.
Is your business ready for the super changes? As child care specialists, we can help you get ready for: • an audit by the Fair Work Ombudsman; and • the upcoming changes to super. Get your copy of our free ‘how to’ kit by calling 1300 365 899.
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323367A_Child Care Super | 1844.indd 1
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BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 39
educational resources, programs + planning
educational resources, programs + planning
Make early learning come alive
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mpowered Learning is an education specialist company and a leading provider of interactive learning technologies to early learning centres across Australia. With recent developments including the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education, our team have seen changes to ICT requirements within early learning centres. Where previously the purchase of an interactive learning device for an early year’s classroom was identified as a luxury item over other immediate requirements, the current framework and the availability of government grants has seen the implementation as essential to providing young learners with a strong foundation for future years, and providing your centre with a competitive advantage.
Make ICT an investment and not a burden Getting the purchase right is the challenge for many early learning centres. The purchase should be an investment in the future of the centre, with the result being an improved educational outcome for both teachers and students. With myriad products marketed to centres, the quality of product, availability of software and resources, training, support and warranty are all important areas to consider during purchase.
Quality of products Interactive learning products should be reliable and relevant to the early learning environment. Ergonomic considerations for younger learners should include the height accessibility of the interactive device. The ActivClassroom includes a mix of fixed height, mobile and motorised height-adjustable mounting options to ensure the most suited option is available. Products should be robust and durable. Hard surface devices should be chosen over softer surface or devices that use an overlay to make them interactive.
Software and resources Software must be flexible and easy to use with the ability to deliver stimulating lessons that suit visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning 40 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
styles. Look for products that provide free software and resources to avoid ongoing costs. ActivInspire provides early learning centres with access to a larger education community. Promethean Planet now has over 1.6 million educators and 68,000 free resources available to ensure your purchase maintains a pedagogical focus and does not become just a large-screen television.
Training and resources ICTs in education achieve far greater results when educators are confident users of the technology. Empowered Learning has delivered thousands of hours of hands-on professional development to educators. Our trainers are experienced users and use relevant curriculum examples during sessions. Our training is structured with a mix of self-paced, online and faceto-face mediums to ensure all teachers access. An option to customisable professional development to suit the needs of the centre is an advantage.
Warranty and support Extended warranty and ongoing support should be an important factor during the purchase. Five-year onsite warranty on all products should be requested. Empowered Learning offer all early learning centres the ability to purchase at Department of Education preferred supplier pricing and receive included training, support and onsite warranty. This is added security that allows early learning centres peace of mind that they are receiving the best value for money. Useful Links Empowered Learning – www.empoweredlearning.com Promethean Planet – www.prometheanplanet.com Promethean Products – www.prometheanworld.com
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 1 NUMBER 2 • 2012 • X
Make early learning come alive with Empowered Learning technology
Upgrade your centre with the new ActivBoard 500 system with intuitive pen and touch Interact with content across the entire board using natural gestures to rearrange, rotate, resize and explore objects. Additionally, leverage Microsoft Windows 7 to allow up to four learners on the board to enhance collaborative learning.
ActivTable. Working together, learning together, achieving together. The ActivTable, with its 46-inch HD LCD touch sensitive display, is an interactive table designed to facilitate collaborative learning and problem solving activities, while empowering teachers to differentiate instruction. The ActivTable encourages students to lead their own learning with inclusive activities that drive creativity and consensus decision-making.
eboard. The next step in e-learning eBoard is an integrated LCD Interactive Touch Screen that utilises Optical Sensor Technology. By taking full advantage of the Optical Sensor Technology, eBoard maintains accuracy, responsiveness and sensitivity whilst delivering full high definition images in almost any environment with high brightness, high contrast and brilliant picture quality.
Contact us for a solution that includes leading products, training, support and bundled early years resources 1300 667 084 or saleselc@empowerelearning.com
www.empoweredlearning.com
educational resources, programs + planning
Interactive classrooms By Megan McGay
Holding the class’s attention has become a lot easier with the help of some new technology.
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arents that haven’t stepped back into a classroom since their heady teenage days could be forgiven for thinking they were on the set of Back to the Future. Interactive technologies are increasingly being installed in schools, kindergartens and childcare centres to facilitate children’s engagement in the classroom. Empowered Learning’s Matthew and Vanessa Gibbon have been excited by the way educational facilities have embraced new technologies.
42 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
There are two products that are currently popular in early learning services: interactive whiteboards and interactive touch LCD screens. While they have the same functions and usability, the main difference is the size of them, with interactive whiteboards covering approximately 87 inches. ‘With the budget that a lot of childcare centres have to play with, and with a government grant of around $5000 per centre, the more affordable screens are 55–65 inches,’ Mr Gibbon said. He said these screens worked well with smaller groups while the larger whiteboard can engage a whole class.
educational resources, programs + planning
Ms Taylor said the purchases will help children transition to school. ‘Most schools have the interactive whiteboards, so the screen gives them the opportunity to have a smoother transition by being much more comfortable with the equipment. Children are so savvy with information technology these days, that this is a way of exposing them to it early.’ The Kool Kids Early Learning Centres have been using the screens for both small and large group sessions. ‘It creates so many opportunities, you could just call it a really, really large computer, I suppose,’ she said. Ms Gibbon said old whiteboards were being phased out because they lacked the ability to engage and interact with children. ‘An interactive whiteboard allows all types of media to be delivered to students in the classroom. It caters for children’s different learning styles like your kinesthetic, auditory, and your visual learners. You can have everything you need for your lessons in one learning environment such as videos, word documents, internet, music.’ Services catering for children with special needs have found the interactive whiteboards to be a useful tool of engagement. Mr Gibbon said, ‘From the research out there, it’s more engaging for children with learning difficulties because of the kinesthetic environment.’ Bev Taylor has overseen the installation of interactive screens into five services as the Operations Manager at Kool Kids Early Learning Centres. The purchases were made after the management team agreed to update technology and offer the children new experiences. ‘We looked at purchasing the whiteboards, but then we found the TVs and we thought they were a much better resource for the teachers in helping the children learn. ‘The 66-inch screen works off a laptop so you can Google, you can use your intranet, or run programs through it. It also has the clear screen so children can write their names or do any of the lessons there. ‘At the moment, the children are learning about the letter “b”. The computer program can make the letter “b” fly in across the screen and land on a flower to help children think of “b” words.’ Ms Taylor said the interactive screens had been placed in the preschool rooms, and fitted onto gas struts. When the screen is not in use, it can be moved out of children’s reach, and when they are using it, it is brought down to their level.
Ms Taylor said the training provided to teaching staff by the installation company was invaluable. Staff received one-on-one lessons and more follow-up assistance in the months proceeding the purchase, instilling confidence in the teaching staff. Ms Taylor said other childcare services should consider installing interactive technology. ‘But make sure the company you decide to go with has got the on-going training, because the more you use it, the more you want to make the most of it.’ 322891A_Three Plus Educational | www.empoweredlearning.com.au
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educational resources, programs + planning
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Non-toxic brain food!
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surfaces. It is available in a six pack, which includes a 40-gram pot of each of the six colours – red, yellow, blue, green, black and white. The airtight pots are resealable and reusable, and would fit easily into a handbag or backpack for out-and-about fun.
aving fun with playdough is a wonderful and important part of childhood. Manipulating dough develops fine motor skills and increases muscle strength in hands and fingers. Crayons’ MakerDough offers children of all ages a new playdough experience. MakerDough is waterbased, light, colourful and wonderfully pliable. Whilst retaining all the important characteristics of traditional playdough, MakerDough creations can also be left to harden, providing children with long-lasting models. Unlike traditional playdough, dried MakerDough models do not develop mould or a crust.
Larger tubs are also available (500 grams), containing just one of the colours. These tubs are great for large families, playgroups, preschools or other early childhood centres. Contact us today for a free sample. Phone: 1300 232 111 | Email: sales@crayons.com.au
When no longer required, the models can be cut into small pieces with scissors, then a light spray of water and a quick massage is all that is required for MakerDough to be ready to play with again. Crayons’ MakerDough is non-toxic and perfectly safe for children. It doesn’t stick to hands, clothes, carpets or other flooring surfaces, and is easily picked up from play
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X • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 1 NUMBER 2 • 2013
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BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 45
occupational health + safety
Want help with OHS and compliance? Worried about gastro outbreaks this winter? Need to meet QA2 and QA3? Taren can help!
T
aren Cleaning Supplies is a leading supplier of compliant and affordable products in the childcare sector.
Taren offers a wide range of cleaning products and consumables that meet, where possible, all industry and legislated requirements. Taren has expanded its operations to service and supply to all states of Australia.
We offer assistance to:
• invoicing and statements sent electronically – no paper or postage! • recycled garbage bags and toilet paper options. Taren also offers solutions to meet QA2 with regards to hazard reduction and safety.
These include: • screen printed bottles for all supplied products – no more label breaches! • MSDS and wall charts
• Long day care
• child-resistant caps on all liquid products
• OOSH Centres
• safe sandpit sanitising options
• Pre-schools
• wipes with MSDS – many centres do not have these. Wipes and sunscreen are two of the most hazardous products you have at your centre, as you put these directly onto the child’s skin!
• Family day care. Taren strives to offer all centres, regardless of their size and location, a reliable and easily accessed ordering and delivery system. Taren has moved to a fully cloud-based website with account and logistics automated integration. This includes a full online ordering facility for each customer with secure login and password for each account.
• fridge thermometers and colour-coded chopping boards. Taren founder Murray Stanton says: ‘Taren Cleaning Supplies is here to help!’
Taren offers solutions for:
We have created an affordable ‘Start-up Kit’ that will give you all the products you need, and comes complete with:
• general cleaning and sanitising using ‘PH neutral products’
• products • all screen printed bottles
• food safe products cleaning and sanitisation.
• MSDS and wall charts
• infection Control Options – nappy change and laundry sanitisation in cold water
• online training
• hand washing and instant hand sanitisers – stops the spread of infection.
With the constant need to meet all the legislative and National Childcare Framework Regulations, Taren sets out to provide an affordable, sustainable yet compliant list of products to the sector.
What sets Taren apart from other suppliers is its understanding of the National Childcare Framework – specifically offering solutions and suggestions for QA2 and QA3 of the framework. To assist centres with embedding environmentally sustainable solutions into their service and meeting QA3, Taren offers: • recyclable containers for all products • phosphate-free or low phosphate products • all products non-hazardous and biodegradable • scheduled ordering – reducing the number of deliveries per annum, thus reducing your carbon footprint
46••BELONGING BELONGINGEARLY EARLYYEARS YEARSJOURNAL JOURNAL••VOLUME volume12NUMBER number21••2013 2013 X
• can be tailored to suit your specific needs.
We have established relationships with many of the industry’s peak bodies to assist us with staying up to date with developments within this sector. Our friendly team is always willing to assist, and we believe our customer service is the best in the business. We aim to make it easier for you to spend more time with the ones who matter – the children!’ Please go to www.taren.com.au and set up your account online! 10 per cent storewide discount to all readers!
CHILDCARE SPECIALISTS Taren offers complete and compliant packages for Long Day Care, Pre Schools, OOHS centres and Family Day Care.
Taren can assist all services to comply with QA2 and QA3 of the National Childcare framework.
Taren offers environmentally sustainable options wherever possible and solutions on reducing your centres environmental impact and carbon footprint.
Taren provides Screen Printed Bottles. MSDS and wall charts for all products. Online staff training is also provided to all account customers.
Delivery available throughout Australia! Visit our website, set up an account and order today!
www.taren.com.au Email sales@taren.com.au Phone (02) 9668 8987
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occupational health + safety
Norovirus, Sydney 2012: prevention is key By Giulia Heppell
A new strain of norovirus is rearing its ugly head around every corner, so this year be sure to prepare for your newest enemy before it strikes.
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vicious strain of a gastrointestinal virus has reappeared in the new year and experts predict around 400,000 people will be infected with it this winter. Affectionately nicknamed ‘The Chunder from Downunder’, the Sydney 2012 norovirus has inhabited several nations, including New Zealand and Japan, after its discovery in Australia. It also has a dominant presence in Belgium, France and the United Kingdom. This mutated strain is responsible for the majority of recent cases in England and Wales alone. Peter White, a molecular virologist at the University of Sydney, and his team first discovered this epidemic in March of last year when a patient in Sydney presented with violent symptoms. According to White, ‘Sydney 2012’ is cocktail of different norovirus strains that circulated during the influenza season. ‘It’s a new member of the notorious Genogroup II, genotype 4, that have caused pandemics of gastro in 1996, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009
48 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
and now 2012.’ ‘It’s different from others in that it is a recombinant or hybrid virus, as well as having a different coat or shell to the virus. This means there is little to no herd immunity and it can infect many people and spread in outbreaks,’ White explained.
Good hygiene tips: • Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly before preparing and eating food, as well as after using the bathroom. • Avoid sharing towels or flannels when drying/ bathing, and be sure to disinfect any surfaces or objects that could have come in contact with the virus. • Take particular care to clean up vomit and faeces, ensuring the areas are properly sanitised.
occupational health + safety
EHS proudly introduces the ‘newlook’ Mini Jet Dryer hand dryer
‘T
he Mini offers a great compact and hygienic hand dryer solution for light usage areas with limited space.
Here are some advantages over competitors’ hand dryers: • water collection: designed to capture as much water as possible to save potential wet floors. • easy maintenance: the water tray can be emptied in seconds and the filter can be removed and replaced with ease. • anti-bacterial protection: The Mini offers two levels of antibacterial protection including: 1. two levels of air filtration – pre and antibacterial filter 2. antibacterial coating on the vandalismresistant ABS polycarbonate of the hand dryer, to reduce the spread of bacteria through touch. • power consumption: these hand dryers offer a power rating of approximately 800 watts with
a drying time of 10–20 seconds, for a very low power consumption of five watts per use. This offers a saving of 70 per cent over conventional hand dryers. • installation: they are delivered with a power lead and plug, or can be hardwired to give you the choice of installation. The drying time for hands is less than half the normal drying time of conventional hand dryers, allowing a classroom of children’s hands to be dried in only a few minutes’ time! The Mini is an ideal choice for your child care centre or preschool. For more information contact EHS now on: 1300 88 90 91
HYGIENE SOLUTIONS MADE EASY FOR YOUR CHILDCARE CENTRE Come Visit Us at Stand 9 PLEASE PLACE LOGO HERE Early Years Exhibition & Conference Sydney 2013 www.eyec.com.au
to see our products & special offers Tel: 1300 88 90 91 www.ehservices.com.au when hygiene is essential, you can count on us. BELONGING BELONGINGEARLY EARLYYEARS YEARSJOURNAL JOURNAL••volume VOLUME21number NUMBER12••2013 2013••49 X
occupational health + safety
Experts have been quick to state that the Sydney 2012 strain is no more dangerous than any other version, and as such, presents much in the same way.
Childcare workers must especially take care, as they are among the people who are most at risk of contracting the virus.
‘You will have vomiting and the runs for 2–3 days,’ White said. Other symptoms include possible fever, headaches, nausea and stomach pains.
‘Those who work in closed environments where the virus can spread easily, like hospitals, old people’s homes, childcare facilities and cruise ships [are more susceptible]. As well as the elderly, very young and immunocompromised people,’ White said.
This mutant variant of the norovirus is expected to claim at least 400,000 victims this year, according to experts. People infected by the virus should stay at home and limit exposure to others until two days after they begin to recover. White also encouraged sufferers to ‘stay hydrated as much as you can, with liquids that replace salts, sugars and water.’ Unfortunately, no vaccine has been developed, making prevention the key this winter flu season. Employers can help by encouraging good hygiene in the workplace. This is especially the case when cleaning up after a sick person. White urged carers to ‘be careful when cleaning up vomit as well as faeces as the virus will be present in large numbers.’
50 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
child health + safety
Stuttering in young children: cause for concern By Dr Susan Block
It is common to hear children stumble on their speech, but what should you do if the problem becomes more serious?
S
peech is vital for children to communicate with those in their world. They speak with their families, their friends, their childcare staff, their teachers – everyone in their environment. They need effective speech and language for learning and for their own development and wellbeing. Speech and language problems can be many and varied. Stuttering is often described as a disorder of childhood. Research reports indicate that five to 10 per cent of young children will start to stutter, and that many more males stutter than females. Stuttering is generally described as speech containing repetitions or prolongations of sounds, syllables or words, or hesitations or pauses that disrupt the speech. There may also be associated movements of the face and/or other parts of the body that occur with the stuttering. This can be very upsetting for parents to see. Most children who are going to stutter do so in their third or fourth year of life. This can be a devastating and perplexing experience for their parents. For the children it may have little effect, or it can be extremely distressing as they try to get the words out. Stuttering may develop gradually or appear quite suddenly with
no apparent cause. It is usually first noticed by parents. Most children who start to stutter seem to grow out of it with little apparent consequence. However, for those children who keep stuttering, it can have profound effects on them and on their families. Children who stutter will often avoid talking, pretend they do not know the answer to a question, or worse, point to what they mean or want rather than speak. Once the stuttering becomes apparent to other people, the implications can become even more concerning. Other children often become impatient if the child they are talking to cannot get the words out – sometimes they walk away before the child can finish speaking. Older children (or adults) might tease the child who is stuttering. Even good-natured teasing can have very negative consequences for the child who is stuttering as they start to experience fluency or communication failure. We know that approximately 60 per cent of children who stutter have a family history of stuttering. Current evidence indicates that there seems to be a genetic predisposition or vulnerability for stuttering in some children. Recent brain imaging research with
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 51
child health + safety
adults indicates that the neural processing of people who stutter differs from that of people who do not stutter. Stuttering does not result from poor parenting – lenient or strict parenting. It does not mean that the child who is stuttering has lower intelligence than other children – in fact, evidence from the Early Language in Victoria study (ELVs) currently underway at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, indicates that children who start to stutter have better vocabulary than those children who do not stutter. We also know that children who stutter, in general, are not more anxious than other children. However, they may become anxious about speaking as they move through childhood experiencing negative reactions to their speech. Stuttering frequently resolves without formal treatment. However, it can be difficult to predict which children will grow out of it and which will not. What is clear is that as the time since onset increases, the chance of stuttering resolving without treatment is less likely. It seems that once children start school, it is likely that the stuttering will become a longterm problem, with all the negative consequences if treatment is not sought. Anxiety, fear of negative social evaluation, and social withdrawal all have been consistently reported consequences of stuttering. All these add to the burden for the stuttering child as they grow up. Parent reports suggest as many as 30 per
cent of two- and three-year-olds are aware of their stuttering and show negative reactions to it. When stuttering continues into the school years, reports of bullying, teasing, reduced leadership opportunities and stereotyping are common. In adults, stuttering has been shown to impact negatively on quality of life in the areas of mental health and social and emotional functioning. It is apparent that stuttering in older children and adults has the capacity to impact upon not only their communication, but also their wellbeing and social participation. Stuttering can be successfully treated in young children. Thus, it is vital that parents and teachers who notice stuttering do something about it. Do not ignore it. This is particularly important if the child is showing signs of awareness or distress about speaking. The child might cover their mouth with their hand or say they cannot get the words out. Speech pathologists are trained to assess and manage stuttering. They are aware of the implications of stuttering and will usually give priority to children who are starting to stutter and children who have a family history of stuttering. They can give parents, childcare staff and teachers strategies to use to help the child. Usually, they will reassure you that the child may stop stuttering without any intervention. However, they will ask you to do some tasks. They will usually ask you to reassure the child that you are listening and s/he can take their time to talk. They may suggest you listen carefully and write a description of exactly what you can hear the child doing (such as repetition of sounds and ‘who’ words or getting stuck with nothing coming out). Is the stuttering consistent or does it fluctuate? What do you see and hear the child do? While stuttering can have devastating consequences for someone managing it throughout their life, most children who start to stutter will stop. However, there are some children who need help to stop. If you think you know a child who might be stuttering, ask the parents if they hear it. Suggest they consider asking a speech pathologist to listen to the child. That might be the most useful conversation you will ever have for that child! Dr Susan Block is a speech pathologist and senior lecturer, Department of Human Communication Sciences, La Trobe University.
52 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
incursions
Education to relax and soothe Teaching children to relax can help them to cope with everyday problems.
A
fter children outgrow their nap times, most routines include time to rest and reflect, with natural lulls in the day for young people to regroup and recharge. Now, some centres are focussing on helping children to develop relaxation techniques and mindful behaviours to help prevent anxiety and a build-up of stress. Director of Yoga To Go Kids Nikki Massaioli has heralded the benefits of yoga since she started practising the craft 20 years ago. Concentrating on body poses allowed her anxiety about family problems to dissipate in a calm, thoughtful manner. After studying yoga for four years, Ms Massaioli went on to instruct other adults for over a decade, until she had a ‘lightbulb’ moment. She wanted children to be able to use yoga’s relaxation tools and hopefully avoid great moments of anxiety. Ms Massaioli said yoga is becoming more popular. ‘I feel that the benefits of yoga are being more widelyrecognised in the community. In the past there was a misunderstanding around yoga and the benefits it offered.’ Part of yoga’s image problem was the misconception that it was a type of religion. ‘We have actively spent a lot of time demystifying yoga… it is a practical method to teach people skills to be able to live in the world.’ Media reports raising awareness of childhood anxiety (“Kids display signs of anxiety”, Herald Sun
23 February 2011) have indicated that it is a serious mental health problem for primary-school aged children. Ms Massaioli concurred. ‘With the increase of incidents of depression and anxiety amongst children as young as three, there has been a welcoming of yoga practice to better equip children for dealing with life issues as they arise, and to offer children a toolkit to carry forth in life.’ Yoga To Go Kids runs training programs for educators eager to teach children about yoga. It also hosts regular school and childcare sessions of age-specific yoga classes for children. Pippies at Balmoral Long Day Care Centre, New South Wales, offers its children the opportunity to participate in weekly yoga classes. Alex Westhoff, the centre director, said it was just one of many activities at the centre. ‘It’s an optional extra for the families to choose. We thought it would be a way for the children to have some timeout and still have some movement for their body as well as relaxation.’
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 53
incursions
The yoga classes have been running for over 10 years with approximately 15 of the 25 kindergarten children in the class participating.
children to live a balanced life in body, and a positive mind and spirit,’ said Ms Anna Lettia, a Kids Balance coach.
Ms Westhoff said the children love the class and the parents have provided positive feedback on it. She said that children who do not participate in the class enjoy extra attention from the centre’s staff in other indoor/outdoor activities.
Ms Lettia said mindfulness and relaxation programs have been shown internationally to help preschoolers’ self-regulatory abilities and concentration skills. With tools to calm themselves, preschoolers become less emotionally reactive and appear more able to handle daily challenges through better self-control.
Kids Balance is a Melbourne-based company that runs relaxation programs for childcare centres. Using simple breathing exercises, muscle relaxations, mindful movements, and confidence-boosting affirmations, children can learn to pause and feel better about themselves. The workshops are designed to bring out the best in children. Through the programs, Kids Balance coaches engage children’s various senses to enhance their daily experience. ‘Our program seeks to create an atmosphere where children feel free to open their hearts and enjoy helping each other. We hope to teach and inspire incursions of happy, healthy, positive and calm a generation
‘Early education begins with a grounding in sensory experience via motor movements,’ Ms Lettia said. ‘For example, three-year-olds learn to make fine distinctions between different smells, sounds, tastes, and textures by pairing these sensory observations with familiar items. Mindfulness practice incorporates this same level of application through pairing movements with familiarity in day-to-day life.’ Additional information can be found at: www.yogatogokids.com.au www.kidsbalance.com.au www.pippies.com.au
Music education develops the whole child
M
ini Maestros’ richly diverse music program has been developed in Australia over many years of trial and research by early music education experts. Our sequential program takes a strengths-based approach, and is underpinned by concepts such as ‘learning through play’ and ‘continuity of learning’, which are important principles and practices of the Early Years Learning Framework. Mini Maestros has been an important part of preschool education for over 25 years, with fully qualified teachers delivering the program in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, and also in regional Victoria. Mini Maestros classes actively involve children in singing, movement activities, playing percussion instruments, dances and dramatic play activities. Our teachers create a nurturing, inclusive environment that encourages working, playing and having fun together. Mini Maestros’ structured program helps children develop language and listening skills, learn about sharing and working with others, and make discoveries about themselves and their world. Mini Maestros
54 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
makes learning experiences meaningful to children and sets them up to succeed, thus fostering positive attitudes towards learning. Mini Maestros consults with early learning centres to determine their individual needs. Our teachers bring all equipment, including musical instruments, props and puppets. Our high-quality music education program is well-loved by children, childcare workers and parents, and will enhance the curriculum of any early learning centre. For more information or to arrange a free demonstration session at your centre, contact us on 1300 786 557. www.minimaestros.com.au
Groove and Learn Educators and musicians have joined forces on a new preschool album
T
he musical album Let’s Go Play – Songs for Happy, Healthy Kids is a new concept offering powerful and positive messages across a range of social issues that face Australia’s young children. Written and produced by multi-award winning composer Sean Peter who is currently the composer and arranger for ABC TV children’s program Giggle and Hoot, the songs have also been written in conjunction with organisations such as the Victorian Department of Health, Cancer Council Victoria’s Sunsmart program, Macquarie University’s Centre for Emotional Health and Kids and Traffic programs, The Australian Communications and Media Authority’s Cybersmart program, and Theatre In Education
Win a copy for your centre!
Unique! al! Education e!
Interactiv Fun!
Company Brainstorm Productions. This album is a collection of new and creative songs aimed at preschoolers and their caregivers, covering important issues such as diet, sun safety, general anxiety strategies, road and traffic safety, cyber awareness, friendship, bullying and a range of other problematic topics that have been trending over the past 10 years among young children and their families.
Be one of the first five centres to email Belonging and we’ll send you a copy of Let’s Go Play – Songs for Happy, Healthy Kids, courtesy of Universal Music and ABC Music. Email: belonging@executivemedia.com.au by 2 April 2013 for your chance to win. Put ‘Let’s Go Play’ in the subject line and your childcare centre address in the email. Good luck!
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BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 55
finance, business + property
PaySmartPLUS+WebKids Do you waste time chasing payment of fees? You won’t when PaySmart does it for you!
P
aySmart full-service direct debit billing gives you a level of control and service you’ve probably never thought possible!
PaySmart introduces PaySmartPLUS+WebKids, the comprehensive solution for managing a childcare facility with maximum efficiency. It features the seamless integration of PaySmart full service direct debit billing with WebKids childcare management software. The result is what you’ve always wanted: debtor management, strong cash flow, and a management system that makes administration easy and efficient. You get unmatched backup and support, the highest levels of data security, and cloud-based convenience. With PaySmart direct debiting, all these benefits are included FREE:
WebKids is hosted in the cloud for access using any device with an internet connection.
• Debtor management – we do the follow-up on dishonoured payments
Importantly, WebKids features an Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) application, enabling you to take advantage of the opportunities and fulfill the requirements of the EYLF standard!
• PaySmart Customer Service Centre for both you and your guardians • Online account access 24/7 so you can see your account details at all times • Reports emailed direct to your desk, so you’re informed with minimum delay • Collection of fees on due date deposited into your account quickly and securely • Level 1 (Version2) PCI-DSS compliance for data security • Ongoing updates to your guardians’ files • Access to support from the PaySmart team, via telephone or online* • A local PaySmart Business Development Manager to provide business assistance • A PaySmart Client Account Manager to assist in your everyday requirements.
WebKids software is at the cutting edge of Childcare management WebKids (powered by Kidsoft for PaySmart) integrates with PaySmart direct debit billing. It is the nextgeneration, CCMS-certified software solution for childcare management, designed to integrate into single or large operations and grow with your business.
56••BELONGING BELONGINGEARLY EARLYYEARS YEARSJOURNAL JOURNAL••VOLUME volume12NUMBER number21••2013 2013 X
During the changeover to Webkids, a full data pretransition testing environment ensures your business has little or no interruption or downtime. WebKids provides 24/7 email support and a telephone help desk, Monday to Friday. And, being CCMS-certified, WebKids meets the compliance of DEEWR policies and objectives. Contact us now; we’ll arrange for your local PaySmart Business Development Manager to give you all the facts on PaySmartPLUS+WebKids, obligation-free. Freecall 1800 801 797 | Web: www.webkids.com.au Email: info@ffapaysmart.com.au FFA PaySmart Pty Ltd is an authorised representative (AR No. 409047) of Transaction Services Holdings Limited (AFSL 338256) for general advice and issuing billing services. * This benchmark is established by PaySmart, as what PaySmart considers to be the most appropriate benchmark for the direct debit billing industry. This is not an approved industry benchmark or industry standard for the direct debit billing services industry. In certain non-standard circumstances, IT Development resources may be chargeable at an hourly rate.
How would you feel about never having to chase payment of fees?
Introducing PaySmart PLUS+ WebKids, the comprehensive
The result is what you’ve always wanted: strong cash flow
solution for managing a childcare facility with maximum
and a software program that keeps you on top of it all.
control and efficiency.
Contact us, Freecall 1800 801 797 or www.webkids.com.au
PaySmart full service direct debit billing gives you
for an obligation-free assessment of your Service, and a
everything from debtor management to a Customer Service
demonstration on how PaySmart PLUS+ WebKids gives
Centre for your Guardians... now integrated with WebKids
you a level of control and service you’ve probably never
software at the cutting edge of efficient management.
thought possible!
Powered by kidsoft
™
FFA PaySmart Pty Ltd is an authorised representative (AR No. 409047) of Transaction Services Holdings Limited (AFSL 338256) for general advice and issuing billing services. * This benchmark is established by PaySmart, as what PaySmart considers to be the most appropriate benchmark for the direct debit billing industry+. This is not an approved industry benchmark or industry FFA185 standard for the direct debit billing services industry.
finance, business + property
Shiny + happy people = valuable business By Matthew Ross
Last week, I was chatting to a client who is the head of the English department at a well-respected private school in Melbourne. She knew a lot about other private schools, so I started to rattle off a list of schools to get her opinion on the quality of those schools.
O
ne particular girls’ school in the eastern suburbs from the outside looks amazing. Whenever I drive past it, the school looks clean, polished, and the playing fields look immaculate. When I quizzed her about this school her response was, ‘Oh no, you wouldn’t send your daughter there – the staff are miserable. That school isn’t going to be good for a while.’ I was initially shocked and then I immediately thought how upset I would be if I was paying north of $15,000 per annum in fees to a school with a massive culture problem. As an employer, it automatically made me reflect on my staff and wonder how happy they are and whether I could be doing more to make their employment enjoyable, challenging and fulfilling. The heart and soul of your business is the people within it. Your success is dependent upon the people
around you, so making sure they are happy is vital. One of my staff members shared this with the rest of the team recently, which you may find valuable to digest and reflect on how true it is of people in your team.
Optimism and success In study after study, psychologists have determined that ‘optimism’ is the most important quality you can develop for personal and professional success and happiness. It seems that optimists have three special behaviours, all learned through practise and repetition. Matthew Ross
58 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
finance, business + property
The people you choose to take care of your most important clients (the kids!) are arguably the most important decisions you will be forced to make on an ongoing basis • First, optimists look for the good in every situation. No matter what goes wrong, they always look for something good or beneficial. And, not surprisingly, they always find it. • Second, optimists always seek the valuable lesson in every setback or difficulty. They believe that difficulties come not to obstruct but to instruct. They believe that each setback or obstacle is only for a point in time and they contain a valuable lesson they can learn and grow from, and they are determined to find it. • Thirdly, optimists always look for the solution to every problem. Instead of blaming or complaining when things go wrong, they become action-
orientated. They ask questions like, ‘What’s the solution? What can we do now? What’s the next step?’ • Finally, people who are habitually optimistic, positive and upbeat think and talk continually about their goals. They think and talk about the future and where they are going rather than the past and where they came from. They are always looking forward rather than backward. (Brian Tracy, Eat that Frog! www.briantracy.com) The people you choose to take care of your most important clients (the kids!) are arguably the most important decisions you will be forced to make on an ongoing basis.
So how many of your staff members are optimists? How many aren’t? Before you think about sorting them into two groups and giving one group its marching orders, it might be worth sharing the passage with your entire staff and commit to creating and nurturing a culture of optimistic people. The eastern suburbs school that has a miserable staff team might have a very pessimistic culture. It can be extremely difficult to change the culture of a team, but at times it can be very easy. When you, as a business owner, show strong leadership and say, ‘this is the culture we want to have here,’ it will engage a great deal of positive emotions and enthusiasm from the ‘good eggs’. Those that
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thrive in an optimistic culture will embrace what you offer. Those that don’t might not be contributing to the long-term success of your business. A word of warning, you have to lead by example. Your commitment to being optimistic, positive and encouraging has to be greater than everyone else’s. If you lose interest in it, chances are, so will they.
Boring Superannuation Statement Part II (personal planning) In the last issue, we discussed asset allocation. Today, we’re going to talk about personal insurances that can be held in your superannuation account.
If your husband/wife died in a car accident today, would you be able to repay the home loan? This isn’t a fun topic to discuss, so let’s keep it as brief and interesting as possible. If you have dependent children, a mortgage and/ or have less than $500,000 in superannuation, then chances are you need life, total and permanent disability (TPD) income protection and/or trauma insurance. The purpose of our discussion today is to let you know that there is a good chance you already have some of these insurances in your superannuation account, even though you may not be aware of it. You see, we Australians aren’t (on the whole) responsible enough when it comes to the topic of insurance. So, within the rules of most superannuation funds is the ability for them to arrange ‘some’ life, TPD and income protection insurance within your superannuation account. The cost of this insurance is being deducted from your superannuation account – even if you don’t need it. The Australian Government allows this because (a) it is only a small amount of insurance, and (b) it means that there is some support if families lose a member or if someone becomes seriously ill or injured. If some money comes from the insurance company, then it’s just a little bit less that the government needs to provide through future disability support. The important thing for you to do, if you have kids, is to man up (or woman up) on this subject and firstly find out if you have any insurance through your superannuation account. If so, chat to an adviser about whether it’s enough. Insurance is simply a safety net to protect the family if you or your wife were to die (life insurance) or be seriously ill or injured (total and permanent disability insurance and income protection). 60 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
These three insurance policies can be arranged through your superannuation account, which means it doesn’t affect your personal cash flow which you may be directing as much as possible to repaying the mortgage or secondary school fees. Trauma insurance, which provides you with a lump sum if you suffer a heart attack, stroke or cancer (there are up to 39 other events, but these are the main three) cannot be arranged through your superannuation fund; you need to pay for this out of your own pocket.
seek advice from an independent financial adviser who will charge you an upfront fee to arrange the insurance, but will not receive commissions I encourage you to seek advice to make sure you get the right level of cover. One final tip is to seek advice from an independent financial adviser who will charge you an upfront fee to arrange the insurance, but will not receive commissions. This will reduce the cost of the insurance by 30 per cent, per annum, which is a massive saving over time. There are less than 20 independent financial advisers in Australia, so you may need to do a bit of research (but by this, I mean open Google, or just contact me and I’ll put you in contact with the closest one to you). Disclaimer: the advice in this article is general in nature. For specific advice, please contact a financial adviser.
Matthew Ross is an independent financial adviser and an Authorised Representative of Australian Independent Financial Advisers Pty Ltd. He is a director of Roskow Independent Advisory, www.roskow.com.au.
finance, business + property
Look for the angle By Megan McGay
Press releases are an easy low-cost marketing tool, but only if they are well written.
C
hildcare is a competitive and prominent industry. It’s important for centre directors to actively market their centres to new, local
families.
Press releases are a low-cost tool for targeted marketing across a centre’s local reach.
Little Ones Childcare has taken out the Queensland award for early childhood programming in the Childcare Industry Awards. The centre won the award after developing a unique programming style to cater for their multicultural families.
1. Hook
An early childhood centre is preparing children for school with weekly science experiments. Inspired by Scitech Discovery Centre, Perth, Appletree Kids Care has developed science lesson plans under advice from Scitech staff.
Journalists will only act on interesting or entertaining press releases. You need to consider everything about your centre that makes it different from its competitors. Outline this in your first sentence because this is your hook.
If you are unable to discover a hook for your centre, consider your clientele. Do you have children of television personalities in attendance? Could you ask them to be a spokesperson for your centre? Your hook might read like this:
How to make your press release stand out
Some good hooks include: A local centre has taken sustainability to new heights with water-saving and energy-saving technology. The centre, Early Learners Care, has installed efficient toilet flushes, similar to those used on aeroplanes, to save water. Centre owner, Jill Marshall, said a recent survey showed sustainability was important to 80 per cent of staff and children.
62 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
Newsreader Jim Moore only wants the best for his children and he found it around the corner at Buzzing Bees Childcare.
2. Mind your grammar A poorly written release will find its way into the trash at the press of a button. While press releases of yesteryear were sent to a newsroom’s fax machine, these days, most are sent directly to a journalist’s inbox. It means
finance, business + property
Don’t despair if you cannot think of a relevant hook for your centre. You can still generate a press release by offering a local angle on national issues your news will go to the right person, but it also means that if you haven’t caught their attention then you’ll be deleted in a flash. Write your release and check it thoroughly. Consider your friends and colleagues and send it to a natural wordsmith who may find errors that have passed under your nose.
3. Authenticity Write your release like a news story. It’s a different style to essay writing, letter writing and structuring funding applications. Consider an upside-down triangle; your most interesting and newsworthy statement is written first, at the widest part. All your paragraphs should follow progressively, with the last paragraph as your least important news item, which is the small tip on the bottom of the inverted triangle. Don’t leave your sassiest sentence to the end, you’ll have lost your reader by then. Test yourself by covering the last two paragraphs and seeing if your story still makes sense. It should, because all of the significant items should be in the first paragraphs. All news stories increase their validity with credible statistics and relevant quotes. Include some insightful quotes from your centre director, even if that’s you. Be sure to announce your title appropriately: Buzzing Bees Childcare Director Allan Wasp said all children were welcome at his centre but he enjoyed having Jim Moore’s support. ‘Jim’s kids have been here since they were tiny. We’ve watched them grow into inquisitive kids. We treat them and all our kids as part of the family.’
by regulation, with one carer to 10 children in the kindergarten rooms. Mr Wasp said the children’s care was critical to all business decisions.
4. Offer a local angle on broader issues Don’t despair if you cannot think of a relevant hook for your centre. You can still generate a press release by offering a local angle on national issues. This works particularly well for suburban papers, where journalists are instructed to find local angles on every major issue. If a story on a national shortage of childcare places features in the news, get writing! Draft a quick story on vacancies at your centre and other local facilities and include a couple of quotes on how the apparent ‘national shortage’ hasn’t affected you. Not only will you get your name in the paper, but you’ll increase awareness about vacancies at your centre for potential families.
5. Action! Photograph an open day or sausage sizzle and attach the pictures to your release. Alternatively, invite photographers in to view a new feature, such as a recently landscaped play space. Soft news articles need photos that are bright, colourful and fun. Be sure to send them at a low-resolution with the release and state that high-resolution images can be made available on request.
6. Research your contacts Unless something truly incredible has happened, it is unlikely that the daily papers or broadcast media will give your release a run. However, local papers are always looking for something quirky to publish, so investigate which organisations publish in your area. Look at previous editions and consider which journalists might write up a light-hearted feature like yours. Target that journalist and find their email address. If you’re unable to get it, send your release to the editorial department and attention it to your preferred writer.
7. Persistence
Have you got statistics on your centre? Are your ratios better than other local centres? Sell them in a press release.
Don’t stop there! You need to follow-up on your release. Call up two days after sending it through to see if it was of interest. Recap on the release in a second email to the organisation. Persistence will get you everywhere. Your first release may have been sent on a busy news day where local fires or protests occupied the journalists; follow-up because you may be rewarded with coverage during a slow-news week.
Unlike most childcare centres, Buzzing Bees Childcare has better staff/child ratios than required
Send releases regularly. The more you put yourself out there, the more likely you will be called for
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finance, business + property
8. Headers You’ve written up your news, crafted it into a readable story with interesting quotes and a couple of cute photos. There’s one last job: the headline. Take your time to conjure a clever title. Consider using a witty play upon words. If you can’t think of a catchy headline, then make sure you keep it simple and brief.
comment if broader childcare issues ride the wave of prominence. If you become known as a childcare spokesperson, you may increase your credibility in the eyes of the consumer. Your chances of gaining media exposure increase over the summer when most news-making businesses shut down over the Christmas break. Papers still need to generate stories and will be more willing to accept news that would otherwise have not made the cut. Have you noticed the summer daily papers filled with three-quarter pictures of children jumping off jetties or dolphins swimming? Those are fillers!
64 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
Consider the fictional Buzzing Bees Childcare with its good staff/children ratios. A catchy header could be: ‘Extra staff buzzing around centre kids.’ Regarding the story on sustainability and aeroplane toilets, the headline could read: ‘Up, flush and away.’ The story on science lessons could be titled, ‘Local childcare heralds new generation of Einsteins.’
9. Don’t stop at one Writing press releases can appear fruitless at times, particularly when the media fails to run them. Don’t give up. Always consider the news currency of any event at your centre. Write it up and send it to that same journalist because even if your story gets published only once, you’ll have saved thousands of advertising dollars!
finance, business + property
finance, business + property
Tailored solutions for childcare
E
ternal Echoes is driven to deliver high-quality development and educational services. We’re conscious that tailoring packages to suit your individual business requirements is of paramount importance. Whether you’re looking to develop a new centre, buy an existing centre, need advice on childcare centres for sale, requiring assistance to renovate/improve your centre or a more sustainable option of ongoing childcare centre support and management, Eternal Echoes provides services within the following areas:
Due diligence process: This is a crucial component of any intended childcare investment, and if performed thoroughly, can provide you with a solid foundation to maximise your investment potential. Key areas include: • needs analysis/feasibility study – demographic and market research • budgeting/forecasting – estimated profit and loss analysis
• site selection/development and building application support • project management for design layout and construction phase.
Childcare management process: • ensuring high-quality care and practices are adhered to • establishing and overseeing operating procedures and administrative systems • implementation and review of operational policies and procedures • strategic planning of marketing campaigns • liaising with relevant authorities on behalf of approved provider • staff professional development and training • monitoring of centre budgets and key performance indicators (KPIs) • support, guidance and training within the National Quality and Early Years Learning Frameworks • regulatory compliance and quality care monitoring
• overall investment objective analysis.
• payroll services
Start-up process:
• childcare benefit (CCB) management.
• centre fit-out – educational resources
Financial services:
• brand establishment and marketing plan
At Eternal Echoes, we measure success on multiple levels to gauge our degree of achievement and performance through profit outcomes. The level of financial services offered varies and can be tailored to meet clients’ individual business needs.
• licensing and regulatory compliance • HR support, staff recruitment and training • management of software systems • development/implementation of operational policies and procedures • centre budget implementation.
Consultancy services: • project management • centre extensions/renovations • playscape design/upgrades • administration support • licensing/approval and legislation advice • operational audits and quality improvement plans • business analysis/strategic planning for building your business portfolio
These include: • invoicing for fees • debt collection • occupancy rates • tracking of new enrolments and enquiries • income and expenditure recording and review • end of year payroll summary processing • monitoring of staff and operations expenditure • monitoring of wage expenditure to review • cashflow projections and monitoring of performance • fringe benefit tax reporting
• National Quality Framework And Early Years Learning Framework support and training
• Payroll tax reporting
• advertising and marketing plans • employee training and support.
• accounts receivable – entering revenue into finance software and reconciling
Acquisitions process – new build/acquired:
• profit and loss and balance reports
• due diligence
• quarterly and monthly business activity statement (BAS) lodgement.
• playscape/landscape design • licensing and approvals support
X • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 1 NUMBER 2 • 2013
• accounts payable – reconciliation of supplier invoices
For more information visit www.eternalechoes.com.au
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013 • 65
finance, business + property
Don’t give your money away, roll over! You’ve earned your super, so when the time comes, make sure you get to enjoy every cent of it. This means making the most of what you have.
O
ne of the ways you can do this is to make sure you have only one super account. That’s because super funds charge fees. So, the more accounts you have, the more fees you’re likely to be paying. And if, like the average working Australian, you have extra super accounts, the multiple fees could be eroding your retirement nest egg. Plus, you’re losing the chance to earn future compound interest (interest earned on interest) on any fees saved, which helps grow your super over time.
So, rolling over — or consolidating — your super into one account makes sense, and it could mean more money to retire on.
Simply follow these simple steps! 1. Find your lost super One in two Australians has lost super with billions of dollars just waiting to be claimed. It’s worth doing a quick check at ato.gov.au/superseeker and unclaimedsuper.com.au if you’ve ever had more than one job, changed your name or address.
3. Know your benefits While you’re talking to each fund, ask them what benefits – such as insurance – you’re receiving through them. Compare the benefits and fees to work out which fund suits your needs best.
4. Fill in the form Download a rollover form at hesta.com.au/consolidate or free call 1800 813 327 for a copy. Complete one form for each account you’d like to roll into HESTA, along with a copy of certified identification (ID) documents for each fund you want to rollover. We’ll get things moving, although your other fund(s) may contact you to confirm the rollover.
5. Get your ID certified All copied pages of original proof of ID documents need to be certified as true and correct copies. This is very important to protect your super account(s) and to ensure that there isn’t a delay in processing your request. Details about acceptable ID and those people who are authorised to certify documents are outlined in the roll-over form. For more information on HESTA, your health and community services industry super fund, visit hesta.com.au or free call 1800 813 327.
2. Gather your super account details Find statements for all your super accounts, or call each of the funds you’re with and ask for your member number and account details.
This material is issued by H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd ABN 66 006 818 695 AFSL No. 235249, the Trustee of Health Employees Superannuation Trust Australia (HESTA) ABN 64 971 749 321. Information provided is of a general nature. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or specific needs. You should look at your own financial position and requirements before making a decision and may wish to consult an adviser when doing this. This information contains H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd’s interpretation of the law but should not be relied upon as advice. For more information, free call 1800 813 327 or visit hesta.com.au for a copy of a Product Disclosure Statement which should be considered when making a decision about HESTA products.
66••BELONGING BELONGINGEARLY EARLYYEARS YEARSJOURNAL JOURNAL••VOLUME volume12NUMBER number21••2013 2013 X
human resources management
Educating leaders A Victorian program is building and shaping its early learning leaders.
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dedicated training facility for early childhood professionals is nurturing and mentoring leaders in the profession.
The Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership (Bastow), has been providing leadership development courses for over three years to education professionals in both school and early childhood settings. Since 2010, over 1000 early childhood professionals have participated in its programs. The Bastow facility, part of the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (the Department), was established to help extend the capability of leaders and support their personal growth. Drawing on research and practice from education and other professional fields, the Bastow courses reflect the best evidence about effective, contemporary leadership. It works in partnership with a range of providers to connect participants to expertise in leadership development. Bastow bases its partnerships on three foundations: a shared belief that educational leadership makes a difference, a shared commitment to developing capable and confident educational leaders, and a shared dedication to effective adult learning. Bastow offers a range of professional learning experiences to the early childhood sector. In 2013,
there will be three courses on offer: • Leading People in Early Childhood Settings • Leading Educational Programs and Practice in Early Childhood Settings • Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities. In 2013, Bastow will be partnering with leading academics, innovative thinkers and expert practitioners to provide a range of educational leadership development experiences and networking opportunities through events such as the Twilight Seminars and Professional Practice Series. The Twilight Seminars are two- to three-hour learning experiences, giving attendees access to leading educational thinkers who share their insights on issues affecting educational leadership. The evening sessions seek to challenge the views of educational professionals. The Professional Practice Series are one- to two-day learning experiences that are designed to develop specific knowledge and skill in defined areas of practice. The series aims to inspire educators to extend their thinking, encourage reflection and strengthen their professional practice.
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A calendar outlining these events is online and will be updated throughout the year. Courses for 2013 will be available to Victorian early childhood professionals from March onwards. Courses and events are open to early childhood teachers, educators and also early childhood professionals working in Early Childhood Intervention Services and Early Childhood Education and Care. Victorian early childhood professionals can apply for Bastow courses through its website; application instructions are outlined on individual course webpages. The courses are fully funded by the Department and include backfill. Participants travelling a distance further than 200 kilometres can access further support through train, bus, air travel and accommodation reimbursement, depending on circumstances and in line with the Bastow Travel Policy for Rural Participants. The feedback from participants of Bastow early childhood courses has been overwhelmingly positive. An independent evaluator has found that 98 per cent of survey respondents improved their leadership capabilities as a result of participating in the early childhood courses in 2012. Almost all respondents
who reported an increase in their knowledge and understanding had used their improved leadership capabilities in their workplace. Ninety per cent of participants agreed that Bastow courses demonstrated high-quality content design and delivery and the majority of respondents reported an overall positive impact on themselves, their team and their early childhood setting. In recent years, the early childhood sector has experienced unprecedented change at the legislative and regulatory level, as well as widespread acknowledgement of the critical importance of the early years in a child’s life. The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) is designed for all professionals working with children from birth to eight years. It provides a common language for describing outcomes for children and emphasises that all professionals need to work together in partnership, across services and professional boundaries. For more information on upcoming courses: www.bastow.vic.edu.au.
Your business, Fair Work Australia and Modern Awards BY ANTHONY ARNDT, CHILD CARE SUPER
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number of businesses, including child care services, are regularly audited by the Fair Work Ombudsman.
negligent, the audits also provide useful feedback and tips to help business owners ensure their own compliance with their Award.
The audit checks that employers are compliant with the provisions in the Modern Award(s) under which they employ their staff. Generally speaking, the main focus is on employees’ remuneration and employment conditions.
How we can help you
Superannuation is an important part of your staff’s remuneration and it is important that you understand your obligations.
Child Care Super has used the feedback provided by Fair Work Australia to provide guidance to our clients to help ensure your super processes meet the Modern Award conditions. Anthony Arndt
While the Ombudsman is looking to identify and fine any employers who are found to be wilfully
If you are interested in having your business’s super reviewed, please email your details to gfsadministration@guildfinancial.com.au and we’ll be in touch to see how we can help.
For information on Child Care Super, including the Product Disclosure Statement please visit www.childcaresuper.com.au or call the Customer Service Team on 1800 060 215. Guild Trustee Services Pty Limited ABN 84 068 826 728, AFS Licence No. 233815, RSE Licence No. L0000611 as trustee for Child Care Super (Guild Retirement Fund) Fund Registration No. R1000030, ABN 22 599 554 834. 323367E_Child Care Super | 1844.indd 24
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human resources management
Qualified and quality educators – your key to a successful centre
‘I
nternational research and experience suggests that the qualifications of ECEC staff is the most important determinant of quality, with clear links demonstrated between a higher proportion of qualified and experienced primary contact staff and a higher-quality service’ (PWC 2011 A Practical Vision for ECEC p 17).
With this in mind, it’s no wonder childcare operators have a headache when it comes to staff planning for the next 12 months.
The NQF new standards regarding qualifications are based on this evidence. From 1January 2014, long day care services are required to recruit educators who hold a minimum Certificate III or are studying towards this qualification; 50 per cent of staff hold or are studying towards a Diploma level or above; and all services employ ECTs in relation to the number of children.
At Buzz Childcare Recruitment, we proactively search for quality educators. Our team of former childcare professionals assesses candidate knowledge and the ability to connect with children and families through a rigorous interview process. Relationships are developed with our quality candidates so that they can be instantly recommended for potential roles.
To compound this issue, the government recently launched the ‘My Child’ portal, a comparison website that publishes centre ratings against the new standards. Parents will now be able to see information about ‘educator-to-child ratios’ and ‘higher educator qualifications’.
There are qualified educators out there, but to find those that meet your quality requirements can take more time. It’s not unheard of for centres to be searching for an ECT for over 6 months!
Let us help you prepare for the new changes.
Victoria Sharp, Director Buzz Childcare Recruitment.
Frustrated by the pressure and time involved in finding quality staff? Fed up with the inconsistency in quality from casuals? We feel your pain. Having worked in childcare, we knew that there had to be a better way to recruit quality staff, that’s why we set up Buzz Childcare Recruitment. We make it our business to understand your needs and those of your families. We rigorously screen candidates, whether it is for a permanent or a casual position, to meet your requirements. Why don’t you give us a try and experience a new approach to recruiting early childhood staff.
Call 02 8437 5200 or visit www.buzzrecruitment.com.au 322872A_Buzz Childcare | 1831.indd 1
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BELONGING BELONGINGEARLY EARLYYEARS YEARSJOURNAL JOURNAL••volume VOLUME21number NUMBER12••2013 2013••69 X
nutrition + menu planning
Making food fun Food activities for growing minds and hungry bodies.
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ames involving food/food recognition
The veggie feely bag What you need: • a bag or pillow slip • a variety of vegetables. Children try to guess what vegetables are inside the bag by feeling. This is a good activity to increase children’s recognition and awareness of different vegetables. A variation of this game is to blindfold children and let them feel a vegetable with their hands to try and guess the name of the vegetable. This can be an exciting game with all the other children having to keep quiet while the blindfolded child tries to guess what the vegetable is.
Odd one out Say a series of four words (for instance, three vegetables and one odd word), for example carrot, potato, cat, onion or asparagus, lamp, leek, celery. The children then identify which word is the odd one out.
Food cupboard Make a food cupboard out of a large piece of cardboard by folding both the side edges of the cardboard in to meet each other at the centre. These will form the doors of the cupboard. Inside make shelves which will hold food pictures. Just stick in pieces of clear plastic sleeves to form pockets. Food pictures can be glued on to a cardboard backing for durability. The children can then stack the shelves with food pictures and take food out of the cupboard to make imaginary meals.
Excursions Excursions could be to places such as a farm, a food market, a food mall, an orchard, a supermarket, a bakery or a butcher. When planning excursions it is a good idea to have an objective in mind, something that you would like the children to get out of the excursion. Follow up the excursion with related activities, such as discussions about the excursion and sampling of food sold in various outlets. The age of children must be considered when planning excursions. Ideally, children should be able to actively participate rather than just observe.
Healthy living activities This activity helps to teach children about healthy living. The staff member calls out the name of a food or activity (such as apple, candy, riding a bike, children, watch TV for a long time ...) and the children answer with an enthusiastic ‘healthy’ or a sad ‘not healthy’. They can also take turns in calling out the food or activity with the other children to respond with a ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’.
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nutrition + menu planning
Choosing healthy foods (aimed at children aged three to five years) • Group discussion supported by large pictures of people for the children to talk about can be a good way to stimulate thought and discussion. For example hold up a picture (such as boy with an apple), ask children, ‘What do you see?’, listen to children’s responses which can lead into a talk about apples being good for us and who likes apples. • Fruit Snap game. Make cards with pictures of fruit and vegetables. The cards can then be used for a game of snap. The cards can also be used by the staff member, putting down one card at a time and getting the children to call out the name of the fruit or vegetable represented on it. Children will also enjoy grouping the different cards together (such as fruit and vegetable groups) and counting how many are in each group. • Card game – Match the Foods. This game consists of five different foods in black and white print, laminated on coloured cardboard. Identical shapes are then provided for the children to match by placing on top of the food on the card. A variation of this game is to also print the same pictures of the foods in colour and getting the children to match the pictures in colour and in black and white. This can also involve a discussion about what the food is. • Board Game – Healthy Snakes and Ladders. Use a snakes and ladders board game with the concept being that if they make a healthy choice they get fit and healthy and go up the ladder, in turn if they make unhealthy choices they go down the snake and can be unwell.
Food music Fill jars or bottles with beans or rice and secure the lid. These can be used as castanets to make different sounds. Jars can also be filled with different amounts of liquid, and when hit with a spoon or stick, they will make different sounds.
Food smells Put a variety of herbs and spices in separate jars so your child can smell each one. Examples are: • herbs: sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil, dill • spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, turmeric.
Food labelling activity Labelling and discussing fruit and vegetables helps children recognise different varieties and become
familiar with them. Some ideas include: • Make a felt board with pictures of fruit and vegetables. The children can label fruit and vegetables as they place them on the felt board. • Sing songs about fruit and vegetables on the felt board. You can make up songs with children or sing some of the popular songs you know.
Activities with food models and displays identification game Have children identify food models to increase their awareness of food varieties.
Food display with a theme • A food display is a great activity for children to be involved in. The display can incorporate children’s art work and provide a stimulus for group discussions. Food displays are also useful to show parents what their children have been doing while in care. • A food display can be based on a number of healthy themes. Some examples are: •
the five food groups (i.e. dairy, meat/meat alternatives, vegetables, fruits and breads/ cereals)
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nutrition + menu planning
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the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents
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vegetables
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fruits
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ethnic foods
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healthy lunches and snacks
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tooth-friendly foods.
Classification game: vegetable, fruit or both • Label three medium boxes on the side: ‘Vegetables’, ‘Fruit’ and ‘Both’. Use the classroom fruit and vegetable models or pictures cut from magazines. Classify the food items according to the boxes, this can be done as a group or each child can have a go. • Variation: on the opposite side of the box label ‘Vine’, ‘Tree’ or ‘Underground’. Now play the same game and classify the fruit and vegetables according to whether they grow on a vine, tree or in the ground.
72 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • volume 2 number 1 • 2013
Food alphabet Create a visual food alphabet wall frieze. Children can draw their own impression of the food, or find some suitable pictures they can colour or cut out and paste onto coloured paper. All About Food © Queensland Health, 2006. Reproduced with the permission of Metro South Hospital and Health Service. View the whole document here: www.health.qld.gov.au/ph/documents/hpu/ all_about_food.pdf
We may not be your mum but we’re here to support you. Join today! coles.com.au/babyclub
EARLY EDUCATION COURSES • • • • •
Certificate III in Children’s Services Certificate IV in Children’s Services (Outside School Hours Care) Diploma of Children’s Services (Early Childhood Education & Care) Diploma of Children’s Services (Outside School Hours Care) Advanced Diploma of Children’s Services
OTHER SERVICES AVAILABLE • •
Director network meetings Professional Development workshops
TEACHER ASSISTANT COURSES • •
Certificate III Education Suppport Certificate IV Education Suppport
TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT •
Certificate IV in Training & Assessment
FOOD HANDLING AND SAFETY
• •
Food Handlers’ Certificate Course Food Safety Supervisor Course
ACCCO – industry recommended and award-winning For more information please contact ACCCO or AATS T: 1300 139 406 www.accco.com.au or www.aats.edu.au