Early Edition Autumn 2019

EarlyEdition AUTUMN 2019

Visit childcareconference.com.au to register for the ACA Qld 2019 National Conference!

STEAM in the early years Celebrating Our Feisty and Gentle Little Ones Contextualising Reggio Emilia

All Children Count

JOIN ACA Qld Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland (ACA Qld) is a not-for-profit, member-funded association representing the early childhood education and care sector across Queensland.

We advocate for the interests of children and families and work on behalf of Approved Providers and operators to ensure that families have access to quality, affordable early childhood education and care.

WHO IS A MEMBER? 3 Privately owned long day care services in Queensland 3 Not for profit community run long day care services in Queensland 3 Large national providers 3 Suppliers for the early childhood education and care sector (Supporter Members)

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WHY BECOME A MEMBER? 3 Membership of Australian Childcare Alliance (national) - expert policy & advocacy 3 Heavily subsidised Policies including Procedures and Forms 3 Listing of your service in FindChildcareNow.com.au 3 Discounted Conference pricing 3 Low cost, high quality qualification training through your very own college, CAECE 3 Free subscription to Early Edition and Belonging Early Years Journal 3 and much more...

Offset your ACA Qld membership fees with these savings: 3IR information through Employer Services worth over $600 3Heavily subsidised Policies including Procedures and Forms, SAVE over $700 3Spend $250 a month on educational resources at 20% discount, SAVE $600 pa 3Two ACA Qld conference registrations, SAVE $510 31 Diploma qualification with CAECE, SAVE $625

That’s over $3000 worth of savings and it’s only the start!

Go to https://qld.childcarealliance.org.au/membership to download the membership application form. Complete the form and return to our office via email qld@childcarealliance.org.au or fax 07 3808 2466.

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EarlyEdition AUTUMN 2019

Cover Photo: Early Education… it IS Rocket Science

ACA Queensland

Contents

Location: 11/6 Vanessa Boulevard, Springwood Mailing: PO Box 137, Springwood QLD 4127 Telephone: (07) 3808 2366 Fax: (07) 3808 2466 Toll Free: 1300 365 325 (outside Brisbane) Web: www.qld.childcarealliance.org.au Email: qld@childcarealliance.org.au

ACA Queensland President’s Report

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ACA National President’s Report

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Celebrating Our Feisty and Gentle Little Ones

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Why Adults Need to Be In Charge

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If you can dream it, you can draw it. If you design it, you can make it.

STEAM in the early years

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Contextualising Reggio Emilia

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Educator in Profile

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Member in the Spotlight

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Get to know your committee

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Your Assessment and Rating Visit is here!

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Connecting with Parents: Using social media to engage your early learning centre’s community

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What is Anaphylaxis?

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Keep Your Children Safe – A Guide for Creating Secure Passwords

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Supporter Members Directory

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Disclaimer: Articles published in this magazine are published as a service to readers and should not be substituted for specific advice in relation to any issue.

While advertising in this magazine is encouraged, ACA Queensland accepts no responsibility for the contents of the advertisements. Advertisements are accepted in good faith and liability for advertising content, goods or services supplied is the responsibility of the advertiser.

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Executive

Committee Members

ACA Queensland Office

President - Majella Fitzsimmons

Linda Davies

Rosa McDonald

General Manager - Brent Stokes

Vice President - Jae Fraser

Nicole Fowler

Katy Paton

Office Manager - Jen Smyth

Treasurer - Doug Burns

Kerrie Lada

Louise Thomas

Office Admin Assistant - Letitia Murphy

Secretary - Debra North

Pam Maclean

Brent Stokes

Marketing & Communications Officer Brianna Salmond

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ACA Queensland President’s Report Welcome to the first Early Edition magazine of 2019!

I would like to start by commending the resilience of the people of Townsville, dealing with the floods and its aftermath. Being Townsvillebased myself, I witnessed the devastation caused by the floods and how people rallied together to support and look after each other. If you have a story to tell, please let us know as we would love to share your story with your fellow members both in Queensland and throughout Australia. If any member requires any additional support at any time, please remember our office is only a phone call away. I would like to thank everyone for their support and as they say, this too shall pass.

There have been some changes in our office team. After nearly six years, it is with both sadness and excitement that we wish Claudette Cabilan, our Project Officer and Communications Coordinator, the very best with her future. We are grateful for everything she has achieved during her time with ACA and we will always hold a dear place for her in our hearts. Claudette taking the next step in her career path has allowed us the opportunity to welcome Brianna Salmond as our new Marketing and Communications Officer.

We also welcomed two new CAECE Trainers & Assessors, Lauren Allemand (Brisbane – Sunshine Coast) and Kellie Saville (Toowoomba). We are very excited to have them on board and please make them feel welcome when you see them at our conference in June.

This year’s ACA Qld National Conference theme is Early Education… It IS Rocket Science! I can’t wait to see Maggie Dent again, and welcome several international speakers, Nathan Wallis, Dr Vanessa Lapointe, and Chris Dee! I’m excited for Sam Jockel (the brilliance behind

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Aldi Mum and School Mum) to share her roadmap for engaging parents online via Facebook and other social media platforms. I am also looking forward to Dr Andrew King and Sue Lewin’s workshop on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) engagement. This hands-on interactive workshop explores the integration of engineering and the arts in the Early Years’ curriculum.

Visit our conference website childcareconference.com.au to meet our brilliant speakers, check out our program and to register. Our Early Bird two-day package is only $595 for members and includes tickets to both our Welcome Event and A Gala Dinner that is Out of this World!

If you have any questions about our conference, reach out to our conference team on 07 3808 2366.

We have scheduled very beneficial and highly regarded workshops leading up to our conference – Understanding your responsibilities under the National Law & Regulations (Brisbane and Gold Coast) and Exceeding the revised National Quality Standard (Brisbane, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Ipswich, Sunshine Coast and Townsville). At the time of writing, we only had a few spots left for both workshops so be sure to visit our website to register qld.childcarealliance.org.au/events/ workshops.

With the upcoming federal election, there has never been a more important time to engage with all sides of politics. ACA has reengaged Jannette Cotterell and her team at Executive Counsel Australia as our national advocate and media consultant. They will work with us in the lead up to the election and possibly beyond. We have created the “ACA Policy Paper: Let’s Give

Our Children the Best Start In Life”, which outlines the key issues and recommendations to ensure the long day care sector is strongly positioned to support a long-term sustainable future, providing affordable access for all children. ACA strongly encourages members visit our new website www.BestStartInLife.org.au to access our policy paper and other resources.

Please remember that the ACA Qld Committee, our General Manager Brent Stokes and everyone in the office are here to help. If you are successful in arranging a meeting with your local politicians or candidates, please let us know and make sure to share your experience on your social media channels using our campaign hashtag #BestStartInLife.

Majella Fitzsimmons ACA Qld President

ACA National President’s Report Firstly, I’d like to wish all of our members a happy New Year for 2019! ACA is grateful for your member support and engagement in 2018, and we look forward to positive working relationships with you this year.

ACA’s big picture items for 2019 are engaging with all sides of politics in the lead up to the next federal election, our work in the industrial relations space, and any unresolved issues in the aftermath of the transition to the new Child Care Subsidy (CCS).

ACA has greatly appreciated the feedback from our members about how they found the CCS transition and the sort of issues they may have experienced. We’re keen to hear how our members have fared with the reporting of attendance data from 14th January. If you have any feedback on this latest requirement, we welcome your comments at www. childcarealliance.org.au/feedback.

On another note, it has been encouraging that the media has finally started to listen to the growing issue of oversupply in certain geographic areas. Following our joint release of a report exploring the factors that influence the supply and demand of child care services across Australia, there have been a number of media articles focussing on this important topic. ACA believes that government has a role to ensure responsible investment in the early learning sector, and we are advocating for the Federal Government to address the issue through planning regulation and education.

Meanwhile with the next federal election set for some time before or during May this year, ACA has developed a pre-election engagement strategy which is already underway.

This commenced with our political advocacy at Parliament House in Canberra last October, where we met with Dan Tehan, Minister for Education and Training, Amanda Rishworth,

Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Development, adviser to Michael Keenan, Minister for Human Services and adviser to Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Senator for NSW (Greens Party).

Whilst speculation suggests that the Labor Party has a strong chance of winning the next election, there are no guarantees in politics, and the balance of power in the Senate will always be a critical factor in determining which policies and funded programs go ahead.

With the ALP’s commitment to funding both three and four-yearold pre-school/kindergarten it is vitally important that the long day care sector is seen as capable and ready to deliver this program and be recognised as the primary partner in ensuring access to more children, sooner. With our services already delivering programs to over 60% of three-year olds there is no doubt that with plenty of supply available in many areas around Australia, our sector is well placed to deliver this very important program.

materials will be available in soon, so stay tuned.

On a final note we look forward to ACA Qld’s upcoming conference on Friday 31st May through to Sunday 2nd June. The 2019 conference theme Early Education… it IS rocket science, promises some great ideas and engaging conversations, and we look forward to seeing you there!

Paul Mondo National President Australian Childcare Alliance

ACA continues to engage with key federal politicians and candidates from all sides of politics to put forward our views on creating a future where every child in Australia has access to high quality, affordable and sustainable early learning services, thus giving them the best start in life.

We also encourage our members to engage with government during this time and make sure your voice is heard. ACA is developing some resources to help our stakeholders to engage with their local political candidates – this will include a policy paper and a lobbying guide. These

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Celebrating Our Feisty and Gentle Little Ones Maggie Dent > parenting author, educator and resilience specialist

There are times when groups of kids are simply really hard work – right?

A room with lots of ‘roosters’ – and they can be girls or boys – can be exhausting both physically and emotionally. As educators we need to be mindful that strong, feisty kids can be yearning to have more power and influence and often feel they have a strong sense of their own importance.

They like to rule the chook yard!

Typical rooster characteristics:

At the other end of the temperament spectrum, which I call “the rooster and lamb continuum”, are our lambs. Gentle, often caring lambs are generally quieter children, more accommodating and content with life. They make their parents look like they’re doing a fantastic job.

• Self-important

Roosters

• Adventurous.

If most nights you collapse on your couch from exhaustion because of the high energy levels of the children in your care, you most likely have roosters in your room.

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• Independent • Stubborn • Argumentative • Selfish • Power-driven • Dislike sharing • Impatient and impulsive • Fast learners • Energetic • Entertaining Roosters have a powerful character and can be highly spirited — not better or worse than being a lamb — just different. It is good to give them small opportunities to develop

autonomy and independence, perhaps allowing them to be your “special helper”, to feel important and valued.

The challenge for the children with rooster tendencies is the need for parents and educators to invest time and energy to build the ‘caring’ traits of emotional awareness, empathy and understanding before age five or their children will tend to be dominant, bossy or even a bully. This can cause problems when building friendships.

Rooster children often love challenge, change and adventure. They can get excited when these opportunities occur and can get frustrated if they have friends or siblings who struggle with the same opportunities.

Give them plenty of opportunities to diffuse energy — especially in nature — whether that be through movement doing sport, exploring, bike riding; or even in creative pursuits such as dance or music.

One annoying trait of roosters is that they tend to question the choices made by parents and educators — often. If you can, bear in mind that this questioning is not because this child wants to annoy you, rather because they are seeking clarification of the choice you are making on their behalf.

This can cause angst, especially if we have expectations that children are meant to do as they are told or be seen and not heard. Ironically, if we want our children to grow up and value themselves and their choices, and to encourage self-assertiveness, we need to value and respect their needs and wishes by really hearing them.

Lambs

Some of the characteristics of sensitive lambs are: • Sensitive to discipline • Tire easily • Distress easily • Dislike loud noises • Like solo time • Withdrawing • Shy • Struggle with large social situations • Patient • Prefer routines • Easy going.

Lambs can often be ‘slow to warm’ in social situations. This means that even with people they know they can take a while to be comfortable interacting.

Forcing children to connect or interact before they have ‘warmed up’ can be quite stressful and often make them more fearful. The same goes for shy children — slowly build confidence by respecting their sensitive nature.

As lambs often lack personal courage and confidence, it is important for those who live with or work with them to help build these emotional competences while they are little.

Lambs often need extra time building comforting patterns and attachment, and are particularly susceptible to social dislocation like new staff, changes to routines and even extremes of weather!

Encouraging our lambs to take risks in their play and learning, and ensuring they have opportunities to build their capacity to be assertive and capable socially can really help lambs become stronger and more resilient. Never force a lamb to do something they are reluctant to do. Be mindful lambs are not necessarily weaker than roosters – they just prefer not to be the centre of attention.

Often children born with a lamb temperament have the deep-seated desire to help others, whether they are animals or people. They have a natural degree of empathy from an early age and can sometimes become worried when things happen, even across the world. It is important to be mindful of the media that lambs are exposed to. They are easily scared and sometimes moments of terror can be etched into their mind forever.

Importantly, you should affirm and encourage the caring side of their nature while teaching them to be

careful not to be manipulated or used by others.

A delicate balance

Even though the role of temperament has a big influence on how young children grow and develop, it is helpful to think of the continuum as a guide to what competences or qualities children need to develop in order to be a blend of both rooster and lamb traits.

In families and in early childhood settings, roosters and lambs can help each other — the roosters can help toughen up the lambs, and the lambs help to build sensitivity and gentleness in the roosters.

All children regardless of temperament need a strong loving connection with their parents and key caregivers to ensure they can bloom and develop a strong sense of their own identity.

So please see temperament as a factor to consider when working with children and yet know that it is never completely fixed nor a final destination.

Maggie Dent is a parenting author, educator and resilience specialist. Her latest book, Mothering Our Boys, was released in late 2018 and is already a bestseller. Maggie is a passionate, positive voice for children of all ages.

See Maggie Dent at the ACA Qld 2019 Conference!

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Why Adults Need To Be In Charge

Creating the most spectacular chance for you and children to grow, exactly as nature intended.

The science of child development has very clearly documented that children need the enduring experience of adults who capably guide them in order to be released to the process of growing up.

And yet, it is also well known that play-based, child-lead learning is optimal for growth across the developmental domains. So which is it? Do adults lead or do children lead?!

It turns out the answer is both. And to make matters even more interesting, when you are truly leading a child, you will know exactly how to follow their lead. What!? It goes like this.

The relationship between a child and the important adults in his or her life forms the primary foundation for healthy development, and indeed, is as essential to a child’s growth as food and shelter. For these relationships to work for children, the adults involved need to be compassionately in the lead of the relationship and of the child. With this nurturing hierarchy in place, the child will be able to lean into the care of their important adults. It is from this place of leaning in that the child finds emotional rest and then emerges forward into growth and development.

When you are an adult who has stepped capably in the lead of a child, you can sniff that child and know what it is they need. In having established a nurturing relationship, you will know their interests, their temperament, and their hearts.

With all that knowledge you will be able to beautifully pick up on the child’s cues and respond accordingly. So you are in the lead, and now, you can follow their lead. That is where child-lead play-based learning comes into it all. It isn’t that you abdicate your position of leadership and just traipse around after the child, but rather than you use your leadership to be ultimately tuned into who the child is.

Where this sometimes gets off-track is that as wellintentioned big people, you really want to do right by kids. You are deeply invested in the care and education of children, and you really don’t want to mess this up. Yet, when we fear messing something up, our judgement can

be a little clouded. This fear was probably imbedded in our way of seeing the world all the way back when we were children. That is, it is programming within us that is deeply entrenched. So when the research world decrees that child-lead play-based approaches are the way to optimal developmental outcomes, we go all in. And to add further challenge, kids can sense when adults are fearful which has the effect of them not trusting our guidance. When we are in fear we are no longer capably in the lead.

It is the fear of messing it up that leads to a blind acceptance of some new research finding or educational approach. Most early childhood educators intuitively know that kids need adults they can count on, and nothing about the merits of child-lead play-based approaches changes that. So rather than your capable adult self stepping fully into the leadership role in the relationship with the child, you shrink back. Here is where you find your invitation to growth. Your leadership is exactly what the child needs, and finding it within yourself to trust what you already know to be true is how you transform your program of fear into one of confidence.

So it turns out you aren’t just growing children. You are also growing yourself. When you confidently embrace the wisdom of your own intuition, you can really step into your role of leadership with the children that are counting on you.

And as you foster nurturing relationships with the children in your care, you lead them to lead you. And then magic happens. They grow. And so do you.

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If you can dream it, you can draw it.

If you design it, you can make it.

STEAM in the early years.

Andrew King and Sue Lewin

‘Scientists investigate that which already is; Engineers create that which has never been.’

– Albert Einstein

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Young children love engineering; they enjoy creating and building their worlds. This natural link between play and engineering is useful for early engineering engagement. Through building on play we can introduce children to the way engineers work and the things that they make. The skills and knowledge children gain will extend their play and carry through further education. We may even encourage some budding Young Engineers.

The good news is that the play already happens. And, with the current focus on STEAM education, more picture and activity books about engineering are being published; the arts are effectively giving engineering context and meaning and bringing the worlds of young and older engineers closer together. Finally, educators are introducing processes and experiences to help with early engineering engagement.

Engineering In creating ‘that which has never been’ engineers require ingenuity, knowledge and skills and they follow design processes to ensure suitable outcomes. They do this across a broad range of disciplines and sub-disciplines from aerospace to textiles. Consequently, when introducing engineering to young children we think it is important to consider: 1. The characteristics of Young Engineers 2. The Engineering Design Process 3. The engineering disciplines Characteristics of Young Engineers From an early age, children are curious about their world, they want to explore, learn and create. This is an opportune time to introduce them to the characteristics of Young Engineers (Fig 1) and encourage their development through play experiences. For example, when a group of Young Engineers built a ‘Box City’ at the State Library of Queensland (Fig 2) communication, collaboration and consideration for each other were critical.

Fig 1 The Characteristics of Young Engineers

The Engineering Design Process Our version of the Engineering Design Process (EDP) was created to guide young children through four key steps (Fig 3). By the time children are three years old, they are ready to practice early engineering skills, incorporating the arts (Fig 4). They can dream of, draw and develop a creation, whether it be a collage from recycled boxes, pipe constructions in the sand pit or a real-life challenge like creating a home for a pet or a toy for a blind friend (1). Importantly they can decide whether their creation is suitable (Done) or whether they need to continue the process to improve it.

Fig 2 ‘Box City’ - created by Young Engineers

Fig 4 Heidi (4) and her friends think hard - ‘dream’ about a design for the kindy obstacle course, draw their design on a large piece of paper and then build it (develop). It is shown to be finished - ‘done’, when the children try it out and are satisfied with the result.

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The educator’s role

Engineering Disciplines

An educator could start the EDP by introducing provocations of interest. They may read a book, such as Engibear’s Bridge (Fig 5), which could lead to bridge building with blocks. Then, scaffold questions, offer more resources, make suggestions or ask, ‘What if?’. Alternatively, they may sing the song London Bridge is Falling Down and wonder, with a group, what materials could be used to re-build it.

Engineering is a broad ranging profession with many disciplines and sub-disciplines (e.g. Engineers Australia has nine separate colleges and 30 different technical societies).

This provides an almost unlimited variety of engineering related topics to link to children’s activities. Engineering is relevant to our daily lives and as such, topics and activities can often be tailored to local issues or popular news items.

For example, sink holes in car parks, very fast trains, new dams to help with droughts or missions to the moon and mars.

There are a small but growing number of children’s books about engineering. Other books may not specifically be about engineering however, we can often find engineering embedded within them. One example is The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch (Fig 6) where the lighthouse keeper rigs up a pulley from home to the lighthouse to transport his lunch. Other forms of art about engineering are also beginning to appear. Rhythm and patterns occur in both engineering processes and music. The authors have used this connection to create children’s songs such as Lemonade Machine which can easily be adapted for dance (Fig 7).

How does play fit in?

Often children’s investigative playing is effectively engineering (Fig 8). There is value in recognising this link, allowing children to play and integrating Early Engineering Engagement. The Early Years Learning Framework (2) defines play-based learning as, ‘A context for learning through which children organise and make sense of their social worlds, as they engage actively with people, objects and representations’. Play-based engineering provides opportunities to cultivate positive dispositions towards learning (such as curiosity and imagination) and to support children to make autonomous choices, whilst enabling inquiry, experimentation and investigation.

The engineering practice and experiences which happen in early learning settings should continue into life- long learning and provide a good basis for problem solving and creative thinking into the future. For example, water experiences are fun for young children and educators build on these through practical activities and experiments in both school and university.

Conclusion Lemonade Machine Chopping, cutting, mixing, turning.

Squashing, blending, pumping, pouring.

Home-made kitchen aid, Machine for making lemonade.

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Early Engineering Engagement is a valuable tool. It offers knowledge, skills and positive dispositions towards learning.

As early educators we already have the play models at our fingertips. With the right provocations, scaffolding and intentional teaching we can provide memorable and meaningful experiences to build on as children grow. We may even See Dr Andrew King help to start a career journey and Sue Lewin at for some Young Engineers. the ACA Qld 2019 Conference!

References

Other resources

(1) E nglish L Moore T (Eds) (2018). Early Engineering Learning, Springer.

Singapore.

(2) Belonging, Being & Becoming, The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Dept of education and training for Council of Australian Government.

• King A and Johnston B. (2014) Engibear’s Bridge. Little Steps Publishing, Sydney.

• Armitage R and Armitage D. (2007) The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch.

Scholastic, London.

Sue Lewin – www.earlychildmusic.com.au Andrew King – www.engibears.com

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2019

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A central piazza in the town of Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Contextualising Reggio Emilia Kerrie O’Neill > Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange (REAIE) Committee Member

Reggio Emilia is a town in northern Italy. Their early childhood Educational Project has evolved over many years and was led and developed by educational theorist Loris Malaguzzi. The town and schools of Reggio Emilia are of great interest to many educators around the world, and Reggio Children have hosted many study tours and visitors to the town, especially since the declaration

by Newsweek that their preschools and infant-toddler centres were amongst the best in the world (Newsweek, 1991).

I first visited Reggio Emilia in 1996 and was struck by many of the things that I saw and heard. One of the most significant impressions on that first trip was the organisation of the environments. They were very aesthetically pleasing, and I was drawn to the equipment that was

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being used in the environments, that was so foreign at the time to the materials, resources and equipment that was being used in Australian centres. On subsequent trips and over time, I have come to understand and grasp the intentionality of their environments, encapsulated in a

metaphor they use; ‘the environment as the third teacher’. This phrase and metaphor are complex, and while many educators reference this concept, it is not yet fully understood by many Australian educators or demonstrated in many Australian contexts.

In 2012, Australia saw the introduction of the new Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). The EYLF is an important document that has shaped and guided educators who work in Australian early childhood contexts to reach expected standards of education and care. Although not explicit, many of the phrases and pedagogical concepts used in both the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standards (NQS) represent pedagogical concepts implicitly from the Reggio Emilia Educational Project.

Although many may argue the point, the first implicit Reggio influenced pedagogical concept was represented in the NQS in Element 3.1.3. The assessment guide for this element required educators to ‘involve children in making and maintaining aesthetically pleasing environments’ (ACECQA, 2017, p.90). As a result, many educators referenced the ‘environment as the third teacher’, yet although their environments may have been ‘beautiful’ or ‘aesthetically pleasing’, they were not intentional or functional and nor did they serve to support the learning of children.

In fact, they were superficial.

Interestingly the phrase ‘aesthetically pleasing’ has been removed in the new version of the Guide to the NQS. The term ‘documentation’ was also referenced in the first iteration of the NQS. This term is also a well-known term used in the Reggio Emilia Educational Project.

Carla Rinaldi, former President of Reggio Children, describes what documentation means in the infanttoddler centres and preschools of Reggio Emilia. ‘Documentation, as we have developed in Reggio, does not mean to collect documents after the conclusion of experiences with children but during the course of these experiences. Traditionally the recording and reading of memories takes place at the end of an experience and may become part of a collection of archives. For us,

documentation is part of the daily life in the schools. It is one of the ways in which we create and maintain relationships and the experiences among our colleagues and children.

We think of documentation as an act of caring, act of love and interaction (Rinaldi, 2004, p.1). This definition and intent of documentation are very different to some of the forms of documentation that have evolved in Australia, since 2012.

Another important pedagogical concept from Reggio Emilia that really challenged me in 1996 and still resonates with me today is the concept of the image of the child.

The image of a child and the image of childhood are cultural constructions, and the educators in Reggio Emilia question the idea of a universal childhood. They challenge us to think differently about children, their competencies and their capacities beyond the notion of providing them experiences around their ‘interests’ or ‘needs’.

I am looking forward to representing the Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange (REAIE) and introducing some of these concepts, along with others at the ACA Qld conference in June 2019 in Queensland. I will use documentation from the Australian context, as a strategy for educators to critically reflect on their understanding of the pedagogical practices from the Educational Project of Reggio Emilia and illustrate how some practices can be utilised authentically in Australian Early Childhood settings.

See Kerrie O’Neill at the ACA Qld 2019 Conference!

‘The cornerstone of our experience, based on practice, theory and research, is the image of the child as rich, strong and powerful. The emphasis is placed on seeing the children as unique subjects with rights rather than merely needs. They have potential, plasticity, the desire to grow, curiosity, the ability to be amazed, and the desire to relate to other people and to communicate’ (Rinaldi cited in Edwards, Gandini and Forman, p.102, 1995).

The way an educator ‘sees’ children, interacts with children, sets up environments for children will ‘tell’ of their image of the child. The way an educator documents children’s learning, the way that children are represented in that documentation will reflect an educator’s image of the child. The way that an educator speaks about children will reflect their image of a child.

References Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). (2018). Guide to the National Quality Standard. Retrieved 2 February, 2019, from www.acecqa.gov.au.

Edwards, C., Gandini, L., & Forman, G. (1995).

The hundred languages of children: The Reggio

Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education.

USA: Ablex Publishing Corporation.

Rinaldi, C. (2006). In Dialogue with Reggio Emilia: Listening, researching and learning.

Rinaldi, C. Innovations in early education: the international Reggio exchange. The Relationship between Documentation and Assessment.

Volume 11, no. 1, Winter 2004, Merrill-Palmer Institute, Wayne State University.

USA and Canada, Routledge.

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Educator in Profile: Nikki Thornton 14

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Meet Nikki Thornton, recent College for Australian Early Childhood Educators (CAECE) graduate and early childhood educator at Albert Waterways Children’s Centre.

“I also believe our families, cultures and histories are an important part of who we are and who we can become. To support this theory, I will celebrate our cultural diversity, provide a welcoming, safe and inclusive space for our families and encourage sharing of knowledge, experiences & celebrations to prompt respect and understanding of our diverse community.”

What is your role within your service and what do you want to achieve in the next five years?

I have had the pleasure of working at Albert Waterways Children’s Centre for over five years in the role of Administrator with an inspiring team of talented educators.

In the last twelve months I have also been welcomed into our rooms as a relief educator. I’ve definitely been inspired so I will continue with my studies in Early Childhood and who knows one day maybe I’ll be an Early Childhood Teacher or Centre Manager!

What/who inspired you to forge a career in early learning?

The educators at my centre were my inspiration. Albert Waterways Children’s Centre was originally my daughter’s ‘Kindy’ that she attended for her Kindergarten year here and our experience as a family was fantastic. The connection with the philosophy of the centre, the playbased learning, positive relationships built with educators and other attending families made the experience one that we all thoroughly enjoyed so when an opportunity to make the centre ‘My Kindy’ came up, I leapt at the chance.

For me this was the start of something, an opportunity to be part of a passionate and inspiring team, to formalise my life experiences, to understand and be able to support my fellow educators, the families in our community and be part of the children’s learning journey. I’ve been very fortunate to find an environment that values and supports my desire to grow and be part of the calling that is to be an educator.

How would you describe your early learning philosophy?

Our children are our most precious and unique commodity, one that I will endeavour to nurture, inspire and support. I will value and develop their strengths, interests and abilities and extend their learning in inspiring and engaging ways.

I believe children benefit greatly from play-based learning and will provide a variety of opportunities for children to discover, explore, create and use their imaginations.

I also believe our families, cultures and histories are an important part of who we are and who we can become. To support this theory, I will celebrate our cultural diversity, provide a welcoming, safe and inclusive space for our families and encourage sharing of knowledge, experiences & celebrations to prompt respect and understanding of our diverse community.

The early years are formative years for our children and a critical start to a lengthy educational journey to adulthood.

I believe we should provide a positive ‘whole child’ approach weaving developmental learning from all the domains (physical, social / emotional, communication and cognitive) together to provide ongoing learning experiences that are safe, fun and inspiring. I will aim to guide them into the next stage of their development with confidence in themselves and excitement for learning.

How do you engage the families in your service?

At our centre we value parents as partners and encourage communication with an open-door policy and a warm welcoming environment. Communications are shared regularly through the following: monthly newsletters (including room reports), daily PowerPoint presentations, social media posts and regular verbal interactions. We also have a parent run committee, parent surveys, and weekly family question poll as initiatives to keep the families engaged in our community on a regular basis.

Being in a dual role I am often the first point of contact for our families at the centre, which provides me with an advantage in building relationships with our family base.

Whilst in the office I provide warm welcomes, take the time to connect, listen and answer family’s questions regarding childcare and our service and philosophy. As an educator in the rooms, very similar traits are required to encourage families to share or participate. Establishing a positive and welcoming space, greeting children and their families, taking the time to build relationships and communicate successfully. Every family is unique and should be treated as such.

What do you find rewarding about working in the early learning sector?

Knowing the small part I’ve played in a child’s achievements, learning journey or happiness is a privilege.

As educators we continually give a lot of ourselves to our roles both emotionally, financially and in time, but the returns are priceless. Being in the moment with the children to witness their success or support them in their growth are precious moments.

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What is your biggest challenge as an educator and what strategies do you put in place to manage these challenges?

What is the most important skill you hope to develop in the children you educate and care for?

Like many other educators, my biggest challenge is time, as I balance the role of Administrator and Relief Educator, with my studies and family life. Taking some time to plan and prepare has been beneficial for me personally. Scheduling time to research and study with a balance of practical time in the room so I am able to hone my skills and reflect on my practices. Having the support of my colleagues has been invaluable as they share their knowledge, experience and rooms with me.

I think every child has a natural thirst to learn and ask ‘why’ and as educators we must provide the opportunity and encouragement for the children to explore and develop. However, confidence and self-belief need to be nurtured and reaffirmed. Our children’s social and emotional wellbeing are skills that are fundamental to their success as adults. To have the confidence to speak up, to be who you are, to understand and own your feelings, to reach out and connect with another person, to build relationships and respect and appreciate each other and to be open to difference all require an element of confidence within yourself. By providing an inclusive, safe and loving space with inspiring opportunities to play, grow and learn we will provide an opportunity for each child to find themselves.

How have the challenges you faced helped you to grow as an educator?

So far, my journey has inspired personal reflection and continued growth. I have felt privileged to be a part of the lives of the children and families at our centre and thoroughly enjoyed my first year as an educator, so much so that I believe there is still plenty more for me to do, experiences to share and many more questions to answer.

So, my next step is to continue my own educational journey by signing up for my Diploma.

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EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2019

‘Believe in yourself and you will be unstoppable.’

What advice would you give to someone who wishes to start a career in early learning?

Working with children is a calling, an industry that requires dedication, passion, patience and ingenuity from all of its participants. The hours are long, but the achievements are many so if you have the passion and the drive to be that first light in a learning journey, or to provide the comfort when there’s a fall or to be the best advocate for our children then I’d say sign up.

Do your research, first to look at learning pathways / opportunities, approach centres or educators to ask advice and find out more about the roles and opportunities available.

Finally, what’s your fondest memory from your own childhood?

My favourite childhood memories are of time spent with my Grandma Jean and my cousins. Long summer days spent playing outside building forts, ball games, roleplaying, and picnics in the park, feeding the ducks or building sandcastles. But baking with my Grandma Jean is my most favourite memory of all, the smell of cupcakes baking in the oven after a morning spent helping with the measuring and mixing, helping to mix the butter icing and getting to lick the spoon.

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Member in the Spotlight

We have launched a new series called ‘Member in the Spotlight’ with the aim to share stories of members and the things that make them tick.

This is the space to share with the ACA Qld family what you are doing to improve outcomes for Australia’s youngest generation.

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EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2019

In this issue, Trisha Dean, Centre Director at Karana Early Education Centre, shares their innovative approach to developing and retaining highly capable educators.

At Karana, we have built a strong staff team, who are both highly competent and also have longevity of service. Our staff turnover is virtually non-existent.

planning, the understanding of what is going on for the child, the flow of new knowledge pouring into the space. It is magical.

I credit this with the way we view our team. We are NOT just a group of people doing a job. We are a family team. I give my team every respect, trust, care and autonomy in their work. I encourage the team to find their strengths and sit in that space. It’s quite simple really – extend the same philosophies to your staff team, that you expect them to extend to the children.

And then – when we start sharing this knowledge with families through shared reflections, conversations, blog posts and articles – the process becomes one which not only benefits children in our space, but one which continues through to home as well. Providing a link that is imperative for the shared care of children between us and their primary caregivers.

Professional development is a big part of the growth of our team. And as a TEAM, we engage in further learning.

Of course, there will be times when there is something more honed in, but for the majority, our development happens together. We are a close-knit group and do much of our reflection out in the open, where everyone can have a voice. Areas for development are most often identified through observation of the work that educators are engaging in, or areas that there might be a lack of knowledge in. For example, when the topic of “Schema” came up a few years ago, it was identified that not many had much deep knowledge of this concept. We began with discussions together in a team meeting, followed by sharing of knowledge, information and thinking over many weeks.

We did reading and started gaining some knowledge. I then sourced the best qualified presenter I could find and engaged a professional learning day for our team.

Professional development is just one way we bring our team together. I believe the biggest success comes from the recognition of people’s strengths and looking at what they can bring to our team, rather than what the team needs from them. Not expecting people to leave their personal lives at the door, but to bring their whole self in. We don’t want just part of people – we want their whole.

Each month in our staff meeting, we share our interpretations of an identified area. In the above example, over several months staff observed and planned for children with a lens of schema, and then brought their thinking back to the team. This enriches learning in a way that nothing else can. It pours it over time and builds a strong capacity.

Learning and change cannot be hurried. It needs time. People need time. It’s about knowing and respecting that. The whole process of professional development for our team falls under the umbrella of ‘action research’. Implementation of new knowledge can be seen occurring. The focus when

We do many things to celebrate together. But it should be noted, that this does not generally require a budget, or a pour in of money. It involves emotion and the way we care for one another. It involves coming together. It involves kindness. Just as we don’t work on rewards and punishments for children, we do not use this for the adults in our space either.

“People will typically be more enthusiastic where they feel a sense of belonging and see themselves as part of a community than they will in a workplace in which each person is left to his own devices.” (Alfie Kohn, Punished

by Rewards).

Kohn’s work shows that while manipulating people with incentives seems to work in the short run, it is a strategy that ultimately fails and even does lasting harm. Our team is built up through mutual passion for working with children and a respect for one another. It is about the way we show kindness and support through every situation.

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2019 19

Educators are given the opportunity to touch base formally and reflect with me on their growth and performance. We don’t use a “staff appraisal” format – but rather a reflective analysis – with a focus that reflects where our team is at a particular junction. The focus is always based on strengths of people and how we can grow those. The process is different each year as our team develops. It is always about growth and development though. Along with more formal processes, there is a constant touching base and support for staff – lifelong learning at the core. One of the biggest things I can do is to notice what is going on for people. To know their personal and work situations, and how I can support them.

Every year, we do recognise Early Childhood Educator’s Day. We see this as a day for families to give voice to their appreciation of the people that care for their children. A wall of our centre is devoted to messages from families, children, community and the team. And we have kept all these messages for the past five years. They are something that people can go back to. Feeling gratitude from others is a wonderful feeling, and sharing our own gratitude is important too. Just one more thing that aids in the retention of our team.

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EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2019

There are so many “things” that happen to build our strong team. But the thing that cannot be overlooked is that at the end of the day – it all comes down to the relationships.

It comes down to caring and supporting one another. When people join our team, they are selected for their values and outlook first, and their qualification and knowledge later. Qualifications and knowledge are things that we can help with, and build. Core values are not. People need to be a fit for our team. Our team is family. Our whole service is family. There is nothing more important than people feeling that they belong, are trusted and are valued.

This story originally appeared in ACA’s Belonging Early Years Journal, Volume 7 Number 3 2018.

“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”

– Phil Jackson

“I want a super fund that’s an expert at managing money.”

Vindhya Mendis, HESTA member

We’ve been awarded a 15 year platinum performance rating from Australia’s most respected super research company, SuperRatings.

That means we’re not only one of the largest super funds in the country, we’re also one of the best.

Product ratings are only one factor to be considered when making a decision. See hesta.com.au/ratings for more information. Issued by H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd ABN 66 006 818 695 AFSL 235249, the Trustee of Health Employees Superannuation Trust Australia (HESTA) ABN 64 971 749 321. This information is of a general nature. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or specific needs so you should look at your own financial position and requirements before making a decision. You may wish to consult an adviser when doing this. Before making a decision about HESTA products you should read the relevant product disclosure statement (call 1800 813 327 or visit hesta.com.au/pds for a copy), and consider any relevant risks (hesta.com.au/understandingrisk).

Get to know your committee Brent Stokes > ACA Qld Committee Member and General Manager

How did you get involved with ACA Qld – as a committee member and now as the General Manager?

I was living in Papua New Guinea, working in the hospitality industry as a Sales & Marketing and Revenue Manager for the Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn in Port Moresby. I was working about 70 hours a week and loved it. However, I did start to think that my time could be better used working for myself and in a sector where I could make more of a difference.

I wanted to be a part of an industry that I could be passionate about while also being closer to my family and friends. I started researching early learning services and made the leap in March 2005. At the time I didn’t appreciate what I was getting myself into and although several business skills may be transferred across sectors, I had no idea how much I had to learn.

On 17 April 2006, I moved back to Australia and actively started working in my centre. That same year, I attended

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my first ACA Qld conference; however, I still didn’t understand what amazing work our association did. I was asked to consider joining the committee in 2007 and was honoured to be elected by my fellow members to the position of Committee Member.

In 2007, we built a second early learning service, and in 2009 we purchased a double centre. 2016 was the perfect storm; my amazing, beautiful and intelligent daughter Sloane was born, and my family made the tough decision to sell our centres.

I was a little lost and didn’t know what was next for me professionally — timing was on my side, and I was incredibly fortunate that ACA Qld was looking to reappoint a General Manager. After applying for the position, the process took nearly five months to ensure complete transparency took place. I was so excited to start on 7 February 2017 (in fact I am writing this on my second anniversary as GM!). I initially began three days per week,

as the business demands grew, the role has developed into four days a week. It is perfect for me as it allows me to have my most special day of each week – Sloane/Daddy day. I am very grateful to work with such a passionate and enthusiastic committee, office and CAECE team and I’m very proud of what we have achieved so far.

Of the 12 years that you’ve been a part of ACA Qld, what’s your favourite memory?

It is too hard for me to name a favourite memory as I enjoy it all. The conference, working with and for members, working with a fantastic bunch of people, collaborating with both the state and federal ACA branches, department and government. It is such a cliché, but I truly believe my best (favourite) times are ahead.

Any final words?

I would like to say thank you. Thank you for trusting and believing in me. I always strive to be better than I was yesterday, and I hope that members feel that they have the right person for the role. Finally, my favorite saying (and the office team has heard me say this multiple times) is TEAMWORK, MAKES THE DREAM WORK! You can reach Brent Stokes on 0424 990 776 and gm.qld@childcarealliance.org.au.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the sector?

In my opinion, by far the most significant challenge currently facing our sector is the second year of Kindergarten/Preschool. ACA Qld has been aware of this issue for approximately a year now and is well positioned to turn this threat into an opportunity. There is a lot of work ahead of us, and we will need everyone’s voice to achieve the best possible outcome for Australian children.

What is your vision for ACA Qld? Where do you see our association in five years?

I am so proud of where the association has come from, where we are today, and I believe our future is bright.

My vision for ACA Qld is to grow, to be self-sufficient, holistically supportive of the industry and revered by all.

If someone wants to be a part of the committee, what would you say to them? Any advice?

Do it. It is a lot of hard work, but well worth it. Firstly, engage as frequently and as profoundly with the association as you can by actively participating in member meetings, with the committee, office and myself.

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2019 23

Your Assessment and Rating visit is here!

Louise Dorrat > Early Years Consultant

The Assessment and Rating process is designed to ensure continuous quality improvement of the safety, health and wellbeing of all children and give them the best start to life and learning (DET 2018).

Anticipation of the visit can be stressful when you have worked so hard on the QIP and ensured all documentation is prepared. I have provided some tips to support your team to view the process as a way to showcase the features of your service and identify what needs to be improved.

What will authorised officers observe, discuss and sight?

Ten Top Tips for the assessment visit

Observe children, families, educators, directors, co-ordinators and staff members as part of the service’s practices.

1. Inform the team and families of the process and the date of the visit and what to expect.

Discuss the service’s practices with educators, directors, coordinators or staff members.

2. Ensure the leadership team is positive and promote confidence to parents and all staff in the lead up and during the visit.

Sight documentation required by the Regulatory Authorities and other documentation as evidence of the service’s practices (ACECQA, 2018).

Promote your program without going weak at the knees.

Every service is different, and every authorised officer is different. Reflect on what makes your program unique.

All educators should be able to speak with confidence about the service’s philosophy, curriculum, routines, documentation and practices.

It is not required to know your philosophy ‘word for word’ however you should be able to talk confidently about your beliefs regarding children, families, the pedagogy and curriculum. Why do you like working here? What are you most proud of?

Reflecting on the ‘how’ and why’ of your practice is useful to identify the intent and purpose of why you set up a particular experience or respond in a particular way to a child’s comment or question. If you are confident in your pedagogy, then you won’t be defensive when answering questions. Authorised officers will only ask a question if they need further information about a particular practice to ensure the standards and regulatory requirements are met.

It is in the service’s best interest to be as clear and concise as possible.

What happens when Wasabe has just put her finger up Kale’s nose during the visit?

Normal every day occurrences such as tantrums, dealing with casual staff and accidents will always happen.

Sometimes this occurs as the authorised officer walks through the door and in these situations, it is how we react and respond that is important.

If the authorised officer is asking you a question and a child is upset at that moment, be confident in explaining that you will be back to answer the question after you have responded to the child or dealt with the situation. This shows that your first priority is the rights and/or safety of the child.

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The Assessment and Rating process is designed to be collaborative and empowering. Collaborate with the authorised officer, ask questions, provide additional information and sell your pedagogy.

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2019

3. Read the Guide to the National Quality Framework (updated October 2018) for examples of what the authorised officers may observe, discuss and sight.

4. Ensure all documentation is available and organised to provide evidence to support particular practices.

5. Walk through the service in the shoes of the authorised officer at different times of the day.

What can you see on the doors, walls and benches?

What do you hear the educators say? Are the children engaged?

6. Welcome the authorised officer when they arrive.

First impressions are important.

7. Ask questions of the authorised officer if anything is unclear.

8. Things will go wrong, they always do! It is how you handle it that is important.

9. Do what you always do. Children will pick up any differences in your responses or routines.

10. Remember this is an opportunity to demonstrate the quality of your practice. Be proud!

At the session at the ACA Qld conference in June, the Assessment and Rating process will be unpacked further, including the requirements of the Exceeding Themes.

• Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority ACECQA (2018) Guide to the National Quality Framework. Sydney Australia • QLD Department of Education (2018) Preparing for assessment

See Louise Dorrat at the ACA Qld 2019 Conference!

Connecting with Parents: Using social media to engage your early learning centre’s community Sam Jockel > ParentTV

Over the past seven years I have started and grown three separate online communities with over 650,000 parents including the Facebook pages School Mum and ALDI Mum and the online parenting platform ParentTV. Before entering the online world, I studied a degree in Human Services / Community Development which I believe was the secret to my online success. Building community is about a twoway conversation that gets people involved and that’s exactly where the social media magic happens online.

ALDI Mum worked because I am a mad crazy ALDI fan and the whole point of the page was to have some fun and get other people’s feedback about ALDI products. I would post a picture of a product e.g. Organic Australian Honey and then people would simply post their opinion underneath. Online, people are interested in real feedback not just a product spiel from a company. Sometimes the feedback about a product would be great and sometimes it was not so good.

Ultimately people engaged ALDI Mum because they got to participate, and they received useful, interesting information and it was fun.

The focus of my School Mum community was to engage parents of school aged children with content that was helpful on this journey called parenting. Having had kids at a similar age to my School Mum community was also very useful. This meant that I knew exactly what other parents were going through, what kind of information they were looking for, and the type of questions they would want answered. I knew amongst the busyness and stress of parenting sometimes mums would just want something that would make them giggle and feel a bit better. What I discovered was a kind of formula that I would end up naming my business after. It was Good, Funny, Smart.

What people engage with the best on Facebook fits into one of these three categories:

Good: Content that is warm, fuzzy, and tugs at the heart strings e.g a touching parenting story or social issue.

Funny: Simply something that makes you giggle or laugh out loud e.g. a meme or picture.

Smart: Helpful articles or videos that give clear, concise parenting advice e.g. How to understand my two-year-old.

The two platforms I use for social are Facebook and Instagram. Most of you reading this will already know how to use these platforms. Some of the key fundamentals for reaching new and existing parenting online is having a variety of posts on your page which will engage and entertain parents alongside your centre photos and updates.

The thing about good content is it gets shared. If people are sharing your content then other people in their network will be seeing it, and that may be potential new clients and families.

When you have a clear understanding of what social media is, why people are using it and how your center can be a part of the fun it makes life a whole lot easier.

Creating simple strategies and having a specific plan makes keeping up with social media much more realistic for any business. Simple things like having a content posting plan outlining the types of posts you are going to put on your Facebook page over the week and a designated person to make it happen is as simple as it needs to be.

Social media offers an amazing opportunity to early learning centers to connect and support with parents in their center and I am very excited to be sharing more of my tips and tricks during my workshop at the ACA Qld conference this year!

See Sam Jockel at the ACA Qld 2019 Conference!

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2019 25

What is Anaphylaxis?

The team at National First Aid Training Institute

Anaphylaxis is becoming more common, particularly in younger children that are coming into Early Education.

Did you know?

• The most common allergy in the world is egg, not peanuts • Peanuts aren’t actually a nut, they are a legume (peas and beans) Some people who have nut allergies can still eat peanuts.

• Allergens aren’t always called what you expect on the back of a packet, for example, milk could be called Casein Hydrolysate or Lactalbumin Phosphate • One of the rarer triggers of anaphylaxis can be exercise. In severe cases, a strenuous workout could be potentially fatal (and you thought that was a myth, didn’t you?)

• 1/2000th of a single nut can be enough to set off a severe allergic reaction in some people • Severe allergic reactions can be cured with a desensitization program over many months.

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EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2019

A change in 2018 saw changes to how we administer an EpiPen. The steps on how to use an EpiPen now are: Remember Blue to the Sky, Orange to the thigh 1. Remove blue safety cap 2. Firmly press orange end into patient’s thigh until it clicks 3. Hold in for 3 seconds 4. Record the time of administration Why have we changed from 10 seconds to 3 seconds?

The EpiPen only needs to be held into the patient’s thigh for three seconds.

You get 90% of the dose within the first three seconds so there is no added advantage to holding it in any longer than that.

Why don’t you rub the site now like we used to?

We used to rub the injection site of the EpiPen after administration, now

we don’t as studies have shown that all it really does is irritate the skin.

The team at NFTI are a Queensland based First Aid Training Provider and Registered Training Organisation.

They specialise in contextualised first aid training for those in the Early Education Industry. nfti.edu.au

Keep your children safe – A guide for creating secure passwords The team at onPlatinum

With an increase in cyber-attacks and online bullying, we can no longer ignore the importance of having a secure password to keep children safe online.

In our modern world we have passwords everywhere. Trying to remember both your personal passwords and the passwords for your children’s accounts is impossible in this digital age. It’s no wonder that 123456, password, sunshine, princess, and iloveyou topped the list of most commonly used passwords in 2018 according to Splash Data.

So how do you protect your children online? It all starts with passwords.

Below we have outlined some ideas to create secure passwords to keep your children safe online so you can worry a little less.

What makes a secure password?

The first step in password security is to create a secure password. Here are five tips to follow to increase your child’s password security and make them safe.

1. Don’t use the same passwords for multiple applications. All your children’s online accounts should have different password. If there is a breach in one, using the same password can allow it to spread quicker.

2. Use a mixture of capital letters, lower case letters, symbols, and numbers. The more you mix up the characters, the higher the level of security your passwords will have. Avoid any obvious replacements such as home.

3. Ensure your passwords are at least 12 characters in length. While most applications only ask for eight characters, the longer your password the more secure it is.

4. Avoid a combination of common or dictionary words. Any complete word on its own such as computer or home aren’t secure and can easily be cracked.

5. Make it complex. Avoid simple words, place names and proper nouns. Avoid anything personal such as your dog’s name (yes, we are all guilty of this), names, birthdays, etc. as these can be easily guessed. If you want to use a combination of words increase the security by adding capitalization, symbols, numbers and make the words random.

Use a Password Manager The best option with so many passwords and a need to increase security is to use a password management tool. These are often free, online app-based tools that will store all your passwords. Some enhanced features include providing new random secure passwords, integration with internet browsers and mobile apps and two factor authentications. Since they store all your passwords in one place, you only need to remember one password moving forward.

Some worth considering are: Dashlane, LastPass or 1Password.

Use two-factor authentication Regardless of the password, you can increase your child’s security online by using two factor-authentication. This is a process where there are two checks in place to protect online accounts: the password and then another element.

The second element is something that only the user would have such as a mobile phone, physical token or fingerprint. It’s the combination of the two that adds the additional layer of security. If you were hacked the hackers wouldn’t have access to the second element.

It’s becoming increasingly common.

You may have noticed with online banking where a code is SMSed to your phone, and both the code and password are required for access. It’s as easy as connecting your mobile phone to your child’s account to add an additional layer of security.

Having a secure password is the first line of defense in keeping your child safe online. By creating secure passwords and changing them regularly, you are well on your way to keeping your children safe and secure online. onPlatinum ICT – Childcare Technology Partners l 1300 428 667 onplatinum.com.au

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2019 27

Supporter Members Directory Service

Contact

Area

Phone

Web

Accounts Advantage

Wanda Reynolds

Beenleigh

07 3209 8266

www.accountsadvantage.com.au

Bronze Business Services Pty Ltd

Tracey Jory

Thuringowa Central

0422 112 777

www.bronzebusiness.com.au

Elston

Ben Greenwell

Brisbane

1300 357 866

www.elston.com.au

Peter Price & Associates

Peter Price

Mt Ommaney

07 3376 3411

www.peterprice.com.au

ANZ Business Bank

Lyn Lange

Brisbane

0401 992 583

www.anz.com

Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Stephanie Kovacevic

Brisbane

07 3014 0714

www.commbank.com.au

Childcare Concepts

Hilary Knights

Fortitude Valley

0407 572 725

www.childcareconcepts.com.au

Graeme Pettit

Graeme Pettit

Benowa

0421 289 818

www.harcourts.com.au

Absolute Support Training & Resources

Darlene Wadham

Wynnum

0488 666 455

www.absolutesupport.com.au

Astute Early Years Specialists

Mel Comerfood

Chapel Hill

1300 928 228

www.weareastute.com.au

Early Learning Management

Naomi Freney

Bundall

07 5592 5800

www.elm.net.au

Elite Childcare Management

Debbie Thompson

Cannon Hill

0435 743 212

www.elitechildcaremanagement.com.au

G8 Education

G8 Education Team

Varsity Lakes

07 5581 5336

www.g8education.edu.au

Giggletree

Samantha Ahearn

North Lakes

07 3482 2490

www.giggletree.com.au

Guardian Early Learning Group

Helen Baker

Kelvin Grove

07 3832 7933

www.guardian.edu.au

Kids and Adults Learning

Annette Cunado

Northgate

1300 783 880

www.kal.net.au

QLECS (Qld Lutheran Early Childhood Services)

Maryann Sword

Milton

07 3511 4079

www.qlecs.org.au

Ready Now Resources

Louise Thomas

Helensvale Town Centre

0410 456 607

www.readynowresources.com.au

Shilus

Stephanie Smith

Oxenford

0402 252 762

www.shilus.com.au

Mark Elliott

Balmain

02 9235 2807

www.careforkids.com.au

CaterSafe

Glenn Raine

Port Curtis

0409 685 344

www.catersafe.com.au

Compliance Auditing & Training Australasia

Jerome Cramer

Brisbane

0412 024 258

www.cataptyltd.com

Kids Dig Food

Deb Blakley

North Lakes

0413 433 144

www.kidsdigfood.com.au

Yummies for Little Tummies

Darlene Clark

Sumner

07 3161 8063

www.yummiesforlittletummies.com.au

Peter Jarrett

West End

07 3230 8501

www.guildgroup.com.au

Giovanni Porta

Geebung

07 3265 3888

www.portalawyers.com.au

Nathan Mullan

Newstead

07 3124 5500

www.ezidebit.com.au

Ausplay Playscapes

Barry Healey

Wacol

07 3879 4444

www.ausplay.net.au

Surface Pro

Janet Osborne

Nerang

0418 741 507

www.surfacepro.net.au

Timberplay

Sally Alderton

Gold Coast

07 5563 3755

www.timberplay.com.au

Wearthy

Caitlin Murphy

Mudgeeraba

0456 780 20

www.wearthy.co

Cyber Drafting & Design

Jodie Mark

Tingalpa

07 3393 9159

www.cyberservicesgroup.com.au

Jardine Architects

Greg Jardine

Brisbane

07 3229 9322

www.jardinearchitects.com.au

Mathiou Services

Mathiou Services Team

Burleigh Heads

1300 363 423

www.mathiouservices.com.au

Accounting, Bookkeeping & Financial Services

Banking Services

Brokers

Consultancy / Management

Directories / Marketing Care For Kids Food & Nutrition

Insurance Services Guild Insurance Legal Porta Lawyers Payment Solutions Ezidebit Playground Equipment / Surfacing

Property Services

28

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2019

Service

Contact

Area

Phone

Web

Sensus Building Group

Zane Taylor

Brendale

0409 498 429

www.sensus.com.au

1Place Online

Martin Bing

St Heliers

0495 200 612

www.1placeonline.com

ChildcareCRM

Chuck Gibbs

Brisbane

02 8880 0404

www.childcarecrm.com

Core SME Services

Kelvin Wiggins

Fairlight

0490 796 085

www.coresme.com.au

Kidsoft

Kidsoft Team

Broadbeach

1800 827 234

www.kidsoft.com.auÂ

Kindy Now

Sean Maynihon

Cremorne

1800 154 639

www.kindynow.com

MiCare Global

Sharyn Fewster

Brisbane

1300 393 359

www.micareglobal.com

Penelope QIP

Steve Collier

Toowoomba

1300 435 962

www.penelope.com.au

QikKids

Sean Murphy

Morningside

1300 367 770

www.qikkids.com.au

think

Oliver Tams

Brighton

03 8306 3610

www.thinkprocurement.com

Future Champs

Nathan Riddle

Tallai

0421 043 511

www.futurechamps.net.au

Physi Kids

Kayleen Tolley

Cannon Hill

0414 559 997

www.physikids.com.au

Silva Everaers

Brisbane

07 3337 5230

www.randstadeducation.com.au

Child Care Super

Julie West

West End

0498 001 193

www.childcaresuper.com.au

HESTA Super Fund

Joanne Fenton

Brisbane

07 3223 4906

www.hesta.com.au

My Life My Super

Michael Huskisson

Melbourne

03 9648 4726

www.mylifemysuper.com.au

QIEC Super

Pam Abrey

Brisbane

0417 260 825

www.qiec.com.au

ABC School Supplies

Graham Bone

Capalaba

07 3823 2999

www.abcschoolsupplies.com.au

Bellbird Kid-z Educational Resources

Chris Carson

Dandenong

03 8795 6999

www.bellbirdkidz.com.au

Bright Spark Enterprises

Keith Garrett

Samford Valley

07 3289 2800

www.brightsparkenterprises.com.au

Bunnings

Gerard Brewty

Educational Experience

Andrew Williams

Brisbane

0407 693 391

www.edex.com.au

iSandBox

Joseph Golubinsky

Gold Coast

1300 748 989

www.iSandBox.com.au

Modern Teaching Aids

Marco DeGeus

Frenchs Forest

02 9938 0411

www.teaching.com.au

ParentTV

Sam Jockel

Brisbane

0401 198 625

www.parenttv.com

Pre-School Equipment

Karen Clark

Elsternwick

1300 555 972

www.preschoolequipment.com.au

Step4

Katie Kennard

Lisarow

1300 720 353

www.steproducts.com.au

The Book Warehouse

Sean Berkeley

Albion

07 3862 6177

www.thebookwarehouse.com.au

ACE Community College

Robyn Keenan

Burleigh Waters

07 5520 3026

www.acecolleges.edu.au

Australian Child Care Career Options (ACCCO)

Narelle Cossettini

Fortitude Valley

07 3257 1972

www.accco.com.au

Australian College of Teacher Aides and Childcare

ACTAC Team

Clayfield

1300 511 455

www.actac.com.au

College for Australian Early Childhood Educators (CAECE)

Richard Fimeri

Brisbane

07 3299 5784

www.caece.com.au

ECTARC

Melissa Moutia

Warrawony

02 4223 1111

www.ectarc.com.au

EVAC-YOU-8

Chantelle Frew

Warringah

02 9939 2596

www.evacyoueight.com.au

Fluid First Aid

Ben Cleaver

North Lakes

1300 976 276

www.fluidfirstaid.com.au

In Safe Hands Educators in Safety

Michael Pecic

Arana Hills

1300 794 644

www.insafehands.net.au

Inspire Education

Kirsten George

Brisbane

1800 506 509

www.inspireeducation.net.au

National First Aid Institute (NFTI)

Liz Bryant

Maroochydore

07 5443 1966

www.nfti.edu.au

Safe Sleep Space

Cindy Davenport

Collingwood

1300 775 337

www.sleepsmarteducation.com.au

Sasha Goodwin

Sasha Goodwin

Gold Coast

0411 751 442

Herron Todd White

Simon Fox

Brisbane

07 3002 0900

www.htw.com.au

Trivett Property Group

Darren Trivett

Fortitude Valley

07 3216 1011

www.trivett.net.au

Software / IT Support

Sports and Fitness

Staff recruitment Randstad Education Superannuation

Toys & Resources

0447 032 873

Training Providers

Valuers

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2019 29

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