Early Edition Autumn 2017

EarlyEdition AUTUMN 2017

Young children in nature Have you become the food police?

How to hold on to top talent Not just paperwork

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EarlyEdition AUTUMN 2017

Cover Photo: Fun in the rain.

Contents ACA Queensland 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 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.

ACA QLD President’s Report

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ACA President’s Report

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Young Children in Nature: Why all the Hype?

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How does the natural environment impact the development of our children? 6 Have you become the food police?

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Happy Birthday

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Not just paperwork

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Educator In Profile

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Fostering the Future of Families

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Are tantrums only for toddlers?

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How to hold on to talent top

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Subpoenas and how they should be dealt with

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Guarding against doorway finger injuries

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Get to know your committee

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Associate Member Directory 28

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Executive

Committee Members

ACA Queensland Office

Acting President - Majella Fitzsimmons

Gwynn Bridge

Debra North

General Manager - Brent Stokes

Vice President - Brent Stokes

Doug Burns

Rosa McDonald

Office Manager - Jen Smyth

Treasurer - Linda Davies

Jae Fraser

Janet Schluter

Office Admin Assistant - Letitia Murphy

Acting Secretary - Louise Thomas

Kerrie Lada

Project Officer - Claudette Cabilan

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2017

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ACA QLD President’s Report On behalf of the Management Committee of Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland (ACA Qld), I extend you a warm welcome to the first 2017 edition of our Early Edition magazine.

I feel honoured to be chosen by the committee of ACA Qld to represent you as Acting President of the Association.

My history has been in early childhood education and care for nearly 25 years, working as an educator, a Director and now as a Director/part owner.

The many changes that have been implemented over this time have been both challenging and rewarding. What has never changed is the passion and drive I have for the education and care of children in their early years and the sustainability of the sector.

In 2012 I was elected to ACA Qld’s committee and have learned much about the workings of the association and particularly protocols and expectations that come with the privilege of being on the committee. I have been inspired by other committee members and their dedication in their volunteer roles. I have seen the battles and determination that this committee has put in to ensure members receive benefits from their representative bodies, both ACA Qld and ACA National.

As an employee, my loyalty determined that I work closely with my management and worked as though the service was mine. This increased my understanding and concerns raised with red tape, changes to legislation and the impact this has on our industry.

Now as a part owner of a service, I think it is important to put my hand up and work in the President’s role on the ACA Qld Committee to ensure the concerns of our members are heard and that the optimal outcomes are received by our members.

It is my pleasure to introduce and welcome our new General Manager, Brent Stokes. I am confident that Brent has, and will continue to have, the best interests of ACA Qld foremost in his mind when making decisions as our GM. Brent is more than suitably equipped for this position.

I would like to say a huge thank you to Jae Fraser for his leadership, drive and passion he has instilled during his time as ACA Qld President. He has worked tirelessly and I am very grateful he remains on the committee to offer support and guidance to both Brent and me. At the present time, Jae will continue to sit on ACA National Committee and we look forward to his reports.

We encourage all members to be alert to our updates on the Jobs for Families Childcare Package. Along with ACA National, we continue to hold regular discussions with all of government to ensure that families, children and services are not negatively affected by the proposed changes.

Jae, Brent and I attended the ACA National meeting held in Brisbane late February. This is a continuation of the ongoing work that ACA Qld contributes to the National agenda.

There was also an opportunity for other ACA Qld committee members to meet our state counterparts to strengthen our relationships and discuss future opportunities for our members.

The conference planning has reached its final stages and we are pleased to announce that it is open for registration. The conference program has been circulated and I hope you share my excitement for the speakers and networking opportunities we have planned for you. Don’t forget the “Winter Wonderland” Gala Dinner! It is a great opportunity to network and dance the night away. Go to www. childcareconference.com.au to view our exciting and jam-packed program!

I look forward to meeting you all in the very near future and at our conference in June.

Kind regards Majella Fitzsimmons

ACA Qld Committee with ACA President Paul Mondo at the recent ACA National meeting in Brisbane

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ACA President’s Report We hope you enjoyed a relaxing Christmas break and started the New Year with renewed energy and positive goals for 2017.

Whilst many of us were enjoying a period of rest, Australia’s early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector continued to spark debate in the media. Stories included the apparent need for significantly more services by 2020, to suggestion of 22% increase in fees by 2020, and the widespread coverage of Senator David Leyonhjelm’s polarising views on the level of skillsets required of our early childhood educators.

The data presented in these stories was not entirely accurate and more complex than presented. For example the (Victorian) Herald Sun predicted an increased demand for childcare, with more than 1,600 new long day care centres needed by 2020.

Whilst there are certainly pockets of Australia where demand currently outstrips supply, these are discrete, minority areas. The reality is many services are not operating anywhere near 100% occupancy. Meanwhile hundreds of centres are being built over the next two years, and over 1,000 planning applications for additional centres are being assessed by local councils as we speak.

The ACA has no doubt that the value of ECEC is being increasingly recognised by society. This, along with the likely increased government investment to reduce affordability concerns for many families, will bring about many more children being enrolled in ECEC services in the future. However, we are not convinced that the figures will reach the anticipated growth suggested in this story.

The ‘$223 a day for care’ newspaper headlines were also disappointing.

These claims were generated from the release of a Department of Education and Training report, which

anticipates fee growth in the vicinity of 22% over the next four years in some areas.

However, these stories failed to include the fact that fees across the country are more likely to land in the $100-$120 a day range as an average.

They also excluded the area-specific factors that may increase costs in certain locations, such as local real estate values. Even with the projected increases, most services will fall nowhere near the ‘$223 a day for care’ projection.

Last but not least, Senator Leyonhjelm announced his prehistoric views on the role of ECEC services on national television. He was correct on one point - the introduction of the National Quality Framework has been the biggest regulatory change to impact the sector, and without any additional funding for families, it has been the largest driver of fee increases since it commenced its rollout.

The Senator’s lack of recognition of the merit of these changes is saddening and flies in the face of the wealth of evidence reflecting the significant benefits of access to quality ECEC services both locally and internationally. These benefits include better intellectual development and higher levels of concentration, sociability and independence.

The ACA outlined these benefits along with a handful of relevant study results in its Pre-Budget Submission 2017-2018 to Treasury recently. You can view the submission on our website: www.childcarealliance.org.au.

I am sure Senator Leyonhjelm would be surprised to learn about the level and range of support provided to both children and families through ECEC

services, from assessing a child’s development, providing parenting advice, providing positive feedback or reporting concerns to families, supporting children and families through life difficulties such as separation or the loss of loved ones, and identifying and reporting concerns about a child’s well-being to parents and the appropriate government departments.

This extensive support provided by ECEC services is invaluable to these families and the community. The ACA is extremely proud of the ECEC sector and we will continue to promote the benefits of quality early learning to ensure that it receives the recognition and support required to remain sustainable, affordable and viable.

On a more positive note, the ACA extends its thanks to those of you who provided feedback about their experiences using AusKey and the Inclusion Support (IS) Portal.

The ACA was also extremely gratefuI to all of our members who supported our Project Rudolph initiative in December, to raise funds for families in financial difficulty over the Christmas season.

As a result of the funds raised, we were able to donate 48 food hampers to eligible families across Australia.

Our friends at Foodbank Australia and Aussie Farmers Direct were extremely grateful for our support and made sure the food boxes were delivered in the week before Christmas.

Thanks again to the centres and staff, the children and their families for supporting this initiative.

Paul Mondo President

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Young Children in Nature: Why all the Hype?

The Natura Education Team

These days it seems like we are regularly bombarded by messages, information and advice about our environment.

As a parent or child care professional, this bombardment seems to go up a few more notches as we try to make the best choices for the children in our care in terms of their health, development and their own growing knowledge of the world around them.

So where do we start?

What is truly important?

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Well, the short answer is that all of it is important.

So, the reality is that prioritising things to help us feel a little less overwhelmed is a good place to begin.

A fantastic starting point for both parents and educators is that basically whatever you believe to be important is what your children will also view as important. When we truly start

to look at the facts, the value of protecting our earth and all of its diversity and complexity is beyond measure.

In fact, we need a healthy environment in order to sustain life, and what is more important than that?

It is important to focus our energies on introducing young children to the grass-roots level of environmental

awareness. Here we can inspire them and hopefully light the flame of curiosity so that children will explore these concepts a little further in their own time and space.

The long-term outcome will of course vary as widely as the personalities and futures of the children themselves, so although some may follow a path where they embrace all aspects of this concept – organic gardening, protecting our animals and encouraging others to do the same – others may simply stop every now and again and appreciate the beauty all around them and know that taking care of it is worthwhile.

Both outcomes, and everything in between, are a valuable gift in anyone’s life.

Is there more to it than just ‘saving the planet’ (as important as this is)?

The answer is: absolutely!

Research confirms that children who are given the opportunity to

connect with nature are also reaping the benefits of things such as reduced stress, improved social skills, enhanced creativity and problemsolving skills, better self-discipline and even improved eyesight, to name just a few.

So in reality, it would seem that we as human beings need our natural world just as much as it needs us.

When children have the opportunity to explore freely and literally get their hands dirty, then the wonder of nature has the power to transform and pique the curiosity of even the most “I don’t like worms” kind of kid.

From mini beasts to water bugs, biodiversity to sustainability and recycling to composting (worms included) – we are simply offering children a new idea – a new way of thinking – a new experience – and the children, and their endless curiosity, honestly do the rest.

As carers, parents and educators all we need to do is just provide the setting and the opportunity and watch the magic take place.

Even on those days when you are really not sure the sun is ever going to shine on your three-year-old again (and we have all been there), taking them to the beach to run free or out into the rain to jump in muddy puddles can be enough to turn the day into something special, something they will remember and something they will learn from.

Natural and healthy living as well as a natural and healthy way of thinking will simply become part of a child’s life as they grow and mature as long as we plant and nurture the seed.

Find out more through our website at www.natura-pacific.com/education or contact us on 07 5576 5568.

You can easily incorporate this way of thinking and being too.

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How does the natural environment impact the development of our children?

The Educational Experience Team

We all know that the natural environment plays the most fundamental role in human survival.

It provides the essential elements that quite simply keep us alive.

But beyond contributing to the physiological level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, how does the natural environment impact the development of our children?

Connecting with nature is one of the most salient considerations in the National Quality Standard (NQS) and The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF); however, in a world where we are continually faced with a barrage of innovative and addictive pieces

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of technology, finding the balance can be difficult. And it is not just technology that poses as a challenge.

Safety hazards, security and risk management are now all part of our assessments.

A consideration to make when looking at the role the natural environment plays in your educational program is considering the amount of quality time children have to be able to meaningfully engage with the elements.

We can quite often jump to the conclusion that it is “too cold”, “too windy” or “too wet”. However, through exposing children to the wonderful diversity of the Australian environment we may in fact foster a love for the natural world. With

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appropriate clothing and considered planning, may you never use those words again!

Give children the gift of time in the natural world, allow them to engage in spontaneous play in its simplest form.

If we do so, we allow them to create, to innovate, to imagine and to explore without interference. We allow them to play, learn and develop in parallel with the world around them. This type of immersive learning has a holistic impact on the developing mind, body and spirit.

A study undertaken on the development of children who attend Forest Schools in England showed that after significant and prolonged exposure to the natural environment they experienced increased self-esteem, selfconfidence and social skills (O’Brien, 2009). Furthermore, development in language and communication skills

were also attributed to the children’s experiences in the natural world.

Time spent in the natural world also allow children to develop a sense of spirituality, that is, understanding that they are part of something bigger than themselves. They begin learning that there is an interdependence between people, animals and the land.

They begin to interact with natural elements, and, in turn, others with empathy, care and respect.

When it is time to come indoors, the natural world does not have to be a forgotten about, distant land as the door closes behind you.

In fact, a seamless integration between the two will allow for a less disruptive transition for children and educators. Your indoor environment should reflect similar elements to that of the outdoor. Including pebbles, wooden materials, seagrass, plants, hessian, and (dare we say it) dirt and sand. These types of resources can

be added to an array of experiences such as art and craft and engineering, encouraging fundamental cognitive skill development directly related to concepts such as STEAM. You will soon observe children organically sorting, classifying, grouping and counting according to imperfections, irregularities or common characteristics.

It is simple to see that the natural world is boundless and brimming with opportunities for learning and development so what are you waiting for? Be adventurous, get outside, bring the outdoors in and watch your children play, learn and grow with the natural environment as their everlasting educator.

Reference O’Brien, L. (2009). Learning outdoors: The Forest School approach. Education 3-13, 37(1), 45-60. http://dx.doi. org/10.1080/03004270802291798

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2017

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Have you become the

food police?

Deb Blakley, Kids Dig Food

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It’s easy to unwittingly and reluctantly become the food police, especially when you’re feeling pressure from parents to make sure children eat.

Isabelle’s mum, Melissa rushes in to the toddler’s room at 5:30pm.

• Children generally eat less, not more

“Did Isabelle eat all her food today?” she asks you.

• Children learn to ignore their hunger and fullness cues

“Well she ate her snacks quite well, but she wasn’t interested in lunch today,” you reply.

“So… all she’s eaten today is fruit and crackers? That really isn’t enough for a whole day!” says mum, as she gives you a frustrated look.

She hurriedly collects her child and her belongings and leaves the building.

Versions of this exchange can be heard in every childcare service across Australia, every day. What a dilemma for childcare educators! Being the food police is exhausting, and more importantly it doesn’t build healthy, happy eaters.

When parents and carers try to take over children’s jobs of deciding how much and whether to eat, problems surface. It doesn’t matter whether food is provided in a lunchbox from home or provided at care, the result is the same.

When we get pushy with food, things don’t go well:

• Battles increase • The joy goes out of meal times, for everyone It’s easy to unwittingly and reluctantly become the food police, especially when you’re feeling pressure from parents to make sure children eat.

You know you’ve become the food police when…

You give strong encouragement for children to finish their food, taste a food or take “one more bite”.

You find yourself bargaining with children about how much to eat.

You give praise or rewards for finishing, eating, trying or tasting food.

You make children stay at the table to finish food or to eat more (2-20 minutes is usually a typical mealtime length for under 5’s).

Feeding is Love At the essence of parents’ concern about nutrition at childcare is always: “Did my child have enough to eat today?”

Because feeding is an action/ expression of love and care for our kids. Parents want to know that their child “ate enough”, so carers and educators begin to focus on this too.

However, the best indicator of eating “enough” is steady and predictable growth. And that’s essentially what parents all want – for children to grow well and be healthy and happy.

Volumes eaten at any given meal are not good indicators.

Children also tend to have best and worst times of the day for eating. Get curious about this with parents so you can optimise the best times and relax a little at the worst. Can you guess the meal that is hands-down the worst for Under 5’s?

Hang your food police hat up and eat happy! www.kidsdigfood.com.au

You find yourself playing games or becoming a circus performer to get children to eat.

ith fo od Changing tactics w eat isn’t helpful, If we know that pressuring kids to d policing? what then is the alternative to foo Honour children’s appetite, knowing that they may eat very little or nothing at some meals and be ravenous at others. Discuss a child’s unique appetite patterns with parents if they are concerned about the “how much”.

Share positive observations with parents about how their child is d learning and interacting with foo If es. tim l and behaving at mea you can’t find any positives and parents are struggling, engage with a paediatric Accredited Practising Dietitian for help.

Always speak about food nonjudgementally with children (and for yourself).

Don’t use words like GOOD, BAD, JUNK, TREAT, HEALTHY, UNHEALTHY, DIET & EATING CLEAN when discussing food.

These words and phrases put a . value judgement on food choices y the eve beli to kids h teac y The are “good” for eating some foods and “bad” for eating others.

Show children what they need to l Instead describe colour, shape, know about food, eating and mea smell, texture and the sound that time manners by eating meals and food makes. All food has a place. snacks with them. Role-modelling works and it is essential for building competent and confident eaters.

Support children when they make mistakes with food and eating by providing regular opportunities for children to eat, but not giving in to requests for food between meals. A grazing pattern of eating doesn’t teach children to tune into their body cues. A grazing child’s r requests for food often mean poo nts pare n whe e mad are ices cho and carers get caught off-guard.

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The Power of Music Lisa Deland, A Head Start Children’s Centre

Over the past twelve months at A Head Start Children’s centres on the Gold Coast, we have been busy exploring the many wonders of music as we now offer a myriad of daily musical experiences, actively recognising and acknowledging the power and benefits of a curriculum rich in the arts.

Music is now certainly an integral part of our daily being, with singing becoming second nature to children and educators, and in turn to families, as the joy of singing is shared in the home environment.

A highlight of our year was a visit to the Gold Coast Eisteddfod, with our Kindy and Preschool classes joining forces to form our inaugural choir. There were many hurdles to overcome before we were able to compete at the event. A very important factor was the absence of an early childhood section at the Eisteddfod. This was overcome as we were permitted to perform under the Lower Primary banner.

The weeks of hard work proved to be fruitful. The children were introduced to many new songs in preparation for the big event, together with the scheduling of occasional Saturday morning rehearsals as we strove to bring all the children together to sing at the same time, as we welcome many children on different days of the week. This is unlike a school environment where the same children attend continuously which is a luxury that we do not enjoy within the early years sector.

Awareness of friends and the need to develop sound strategies to enable team work were quickly established as the children bonded to form a choir. With this came the development of responsibility, with elder children naturally guiding their younger peers as challenges were embraced and goals were met. Due to the enthusiasm and musicality of the children that has progressed over the past year, the children’s awareness of intonation and rhythm enabled singing in rounds.

On the day of the Eisteddfod our Preschool and Kindy friends stole the heart of many as they performed

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inspirationally with confidence, courage and enthusiasm.

Their sense of security was evident as they entered the stage focused on the task in hand, with their innocence highlighted as their visual expressions, relaxed dispositions and large smiles reflected the pleasure and joy they were experiencing as they performed for their anxious audience.

This was a memorable day which was well attended, with family support for the occasion being overwhelming. The sense of achievement experienced by all children and staff was palpable.

Embracing a holistic approach to learning forms the core of the Early Years Learning Framework. Through developing and expanding our practices we have discovered that the inclusion of a program rich in music strengthens our focus on the development of the ‘whole child.’

Music encourages movement, self-control and aural awareness whilst stimulating coordination, vision and hearing. Socially the children will often work in groups, developing self-help, mentoring and leadership skills at an early age whilst highlighting cultural differences. Musical involvement is also an avenue of self-expression, with each and every child’s musical interpretations unique.

Our philosophy of ‘little and often’ with regard to musical exposure has enabled the children to grasp new concepts, with repetition a crucial factor as skills are acquired, perfected and developed.

Many achieved the unthinkable by successfully performing as a choir on the stage of the Gold Coast Arts Centre. Our emerging music program has had a significant impact on the growth and development of all our children, touching every aspect of personal wellbeing whilst embracing all.

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Happy Birthday Peta Halloran > Taigum Child Edu-Care Centre

2017 marks a big year for Taigum Child Educare Centre. Not only will the centre celebrate its 20th anniversary, but Daphne Schokman celebrates her 80th Birthday.

As a local business owner in the area, Daphne has seen many changes in this time, and seen the area grow into busy and prosperous suburbs.

Daphne has always had a passion for early childhood education, and caring for our youngest members of the community.

During her time at Taigum, she has seen children grow and move through her centre, later to continue onto school, university and some have even returned as students and employees. She instils in her staff that quality is limited only by imagination, dedication and skills. The children want our love, our attention, our stories and our time.

Daphne’s love for children and their care spills over further than just what happens at Taigum Educare Centre, she has a longstanding sponsorship with a Sri Lankan orphanage, which she visits regularly, most recently in 2016. She helps to fund the care, education and facilities that the children receive.

Daphne’s drive and dedication to the industry and her will for high quality care is something that all providers strive for. She is a special lady – Daphne is testament to the fact that age is only a number – her love for the children, families, staff and local community is what keeps her young at heart.

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Not just paperwork Dr Brenda Abbey > Childcare by Design Roslyn Copas > AusVoc Educational Publishing

If we say the word ‘documentation’ in early childhood education and care, most people assume we’re talking about documenting children’s learning.

That is an important aspect of delivering quality childcare, but it’s not the only type of documentation you need to help you work well in your service and be judged positively by the people most significant to your service.

Every childcare service is required to produce documents and other written material. This includes policies and procedures, parent and staff handbooks, forms for a variety of purposes, as well as duty statements,

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task sheets, and performance appraisals. You probably also produce brochures, information sheets, newsletters, website content, social media content, and perhaps other media releases, and so on.

to Leadership and Service Management, specifically refers to the professionalism, quality, and continuous improvement expected in all of the areas covered by this standard, including documentation.

The quality of this documentation reveals a lot about the quality and practices of a service — and you can be certain the regulators share this view.

However, you are also far more likely to be able to demonstrate your performance and compliance against the other Quality Areas as well, if you have high quality documents and written material in your service.

Quality Area 7 under the National Quality Standard, which relates

“The minimum standard is that your documentation must be complete, consistent, concise, and not contradictory.”

What does this mean in a practical sense?

3. Concise.

1. Complete.

It takes more time and effort to write well, but less time and effort to comprehend and act on the meaning of things that are well-written, so write as clearly and concisely as you can. Get professional help if this is not your strength or you don’t have time.

Ensure you have all of the documents and written materials you need to be compliant with the National Quality Framework, and to guide your people and your service’s daily operations with useful up-to-date information.

2. Consistent.

Think about your documents as one coherent set of materials that need to look and sound like they belong together and give the same messages in a way that can be easily interpreted by the people who need to read them — your staff, parents, regulators, students and volunteers, visitors and the community.

Use the start of the New Year as a major opportunity to review, update, and improve your service’s documentation.

How can you do this?

• Gather and read everything you have — Look back over the service’s written material as a whole and reflect on whether it meets the requirements and your operational needs.

• Decide whether you have all the correct information you need for compliance and to support your operations — Research, ask questions, and seek and consider feedback.

• Ensure it makes sense and flows well — Look for contradiction and repetition, vague or poor writing, and also where your documents aren’t consistent with the look and vision of your service.

When you are creating new documents and improving existing documents: • Think carefully about your audience — When you begin to write, try to imagine the staff or parents or community members or regulators who will need to read that material.

Write the content so it will make sense to them.

• Organise your information — Use

4. Not contradictory.

It is especially important that your documents don’t have content that contradicts the regulations and standards.

Also be sure they don’t contradict other documents in your set of materials, and that the quality of your documents isn’t contradicting your desire to portray your service as professional and high quality, and one that parents can trust to care for their children.

headings and sub-headings to break up content and make sure your ideas flow.

• Use plain language — The best professional writing uses the plainest words that will be familiar to readers and quick for them to understand in their busy lives.

• Only write as much as you need to convey the message — Keep sentences short, paragraphs to one main idea, and use bullet lists to explain steps and show related ideas simply and clearly.

• Use images with care — Think as carefully about the messages you send with photographs or other images as about what you say with your words.

• Don’t cheat by plagiarising or breaking the golden rule of copyright — If you didn’t write it, or it’s not your image, you probably need permission to use it, and you definitely need to acknowledge the source.

If you recognise that writing and developing high quality documents are not your greatest skills, and you don’t want the time and stress of trying to do it anyway, it is worth seeking support from professionals who can write what you need, make it fit with your set of documents and materials, present it beautifully, and make sure it

reflects well on the professionalism of your service.

Every time someone reads documentation from your service, it gives them an impression about you and sets their expectations for the standard and quality of the rest of your practices. This can have an impact on your bottom line.

For example, if staff don’t understand the service’s policies and procedures or don’t refer to them regularly, because they are out-of-date or inconsistent, then they could be wasting time, making mistakes, upsetting parents or colleagues, or causing non-compliances. If parents think your documentation is sloppy or confusing, they could consider taking their children elsewhere, or it could be a source of frustration and conflict.

If you’ve spent money to make sure your documents look great, but the content is poorly written, people could assume your service has more style than substance.

It’s worth your time and attention in 2017 to get the paperwork right.

Dr Brenda Abbey www.childcarebydesign.com.au www.facebook.com/ ChildcareByDesign Roslyn Copas www.ausvoc.com.au/contact.php

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2017 15

Educator In Profile Meet Sharon Ruprecht, the Educational Leader at Carmichael Kids in Morayfield.

What inspired you to forge a career in early childhood education and care?

How would you describe your early childhood philosophy?

I have always had an ability to bond with children and as I began to realise that the early years in a child’s life were the most important for their learning and development, I knew that working with children was my destiny. With a career beginning in accounting and customer service, I soon discovered I wasn’t getting job satisfaction. So, that’s how my journey into Early Childhood began and it was the best decision. I am passionate about making a difference in the life of a child.

My philosophy is best described as being committed to providing the highest quality care and by using the children’s strengths through a play based learning curriculum and to teach the child their value in God’s eyes.

Aiming to build children up for success in life.

Why are you passionate about early childhood?

I am passionate about providing high quality care to each child and it is so rewarding to see a child develop and grow in our care. The moment when a child runs up to you and shows you their achievements with a smile is rewarding.

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

Building relationships with the children and their families is the most rewarding aspect about working in the Early Childhood sector and feeling like I have made a difference in the life of a child. When a child calls out “Good Morning!” or “Hello Miss Sharon!” it confirms to me that I am making a difference in a child’s life.

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

I find the biggest challenge is remaining focused on the child and their individual learning and development in amongst all the other requirements. I find myself reflecting, “Have we provided a high level of care to every child? Are the families having their needs met?” I find that both personally and as a team, consistent Critical Reflection helps us as a service to provide continuous improvement across all areas. Another strategy I use is maintaining open communication with families and working together as a community.

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. - Proverbs 22:6

ding outstan r u o y t an If you w featured in our r o t a c u ct us on ed e, conta end an email in z a g a s m .

2366 or e.org.au 07 3808 hildcareallianc c to qld@

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

What is the most important skill you hope to deliver in the children you care for?

The challenges I have faced have helped me to grow in knowledge, confidence and remembering to pare back all the layers and think I am here to focus on the child and their family.

I hope to help each child develop skills that will lead to success in life – a love of learning, to be able to have a sense of agency and to treat others with kindness, respect and empathy.

What role do families play within the program you deliver? How do you engage them?

What advice would you give to someone who wishes to start a career in early childhood education and care?

Our families are an integral part of our community and are involved in every part of our program. We are privileged to be part of a church and school community on our site and this provides amazing opportunity for all of us to come together as one big family. Through an open-door policy, the platform of electronic groups like Story Park and daily communication are just some of the ways we involve our families.

Be prepared for hard work, to be open and accepting of all children and their families and to know that you are about to enter a journey where you can make a difference in the life of a child.

“The moment when a child runs up to you and shows you their achievements with a smile is rewarding.�

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2017

17

Fostering the Future of Families - A targeted early intervention and problem prevention approach Laurie Morrison, Bare Hands

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No doubt you have heard the news and it is quite likely you are seeing evidence in your community too; mental illness is on the rise and children are also affected.

This is a subject that only a few years ago, was somewhat taboo, but now is on everyone’s lips, particularly professionals involved in child development, health and education.

Poor stress tolerance, increased anxiety, low mood and exhaustion are symptoms associated with what the World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts will become the number one most morbific disease within three to four years.

The obvious question is, “How can we, as educators and health professionals, foster the future of families and future proof, in some measure, the wellbeing of children in our care?”

It’s clear that crisis management and late intervention are not enough. If we are to change predicted outcomes for a more positive future, there is an urgent need to look to early intervention and prevention with broad sweeping, psycho-education, addressing positive mental health and wellbeing life-skills. Collaboration between educators, parents, and health care professionals is needed.

Clinical research in social cognitive behaviour clearly demonstrates that role modelling is the most influential factor in behavioural shaping, learned resilience and positive emotional/ mental health outcomes.

Many adults lack the necessary skills and strategies to manage their own emotional wellbeing and are unable to model strategies and skills to help their children develop emotional maturity and social competence, skills which are most easily taught through example.

When we recognise that the emotional wellbeing of the child is directly affected by the emotional wellbeing of adults in the child’s life, it highlights the opportunity that educators and clinicians have, to implement positive change by providing adults with access to engaging resources.

Helping children achieve their full potential is much easier with a collaborative effort between parents, educators and clinicians who all want the best for the child.

The co-founders of Bare Hands, Roxanie Lebsanft and Laurie Morrison, have developed an educational resource, Resilient Families, which shares straight talking common sense strategies and skills for happier, more harmonious families. Resilient Families brings clinically proven early intervention within reach of every family and is endorsed by NQF Educational Consultancy to help Early Years educators meet their requirements for the Australian National Quality Standards while developing stronger partnerships with families.

Educators can receive five FREE sample articles by visiting www.barehands.com.au/families.

Self-regulation and pro-social behaviour starts at home.

Children miss out if their role models do not know HOW to communicate their needs effectively or manage challenging emotions and negotiate conflict positively.

Education is the key.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mental illness will become the number one most morbific disease by 2020. Their Mental Health Action Plan states the need to: • strengthen effective leadership and governance for mental health.

• provide comprehensive, integrated and responsive mental health and social care services in community-based settings.

• implement strategies for promotion and prevention in mental health.

• strengthen information systems, evidence and research for mental health.

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2017 19

‘the super fund for early learning professionals’

We are a specialist superannuation fund, dedicated to the early learning industry.

We’re here to help 1800 060 215 childcaresuper.com.au

Guild Trustee Services Pty Limited ABN 84 068 826 728 AFS Licence No. 233815 RSEL No. L0000611 as Trustee of the Guild Retirement Fund ABN 22 599 554 834 (which includes Child Care Super) My Super Authorisation No. 22599554834526. Refer to PDS for more information. For a copy, call 1800 060 215.

u o y , ry g n a in a m re u o y te u in “For every m d.” in m f o ce a e p f o s d n co se ty x si give up - Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Are tantrums only for toddlers?

Laurie Morrison, Bare Hands

Angry feelings are demonstrated in many ways; silent treatments, the ‘evil eye’ and verbal attacks are common ones.

We’ve all seen toddlers lay down on the ground screaming when things don’t go their way and sometimes, as adults, we can be just as unpredictable!

Blaming someone else for how we feel is a recipe for frustration because it leaves us powerless, as we can’t change anyone’s behaviour except our own.

Angry feelings are inevitable Everyone experiences anger and these feelings don’t make you ‘bad’ but they do often leave you feeling ‘sad’ if you overreact or deny your own needs in a situation.

Getting really curious and looking out for common triggers can help identify areas where more information or resources are needed. When you have young children, often the strategies required are around self-care and/or effective communication.

Put an early warning system in place If you’re feeling irritable, frustrated or resentful ask:

What could help, right now? or

What do I really want, right now?

Early warning systems prevent disasters in the event of tidal waves and cyclones and they can mitigate the damage caused by emotional overreactions too. Ask yourself:

Do I need to remove myself from this situation until I cool down?

Do I need to ask for help with something?

Is what I’m expecting of this person realistic?

Am I feeling unwell?

Have I looked after my own needs as well as everyone else’s?

Do I need a new strategy to address this issue effectively?

Reinforce progress Lasting change takes time and it’s important to recognise progress.

Positive reinforcement is just as important with yourself as it is with others.

When you take steps to prevent a damaging, angry outburst, remind yourself, “You managed that really well.”

Tantrums are for toddlers. As adults, we can choose our reactions, be effective role models and enjoy more peace of mind. ✔ Anger isn’t the problem -

overreacting is and not taking time to pause and think.

✔ Ask, “What can I change now?

What do I need?”

✔ Early warning systems prevent

disaster - know your own signals.

www.barehands.com.au info@barehands.com.au

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2017

21

top How to hold on to

talent

Natalie Waldman > Randstad

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High staff turnover can have huge implications for the education, care and services provided by childcare services throughout Queensland, which is why you need to understand why your staff stay with you, and what motivates them to leave.

Why staff stay

Why staff leave

The top five reasons people remain in a job, according to Randstad’s annual employer branding research is because they:

People leave their jobs for the following five main reasons:

1. Enjoy a good work-life balance (62%) 2. Receive a competitive salary (42%) 3. Have flexible working arrangements (38%) 4. Enjoy a pleasant company culture (35%) 5. Feel recognised for their work (33%)

1. There is a lack of career growth opportunities – typically no learning and development or opportunities to grow into a more challenging/senior position (51%) 2. Compensation is too low (39%) 3. Poor leadership (36%) 4. Work life balance issues (34%) 5. Lack of recognition or reward (34%)

The impact of employee turnover includes: • A loss of knowledge, consistency and relationships with the children and their parents/guardians • A decline in productivity due to disruption, training and rebuilding relationships • Extensive cost of hiring and training a new employee – not only financial costs but also intangible costs such as emotional and psychological costs felt by co-workers, children, parents and guardians

Developing a retention strategy While there is no magic bullet to prevent your staff leaving, developing an employee retention strategy is sensible insurance. An effective strategy should be flexible and responsive, involve short and long-term planning and be properly resourced.

The strategy should include: Transparency: From the start of the recruitment process, provide prospective employees with a realistic job preview to avoid false expectations. Immerse new employees in an appropriate induction and onboarding program to minimise departures during the first six months.

Communication: Communicate with your workforce about your Centre’s goals and progress. You can never really over communicate in this regard.

Giving employees a voice: This goes hand in hand with communication.

Have regular formal and informal discussions allowing your staff to have their say, voice their concerns or celebrate successes. Conduct formal employee feedback surveys, performance appraisals, focus groups and exit interviews in order to make ongoing improvements.

Talent management: Focus on managing and developing people – particularly those with potential.

Include on-the-job training, coaching or stretching them through development such as knowledgesharing, project management, networking events, leadership coaching and mentoring.

Manager accountability: Employees join organisations but they often leave due to their manager.

Treat everyone fairly, as even a perception of favouritism can lead to resignation and dissatisfaction in the workplace.

“So many childcare centres and schools need help in managing their talent – not just in terms of retention but also in attracting and engaging their talent,” says Matt Hodges, National Director of Randstad Education.

resource providing tips, advice, templates and forms, designed to guide employers through the minefield of people-related issues and concerns, including some of the more complex issues you may face when managing talent.

“At Randstad, we invest in providing the tools and resources to help organizations become more effective employers. The Randstad Human Resource Guide is a free, on-line

“The Randstad Human Resource Guide helps you find the best peoplerelated solution quickly and easily, whilst ensuring your organisation remains compliant, competitive and

Flexibility: Where possible, be flexible with hours and working arrangements.

Career management: If a promotion is not possible, a sideways move or stretching them with more responsibility or projects can boost skills, experience, knowledge and self esteem. Assist employees to set objectives and personal development plans, provide career information, advice, counseling, workshops and developmental assignments.

Employee benefits: While improving pay and benefits is obvious, offering a more flexible benefits package is a low or no-cost option.

Ensure you include all benefits in their package – i.e. flexible working conditions, learning and development opportunities, reward and recognition programs etc.

there is minimal to no impact on your employer brand. Putting into place over 50 years of international learning and expertise, the Human Resource Guide is like having an HR and employment law advisor at your desk” Visit http://humanresourceguide. randstad.com.au/ to register for your complimentary copy or contact your Randstad Education consultant.

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2017 23

There are three main types orders centre Directors will need to deal with from time to time. They are Subpoenas, Location Orders and Interim and Final Parenting Orders. These situations arise from parties to proceedings in the Federal Circuit Court or Family Court of Australia who have children or grandchildren attending centres.

This article will focus on Subpoenas and how they should be dealt with.

Subpoenas and how they should be dealt with Daniel Armfield > Porta Lawyers

Subpoenas are filed in the court when parties are seeking third parties to disclose documents or provide evidence.

One of the main reasons centres are served with a Subpoena is for records of who is signing a child in and out, and when. Other reasons may include incident reports and to gain knowledge of the general wellbeing of child or otherwise.

This is because in all matters before the courts the parties will inevitably need to support their case in the best interest of the child. This is why the development or otherwise of the child is extremely useful to the parties’ lawyers during proceedings. Likewise, where the court has appointed an Independent Children’s Lawyer (“ICL”) to represent the interests of the child during the court process, the ICL will file Subpoenas on the child’s doctor, school and childcare to obtain credible and objective evidence on the child’s development and wellbeing.

Should I automatically give whatever is asked for in a Subpoena?

The short answer is no. You should first get legal advice on the nature of what is being sought. This is because there may be possible reasons to object based on your childcare regulatory obligations.

Moreover, you don’t want to breach these obligations based on a poorly prepared Subpoena that may or may not be a fishing expedition.

Producing Documents When you are served with a Subpoena there will be a time you need to produce the documents by. Always check these dates and comply with them if you intend on

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producing the documents.

When producing the documents do not provide them to the law firm or party that served the Subpoena on you. The documents must be produced to the court and the Subpoena will have an address where they can be sent. Don’t assume that it will be in the Federal Circuit Court or Family Court or even local registry in the state you are in because if the matter is in filed in Melbourne and your centre is in Cairns and you return the documents to Cairns there is no guarantee they will get to Melbourne in time or at all.

A final thing to consider is that if your centre is owned by a company entity you will be served by post on your company’s registered address.

Ensure someone is checking the post at your registered address.

Conduct Money When you are served with a Subpoena it should also have a cheque for conduct money.

This is to compensate you for the time to produce and send the documents. The amount will vary on the request itself.

It is best to have your solicitor advise you on whether the amount of conduct money is sufficient to the request made.

Subpoena to Appear as a Witness Not as common as a Subpoena to produce documents is a Subpoena to appear as a witness in a trial. There is not a lot you can object to in appearing unless you are unwell or to compel you to appear would place undue hardship on the witness. You can however request to appear by telephone which would usually be granted. You will also need to be provided with conduct money. www.portalawyers.com.au

Guarding against doorway finger injuries The Guild Insurance Team

Guild Insurance continues to receive reports of serious injuries to children’s fingers due to them being caught in doorways at early learning services. It may surprise you to learn that these injuries are often quite severe and require long term medical treatment.

The Education and Care Services National Law states that all staff have a responsibility to protect children from harm and from any hazard likely to cause an injury. Whilst unfortunately we can’t guarantee incidents causing injury won’t occur, early learning centres must ensure their service is safe.

Tips for making doorways safer in your early learning centre: • Inspect all doors in your centre and assess the risk to children with each door. This should be done regularly as risks can change over time.

• When doing so consider the appropriateness of each door. Are they heavy and therefore close with great force? Are they fast closing? This should be looked at in conjunction with the location of each door. Are there high risk doors in areas that children regularly use?

• Install door guards or protectors as these are a very effective and

relatively inexpensive method of reducing injuries to fingers. There are a range of options available to suit different door types, all aimed at preventing fingers being caught in either hinge or handle sides of doors. These are also designed to fit both hinged and sliding doors.

• Educate all staff about the risk of fingers being caught in doors and the need to always be aware of children nearby when opening and closing doors.

• Communicate with the families who use your service about the risks posed by doors. Some incidents have occurred when a family member, such as a parent, has closed a door not realising there were children nearby.

• Place signs around the centre, particularly near doors, reminding staff and any visitors to the centre to be mindful of children when opening or closing doors.

Case example 1 A staff member closed a door behind her. On hearing a scream, she noticed a child next to the door who was bleeding from the hand. The door had been closed on the child’s finger resulting in the amputation of the finger tip.

Case example 2 A child’s finger was caught in a closing bathroom door; the child was alone at the time. The child’s finger was fractured and required surgery.

Case example 3 A staff member heard crying and noticed a child was bleeding heavily.

Another child said her finger was caught in a door they had closed.

There was a large gash on the child’s finger and stiches were required.

Guild Insurance Limited ABN 55 004 538 863, AFS Licence No. 233 791. This article contains information of a general nature only, and is not intended to constitute the provision of legal advice. Guild Insurance supports your Association through the payment of referral fees for certain products or services you take out with them.

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2017 25

Get to know your committee

Meet Kerrie Lada, ACA Qld Committee Member since 1999.

I have been an active committee member of Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland (ACA Qld) since 1999. My journey first started with ACA Qld after attending numerous breakfast meetings in my local region. At these meetings, we were encouraged to get involved with our Association and I put my hand up and nominated to become a committee member.

At the time, and to this day, I feel very honoured to be elected to represent our members on the Management Committee of ACA Qld. My history with the Association is such that I was involved in the initial merger between QPCCA (Queensland Professional Child Care Association) and CIAQ (Childcare Industry

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Association of Queensland) and the sector was very different back then.

During my time with CIAQ I was acting President and since then I have held numerous committee roles (president, vice president, secretary and committee) across my 17-year involvement with the Association.

One of my great joys and absolute passions is being heavily involved with the conference subcommittee. I thoroughly enjoy planning, preparing for and being a part of our annual conference where I get to meet you all and spend three amazing days immersed in all things Early Education.

I have witnessed the exceptional growth of our annual conference; from when we once held our conference for approximately 100 delegates, we are

now hosting close to 1,500 delegates at various locations across the State.

It is now one of the biggest early childhood conferences in Australia with the conference dinners being the social highlight for many attendees’ calendars.

I have also been heavily involved as an advocate for the Early Years Sector at Government meetings at both the State and Federal levels and get involved in numerous general meetings throughout Queensland.

If you are thinking of nominating for a position on the committee and think it might be time to get involved, you should! It has given me so much, both personally and professionally working alongside other passionate and dedicated Early Years professionals.

Based in Townsville, Kelly Leeming is a dedicated and qualified early childhood educator with a passion for children’s education and care.

It is this passion which has led to her successfully working within the Early Childhood Sector for over 10 years. During this time, Kelly has been involved in a variety of different positions ranging from Assistant Educator through to Director, in both the long day care and family day care environments.

Kelly has been a Trainer and Assessor for over two years and holds the current qualifications; Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care, Diploma in School Age Education and Care, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, First Aid and CPR. Kelly is also currently studying her Bachelor in Education (Birth to Five Years).

Kelly has done extensive travel overseas. Kelly travelled to Cambodia working alongside UNICEF - a United Nations programme that provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries - where she facilitated student work placement programs which specialised in providing education and youth work programs to children at risk.

Kelly described her experience as “exceptionally rewarding”.

Kelly also spent time in Indonesia as an Educator at the International “Green School”. These experiences have brought a level of knowledge and enthusiasm which has allowed

Kelly to develop and deliver multiple personal development workshops to industry professionals around these areas of expertise.

A result focused individual, Kelly is driven to provide high quality and practical training to childcare professionals within the greater community.

Kelly’s main focus as a Trainer and Assessor is to support students to achieve their qualifications while developing a passion for quality early childhood education and care. www.caece.com.au

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2017 27

Associate Member Directory Accounting and Bookkeeping Services Bronze Business Services Pty Ltd

Tracey Jory

New Beith

07 3115 1588

www.bronzebusiness.com.au

ANZ Business Bank

Lyn Lange

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07 3947 5326

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Bankwest

David Annand

Brisbane

0418 423 355

www.bankwest.com.au/childcare

Benchmark

Lincoln Bridge

Robina

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Childcare Concepts

Hilary Knights

Fortitude Valley

07 3257 2027

www.childcareconcepts.com.au

Graeme Pettit

Graeme Pettit

Benowa

0421 289 818

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Absolute Support Training & Resources

Darlene Wadham

Wynnum

0488 666 455

www.absolutesupport.com.au

Affinity Education Group

Fiona Alston

Biggera Waters

07 5528 0633

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Astute Early Years Specialists

Mel Comerfood

Chapel Hill

1300 928 228

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Childcare By Design

Brenda Abbey

Mooloolaba

0419 661 921

www.childcarebydesign.com.au

Churches of Christ Care

Cathy Kennedy

Brookfield

07 3327 1681

www.cofcqld.com.au

Elite Childcare Management

Debbie Thompson

Cannon Hill

0435 743 212

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G8 Education

G8 Team

Varsity Lakes

07 5581 5300

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Giggletree Pty Ltd

Samantha Ahearn

Rothwell

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Guardian Early Learning Group

Helen Baker

Kelvin Grove

07 3832 7933

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Impressions Childcare Management

Jeanine Scull

Carindale

0428 218 771

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Kids and Adults Learning

Annette Cunado

Northgate

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Kidsoft

Kidsoft Team

Gold Coast

1800 827 234

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Limelight Management Group Pty Ltd

Rebecca Wilson

Caboolture

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Ready Now Resources

Louise Thomas

Gold Coast

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Shilus Pty Ltd

Stephanie Smith

Oxenford

0402 252 762

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QLECS (Qld Lutheren Early Childhood Services)

Maryann Sword

Milton

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Yi Xin Education and Consulting (Australia) Pty Ltd

Sophia Lui

Carseldine

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Mark Elliott

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Karen Burgess

Sunshine West

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Little Tummy Tucker Too Pty Ltd

Les Cook

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Yummies for Little Tummies

Darlene Clark

Sumner

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Peter Jarrett

West End

07 3230 8501

www.guildgroup.com.au

Giovanni Porta

Geebung

07 3265 3888

www.portalawyers.com.au

Banking Services

Brokers

Consultancy/Management

Directories: Marketing Careforkids.com.au Directories: Suppliers Help2Buy Food & Nutrition

Insurance Services Guild Insurance Legal Porta Lawyers

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EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2017

Payment Solutions Ezidebit

Nathan Mullan

Newstead

07 3124 5500

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Ausplay Surfacing and Shade

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Wacol

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Timberplay

Sally Alderton

Chirn Park

07 5503 0692

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Ausco Modular

Jessica Rodwell

Goodna

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Jardine Architects

Greg Jardine

Brisbane

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The Natural Cleaner Company

Brian Connell

Yatala

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Cloudbridge Pty Ltd

Tony Musgrave

Yeronga

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JourneyTree

Bryn Jones

Robina

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Kidsoft

Kidsoft Team

Gold Coast

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MiCare Global

Christine Curphey

Brisbane

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QK Technologies Pty Ltd - QikKids

Sean Murphy

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Brisbane

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McArthur

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Brisbane

07 3211 9700

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Child Care Super

Julie West

West End

0498 001 193

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HESTA Super Fund

Bronwyn Barling

Brisbane

07 3223 4906

www.hesta.com.au

QIEC Super

Natalie Whittal

Brisbane

07 3238 1267

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Educational Experience

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Newcastle

02 4923 8217

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Modern Teaching Aids

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Brookvale

02 9938 0411

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Suppleyes

Chelsea O’Neill

Ashmore

07 5539 1668

www.suppleyes.com.au

ACE Community Colleges

Robyn Keenan

Burleigh Heads

07 5520 3026

www.acecolleges.edu.au

Australian Child Care Career Options (ACCCO)

Narelle Cossettini

Fortitude Valley

07 3257 1972

www.accco.com.au

Careers Australia

Paul Smith

Burleigh

0402 987 972

www.careersaustralia.edu.au

College for Australian Early Childhood Educators

Richard Fimeri

Springwood

07 3299 5784

www.caece.com.au

Gold Coast Institute of TAFE

Maxine Griffiths

Gold Coast

07 5581 8280

www.gcit.edu.au

The Training Store

Danielle Peters

Southport

1300 399 665

www.thetrainingstore.com.au

GD Trivett & Associates Pty Ltd

Darren Trivett

Fortitude Valley

07 3216 1011

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Herron Todd White

Simon Fox

Brisbane

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Playground Equipment / Surfacing

Property Services

Software / IT Support

Sports and Fitness Physi Kids Staff Recruitment

Superannuation

Toys & Resources

Training Providers

Valuers

EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2017 29

Learning Through Nature

T 1800 251 497 | F 1800 151 492 | teaching.com.au