SUMMER 2015 1

Summer 2015 Community Child Care Association

Emerging Research in Outside School Hours Care

Tips for using iPads with Children

Family Centred Practice

Integrated Kindergarten

Roundtable is published by Community Child Care Association Inc.

Disclaimer Community Child Care Association Inc (Victoria) cannot guarantee the accuracy of, nor does it necessarily endorse references placed in this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Community Child Care Association Inc.

Copyright CCC members are welcome to duplicate parts of this newsletter in its current form. Acknowledgment of the source must be stated. All other users must obtain permission from Community Child Care Association.

Feedback We appreciate your feedback. Please send your suggestions, feedback or comments to reception@cccinc.org.au or call either 03 9486 3455 or freecall 1800 177 017

CCC provides leadership, advocacy and support to build the capacity of the children’s education and care services sector through collaboration and promotes public support for community owned, not for profit services.

BECOME A CCC MEMBER WWW.CCCINC.ORG.AU

Like many of our member services Community Child Care Association (CCC) is an incorporated association governed by a voluntary Board and as another year draws to a close I would like to particularly acknowledge and thank all our Board members for their contributions not just to CCC but the sector as a whole. I was interested to read recently the third biggest employer of staff in Australia is the Not for Profit sector (after mining and retail). What a contribution and inspiring to think of the social capital created by the work of hundreds of voluntary committee members across Victoria.

In this edition we are proud to include articles from two of our Board members Liz Rouse and Bruce Hurst. Both Liz and Bruce have been involved in researching core areas of practice for our sectors and on top of their responsibilities on the CCC Board, have found time to write about this especially for members! Sharyn Veale, another CCC Board member has provided some financial modelling of the proposed 2017 Child Care Assistance Package on fees in outside school hours care. CCC thanks them for their contribution – we are delighted to continue our long tradition of bringing people passionate about quality in education and care together to share information, resources and learnings.

We wish you well as your year draws to a close and thank you for your ongoing support of CCC.

Leanne Giardina Executive Director ~ Community Child Care Association

Welcome to the Summer edition of Roundtable

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Lynn Turner ~ Editor Cat KimberLeanne GiardinaPina Cannata

CCC Staff Contributors CCC would like to thank the following staff who contributed to this edition of Community Child Care Association’s Roundtable:

Contents

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P06

P14

What’s News? 04–05

Family Centred Practice 06–08

Tips for using iPads with Children 09

Setting your OSHC budget for 2016? 10

Impact of the Families Package on Fees in Outside School Hours Care

11

Emerging Research in Outside School Hours Care

12–13

Integrated Kindergarten – Information for families

14–16

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WHAT’S NEWS?

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VCAA Updated Assessment for Learning ToolThis tool produced by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority can be used by services to support their implementation of the early years planning cycle and assessment practices. It includes a template that can be used to document the assessment and planning process for

individual or groups of children.

It can be accessed at http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/earlyyears Assess4LearnTool.pdf www.vcaa.vic.edu.au> Early Years > VCAA Research and Publications

ChilOut - Children Out of Immigration Detention

Statistics from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection dated 31 August 2015, state that:

children are held in immigration detention facilities within the Australian mainland

children are held in detention facilities in Nauru, and

children are detained in the community under residence determinations, a system referred to as community detention.

ChilOut is a not-for-profit community group seeking to raise public awareness about the plight of children in immigration detention centres. Their primary concern is the protection of children; that they are afforded their basic rights, freedom, healthcare, education and play, and that Australia does not have a hand in abusing and damaging children seeking our protection.

Check out their website for up to date information and advocacy opportunities - www.chilout.org

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Australian Government - It’s time to think about the 2016 federal election With a federal election on the horizon sometime in 2016, now is the time to make contact with your local federal member. Consider inviting them along to your end of year celebrations, your AGM or for a morning tea at your service. Highlight the important contribution you make in your community and let them know the policies that are important for quality education and care. If you would like some help planning to meet your local member or help with some key talking points don’t hesitate to get in touch with CCC.

CCC has written to the new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and to Senator Simon Birmingham, our new Minister for Education and Training, congratulating

them on the decision to move child care out of the social services portfolio and back into education. CCC continues to advocate for the best interest of the child and the value of early learning to be foregrounded in policy decisions impacting on education and care services.

We have again urged the Australian Government;

− Not to link increases to child care funding in 2017 to the cuts to Family Tax Benefit and government Paid Parental Leave, and

− To maintain the current universal access to 24 hours per week of means tested subsidy for all children to participate in an education and care setting.

Community Child Care- Outside School Hours Care Conference 2016CCC is pleased to announce we will be running an OSHC conference at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Friday 13 May and Saturday 14 May 2016, so save the date now! Thank you to the 80 OSHC educators who responded to our survey about what you would like at the conference. Plans are well underway and more details will be available later in the year.

Community Child Care- Professional Learning 2016Planning for sessions, practical workshops and other special events is well underway and will be promoted as each event is booked. All sessions/events will be promoted on CCC’s website www.cccinc.org.au, in CCC member updates and 2016 publications.

For more information phone CCC on 9486 3455 or email reception@cccinc.org.au

COMMUNITY CHILD CARE 2016

SAVE THE DATE

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The Protecting Children - Mandatory Reporting and Other Obligations for the Early Childhood Sector eLearning Module.

This on line module provides information regarding the roles and responsibilities for protecting children, and provides specific advice on how to identify, respond to and report concerns regarding the safety, health and wellbeing of children. It also provides advice regarding the new criminal offences that have been introduced to protect

children. The module is available at no cost to participants and provides a certificate on successful completion.

It can be accessed at the following link: http://www.elearn.com.au/det/earlychildhood

The State Government was elected on a platform of making Victoria the Education State and has been consulting about what is needed to make this a reality. CCC was pleased to join in the early childhood conversation by asking members what they think needs to happen in Victoria to improve early childhood education and what they think a truly outstanding system would look like? Thanks to members who provided feedback to us, this was used to inform our written response to the consultation and supports our ongoing

advocacy work. Overall, members felt the strongest priorities for reform were more support for vulnerable and disadvantaged families and better connection between services. Other issues identified by members included the need for improved professional wages and employment conditions for educators, and the performance of private Registered Training Organisations.

Other recommendations in the CCC submission included:

− State wide assessment of local supply and demand for early childhood education and care services including the availability of community owned options

− Transport assistance for disadvantaged families to access education and care services

− Provision of an early childhood teacher subsidy for all teachers employed in early childhood settings (not just kindergarten).

To read the full text of our submission go to www.cccinc.org.au > advocacy

VICTORIA – THE EDUCATION STATE?

This resource kit is designed to support coordinators/directors in the effective management of school age care services. Components of the resource kit can be utilised in a flexible manner to address an immediate issue or for the planning and

action of more complex issues over a period of time. A USB containing all resource kit components is included. Gowrie Victoria will be sending out a copy to all OSHC services in Victoria.

Effective Management of School Age Care: A resource kit for coordinators and directors

This resource kit includes;

- A Trainers’ Guide to assist those using the kit to facilitate professional learning for educators

- PowerPoint slides that will help facilitate professional learning experiences

- Templates, tools and information sheets that can be duplicated as handouts for

exploring and engaging with key ideas in the framework for school age care.

Train the trainer sessions will commence in November 2015 and continue in early 2016. Information on dates and locations will be promoted on the CCC website www.cccinc.org.au and the Gowrie Victoria website www.gowrievictoria.org.au when confirmed.

Supporting children’s play, leisure and learning in school age care: A professional learning resource for school age care educators

Community Child Care has recently developed two new interactive resource kits for school age care (SAC) services nationally. The development of the kits was funded by Gowrie Victoria as the Professional Support Coordinator, under the Inclusion and Professional Support Program.

NEW! OSHC RESOURCES

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Family Centred Practice - forming partnerships with familiesELIZABETH ROUSE – Deakin University

The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (DEECD, 2009) highlights family centred practice as a key practice principle. While this approach to the way educators work with families is acknowledged as effective, just what is meant by family centred practice is not necessarily clear to educators in early childhood settings. The Early Years Learning Framework (DEEWR, 2009) requires educators to work in partnership with families. This notion of partnership is one in which relationships are predicated by interactions underpinned by mutuality, respect, reciprocity and shared decision making (Rouse, 2013). Within this, family centred practice recognises the pivotal role that parents play in their children’s lives, through interactions that are welcoming, culturally inclusive and in which families are active in shared decision making about each child’s learning and development (DEECD, 2009).

For family centred practice to be effective, it is the engagement of families as shared decision makers which is of key importance, but also the most challenging for educators to enact.

When educators are engaging in family centred practice, both relational and participatory behaviours need to be present. Participatory behaviours are more than just creating opportunities for families to participate in the program – sharing talents, doing duty, being invited to father’s days or mother’s day events. Participatory behaviours are those which enable families to be active participants in the decision making for their children’s learning and development. It is here that notions of reciprocity are important. Within family centred practice, reciprocity acknowledges that as educators we know the child well – but we know that child within the context of the learning environment in which we operate.

This learning environment is not only the physical setting of the early childhood centre, but it is also the values, knowledge and expertise brought by the educator that impact on how they form their understanding of the child. In contrast

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In these two examples the perspectives of Alison and Adina demonstrate a disconnect that can happen in shared decision making attempts. While these examples come from different contexts and relate to different families, both highlight that while educators may feel they are enabling parents to actively participate in the decision making for their child, what can be happening is that the decisions have been led by the educators. While families may agree to a certain course of action, this does not necessarily mean decisions are mutual. In both these examples the parents own context, which did not support toilet training at that point in time as the best decision, was not heard or taken into account by the educators.

Shared decision making is also predicated on being informed, and a mutual sharing about the child’s learning and development. Educators often believe they are sharing information on the child’s learning and development with the families, but this is not always mutually understood by families.

We had a few problems when I lost my mum so toilet training and all that was around the same time which was pretty traumatic, they wanted to try and toilet train her while they thought she was ready, I know she was showing the signs, but I wasn’t ready. I can’t handle all the wet clothes, I’m mourning Mum. I don’t think she was quite ready, she had the signs, but she’d wet herself and then sit on the toilet, all sorts of things, so to me she wasn’t making that connection.

(Alison – parent)

When we try to explain to her, leave him without a nappy and he’ll get used to getting wet, but she doesn’t want him to get wet. When she leaves the centre she’ll tell us to put a nappy on him because she’s going home, she doesn’t want him to wet in the car. She won’t wake up to herself, for him to grow, he’s got to learn this way… but all she says is “He’s a little boy, he’s not ready yet”

(Andina – educator)

the families have different knowledge and expertise about their own children. They are the ones who see that child in the context of their home, family and broader community – the child’s broader learning environment. When these two sets of knowledge are combined, then new shared knowledge is created where both families and educators create reciprocal understanding based on this sharing of expertise that will then lead to both educators and families participating as active sharing of the decision making.

A recent study (Rouse, 2014) examining the nature of the interactions between parents and educators, found that, it is families engaging in shared decision making about their child’s learning and development which is largely absent in the nature of the interactions. In these studies the educators felt they were engaging in effective family centred practice. They asked families to share information with them about their children, they invited them to participate in planned events and help in the program, and they provided information on the program through daily diaries, learning portfolios and by leaving space on the weekly program for parents to make comments. However, while the educators felt they were enabling families to engage in shared decision making, these opportunities were led by educators, and when the families did not actively engage in these opportunities, educators felt they were disinterested.

Family centred practice acknowledges that children exist within the context of their family, community, society and the broader interconnections between these that impact on the family. Shared decision making is recognising that different participants in the partnership have different contexts that influence the decisions they are making. Reciprocity is based on a sharing of these multiple perspectives between all partners and a creation of a new understanding.

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In these two examples families have not been supported to participate in shared decision making for their child. For this to occur, learning portfolios, daily diaries and other means of documentation need to be more than a collection of examples of the children’s activities during the day. Educators need to ensure that documentation supports families to gain mutual insight into their child’s learning and development so as to enable them to participate in active decision making. Family centred practice is about building reciprocal understanding – ensuring that information is not just made available for families but that families are engaging with and building understanding through the information being shared.

These examples provide an insight for educators to reflect on their own practice in creating partnerships with families within a framework of family centred practice. The challenge for educators is to examine the nature of their interactions with families. To what extent do interactions with families support the shared decision making that is intrinsic to family centred practice?

Forfurtherinformationaboutthesestudieson familycentredpractice contact Elizabeth on: l.rouse@deakin.edu.au

REFERENCES

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) and Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority (VCAA) 2009, Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework for all Children from Birth to Eight Years, State of Victoria, Melbourne.

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) 2009, Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, Commonwealth of Australia, ACT.

Rouse, E 2012, ‘Family-Centred Practice: empowerment, self-efficacy, and challenges for practitioners in early childhood education and care’, Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 17-26.

Rouse, E 2014, ‘Effective family partnerships in early childhood education and care: An investigation of the nature of interactions between educators and parents’, Doctoral Thesis, Victoria University

I don’t think they spend as much time (outdoors) as they could, I mean I guess it’s hard, I think that they could have more. I don’t know if they do during the day.

(Maria – parent)

CCC Board Member Profile – Liz Rouse Liz Rouse has been a member of the CCC Board since 2010. Liz has a long history in the early childhood sector having worked as a teacher in both preschools and long day care settings, in early intervention programs and in managing community based NFP services. Liz has also worked in local and state government in the areas of policy development and program management. After a number of years in the TAFE sector, Liz has spent the last five years lecturing in education and early childhood education at Deakin University.

In 2014 Liz completed an Education Doctorate through Victoria University where her doctoral studies focused on examining the nature of the interactions between parents and educators in long day care to explore the extent to which these reflected family centred practice. This study has led to developing a model to support educators to analyse the nature of their interactions with families. Liz has published a number of academic papers as well as a number of books for educators working in the sector.

I know the kindergarten have (learning portfolios)… but they only show their artwork. But doesn’t really say too much about the progress. It’s just, it’s like telling me that what he’s done.

(Marcia – parent)

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What is it?

Guided Access allows you to control the iPad so that you can lock the iPad to use a single app and limit the interactivity of the screen. This means you effectively stop children from pressing the home button and finding a different app they may want to play with.

How do I access it?

You can find Guided Access under Settings>General>Accessibility. You will need to set up a passcode to use it. Clear instructions on how to use Guided Access are available at this URL: http://support.apple.com/en-au/HT202612

How does it help?

Guided Access allows you to use the iPad in different ways. For example, you could set up Guided Access so children can only access the camera if you want them to take photos with the iPad that day. You can lock down an app that you want them to use, like one about spring, with the iPad sitting on a table with all the spring items children find or bring in.

What is it?

The WePublish App is a tool that allows children to create simple, 8-page digital books. These books are not meant to be read on an iPad, but instead can be emailed to any email address as a PDF to be printed out and folded up into little books, to take home. A great way to share children’s learning with families and to encourage literacy experiences in the home

How do I access it?

You can download WePublish from http://wepublishapp.com/ The app costs $6.49, well worth it for an app that inspires children’s creativity and makes literacy a focus!

How does it help?

WePublish is a terrific tool because it allows you to import photos and textures and create beautiful collages. Text can be incorporated but is not essential. This app can be used by individual children to make their own book and allows children to collaborate on making a book together, that can be emailed to families or printed and copied for everyone. The books print to an A4 piece of paper, so printing is not an expensive exercise.

TIP ONE

TIP TWO

Tips for Using iPads with Children

DANIEL DONAHOO

The iPad is a powerful tool. It offers digital spaces where children can learn through play; it can be used to scaffold and augment existing playful learning environments set up in your service and as a research tool for children as they explore an area of interest or inquiry. Here are two top tips that you will find helpful when using this technology with children.

UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE GUIDED ACCESS

TRY THE WEPUBLISH APP

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Setting your OSHC budget for 2016? Ensure your service has an allocation of funds towards

professional development for staff!

Professional development is essential to continuous improvement in your service, for the Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) sector as a whole and for your staff team. Not only does it affirm and support current strong practice and provides opportunities to gain new knowledge and skills, it also motivates and inspires staff as they learn new things. Attending professional development provides an opportunity to network with other professionals in the sector, a chance to share and learn from others who do the same thing as you – work in OSHC!

The current Professional Support Coordinator contract finishes at the end of June 2016 and professional development will not be subsidised by the Federal Government after this. This means for OSHC services that from July 1st 2016 it will be user

pays model for all professional learning and your service will always be paying the full market price.

Now is the time for OSHC services to review service budgets for 2016, and make sure that there is an adequate allocation for professional development. The provision of ongoing professional development is a fundamental employer responsibility. It is not reasonable for staff to have access to professional learning only at their own cost, which unfortunately can still occur in the OSHC sector.

Calculating 1.5% - 3% of your total service salary costs will provide a general guide to how much money your service should allocate for professional development.

It is also important to look at the professional learning needs of the team and consider preferred professional development options for the coming year. Don’t forget your membership with CCC provides you with discounted rates to our events and customised professional learning options.

If your income does not allow for adequate funds to be included in the budget you will need to look at increasing your fees. If this is necessary, communicate why the service needs to do this. Let families know how important it is for staff to stay up to date with current requirements and practice and to be considering ways to improve the quality of education and care.

You will be surprised by the big rewards you get back from a small investment in professional development!

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Impact of the Families Package on Fees in Outside School Hours Care

The federal government’s 2015 Budget included a Families Package with a new funding model for families using education and care services, to be introduced in 2017. It included a proposed new hourly fee cap for Outside School Hours Care Services (OSHC) of $10.10.

The tables below provide an example from Wheelers Hill Primary School OSHC, of the impact of this change, on the gap fee families will pay, if the proposal goes ahead.

For more information about the Families Package go to https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/families-and-children/programmes-services/early-childhood-child-care

Thanks to Sharyn Veale Coordinator of Wheelers Hill OSHC, for making this information available to members. This service has been a member of Community Child Care for over 10 years and Sharyn has been a CCC Board member since 2004 and is the Chair of our OSHC Vic Subcommittee.

After School Care

INCOME 2015/2016 Cost to families

$18 full fee per session

X 5 sessions per week

2017/2018 Cost to families

$20 full fee per session

X 5 sessions per week

Difference per week

$65,000 $24.69 $3.79 $20.90 Better

$80,000 $27.76 $9.15 $18.61 Better

$110,000 $33.89 $19.88 $14.01 Better

$140,000 $40.02 $30.62 $9.40 Better

$170,000 $42.50 $41.35 $1.15 Better

Before School Care

INCOME 2015/2016 Cost to families$13 full fee per session X 5 sessions per week

2017/2018 Cost to families$15 full fee per session X 5 sessions per week

Difference per week

$65,000 $20.04 $11.15 $8.89 Better

$80,000 $22.18 $14.91 $7.27 Better

$110,000 $26.47 $22.41 $4.06 Better

$140,000 $30.76 $29.94 $0.82 Better

$170,000 $17.00 $37.44 -$20.44 Worse

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Jenny summarised recent research in Australian children’s experiences and perceptions of after school care from 14 different OSHC services.

Children who participated in the research nominated ‘play’ as the best thing about OSHC.

Jenny pointed out that the study distinguished between ‘play’ and more organised experiences like games, sports and craft. Whilst these were also considered

important, it was interesting to note the importance of play to children. Also identified by the children in the project were having access to computers and friends. Jenny’s research also showed that for some children, OSHC was the only place in which they could experience some of these activities.

This presentation had plenty of implications for educators. It showed that OSHC should be much more than just a safe place for children to wait for their parents. It should also be a space that supports children’s play

and development. The presentation also highlighted the importance of listening to children and their opinions of our services. Children provide a different perspective to adults, and can provide valuable insights into how we should deliver our curriculum.

In a world where opportunities for children to play are vanishing, OSHC has become an important space that honours and promotes a child’s right to play.

Children’s voices in School Age CareDr. Jennifer Cartmel and Dr. Kym Simoncini – Griffith University

Emerging Research in Outside School Hours CareBRUCE HURST

One of the exciting recent developments in Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) has been an increase in the amount of academic research being conducted in OSHC. Whilst other sites of education like schools and early childhood education have a well-established research culture, there has been very little Australian OSHC research. In August 2015,

as part of its Gold Coast conference, QCAN hosted the first ever School Age Care Research Symposium. OSHC researchers and educators from all over Australia gathered to present and share their work. This article summarises three presentations and highlights their relevance to the work that educators do with school age children.

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Kylie’s presentat,ion invited educators and researchers to think about whether there was a place for poststructuralist theories in OSHC. Kylie highlighted how the Framework for School Age Care mentions poststructuralist theories but doesn’t really provide opportunities for educators to engage with, and use them. Poststructural theories can be complex when we first engage with them, but they can be useful for educators and can help us to find new ways to work with children, particularly if they are interested in equity and fairness.

Kylie introduced the big poststructuralist idea that truth is multiple and shifting. When we think about our knowledge of children, we often think about it as a form of truth, or a set of rules. E.g. ‘All children respond well to rewards’, or ‘all children develop in the same way’. However, poststructuralists believe that there are no singular, universal truths about children. Instead they believe that what we consider to be true can be multiple, or even

change. Poststructuralists believe that rather than being predictable and knowable, that the world, and hence children, are complex, changing and unknowable.

The implication for educators is that there is no single, correct way of working with children. Whilst developmental understandings of childhood or behaviourist strategies like positive reinforcement may help us in our work with some children, they may not work for all, and sometimes they may lead to unfair outcomes.

Kylie argued that poststructural theories invite us to question our current ways of understanding children and acknowledge the complexities present in our services and children’s lives.

In my own presentation, I investigated the different ways in which we think about children aged 9 to 12 years. In OSHC, we sometimes think of older children as more difficult to work with than younger age groups, and possibly ill-suited to OSHC. However, that view of older children isn’t necessarily universal. I explained how the classical developmental and psychological theorists like Piaget, Freud, Kohlberg and Erikson didn’t regard older children as being particularly hard to work with. In fact, they sometimes regarded this group as easier to work with, and don’t even recognise them as a separate, unique stage of childhood. The only other people who regard this age group as unique are marketers. Marketers call 9 to 12 year olds ‘tweens’ and see them as a particularly valuable market for the sale of

toys, clothes and food. However, rather than see older children as problematic, marketers see them as savvy consumers who make intelligent, strategic decisions.

In my presentation, I invited educators and researchers to re-think how we see older children. If we use poststructural theories, we can consider the possibility that there are multiple ways to theorise and think about older children. How we work with particular groups of children is guided by our theories and understandings of childhood. If we begin to think about older children less as problematic, and more as strategic, intelligent and capable, then perhaps we can find new ways of working happily alongside them.

False promises or future possibilities: where are the poststructuralist theories in School Age Care for educators?Dr. Kylie Smith – University of Melbourne

Maybe it’s just an OSHC thing: The multiple conceptualisations of older primary-age childrenBruce Hurst – University of Melbourne

CCC Board Member Profile – Bruce Hurst

Bruce Hurst has been a member of the CCC Board since 2014. Bruce has a long history working primarily in and with OSHC services, and also in other educational settings. Bruce began working in OSHC in 1992 as the coordinator of a 220 place vacation care program at the City of Caulfield. Since then, Bruce has held a number of OSHC-related roles, including work as a coordinator, TAFE teacher, lecturer and inclusion support facilitator. Bruce also worked for CCC as a Children’s Services Consultant and Training Manager from 2004-2010.

Currently, Bruce is halfway through completing a PhD at the University of Melbourne, and is investigating the perspectives of older children in OSHC. Bruce is using his research and work on the CCC Board to advocate for OSHC as a critical site of play and leisure for Australian children, and also for children to be recognised as active participants in the running of their OSHC services.

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With kindergarten programs increasingly being offered in a range of early learning settings, some families can find the decision about where to enrol their child for kindergarten confusing. The following Frequently Asked Questions can be used to explain the integrated kindergarten model to families and help them think through the best option for their child.

What is kindergarten?In Victoria, kindergarten is an early childhood educational program delivered by an early childhood teacher in the year before children go to school. Kindergarten programs are run in a range of early years settings including long day care services, schools and stand-alone kindergartens.

What is funded kindergarten?The Victorian Government provides funding to services to assist with the cost of running a kindergarten program. The funding to the service is based on children attending a kindergarten program for 15 hours per week. In order to receive the funding, services must meet criteria and requirements for service providers as set out by the Department of Education & Training in The Kindergarten Guide, 2015. This includes delivering an educational program that aligns with the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF).

What is integrated kindergarten?Integrated kindergarten is a commonly used term to describe a funded kindergarten program that is operating as part of a long day care service. Some families ask if integrated kindergarten is ’real kinder ’or ’proper kinder ‘and it is important to know that if the service receives funding from the Victorian Government, it is! Like all kindergarten programs, integrated kindergarten delivers a learning curriculum based on the practice principles and learning and development outcomes of the VEYLDF. Integrated kindergarten programs are delivered by early childhood teachers who hold a qualification approved by Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.

What are the benefits of integrated kindergarten?Continuity of learning and relationships

For children who are already attending a long day care service, continuity of learning and relationships are significant benefits of completing their kindergarten year in the same service.

The VEYLDF recognises that effective teaching is based on strong relationships with each family and each child and that learning happens in the context of the child’s relationships and community. When children feel safe and secure, they can really take advantage of available learning opportunities. When educators understand children’s unique family and cultural contexts and know where they are up to in each of the learning outcomes, they can tailor the environment and teaching strategies to maximise each child’s learning.

When starting kindergarten in a new setting, it takes time for everyone to get to know each other and establish the basis for a learning community. If your child is participating in kindergarten in a setting they know well, the relationships they have established with educators and other children will provide a strong basis for ongoing learning.

Integrated Kindergarten - Information for familiesLYNN TURNER – Community Child Care

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Minimising transitions

While transitioning into new settings can be exciting for children, it can also be a challenging time as they become familiar with new routines and expectations. Children need to feel secure and confident in their environment. With the big transition to school on the horizon, it is important to consider the impact of any additional transitions, such as a transition to a stand-alone kindergarten for one year. Remaining in an educational setting where they are connected and confident will have significant benefits for many children and help take away the stress (for the child and sometimes the family) that comes with any transition.

Mixed age grouping

For some or all of the day, children in integrated kindergartens will often be part of mixed age groupings. This supports a holistic approach to children’s learning and provides great opportunities to strengthen children’s confidence and well-being. Mixed age group environments typically provide children with the chance to:

− Have contact with educators over several years, creating strong bonds based on shared experiences and memories

− Learn and grow at their own pace

− Develop a sense of family at the service in an environment that supports cooperation

− Provide leadership and support to younger peers

− Be part of interesting and complex learning environments.

Flexibility and support for families

Accessing kindergarten in an integrated setting allows for flexibility in days and drop off and pick up times. This helps families meet work, study and other commitments without as much juggling of priorities and avoids the stress of putting together a patchwork of child care arrangements. Many families also find participating in the same early years setting over a number of years provides them with a chance to form friendships with other families. It enables them to benefit from information and support from trusted educators who know their child and family context well.

How do I decide about the kindergarten year for my child?When deciding what is best for your child’s kindergarten experience, think in a holistic way about your child and your family’s needs. For many children, remaining at the centre they have been at for years will be the best option, but this is not a hard and fast rule. Families may need to consider a range of other factors such as:

− Cost

− Proximity of kindergarten to the school you intend your child to attend (particularly if you work a long distance from home and your child attends a long day care service near your work)

− Your child’s temperament and individual needs (some children cope better with change than others)

− Other changes that are happening in your family during the kindergarten year and the potential impact of these

− The kindergarten hours and location and how these fit with the family (including siblings) timetable

− The features of the learning environment on offer – staff qualifications, educator: child ratios and group size are key dimensions of quality that are likely to impact on your child’s learning experience.

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What about enrolling my child in both a stand-alone kindergarten and another early learning setting such as a long day care centre? Some families will opt to have their child attend two settings hoping that by doing this their child will experience the best of both worlds. While this may have some benefits for your family and child it is important to also think through the potential issues this may create. Participating in two early learning settings adds complexity to the life of a child. As well as needing to feel familiar and comfortable with two sets of routines, expectations and environments, your child will need to negotiate entry into, and participate in, two social groups. As learning across all of the outcomes in the VEYLDF framework occurs in the context of relationships, this has significance beyond children’s friendships.

Again there are no hard and fast rules around this as every family and child is different, but if the decision to use two settings is based only on education, it is important to remember that integrated kindergarten programs have the same requirements to deliver an educational program as stand-alone kindergarten settings.

This information is available as a Community Child Care Resource Sheet and can be downloaded by members for free from our website www.cccinc.org.au > Resources > Resource Sheets

More information about the Victorian Early years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF), kindergarten programs in Victoria, and how to choose a kindergarten, is available on the Department of Education & Training’s website at www.education.vic.gov.au.

REFERENCES

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) and Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority (VCAA) 2009, Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework for all Children from Birth to Eight Years, State of Victoria, Melbourne.

Department of Education and Training (DET) 2015, The Kindergarten Guide, State of Victoria, Melbourne

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Children and Technology - Team Workshop

This two-hour workshop will give your team the opportunity to consider the value of offering judicious and appropriate play-based learning experiences using technology in your education and care setting. It can be tailored to suit long day care, kindergarten, family day care and outside school hours care. The opportunities and challenges that come with incorporating new technologies for children to use in the program will be explored. The session will include content about how to use iPads with children for a range of purposes and offer a breadth of practical examples for those at all levels of experience with digital technology. The session can be adapted to include some hands on activities with the service’s own equipment if desired.

Children and Technology - a Family Perspective

This one hour session explores the history and context of technology in our children’s lives and will help early year’s professionals and parents come to shared understandings of how to best use technology to support children’s development. The presentation is suitable as a keynote for an AGM or at a parent information evening. The format can be adapted to suit the service and can include facilitated discussion with staff and parents about how they can collectively bring a united front to the issues of screens, technology and children’s learning and development.

In Service Professional Learning

These sessions will be presented by Daniel Donahoo. Dan has spent 15 years creating tools and programs to support the development of children and young people. He has researched and explored the role of technology in the lives of young children including advising on the development apps and quality technology tools to support young children’s learning. He has recently been a key advisor to Early Childhood Australia in the development and roll out of their Digital Business Toolkit running events and activities to support the judicious use of technology in early and middle childhood environments.

For Bookings Contact Community Child Care 03 9486 3455 or email reception@cccinc.org.au

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Better through experience.

No matter how well you look after the children in your care, accidents can happen. Whether it’s a leap, a fall or another child’s push, the financial and emotional pain can be devastating for both you and the parents of an injured child.

When you choose Guild’s Children’s Accident Protection Insurance, you’re protected in this scenario and will be able to act quickly providing financial support to the family of an injured child.

Call us today 1800 810 213 or visit guildinsurance.com.au/cap

Children’s Accident Protection from Guild.

Because dare devils and little angels – are not as indestructible as they think.

Insurance issued by Guild Insurance Ltd, ABN 55 004 538 863, AFSL 233791 and subject to terms, conditions and exclusions. Guild Insurance supports your association through the payment of referral fees. This document contains general advice only and doesn’t take into account what you currently have, want and need for your personal circumstances. It is important for you to consider these matters and read the Product Disclosure Statement. GLD3442 CAP advert 10/2015.

GLD3442_CAP_advert_180x125_102015.indd 1 7/10/2015 2:50 pm

Customised Learning Workshops

Contact us and we can discuss customising a workshop for your service.

Phone CCC 03 9486 3455 or Email reception@cccinc.org.au

to book or for more information.

CCC offers customised learning and support to meet the specific needs of education and care services across the state. Interactive learning workshops, individual or team mentoring programs, professional conversations and practical workshops are just some of the models of delivery. Some topics we have delivered recently include:

– EfficientManagement

– Putting meaning back into documentation

– Supporting emotional resilience in children under 5 years

– Natural play spaces and sustainability

– Children and Information and Communications Technology

– Guiding Children’s Behaviour

– Leadership and mentoring for educators

– Creating a Positive Work Culture

– Collaborative Partnerships

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Community Child Care AssociationSuite 08 and 09 215 Bell Street Preston Vic, Australia 3072

Telephone 03 9486 3455 Freecall 1800 177 017 Facsimile 03 9486 3271 Email reception@cccinc.org.au

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