Articles

In the NSW and VIC early childhood sector, safeguarding children and ensuring accountability in service operations are paramount. But what happens when a complaint—particularly one involving alleged harm to a child—is investigated by the Department of Education and deemed “inconclusive,”…

“I was watching the rain because it made me feel calm. I didn’t want to talk; I just wanted to listen to the drops.” This simple statement carries more than imagination—it holds intention, emotion, and agency. This article is a…

In early childhood services across Australia, educators are often expected to stay beyond their rostered hours to complete tasks—cleaning, documentation, ratio coverage, or closing duties. But when this extra time goes unpaid, it’s not just unfair—it may be unlawful.

In early childhood education, two terms often surface in compliance conversations: active supervision and in ratio. While both are essential to child safety and regulatory integrity, they serve distinct purposes—and conflating them can lead to serious oversights in practice. Let’s…

When a child becomes violent in an early childhood setting, de-escalation isn’t just about calming the moment—it’s about protecting safety, preserving dignity, and responding to distress with relational intelligence. Here’s a trauma-informed, regulation-aligned guide to de-escalation strategies for violent behaviour…

A: Legally, yes—an educator is considered “in ratio” as long as they are physically present and supervising the required number of children according to the age-based ratios set by the National Quality Framework (NQF). But practically? That’s where the system…

With new child safety regulations having just come into effect, here’s a sector-responsive list of Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) priorities that services across Australia should consider updating immediately. These priorities align with the National Quality Standard (NQS), recent regulatory changes,…

Violence from a child in an early childhood setting can be confronting, destabilising, and emotionally exhausting. For educators committed to nurturing safe, responsive environments, such incidents often trigger a complex mix of concern, confusion, and self-doubt. This article explores how…

In early childhood education across Australia, the question of whether educators can refuse to work alone is no longer hypothetical—it’s urgent. With rising behavioural complexities, mounting workloads, and increasing safety concerns, educators are asking, "Do I have the right to…

Father’s Day offers a chance to celebrate love, care, and connection—but for children without fathers, it can also be a sensitive time. In early childhood settings, educators have a responsibility to ensure that celebrations are inclusive, emotionally safe, and reflective…

Across the early childhood education and care sector, educators are sounding the alarm: current staffing ratios are insufficient to deliver safe, meaningful, and developmentally appropriate care. While recent reforms have focused on mobile phone bans and child safety protocols, many…

As national reforms tighten mobile phone use in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings across Australia, educators are asking, "Why not apply similar protections in primary and secondary schools?"