Articles

On July 15, educators are once again being called to walk off the job, demanding a 15% wage increase. It’s a familiar rallying cry, one we’ve heard in previous years, with little lasting change. Yet while wages matter, the government…

Negotiation is not just about money; it’s about recognition. As an ECT, you bring expertise, leadership, and stability to services. By approaching wage discussions with confidence and professionalism, you can ensure their contributions are valued and sustained.

The following activity ideas are mapped to each event, offering educators practical ways to embed experiences that connect with the EYLF outcomes. With five suggestions per event, educators can select and adapt activities to suit their group’s interests, environment, and…

Risky play in OOSH services is encouraged as a way to build children’s confidence, resilience, and risk-assessment skills, but it must be balanced with structured risk management and compliance practices.

In Out of School Hours care, educators manage large groups of children in dynamic environments where safety, belonging, and engagement must coexist. One of the most essential, yet often contested, practices is the roll call and headcount. This article explores…

For OOSH (Out of School Hours) children, Reconciliation Week topics should focus on identity, respect, caring for Country, storytelling, friendship, and truth-telling. These themes help children understand Australia’s shared history and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in age‑appropriate…

Reconciliation in early childhood is not a one‑week event; it’s a daily practice. Embedding reconciliation means weaving respect, truth‑telling, and cultural awareness into routines, environments, and relationships. For educators, this is about creating spaces where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander…

In early childhood, the playground is more than a place to play; it's a living classroom. Caring for Country invites children to see the land as a friend, not just a space. Through simple, sensory experiences, educators can nurture respect…

National Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June) invites children and educators to celebrate the shared story of Australia and deepen understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. In early childhood, this begins with simple, meaningful experiences: listening to…

For babies and toddlers, diversity and inclusion play can be nurtured through simple, sensory-rich experiences that introduce different cultures, abilities, and identities in age-appropriate ways. The key is to use everyday play materials—blocks, dolls, songs, and stories that reflect varied…

Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter is a Norwegian researcher and professor at Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood Education. She is internationally recognized for her work on risky play in early childhood, highlighting how safe risk-taking supports children’s confidence, resilience,…

Early childhood services often require staff to arrive before their rostered start time, to set up rooms, prepare learning materials, or ensure safety checks are complete. But when does this preparation count as paid work?