Aussie Childcare Network Forum

Question 7 | Special rights for access and participation
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNICEF, 2013) is guided by four fundamental principles:
 Non-discrimination
Children should neither benefit nor suffer because of their race, colour, gender, language, religion, national, social or ethnic origin, or because of any political or other opinion; because of their caste, property or birth status; or because they are disabled.
The best interests of the child
Laws and actions affecting children should put their best interests first and benefit them in the best possible way.
 Survival, development and protection
The authorities in each country must protect children and help ensure their full development — physically, spiritually, morally and socially.
 Participation
Children have a right to have their say in decisions that affect them and to have their opinions taken into account
At times, children may require specific strategies, resources, equipment to support their full participation within an early learning program.
This assessment task will require you to demonstrate how you comply with relevant standards, law and outcomes in supporting children’s full participation in an early childhood education and care service. There are four parts to this assessment task, please ensure you address all sections.
1. National Quality Standard, Element 3.1.3 Facilities are designed or adapted to ensure access and participation by every child in the service and to allow flexible use, and interaction between indoor and outdoor space (ACECQA, 2013). Provide an example of what this may look like in practice, when supporting the access and participation for a child that may have additional needs.
YOUR ANSWER: During the day we have the door open so the child can decide for themselves if they want to play inside or outside, we have staff members available in both environments to ensure safety of all children.
(what I need help with is understanding what it means by asking how we do it for children with additional needs, I don't know where to start or what it really is asking)
2. National Quality Standard, Element 6.3.3 Access to inclusion and support assistance is facilitated (ACECQA, 2013). Provide an example of what this may look like in practice, when supporting the access and participation for a child that may have additional needs.
Your Answer: Again I'm not sure it is really asking from me, but is it about what we do every day in routine times or it is asking about something special we do to include families and children with special needs? please can you point me in the right direction. or is it asking about how we have an extra stuff member on to assist additional needs children?
3. Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world, Children respond to diversity with respect, from the Early Years Learning Framework (DEEWR, 2009). Provide an example of how you could support this outcome in an early childhood education and care service.
YOUR ANSWER: Children are encouraged to respond to diversity with respect as we do activities around other cultures, These experience help teach the children that there are a lot of people in the world, some like them and some who do things differently. We also focus a lot on aboriginal and teach the children they are the original owners of Australia and how they have been through a lot to get where they are today. We teach the children to say thank you to the land every morning.
4. Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics (ECA, 2009), I. In relation to children, I will: No. 7. Work to ensure children and families with additional needs can exercise their rights. Provide an example of how you could support this principle in practice, within an early childhood education and care service. Your Answer: I will do this by showing the family respect and listen to their wishes, I will let the child explore on their own terms and guiding them to safe situtiations, I will not force the child or family to do anything they are uncomfortable with and will always be there for support.

Thanks for your help, can you have a look at these and see if i need any more information?
thank you.
Q1:
At my center are regularly thinking of ways to change our rooms in include everyone, recently we had a child who started that has autism. To help her be include as well as making it fair for the other children we have added beanbags to our book corner. The child has really taken to the beanbags so we allow her to move them around to where ever she would like them.
We have also recently updated our backyard so we have an area we can block off under our verandah so the children can play outside all year round. When the child how has autism is straggling with the noise of everyone being inside we open the door and let her had the choice to go play outside away from all the noise.

Q2:
At my centre the days that the children who have been identified as having additional needs are attending we schedule an extra staff members who sole responsibility is to work with those children. This staff members sits with them one and one, they also support the child in toileting or nappy changing. This staff member also should be a regular staff member who works with these children so they can build that relationship with them as well as be able to prepare experience for that child’s interests. This staff member is also responsible in communicating with all other staff about what is happening with child as well as communicating with the parents
Q3:
We encourage children to respond to diversity and respect by teaching them about other cultures in our day-to-day experiences. We introduce foods other culture that some children may not experience at home. This week we have been learning about Chinese New Year so we made dumpling with the children.
We also support this outcome by encouraging the children to listen to each with respect, we do this by is one child is talking about group time we all listen and wait till they have finished before we start talking. We also take turns and raise our hands so we can all hear each other and we aren’t talking over each other.
Q4:
I will do this by showing the family respect and listen to their wishes, I will let the child explore on their own terms and guiding them to safe situations. I do this by placing toys I know the child likes to use on shelves they can easily access, That way they don’t need help of an educator and they can have the right to play with it as they please.
I will not force the child or family to do anything they are uncomfortable with and will always be there for support. I will do this by scheduling meetings with the family and inviting any specialist who might be working with the family also. That way the family can share any reports or findings that have happened outside the centre in a safe and secure way, instead out in the middle of the room where anyone can over hear.