Since you asked…

Community Child Care Association’s blog for early childhood educators

A child lying down on a blanket with eyes open, looking away from the camera

Question: Do all children need to have a rest time?

Answer: The simple answer is no, but you must meet each child’s daily need for sleep, rest and relaxation while respecting the wishes of their family

Quality Area 6 (specifically Element 6.1.2) says that families should be involved in making decisions for their…

School-aged children wearing red baseball caps, celebrating with hands up in the air

Question: How can my service build a strong relationship with my community?

Answer: Using reflective practice, following and extending children’s ideas, and learning and implementing key intentional teaching activities will naturally connect you with your broader community

Here are some tips and ideas:

Get out and about – organise regular excursion programs for all your age…

Person holding a mobile phone and taking a picture of a child sitting at a table

Question: Can I use my personal mobile phone at work?

Answer: No, it’s not best practice to use your personal mobile phone

Also, if your service has adopted the new National Model Code for early childhood education and care you, shouldn’t…

Educator looking up at the ceiling with a chalk drawing of a set of balanced scales on the blackboard behind them

Question: How can we achieve an equitable workload?

Answer: Review workloads, check in with staff, and play to their strengths and interests!

Audit the tasks that need to be undertaken at your service. Ask staff to list the tasks they undertake each day and…

Educator looking at a device with thumbs up and thumbs down in the background

Question: How do I stop comparing myself to other educators on social media?

Answer: While social media can be a useful tool for finding new ideas and networking, it can be debilitating when it makes us feel inferior or like we’re not doing enough. The good news is, there are strategies that can help keep the comparisons in check!

Keep an eye on your feelings – notice which posts, pages, groups and people bring out the comparisons. Consider…

Two educators collaborating over documents

Question: How do I support my team with timesaving strategies for documentation?

Answer: Time for our teachers and educators is of the essence and we always hear that there is never enough time to get documentation done. We need to work smarter, not harder.

Here are some simple ways to document children’s learning.

For each of the points below, get children…

Educator and school aged children planting and digging in a garden bed

Question: As a single-educator OSHC coordinator with limited time and a small group of children, how can I keep programs vibrant and responsive with fewer children’s interests to springboard from, and no immediate colleagues to bounce ideas off?

Answer: Listen to families, lean on your peers, and utilise existing resources.

Firstly, you need to be a keen observer. Listen out for cues when children or families are talking …

Two educators walking down a hallway in conversation

Question: What happens if I disagree with an Authorised Officer during Assessment and Rating? Is it a bad idea to politely question them on the spot?

Answer: Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification.

The Authorised Officer (AO) isn’t at the service to provide their own viewpoint or opinion about…