27th September 2024
Welcome to the latest edition of ARACY Insider!
Stay informed and inspired with the latest updates from the ARACY community. Join us in our mission to ensure every Australian child and young person thrives!
In this edition:
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Empowering Young Minds Report Released
UNICEF Australia and ARACY are working together to make Australia a better place for children to thrive. In 2021 they collaborated to develop the Australian Children’s Wellbeing Index. This index provides a comprehensive view of children's wellbeing and tracks changes over time. Through a series of publications exploring the key wellbeing domains from The Nest, ARACY and UNICEF use the index to guide decision-makers in prioritising actions and identifying challenges and opportunities for improvement.
The latest focus in our series is the Learning domain, which examines the state of education in Australia. While progress has been made toward universal education, disparities persist, particularly for children from low socio-economic backgrounds, regional areas, and First Nations communities. Barriers such as poverty, discrimination, and geographic isolation continue to hinder access to quality, inclusive education.
"Learning is more than just acquiring knowledge; it’s a foundation for children’s healthy development and wellbeing. Education gives young people the tools to grow into confident, resilient adults, but our current system too often overlooks the broader, holistic role that schools can play in their lives."
Learning is essential for children's development and wellbeing, shaping their academic, emotional, social, and physical growth. ARACY and UNICEF Australia's Empowering Young Minds report, part of the Australian Children’s Wellbeing Index, highlights both the strengths and challenges of Australia’s education system. Many children face barriers such as rising costs, climate change, and unequal access to digital resources like AI.
By reimagining schools as supportive environments, we can help children thrive, ensuring they feel safe, valued, and ready to learn. Solutions lie in strengthening school-community partnerships, investing in digital infrastructure, and recognising education as a tool for overall wellbeing. Schools have the potential to shape not only what children learn but who they become.
Webinars
领英推荐
Missed a webinar?
Catch up online now! All our previous webinars are recorded and available to watch online including our latest webinars from UNICEF Australia and The Early years Catalyst.
Early Childhood Association National Conference
It was fantastic to see our colleagues and partners deliver valuable presentations at the Early Childhood Australia National Conference in Brisbane. Highlights included @UQ Queensland Brain Institute’s insightful session on "Serve-Return-Rally-Learn," exploring strategies to support children's brain development through play. Sophie Morson from ARACY’s @Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership and Marisa Phillips from The Benevolent Society shared best practices for developing child and family hubs, emphasising their benefits and frameworks for success.
A key moment was the panel on the role of early childhood educators in child safety and abuse prevention. National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds, Catherine Liddle from SNAICC, and other prominent child advocates underscored the vital role ECEC plays in safeguarding children’s wellbeing. The panel highlighted the importance of trauma-aware training, cultural safety in Aboriginal Community Controlled services, and collaboration between systems to protect children. Speakers also called for legislative reform and ongoing support for educators working in this critical space.
SMILING MIND APP
Magic moments: Children’s media as a building block for oral language.?
Supporting families and educators to “recognise moments when media viewing becomes an interactive and educational experience”.?
Laura Green, a speech pathologist, once sceptical of screen time, has come to appreciate the potential of well-chosen, guided media to enhance learning and foster connections.?
Through research and experience, she now supports using interactive media, like the show "Bluey," to promote language development.
With the rise in communication delays among children and long waitlists for speech pathology services, Green emphasises the importance of increasing quality, meaningful interactions between children, parents, and educators to support communication skills.