Summer 2015

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FAMILY DAY CARE ASSOCIATION QUEENSLAND LOOKING THROUGH THE LENS OF CHANGE By Cathy Cahill While Family Day Care services are currently facing funding cuts resulting in the need to move to new ways of operating, services continue to remain focussed on the provision of quality education and care and ensure they continue to meet the requirements of the National Quality Framework. The transition to the National Quality Framework has presented an opportunity for many coordinators to demonstrate their skilfulness in supporting educators to provide quality education and care. This story is a reflection from an Educational Leader and how she worked with her coordination unit team to change thinking and practice in relation to supporting and challenging educators and the required adaptation to new expectations. “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” MAHATMA GANDHI My journey began when I took on the role as Educational Leader in a Family Day Care service. With the Ratings and Assessments process looming over our service the Coordination team decided to undertake a process to identify and determine to what extent each educator was meeting the National Quality Standards. This included considering the capacity and skills of each educator within our service and the planning required by the team to support and scaffold their skills development. 6 IN THE LOOP
The Coordination team worked together to identify the Educators needing additional support to enable them to move from working towards to meeting the National Quality Framework. Part of our process was recognising that this ‘change’ is transformational, it would not be easy but with a commitment to outcomes for children, the Coordination team felt they were up for the task. Working with educators to explore and embrace new ways of thinking and working with families and children required the team to: • Understand that individual educators will respond differently when faced with new ways of thinking. • Respond sensitively to individual reactions, and understand that this may bring with it varied reactions, emotions and impacts which require supportive strategies. • Use effective communication, employ a range of processes to communicate ‘Why’ the NQS enhance their work. • Recognise working collaboratively with all stakeholders is a critical factor in assisting others through the initial and ongoing stages of change. • Consider educator’s past personal experiences in relation to working with coordination team members. With all these aspects in the forefront of our thinking the Coordination team considered what was already known about each educator with regards to how they were meeting each of the 7 Quality areas of the National Quality Standard (NQS). We used the ‘Attitude Bell Curve’ as a guide to assist our team to collectively benchmark where we believed each educator was at in their journey towards meeting the NQS. During these initial discussions we identified whilst most educators were embracing the NQS some of our longer term and newer educators had not yet committed to, or were struggling to engage with, the NQS. Our process involved developing an educator improvement plan which focussed on planning in relation to the form and the amount of individual support educators needed to assist their developing understanding of the NQS. The process included assigning a skilful coordinator to work with specified educators for an agreed timeframe, focusing on one quality area until the educator felt confident and competent. This involved weekly professional development visits where the Coordinators would, not only support educators in practice, but help build awareness, a deeper knowledge base and new skills. They also challenged educator’s perceptions of the NQS and showcased the educator’s professional practice. Coordinators found that some educators were challenged by this targeted process, but within a short period of time, relished receiving this additional mentoring which cultivated confidence and their capacity to meet and even exceed the NQS. Some educators demonstrated high resistance to the whole idea of embracing the quality standards and were reluctant and/or resistant to both engaging in the process and making the changes required. To support these educators a new strategy was employed. This strategy began with further conversations with educators about expectations. This included a frank but necessary conversation about whether the educator had the attitude and commitment to continue to offer quality education and care with our service. The Coordination team reiterated their commitment to supporting these educators. Coordinators discussed their willingness to assist educators to embrace the new standards of practice. However, our team collectively were firm in conveying a clear and consistent message that this process would not be at the expense of quality outcomes for children and this change in attitude was required by the individual educators. Were there losses? You bet there were! But we now have a cohort of educators in our team who are committed to their professional practice and who have a strong awareness of how this influences outcomes for children. Our Learnings Change is not managed but lead. Transformational change required the coordination team to stay strong, have a clear and concise message, to be prepared to challenge, support and seek commitment from themselves and our team of educators. We recognised educators had to make a choice about their future. The message was, come on the journey with the service and we will support you, or if this is not possible, we are committed to assisting the educator to self-select out of this career option. “Change is an inevitable and necessary part of working in early childhood education and care. Educators will be well equipped to survive change by understanding the process of change, being prepared for change and implementing change in a positive and professional manner.” PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT COORDINATOR TAS, 2010 Workforce Council delivers professional development for leaders with a focus on leading and managing continuous improvement for leaders and emerging leaders. To have a look at the leadership events we have on offer for leaders and emerging leaders please check out our calendar at www. workforce.org.au/events-workshops. Don’t forget you can use your LDCPDP funds to pay for these events. REFERENCES: Change Management, 2010 (Gowrie) Professional Support Coordinator TAS www.gowrie-adelaide.com.au/.../Professional%20Learning%20in%20Act. Cole,B. & Seaman.R, The Attitude Bell Curve And Mental Toughness As Business Tools, 2005. www.mentalgamecoach. WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 7
Page 1 and 2: Summer 2015 LOOKING THROUGH THE LEN
Page 3 and 4: IN THIS ISSUE Happy New Year! 2015
Page 5: Ipswich Region LEAD AND MANAGE CONT
Page 9 and 10: DESCRIBING WHAT YOU SEE RATHER THAN
Page 11 and 12: Peta C larkson, Kingaroy Trisha Dea
Page 13 and 14: NATIONAL AVERAGES FOR THE TIME CHIL
Page 15 and 16: HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES WORKF
Page 17 and 18: IPSP Specialist Equipment WELCOME T
Page 19 and 20: Like any life journey that is found
Page 21 and 22: WHAT IS FAMILY AND CHILD CONNECT? F
Page 23 and 24: PLANNING FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPME

Summer 2015

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