The Loop Spring 2015 web.pdf

IN THIS ISSUE
In May this year, the Australian Government, Department
of Social Services, announced the establishment of the of
the Child Care Safety Net. This would commence with the
Inclusion Support Programme in July 2016 and the Additional
Child Care Subsidy and Community Child Care Fund to
coincide with the introduction of the mainstream child care fee
assistance, pending the required legislative changes.
The current Inclusion and Professional Support Program (IPSP)
will transition to the Inclusion Support Programme at this time,
heralding the end of the Professional Support Coordinator
(PSC). The PSC program was established in 2004 to provide
subsidised professional learning and support for child care
and early learning services including long day care, outside
school hours care and family day care. The Health and
Community Services Workforce Council have been successfully
providing this service throughout Queensland since 2004.
At Workforce Council, our focus remains on all early
childhood education and care services. For us it’s about
assisting services to remain skilled and professionally
equipped, locally connected and valued by their communities.
We are here for educators, services and organisations so
they feel supported to focus on children and families and
are engaged in reflective practice that feeds into ongoing
learning, practice improvement and leadership opportunities.
This edition of In The Loop demonstrates our commitment to
supporting the children’s services sector with articles from Sue
Inglis, Trent Saville, Melinda Miller and many others.
The LDCPDP Funds Inspiration article in this edition offers a
look at how services have approached the use of their Long
Day Care Professional Development Programme (LDCPDP)
funds with the support of the Workforce Council Consultants.
Services with LDCPLP funds are encouraged to continue to
contact the Workforce Council to discuss how we can support
you to arrange and access your service specific ‘wish list’ for
professional development and support. You can also jump
online and have a look at the professional development
calendar of events.
For services still subsidised through the PSC, we encourage
you to connect with one of the many opportunities available
at a subsidised rate through the professional development
calendar and/or something from our extensive range of
support options.
Engaging in professional learning opportunities is a fabulous
way to improve the work you do with children and families
and to reinvigorate your own commitment, motivation and
passion. The following articles are written by our presenters
and/or extend upon or introduce the topics that we heard you
were interested in.
You can learn more about the impact and amazing changes
an action research project can make in Creating Learning
Communities: An Action Research Project. You can also
understand how to use your expertise, knowledge and
relationships to create meaningful and in depth stories of your
time together in Writing our ob’s? Or shaping our identities?
Then follow this with insights into critical reflection in the
article by Melinda G. Miller who puts the spotlight on Critical
Reflection and the key role it plays in improving practice. These
and other topics can be explored further in the upcoming
workshops such as ‘Unpacking Critical Reflection’, ‘How much
is enough - documenting our programs with the NQF’, or
‘Documentation - Refresh and Re-Invigorate’ and keep an eye
out for the next Action Research Project.
Trent Savill from Complex Care describes his journey From
Correction to Connection through sharing his behavioural
expertise with the early childhood education and care
community and providing some important tips and insights
into how we can think about behaviour differently. Meanwhile,
Separation Anxiety in Children by Child Aware touches on the
impacts of separation felt by children, families and educators.
NAQ Nutrition have been involved in the range of topics
available online focusing on Quality Area 2 – Childrens
Health and Safety. Helping Children Grow Towards a Healthy
Future offers information on the LEAPS program offering free
professional development to support educators and services
to ensure all children have the best possible start to life. If
you are looking for specialist equipment or just wanting
refresh your current resources, then the articles about the IPSP
Specialist Equipment Service and the Professional Educators
Resource Library PERL are for you.
Enjoy the read and we look forward to working with you
soon.
Jasmine Jones
Health and Community Services Workforce Council
Multicultural Development Association (MDA) have contributed
an article about a new and exciting resource - Culture in
Practice – Stories to Inspire. This resource showcases stories
of best practice of inclusion. Find out how to access the free
resource and explore ways to embed culture in your service.
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