Winter 2015

Winter 2015
YOU
DESERVE TO
BE HAPPY
The concept and
science of
happiness
CREATIVE
DIGITAL NATIVES
MORE THAN
WORDS
4 WAYS JOB
DESCRIPTIONS
CAN HELP YOU
AND YOUR TEAM
LOOSE PARTS
ACECQA
NATIONAL
WORKSHOPS
ARE COMING TO
QUEENSLAND

CONTENTS
04
08 10
13
14
You deserve to
be happy
How can Family and
Child Connect (FaCC)
help?
Creative Digital
Natives
Recruitment Survey
More Than Words
17
4 ways job
descriptions can help
you and your team
20
Loose Parts
22 24 26
ACECQA
National Workshops
are coming to
Queensland
Professional
Educators Resource
Library
IPSP Specialist
Equipment
Copyright © 2015 Health and Community Services Workforce Council Inc
ISSN 2201-8344
Published by
Health and Community Services Workforce Council Inc
Ground Floor, 303 Adelaide Street, Brisbane Q 4000
www.workforce.org.au | (07) 3234 0190 | info@workforce.org.au
Health and Community Services Workforce Council
IPSP Professional Support Coordinator, QLD
The Workforce Council acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples as the original inhabitants of Australia and
recognises these unique cultures as part of the cultural heritage of all
Australians. We respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians
of the land on which we do our work across Queensland.
We recognise the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples have within community and country. We pay our respect to
the Elders of this land past, present and future.
In the LOOP is produced for Queensland’s Early Childhood Education
and Care sector by the Health and Community Services Workforce
Council (Workforce Council) as part of its role as an IPSP Professional
Support Coordinator (PSC).
ADVICE AND SUPPORT LINE
PHONE 1800 112 585
ECEC@workforce.org.au
www.workforce.org.au
www.facebook.com/ECECworkforce
The Inclusion and Professional Support
Program is funded by the Australian
Government Department of Social Services.
Proudly funded and
supported by the
Queensland Government
2
IN THE LOOP

IN THIS ISSUE
In this edition of In the LOOP we focus on
exploring a range of practical skills to assist
you to enhance your ‘praxis’, as we know
‘Praxis Makes Perfect’.
Applying our practical skills and knowledge as an Educator
requires ‘examining all aspects and experiences from different
perspectives’ (EYLF 2009:13). Through critical reflection we
can examine the lens in which we view the world. There are
a range of influences that inform our world view including
our values and beliefs, which have been informed by our
upbringing and life experiences. We accommodate these
influences at a young age to try and make sense of our world
and who we are in this world – our identity.
Children’s use of their home languages underpins their
sense of identity and their conceptual development noted by
Anaik Doyle from MDA – this is one aspect that defines who
we are, as we develop and form our own theories based on a
range of situations we encounter.
These theories we ascertain from observation in our
environment and capture reams of footage using our own lens.
Dr Bridgette McKelvey asks ‘what images have moved you?’
The aspects of life that move us or resonate are more likely to
be the things that we capture and edit as part of our story, so
who better to be behind the lens than the maker of the story,
capturing those images that are relevant to their identity and
belonging. She suggests ‘by tailoring project provocations
to follow children’s interests, projects will sustain group focus
and exploration. Ask yourself what is happening in your
community and to whom, what images kids are responding to,
and what they are talking about.’ What makes you Happy?
According to Eileen Heywood we all deserve to be happy and
there is research that supports this, one point says ‘Happiness
makes people more resilient’ and ‘there is no doubt that the
ECEC sector has high rates of burnout and staff turnover.’
With these being so prevalent a team of researchers from
Queensland University of Technology and Charles Sturt
University are researching ways to grow and sustain a skilled
and professional workforce for Australia. Please take the time
to read this in more detail and complete the online survey.
Research published by the PSC Alliance states that
professional development and support is an ‘effective staff
retention strategy it supports engagement and commitment of
staff’ as well as overall job satisfaction - HAPPINESS.
PRAXIS
[‘praeksis]
1. Performance or application of
skill. The practical side and application
of something such as a professional
skill, as opposed to its theory.
2. Established practice.
Established custom or
habitual practice.
In July and August ACECQA, in partnership with the
Department of Education and Training and the Health and
Community Services Workforce Council are hosting a series
of free workshops for educators focusing on Quality Area 1:
Educational program and practice. ‘Educators can share their
ideas and experiences and learn more about educational
programs and practices’ says ACECQA’s National Education
Leader Ms Livingstone.
Promoting this culture of professional inquiry as outlined in the
EYLF 2009:13 supports issues relating to curriculum quality,
equity and children’s wellbeing to be raised and debated and
motivates staff to influence or change practice. Reviewing your
theory and practice or Praxis is key to your Educational and
Program and Practice.
Another service that supports Praxis is Noahs Ark. It continues
to operate the IPSP Specialist Equipment and offers ‘PERL’s of
wisdom through the Professional Educators Resource Library
with an affordable subscription.
There are additional development and support
opportunities available through the IPSP to inform
your practice.
Use your LDCPLP funds to pay for any of the professional
development charted on the calendar and ask one of our
knowledgeable consultants about ascribing specific mentoring
to shorter workshops to deepen your learning and critical
reflections.
The IPSP Online Library can also enhance your knowledge in
different areas and scaffold on your learning. This collection
is intended for educators, educational leaders, students and
anyone working under the National Quality Framework in
Australia. Within this collection you will find resources such
as templates, forms, digitised booklets, vignettes, and other
sources of information and inspiration for those working for
and with, children and families. This collection has a focus on
working with children aged birth to twelve.
Tara Lee Franks
Health and Community Services Workforce Council
REFERENCES:
Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace relations for the Council of Australian Government (DEEWR, 2009)
Belonging, Being, Becoming: The Early years Learning Framework.
Russell, Q. (2009). Child Care Staff: Learning and growing Through Professional Development. Professional Support Coordinator Alliance (PSCA)
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 3

You deserve to be
By Eileen Heywood
I’m feeling happy. Indeed, I feel an
overwhelming sense of gratitude for my life,
for my job and for being asked to share the
secrets of happiness, with you, the reader. As
a management consultant and professional
facilitator with over 15 years’ experience,
I have had many opportunities to share the
science of happiness. I have seen both from
my direct personal experiences, as well
as that of others, that simple practices can
improve our quality of life. While I work with
a diverse range of clients from multiple sectors
including education, community services, child
protection, mining and health, I consider Early
Childhood workers to be part of one of the
most noble and important sectors in society.
4
IN THE LOOP

IN THIS ARTICLE I WILL UNPACK BOTH THE CONCEPT AND SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS IN
AN AIM TO SHARE INFORMATION AND SIMPLE TIPS THAT WILL ENABLE YOU TO HAVE A
MORE MEANINGFUL AND HAPPIER PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE.
It can be argued that, as workers involved in ECEC services, we do THE most important work in society:
caring for, nurturing, and educating young children. That means we have an obligation to be our best
selves. The good news is that when you are happy, and when you consciously practice habits that make
you happy, you simultaneously become better at your job and have more fulfilling relationships.
What is happiness?
So what is happiness? Sonja Lyubomirsky defines happiness
as “the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being,
combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and
worthwhile. 1 ”
I used to suffer from the idea that it is selfish to want to be
happy. My research has found that this is not the case. In fact,
Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher, says that happiness
lies within us (it’s not something ‘out there’ that we can get)
and is the central purpose of human life.
My research has led me to conclude that there is a lot of
confusion about what makes us happy – many of us structure
our lives around the belief that the new car, the new job or
shedding a few kilos will make us happy. Thinking “I will
be happy when…” seems to be a trap that many people,
including me, fall into.
Why is Happiness Important?
Happiness is both a complex and simple concept. It’s hard to
predict what will make us feel ‘happy’ and often these feelings
are fleeting and short-lived. So let’s explore what does give us
these feelings of contentment and well-being and why these
feelings are more than skin deep.
According to the Greater Good Science Center (GGSC) at
the University of California, Berkeley, studies have found that
being happy spills over into many other aspects of our lives.
Being happy helps at work
Happy people have better work lives, are paid better and are
more productive at work 2 . Those who are happier are more
likely to be successful at getting a job and once in their job,
will be seen more positively by their supervisors. Further, they
handle positions of authority better and are less likely to suffer
from stress and burnout.
Being happy improves your health
Happiness is healthy: happy people are less likely to get sick,
and they live longer 3 . While happiness does not cure illness
it can protect you against becoming ill – and the size of the
effect is remarkable. In fact, it is on the same level as choosing
not to smoke.
Being happy improves relationships
Happiness supports our relationships 4 happy people have
more friends and are more likely to get married. Indeed,
people who get divorced were not only less happy during
marriage but also less happy before they got married. One
study showed that the most important factor in students
who reported being happy and showed the fewest signs of
depression were “their strong ties to friends and family and
commitment to spending time with them.” 5
Being happy makes you kind
Positive psychology research has found that happiness makes
people more generous 6 .
In all of my research I found a ‘double loop’. An example of
this is that being happy makes you more generous to others
and being more generous to others also makes you happy.
In some fascinating research involving children under two,
toddlers showed greater happiness when giving treats to
others than receiving treats themselves. Further, children were
happier after engaging in costly giving – giving away their
own treats – than when giving the same treat at no cost 7 .
Happiness makes people more resilient
There is no doubt that the ECEC sector has high rates of
burnout and staff turnover, so the finding that being happy
makes you more resilient has important implications for the
sector. Findings in this area of the happiness research suggest
that people who are highly self-aware can use positive
emotions to effectively increase their ability to bounce back
from set-backs and also see these events as useful learning
experiences 8 .
Happy people see the bigger picture and are
more creative
ECEC workers need to be creative. When working with
children, we are creating a space for them to flourish and it’s
helpful for us to draw on our creative side. Positive emotions
open up our awareness and help us to see more possibilities –
which is very supportive of creative problem solving 9 .
Continued next page.
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 5

It’s not about being happy all the time
Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson has spent more than 20 years investigating the relatively uncharted terrain
of positive emotions, which she says can make us healthier and happier if we take time to cultivate them.
Negative emotions, says Fredrickson, are necessary for us to flourish, and positive emotions are by nature
subtle and fleeting. The secret is not to deny their short term nature but to find ways to increase their quantity.
She recommends that, rather than try to eliminate negativity, we balance negative feelings with positive ones –
and recommends a 3-to-1 “positivity ratio” as a key tipping point 9 .
Is my happiness level set or can I
increase it?
Whether we can increase our happiness levels or if it is set
at birth has been the topic of much debate. The expert in this
field, Sonya Lyubomirsky, has concluded that around
50 percent of happiness is determined by our genes and
10 percent by our life circumstance, but 40 percent depends
on our daily activities 10 . So that means that what you choose to
do can have a significant influence on your happiness levels.
How can I increase my levels
of happiness?
The science of positive psychology has explored a whole
range of ways in which we can increase our ‘positivity ratio’
and so increase our happiness. These include:
• Nurture your close relationships. A key finding from
the research is that connections to others are central to
being happy – particularly those that we feel close to 11 .
• Be grateful. Multiple researchers including Robert
Emmons 12 shows the power of being grateful for what
we have on a regular basis. People who keep ‘gratitude
journals’ feel more optimism and greater satisfaction with
their lives. Research also shows that writing a ‘gratitude
letter’ to someone you’ve never properly thanked brings a
major boost of happiness.
• Practice kindness. Neuroscience research shows that
when we do nice things for others, our brains light up in
areas associated with pleasure and reward 13 .
• Move your body. Regular physical activity increases
happiness and self-esteem and reduces anxiety and
stress, even lifting symptoms of depression. Among the
studies that support the theory that exercise directly causes
improved mental well-being (as opposed to vice-versa) is
one that looked at the effect of exercise on older adults
with clinical depression (Blumenthal et al., 1999). The
authors compared exercise to a commonly prescribed antidepressant
medication (Zoloft), and found that both were
equally effective in reducing depressive symptoms. In fact,
Lyubomirsky argues that exercise may very well be the most
effective instant happiness booster of all activities 14 .
• Get enough sleep. Less sleep is consistently linked
to lower levels of happiness 15 . One study showed that
an extra hour of sleep can boost happiness more than a
$60,000 raise 16 . There is specific research on the impact
of sleep on happiness with children and adolescents.
One study consisted of 68,418 children and adolescents,
and the participants logged in journals and completed
questionnaires. The researchers found that inadequate sleep
was associated with family issues, school trouble, physical
symptoms, and depressive symptoms 17 .
• Make conscious time to sit still. Much research
exists to show the great benefits for those who practice
mindfulness. Mindfulness is the moment-by-moment
awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and external
circumstances—and those who practice it not only have
stronger immune systems but are more likely to be happy
and enjoy greater life satisfaction as well as being less
hostile or anxious. Pioneering research has found that
a basic eight-week mindfulness training program can
significantly improve our physical and psychological
well-being 18 .
• Know that possessions and money are not
related to happiness. While we need to be able to
meet our needs for comfort, safety, shelter and food, money
does not make us happy 19 . Research by Richard Easterlin
has found that in the long run, countries don’t become
happier as they become wealthier 20 . Perhaps that’s why, in
general, people who prioritise material things over other
values are much less happy .
So, not only is being happy your birthright, it is also in the
best interest of you and those around you. It makes you
healthier, have better relationships, be more effective at work,
live longer and be more creative. While we can’t be happy
all the time, there are simple things we can do to increase
our ratio of positive emotions. These include making time for
those we are close to, taking regular moments to think about
what you have to be grateful for and also expressing your
appreciation when you feel it, being kind to others, getting
regular exercise, getting enough sleep, taking time to sit
and focus on the present moment and understand that more
possessions will not make you happy.
If you are interested in exploring these ideas and strategies
in more depth, please join me at the ‘Happy and Effective’
workshop at a venue near you soon. This will be am exciting
day with lots of strategies to increase your happiness. This
is important not just for you personally but also because
being happier can improve your personal and professional
relationships and the service that you provide to children.
6
IN THE LOOP

You deserve to be
REFERENCES:
1. Sonja Lyubomirsky (2008) The How of Happiness: A New Approach to
Getting the Life You Want, Penguin Books, New York.
2. Lyubomirsky, Sonja; King, Laura; Diener, Ed (2005) The Benefits of Frequent
Positive Affect: Does Happiness Lead to Success? In Psychological Bulletin, Vol
131(6), Nov 2005, 803-855.
3. A Veenhoven, R. (2008) Healthy happiness: effects of happiness on physical
health and the consequences for preventive health care in Journal of
Happiness Studies pp. 1389-4978
4. Alois Stutzer and Bruno S. Frey (2003) Does Marriage Make People Happy,
Or Do Happy People Get Married in Institute for Empirical Research in
Economics University of Zurich Working Paper Series ISSN 1424-0459
Working Paper No. 143
5. Claudia Wallis (2005) The New Science of Happiness, Time Magazine,
9th Jan.
6. Kathryn E. Buchanan & Anat Bardi (2010) Acts of Kindness and Acts of
Novelty Affect Life Satisfaction, The Journal of Social Psychology Volume 150,
Issue 3, pp. 235-237
7. Aknin LB, Hamlin JK, Dunn EW (2012) Giving Leads to Happiness in Young
Children. PLoS ONE (Public Library of Science) 7(6):
8. Tugade, Michele M.; Fredrickson, Barbara L. (2004) Resilient Individuals
Use Positive Emotions to Bounce Back From Negative Emotional Experiences.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 86(2), Feb 2004, 320-333
9. Barbara Fredrickson (2011) Are You Getting Enough Positivity in Your Diet?
The Greater Good Science Center, June. http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/
article/item/are_you_getting_enough_positivity_in_your_diet
10. Sonja Lyubomirsky (2008) The How of Happiness: A New Approach to
Getting the Life You Want, Penguin Books, New York.
11. Christine Carter (2010) Topic of the Month: Fostering Social Connections
Raising Happiness e-newsletter, Greater Good Science Centre, University of
California, Berkeley
12. Emmons, Robert A. (2008) Thanks!: How practicing gratitude can make you
happier, Houghton Mifflin, New York
13. James Baraz, Shoshana Alexander and Jack Kornfield (2010) Awakening
Joy: 10 Steps That Will Put You on the Road to Real Happiness, Random
House Publishing Group, New York
14. Sonja Lyubomirsky (2008) The How of Happiness: A New Approach to
Getting the Life You Want, Penguin Books, New York.
15. Christine Carter (2010) Is sleep the most important happiness habit? In
Raising Happiness e-newsletter, Greater Good Science Centre, University of
California, Berkeley
16. Daniel Kahneman (2004) A Survey Method for Characterizing Daily Life
Experience: The Day Reconstruction Method in Science 3 December, Vol. 306
no. 5702 pp. 1776-1780
17. Smaldone, A., Honig, J. C., & Byrne, M. W. (2007). Sleepless in America:
Inadequate Sleep and Relationships to Health and Well-being of Our Nation’s
Children. Pediatrics, 119(Supplement), S29–S37. doi:10.1542/peds.2006-
2089F
18. Davidson, R (2013) The Emotional Life of Your Brain: How Its Unique Patterns
Affect the Way You Think, Feel, and Live--and How You Can Change, Plume
Books.
19. Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton (2010) High income improves
evaluation of life but not emotional well-being PNAS 2010 107 (38) 16489-
16493
20. Easterlin, R., et. al. (2010) Global Consensus: Money Doesn’t Bring
Happiness “The Happiness-Income Paradox Revisited” Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, December Vol. 107 (52), 22463-22468.
21. Diener, Robert (2002) Will Money Increase Subjective Well-Being?Social
Indicators Research, Vol 57, No.2
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 7

HOW CAN
FAMILY AND
CHILD CONNECT
(FaCC) HELP?
IN JANUARY 2015, THE FIRST GROUP OF FAMILY AND CHILD CONNECT (FaCC) SERVICES BEGAN
IN QUEENSLAND, FULFILLING AN IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATION FOR REFORM IN THE CHILD
PROTECTION SYSTEM MADE IN THE REPORT FROM THE RECENT CARMODY INQUIRY.
FaCC services are community-based intake services operated
by non-government organisations. FaCC services provide
information and advice to families and callers who are
concerned about children and their families, as well as
referrals to the most appropriate support services for families
who have consented to receive some support. The Benevolent
Society operates two FaCC services, at Logan and Beenleigh/
Bayside.
There are a number of ways in which FaCC can assist callers
who have concerns about a child or family. Sometimes, just
being able to discuss concerns with an experienced FaCC
worker provides clarity around the type of support available
in the community and what might be best for the family.
Children and families discussed with or referred to FaCC and
subsequently linked to support services are not ‘known’ to
Child Safety services. FaCC is a community based referral
service, in Beenleigh/Bayside and at Logan these services are
provided by The Benevolent Society to help families to find the
support they need, when they need it, before they reach crisis
point and come involved with Child Safety services.
FaCC services accept referrals from all sectors of the
community including police, health, education, child
care providers, other non-government organisations and
members of the public who are concerned about children
and families with whom they have contact. The friendly staff
at the Benevolent Society FaCC services have an extensive
knowledge of local support services and can help to identify
the most appropriate service to support a family. They can
also help by providing advice and information to the family
or caller about where they can go to seek the help they need.
All referrals for support are made with the full knowledge and
consent of the family involved, and FaCC staff can work with
and support a referrer to have this conversation with the family
and seek their consent to accept some help.
The Benevolent Society operates two of the six FaCC services
at Logan and Beenleigh/Bayside. Other Family and Child
Connect Services are currently operating in Toowoomba with
outreach to Roma, Townsville and on the Gold Coast and
Sunshine Coast. Additional FaCC services will commence
in other locations in the coming months, with a total of 20
services across the state planned to open by mid-2016.
This will be a useful addition to other early intervention and
prevention services.
FaCC services are also responsible for the coordination
of Local Level Alliances (LLA) in each location. LLA’s are
comprised of a range of government and non-government
agency representatives involved with the child protection and
family support systems at a local level that meet on a regular
basis to discuss a range of relevant place-based and systemic
issues. Membership of the Logan and Beenleigh/Bayside
is open to interested organisations and local services via a
simple expression of interest process.
8
IN THE LOOP

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I GET IN TOUCH WITH FAMILY
AND CHILD CONNECT AND HOW CAN THEY HELP?
When a referral is made to FaCC at Logan or Beenleigh/
Bayside, our friendly staff will talk to you about your concerns
and may provide advice on how to respond to the family, or
support you help the family to link to an appropriate service.
All referrals for support from Family and Child Connect are
made with the consent of the family member. If you are not
able to gain their consent or are not sure how to have this type
of conversation with the family member. FaCC staff can attend
a meeting with you and the family member to talk about a
referral to a support service and obtain consent.
A few examples of the types of issues we receive calls about
are provided below to help demonstrate how FaCC staff can
and do assist with finding the right support for children and
their families when they need it most.
CASE
1
A caller from a local ECEC service spoke with one of the FaCC workers about concerns for
a child attending the service. The FaCC worker talked through the concerns with the caller
and established that there was some reluctance to discuss the concerns or offer any support
as the mother always appeared rushed and could be abrupt with staff at the centre. The
caller was concerned that the family had some financial issues and on a few occasions the
child appeared to be in the same dirty clothes worn the previous day and with limited or
no food. The mother’s reaction to attempts to discuss these issues was to provide a limited
range of excuses or become abrupt with staff.
The FaCC worker recommended that a meeting with the mother be arranged with the FaCC
worker supporting and assisting the caller to gain her consent for referral to a support
service. While initially resistant, the mother agreed to link with a support service. Through
this initial referral the family have gone on to link in with other supports in the community.
The FaCC worker received a call from a local school about two families in need of support.
The FaCC worker was able to provide direct referral for one of the families to a local
service from which they are currently receiving a service. The second family were residing
outside of the catchment area for the FaCC service, however the worker researched the
available support services in a nearby suburb that would be accessible to the second family
and provided the details to the school. The school passed the information on to the second
family who were grateful to be able to receive some support and linked in with one of the
services close to their home.
CASE
2
CASE
3
A call was received about a 14 year old girl who at the time was homeless, unable to
go home due to a breakdown in relationships with her family and was not attending
school. Domestic violence had been a feature of her early family life and she had become
involved in an abusive relationship with a young boy residing in a household where she
occasionally sought shelter. The Benevolent Society FaCC staff were able to link the girl
to a local domestic violence service where she was able to receive intensive counselling.
This assisted her to understand cycles of abuse that characterise domestically violent
relationships and to identify these patterns in her own relationships. In addition, the staff at
FaCC were able to provide information on other support services and their contact details
and some emergency financial assistance that enabled the girl to restore telephone credit
so that she could make contact with support services. Through the information provided
and the range of support services that FaCC were able to link this girl with, she is now
rebuilding a relationship with her own family and has a safe and stable home with close
family friends away from the former environment.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT LOGAN FACC ON 13FAMILY OR 13 32 64.
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 9

CREATIVE
DIGITAL
NATIVES
By
Dr Bridgette McKelvey
10
IN THE LOOP

NEVER WORK WITH KIDS OR ANIMALS, THEY SAY.
What happens when you do both? Chaos. Creativity.
Fun. Extraordinary digital stories unfolding that you
could never have imagined yourself.
Gazing anew, children experience the world in rich, surprising
ways, taking us on their journeys, if we allow them. The
potential possibilities of any child are the most intriguing and
stimulating in all creation 1 . And with digital devices abounding,
children are fearless, creative digital natives.
So how do we explore and capture young gazes? Currently
there is a movement of digital toddlers hijacking their parents’
mobile phones. Enter any home and look for the small person
app-shuffling on a tablet. Children own technology, devising
and challenging what is now possible. How can we harness
their ideas in rich stories? With devices, creativity and risk. Risk
involves letting go what we think we know for new perspectives.
Digital technology offers exciting collaborative opportunities for
expressing emerging, untold stories. Our cameras, tablets, and
laptops are tools for unleashing extraordinary new views.
For the past number of years I have co-created stories with
children and animals. Wielding cameras, tablets, tripods
and software, I love trying collaborative techniques to evoke
immersive visions of the familiar and new—from kids’ exploding
puffer fish mimicry, cameras roaming Indian, Arabic, and
Vietnamese buffets, to re-imagining Brisbane a millennia ago,
when the tree branches hung heavy with butterflies. Working
with animals, I have been communing with sharks on the
reef, nursing noisy bats, sniffed by polar bears at Sea World,
and camouflaged in mangroves filming shy shorebirds. I love
immersing in other worlds, seeing what unfolds as a story. And
it is the small things that surprise and engage.
My son taught me this when he was smaller. Something big
came to a head on a typical hectic school morning. He had
been thinking about it and thinking about it, and just couldn’t
hold it in any longer. As we jostled for the front door he blurted
out “Mum, I wish I was born a girl!” We stopped. I set his
bag down, gently asking “Ok, why?” Amid sobs he yelled,
“Because sharks are MANeaters!” Looking into his manga
eyes, I encountered a new worldview. Identifying unnecessary
gender reassignment, I assured Sam that sharks eat women
too, so his odds of being munched were halved, and miniscule,
and that far more sharks are killed by people than vice versa.
Then we headed to school—his fear of sharks intact. And that
moment stuck with me. He taught me the unique preciousness
of a child’s worldview. (I later ended up filming sharks in new
ways, hoping to change the stereotypes that justify people
killing so many.)
Digital storytelling is a fun and powerful way to communicate.
Creative stories make a difference. We don’t want more
information. We are drowning in it. We want meaningful
stories that inspire belief or faith. Storm Boy 2 moved me as a
child. The pelican Mr Percival, Fingerbone Bill and windswept
beach humpies inhabit my psyche. What stories or images
have moved you? As educators and leaders we play a central
role in shaping individual and community identities through
collaborative metaphors and story making. Stories help us
to learn from the past, adapt to the present, and create the
future. By co-creating multiple metaphors and perspectives with
children and communities we can open up thinking.
So where to begin? Armed with whatever digital device/s
you have, the key is asking kids the right questions and then
watching what happens.
A vital question, a creative question rivets our
attention. All the creative power of our minds is
focused on the question. Knowledge emerges in
response to these compelling questions. They
open us to new worlds. 3
How kids answer questions digitally is endlessly spectacular.
A rough working guide for the journey is:
1. Show kids your tablet/camera/apps/samples
2. Tap into their interest
3. Ask the questions and
4. Allow what unfolds.
By tailoring project provocations to follow children’s interests,
projects will sustain group focus and exploration. Ask yourself
what is happening in your community and to whom, what
images kids are responding to, and what they are talking
about. For instance, young children may be interested in a pair
of kookaburras that visit your garden. Using open questions,
you could ask them to think about what the birds are doing,
why, and have they seen any in their garden, to generate
discussion. Then you could ask, “what would it be like to be a
kookaburra?” and see what ideas emerge.
By inviting children to draw on their imaginations, you invite
creative thinking and outcomes. Kids could then play with
tablets/cameras/apps/motion to capture kookaburra ideas.
What will their story look like?
On a Brisbane City Council project, I worked with West
End State School students, exploring marine world ideas.
Students ditched traditional question and answer storytelling
for spontaneous impersonations of electric eels and exploding
puffer fish, recorded on digital microphones. Their emergent
free-styling became a key film moment that people wanted to
see again, engaging environmental awareness. On showing
Sea World, their next series of TV commercials featured the
same technique. Co-creating with kids is rich and engaging.
Working with animals (left): Sea World children’s book and sharks on the
Great Barrier Reef
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 11

Right now I am working on a project called Digital Yarning
with teenagers at the Juvenile Detention Centre in Brisbane.
Working with these kids is compelling. We are exploring
identity with tablets, cameras, apps, art, and sharing old
and new stories. Weaving culture and technology, the kids
are again teaching me. They are re-creating how they see
the world. Their diverse worldviews, cultural know-how, and
perspectives are amazing. We have been exploring stories to
create a special place, an ancient winding river with paperbark
fishing canoes, captured by tablet animation experiments. We
are at the beginning of growing a collective digital story for
exhibition at Kuril Dhagun, the Indigenous Knowledge Centre at
State Library Queensland. I can’t wait to see what unfolds.
Digital devices are multiplying all around us, crammed with
intuitive cameras, filters, recorders, and software. Creative apps
and ideas are burgeoning. The sky is no longer the limit. We
now have the Cloud. Evolving technology beckons fun, everchanging
experiments and adapting ideas for transformative
outcomes. The benefits of exploring digital media include
improved digital literacy and communication skills, healthier
and more resilient communities, and a culture enriched by
shared perspectives and experiences. The world is your digital
oyster. What will you explore?
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN EXPLORING
RICH DIGITAL MEDIA IDEAS AND
COLLABORATIVE TECHNIQUES?
Later this year I am delivering Creative Digital Natives
workshops. The workshops are aimed at leaders, educators
and carers who wish to develop and refresh their creativity
and digital media skills. Prior knowledge of digital media
applications is not necessary. The program is suited to people
who would like to:
• Develop skills in creating rich, story-based, digital
multimedia works,
• Use co-creative media techniques to facilitate
children’s participation in digital media projects,
and
• Apply digital storytelling techniques in community
development and engagement activities.
You will learn how to create your own digital media works and
stories, working with widely available software, and have the
opportunity to publish works in formats that will allow you to
share by email, to upload to social media such as Facebook
and video sites such as YouTube. Bring your tablet/camera/
laptop and questions. Let’s see what we co-create!
For more information about these upcoming
workshops and how to register, please go to
the events and workshops page at
www.workforce.org.au
REFERENCES:
1. Ray L Wilbur, Stanford University President 2. The 1976 film based on Colin Thiele’s book 3. Verna Alley The Knowledge Evolution
12
IN THE LOOP

RECRUITMENT SURVEY
ECEC PROFESSIONALS WANTED
TO COMPLETE A NEW SURVEY ON
RETENTION AND TRAINING IN EARLY
CHILDHOOD CAREERS
High staff turnover and skill loss are common in the Early
Childhood Education and Care sector and limit optimal
outcomes for children and families. A more stable and
qualified ECEC workforce is associated with developmental,
psychological, academic, and psycho-social benefits for
children, as well as facilitating parents’ engagement in the
workforce.
A professional, skilled and engaged ECEC workforce is also
critical to Australia’s economic and social productivity.
A team of researchers led by Prof Karen Thorpe, and
including Dr Susan Irvine, Prof Paula McDonald and Prof Jo
Lunn (Queensland University of Technology) and Prof Jennifer
Sumsion (Charles Sturt University) are researching ways to grow
and sustain a skilled and professional workforce for Australia.
The researchers have created an online survey to identify
the most effective strategies to reduce staff loss and increase
professional engagement in the ECEC workforce.
The online survey explores the personal and workplace factors
that enable and impede recruitment, retention, engagement
and on-going professional qualification of staff in centre-based
ECEC settings (e.g., long day care centres, kindergartens and
preschools) and seeks to identify factors that support workforce
engagement.
The researchers are calling on all educators, teachers and
others who work in ECEC to take part in the online survey to
help provide a better understanding of the factors influencing
retention and training in early childhood careers.
The survey takes about 20 - 30 minutes to complete and
participants will be eligible to enter in a prize draw to win one
of five $100 retail gift vouchers for participating.
The project is supported by an ARC Linkage grant, bringing
together researchers from Queensland University of Technology
and Charles Sturt University, and industry partners: Dr Kate
Liley, Goodstart Early Learning; Dr Pam Spall, Creche and
Kindergarten Association of Queensland (C&K); and Dr Mary
Lincoln and Dr Angela Ferguson from the Department of
Education and Training Queensland.
Visit the website to participate in the online Early Years
Workforce Survey which will be live until the end of September
2015.
For more information, email the project coordinator Shannon
Edmed, from QUT’s School of Psychology and Counselling,
or phone (07) 3138 4615.
This study has been approved by the QUT Human Research
Ethics Committee (approval number 1500000114).
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 13

BILINGUALISM IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
MORE
THAN
WORDS
19.1 per cent of all Australian children speak
languages other than English at home*
By Anaik Doyle
* The 2012 national AEDI
14
IN THE LOOP

CHILDREN FROM CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE (CALD) BACKGROUNDS FORM A
GROWING NUMBER OF OUR ENROLMENTS. FOR EDUCATORS, WORKING WITH A CHILD WHO
DOES NOT YET SPEAK ENGLISH CAN REPRESENT A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES.
Routine, communication, engagement with staff and children
are just a few of those. When we have a distressed child in
our care and need to find a way to communicate without a
shared language, the level of stress for everyone involved is
enormous. Is it any wonder that often the decision is taken
to abandon or at least de-emphasise use of the child’s first
language and simply focus on developing their English?
While this logic could appear practical, there are in fact
significant academic, cognitive, emotional and social benefits
to ensuring that a child maintains and continues to develop
their first (non-English) language. Dr Andrea Schalley, Senior
Lecturer in Linguistics at Griffith University (and a mother of
two bilingual boys) shares her insights and expertise on this
often misunderstood topic.
According to Dr Schalley the research shows that bilingual
children actually achieve better academic results, “There
are both educational and cognitive advantages. Bilinguals
tend to have excellent ability in things like multitasking,
working memory and concentration. This lends itself to better
educational outcomes.”
Supporting the first (non-English) language also helps to build
the child’s sense of belonging and identity by valuing their
cultural heritage. This can actually assist the child to settle
into the service. Dr Schalley says, “Sometimes there is a fear
that social cohesion might be lost unless the child immediately
begins to speak English. I think that it can be the opposite too.
If you are valued and your identity is respected then you are
much more likely to integrate yourself.”
Children’s use of their home languages underpins
their sense of identity and their conceptual
development. Children feel a sense of belonging
when their language, interaction styles and ways
of communicating are valued. They have the right
to be continuing users of their home language
as well as to develop competency in Standard
Australian English. – EYLF (Outcome 5)
Being able to communicate in the language of their family also
enables the child to connect and maintain relationships with
extended family members. Dr Schalley reflects that if children
don’t share language with their extended family, they also may
lose their connection with that culture. She recalls a comment
from an adult monolingual who came from a migrant family,
“She told me ‘I wish my parents had passed their language
on to me because now I only know half of me. I don’t know
that other half. All I can say to my grandmother is “I love you”
because I don’t know any more of her language.’”
Dr Schalley works with many families and educators on this
topic and her experience has shown that there are a number
of barriers to raising a child bilingually in Australia. Some of
these barriers are simple myths and misunderstandings. “The
biggest myth or fear about bilingualism in early childhood
is that the second language (English in this case) will suffer”
says Dr Schalley. “Often people have a subtractive view of
languages so they think it’s like you have a balloon and you
have to take some air out of it in order to fill the second one.
That’s absolutely not the case, in fact there is evidence to the
contrary.”
Dr Schalley clarifies that this misunderstanding is possibly
based on an assumption that learning the second language
creates extra “work” for the young child. However, she says,
“For a young child, acquiring a second language does not
require the effortful learning in the way that you experience
when you start later in life. Young children don’t need any
instruction whatsoever. They don’t require explicit teaching
of the second language; they just need you to interact with
them. Over time they process it and at some point, the English
[second language] is simply acquired.”
The early years provide a unique opportunity for children
to simultaneously acquire proficiency in multiple languages
simply by having rich exposure to them. Educators are
naturally well positioned to support the development of English
language by ensuring meaningful, connected and repetitious
engagement with children. By reaching for resources
and providing encouragement to families, educators can
also provide vital support to the development of the more
vulnerable home (first) language.
Would you like hands-on support to work with bilingual
families and children? Eligible services across Queensland
receive the support of a Cultural Support Worker at no cost.
Call the Bicultural Support Service on (07) 3337 5427 for
more information.
More resources to assist you in supporting bilingual children
and families can be found on our Pinterest boards
www.pinterest.com/BSSMDA/
Dr Schalley will discuss this
topic further in an online
presentation on Wednesday,
22 July 2015 at 10:00 AM
For more information view www.workforce.org.au/product/
bilingualism-in-early-childhood-2
Continued over page
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 15

BILINGUALISM
Did you know?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Dr Schalley shares key insights for educators:
CHILDREN ARE VERY CAPABLE OF LEARNING TWO OR MORE LANGUAGES SIMULTANEOUSLY
AND ARE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN LANGUAGES AT A YOUNG AGE.
“For example they realise very quickly that they need to speak German to Grandma, but English to
the teacher.”
FAMILIES OFTEN WORRY THAT LEARNING TWO LANGUAGES WILL CAUSE A DELAY.
“However, research shows that bilingual children acquire language at the same rate as monolingual
children. Some bilingual children may start speaking a bit later than their peers, but then so do some
monolingual children!”
KNOWLEDGE OF A HOME (I.E. NON-ENGLISH) LANGUAGE CAN ACTUALLY HELP WITH THE
ACQUISITION OF ENGLISH.
“Children with a solid foundation in their home language go on to learn English more proficiently and
achieve higher academic success than those whose home language is not well supported.”
This means that it is very important for educators to encourage families to continue to speak to the
child in his/her first language.
MAINTAINING THE HOME LANGUAGE IS OFTEN A GREATER CHALLENGE FOR BILINGUAL
CHILDREN IN AUSTRALIA THAN LEARNING ENGLISH.
“To maintain the home (non-English) language children will need to hear/speak the language about
30% of their waking time.”
CHILDREN IN CHILD CARE GENERALLY LEARN ENGLISH QUITE NATURALLY BECAUSE
OF A HIGH LEVEL OF EXPOSURE TO THE LANGUAGE.
In Dr Schalley’s experience, “There is much unnecessary stress about children acquiring English
quickly and adequately, usually it just happens quite naturally given a little more time and patience.”
IN MOST CASES, THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOTH LANGUAGES WILL BE BEST SERVED BY THE
PARENT COMMUNICATING WITH THE CHILD IN THEIR OWN STRONGEST LANGUAGE.
Bilingual families often feel pressure to speak English at home in an attempt to accelerate their child’s
learning. However, Dr Schalley says that “Generally it doesn’t help for the parents to speak English to
the child if it is not their first language.”
IT IS QUITE COMMON FOR CHILDREN TO GO THROUGH A “SILENT PERIOD” DURING SECOND
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION.
This is usually not a concern. “In a new language environment children often will become silent for a
while and just observe without speaking,” says Dr Schalley. “In very young children this period may
even last for several months.”
In this situation it is still important for educators to continue to encourage the child’s use of first
language. Communication in the day care environment can be supported by accessing a Bicultural
Support Worker and by encouraging educators and children to continuing to talk to the child as well
as use other non-verbal communication like gestures and flash cards.
The above points are extracted from the work of Griffith University lecturers Dr Susana Eisenchlas and Dr Andrea Schalley who
specialise in bilingualism in childhood. Drs Eisenchlas and Schalley have compiled an excellent list of resources on their website
including translated flyers for families “Should I speak English to my child?” Visit www.griffith.edu.au/humanities-languages/
school-languages-linguistics/research/bilingualism/resources to view these resources. They have also co-authored the bilingualism
information page at the parenting website Raising Children Network. Visit raisingchildren.net.au/articles/bilingual_children.html
16
IN THE LOOP

4
WAYS JOB
DESCRIPTIONS
CAN HELP
YOU AND
YOUR TEAM
By Workforce C ouncil
The story of Somebody,
Everybody, Nobody and
Anybody
This is a story about four people named
Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and
Nobody.
There was an important job to be done
and Everybody was sure that Somebody
would do it. Anybody could have
done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody
got angry about that, because it was
Everybody’s job. Everybody thought
Anybody could do it, but Nobody
realized that Everybody wouldn’t do
it. It ended up that Everybody blamed
Somebody when Nobody did what
Anybody could have.
If this story is all too familiar in your
workplace, you may benefit from
providing clear job descriptions to your
team.
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 17

1 2
DELIVERING QUALITY CARE AND SERVICE
TO YOUR CUSTOMERS
Depending on who your customer is, and what your primary
service provides, will determine the impact of doing the job
well, or not so well. Providing each member of your team with
a written job description means each level of customer care
can be addressed by an appropriately allocated, and skilled,
person.
The smallest task can have a big impact if it’s not done well, or
worse, not done at all. An example of this could be the person
whose role it is to order supplies for the First Aid Kit. It may
not be a resource that’s used every day, but the consequence
of not having adequate supplies on the occasion you do need
it could be critical.
The importance in a health, aged, disability care or early
childhood setting ultimately translates to the care of people.
Someone is allocated a variety of tasks essential to the overall
quality of care to those that we are employed to look after. It
means there should be no gaps in care therefore decreasing
the likelihood of incidents.
Not documenting or recording information about the care
provided, an incident that has occurred, or something that
needs to be fixed is another example where things could
go very wrong. Not being clear with someone that they are
required to fill out paperwork or register where medications
have been issued, how much was issued and when, could
have significant consequences for the people being cared for,
and also for the care-giver. Documentation responsibility is the
kind of detail you would include in a job description.
I’m sure everyone could think of examples in their workplace
where the impacts would be great if the job was not done,
or done poorly. Putting measures in place such as providing
your staff a job description makes for better clarity and greater
quality outcomes.
When customers are happy with their level of service they are
likely to not only return, but to recommend your services to
others.
GREATER CLARITY WITHIN YOUR TEAM –
WHOSE JOB IS IT ANYWAY?
Like the story of Somebody, Nobody, Everybody and
Anybody, when people are unclear about their own jobs, you
can be certain they’ll be unclear of the jobs of other team
members. This can really inhibit effective team work and feed
into a blame culture.
Where people are provided with clarity around their role and
the expectations placed on them, they can be clearer about
where their own role ends and where someone else should
step in. This doesn’t mean that they should back away slowly
with a ‘not my job’ pursed on their lips, it does however mean
that for reporting and supervision purposes, important issues
can be appropriately addressed with the right people.
Well-written job descriptions can also be used as a means
of mentoring, particularly for people new to the industry and
your organisation, and for supporting apprentices or trainees
who are perhaps new to the workforce altogether. Being very
clear about each task and what level of responsibility that
person has over that task, provides a means of measuring
output, and providing guidance where needed.
Job descriptions not only provide guidance about what is
to be done by the people in your team when they are at
work, but also in the event that you have to temporarily or
permanently fill that role. You then have a guide to work
from in knowing what tasks and duties are required of that
role, what skills would be needed, and can allocate these
within your current team, or use the job description to write
a recruitment advertisement if necessary. (Tip: when you
undertake recruitment exercises dedicate a little extra time to
review the current job descriptions within your work team to
ensure you are recruiting for the ‘right role’, not just to fill the
gap you have).
When teams understand each other’s roles a little better,
and when individuals have their own job description and
understand their own responsibilities to the team, there’s a
greater sense of joint ownership of the overall work.
18
IN THE LOOP

3 4
INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY AND MORALE
Job descriptions provide staff a written measurement of
not only what they are expected to do, but to what level.
Individuals then have the means of monitoring their own work
performance and outputs with potential to identify gaps in
the role or offer suggestions for improvement. Inviting joint
reflection encourages ownership of the role, leading to a
greater sense of responsibility and pride for a job well done.
You can also use it as a tool of measuring performance at
regular meetings, addressing any concerns or issues as
they arise, so there are no surprises down the track. Job
descriptions are instrumental when undertaking performance
management exercises with staff where necessary, and on the
upside, makes it very clear when milestones and performance
indicators are being met, providing opportunity for celebration
and acknowledgement.
When you employ someone and provide them with a job
description, you are essentially entrusting them with tasks that
are important to your service’s day to day running. Providing
in writing what is required and what their performance
indicators will be, promotes a sense of ownership and
responsibility. By naming the tasks and outlining how they
contribute to the overall function of the service, you’ll provide
an understanding of the implication if things are not done, and
not done to standard, further promoting responsibility. It also
shows that you have a sense of value toward the work they
contribute. Naming what would seemingly be menial tasks
shows that they are on the radar and are important.
Job descriptions also provide a means of reviewing the
person’s responsibility against what they are actually doing on
a daily basis. It may mean at some point you need to review
a job description to see if it still fits. It can also assist in finding
gaps in skills, opening up the opportunity to provide some
professional development and training, or where necessary,
a rise in pay level according to the actual tasks they are
undertaking.
EXPAND YOUR TEAM
Whether advertising internally, externally or both, when filling
a position vacant within your organisation, a job description
can be the major selling point.
Providing an overview of the role is helpful to incite interest,
however, the selective job seeker will be looking for more
detail. Attaching a thorough job description to your advert
provides minimal room for misunderstanding about the job you
are filling and what expectations you have of the successful
applicant. Applicants are then able to self-select their suitability
or interest in that role, based on the tasks you outline as part
of the requirements, minimising the number of unsuitable
applicants you’ll receive for that job.
It can also provide an opportunity to showcase the kind of
organisation you are, highlighting benefits and advantages
of working for you, for example, flexible work arrangements,
career advancement opportunities, potential training, learning
and professional development, and any other rewards.
A well written job description with clear specifics of tasks,
responsibilities, measures and performance indicators will be
the reference point and recipe you need to get Somebody,
Anybody, Everybody and Nobody all doing their bits together,
and in isolation, to produce an effective, efficient service!
For assistance with writing job descriptions
for traineeships and apprenticeships, visit
www.traineeshipcentral.com.au and create
an employer log in to access this FREE service.
Alternatively, contact the Workforce Council at
www.workforce.org.au or 1800 112 585.
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 19

LOOSE
By Cathy Cahill
PARTS
Have you ever noticed that if you leave old junk lying
around, kids will almost inevitably play with it? Whether
it be old cardboard boxes, wooden pallets, pieces of
wood, old tyres, bits of rope or string, kids will use their
imagination and inventiveness to make something. This
may make your garden look like a junkyard sometimes,
but the experience for the kids is invaluable and it will
keep them occupied for hours. Don’t try and direct the
kids in their play, just let them get on with it.
(Nicholson, S, 1971).
20
IN THE LOOP

The theory of ’loose parts’ was first proposed by
architect Simon Nicholson in the 1970’s and has
resurfaced again in Early Childhood environments
due its significant role in building children’s
competence, creativity and independent thinking.
Nicholson believed that it is the ‘loose parts’ in our
environment that will empower children’s creativity.
Children are born to jump in, take hold, pull apart, rearrange
and invent using whatever materials they have within their
reach. This belief about children involves children from
birth having very few preconceived ideas about what the
world ought to be like, how they should feel about it or
what they do according to prescribed ideas or formulas.
They view the world as being filled with endless possibilities
and opportunities. As educators it is our role to foster
and encourage this enthusiasm by providing open ended
materials, sharing words of encouragement and providing an
environment with unlimited opportunities.
Loose parts are a range of materials that can be moved,
combined, redesigned, lined up, and taken apart and put
back together in multiple ways. They are materials with no
specific set of directions that can be used alone or combined
with other materials.
IN AN OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT LOOSE
PARTS CAN BE:
Stones, stumps, sand, gravel, fabric, twigs, wood, pallets,
balls, buckets, baskets, crates, boxes, logs, stones, flowers,
rope, tyres, balls, shells, seedpods, straw, ribbons, fabric
cups, containers, digging tools, chalk, scarves.
IN AN INDOOR ENVIRONMENT LOOSE
PARTS CAN BE:
Blocks, building materials, manipulatives, measuring tools,
pouring devices (cups, spoons, buckets, funnels), dramatic
play props, play cars, animals, and people, blankets,
materials, floor samples, water, sand, sensory materials,
recycled materials (paper tubes, papers, ribbons, caps, lids,
wood scraps, wire, foam, cardboard), plastic containers, small
plungers, tools, art materials (buttons, spools, natural and
coloured popsicle sticks, beads, straws, paints, brushes).
We must remember loose parts can be natural or synthetic
materials and by using these materials in your environment
you are recycling, renewing and reusing items that may have
ended up in the recycling bin.
WAYS TO PROMOTE LOOSE PARTS PLAY:
• Start with a recycle box where families can bring items
from home, lots of masking tape in a child-friendly
dispenser, and glue
• Loose parts materials need to be on offer and available
in the setting each day, mixing it up by adding in new
materials from time to time
• Be a role model - Listen to children’s ideas, guiding and
asking questions to extend ideas
• Give ample time - Children need time to explore,
investigate, daydream and make use of the loose parts
• Opportunity to leave the invention in the space for parents
to view at pick up time or to extend or build on the next day
SETTING UP A LOOSE PARTS ENVIRONMENT:
• Materials at children’s level
• Displayed in authentic way – baskets
• Children need an environment rich in experience -
materials/resources and type of educator guidance
• Create an invitation to play to spark/extend interest
The theory of loose parts is essential to any Early Childhood
environment. If we want to foster and build children’s
competence, creativity and independent thinking we need to
engage in this type of play. By offering loose parts play to
the children in your environments, children will gain a better
understanding of free exploration and creation, problem
solving and sustainability.
REFERENCES:
Carter. M and Curtis. D (2013) “The Art of Awareness” 2nd edition. St Paul, Redleaf Press.
Nicholson, S, (1971) “How Not To Cheat Children: The Theory of Loose Parts”, Landscape Architecture.
Moore, Robin, (1996) “Compact Nature: The Role of Playing and Learning Gardens on Children’s Lives”, Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, Vol. VIII,
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 21

AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN’S EDUCATION AND CARE QUALITY AUTHORITY
ACECQA NATIONAL
WORKSHOPS
ARE COMING TO
QUEENSLAND
“The sharing
of experiences and
breaking down the
assessment process was
extremely helpful for a
centre that is yet to go
through the process.”
”Fantastic session!”
”… fantastic
workshops. I’m
walking away with a
great deal of information
and determination.
Thank you.”
“… the
workshop was great
and [I] feel excited to
share the information that
I have learnt with
my team.”
22
IN THE LOOP

The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority
(ACECQA) is coming to Queensland to host a series of free
workshops to support services in meeting Quality Area 1 -
Educational program and practice.
ACECQA will be making its way around the Sunshine State
from 27 July – 18 August 2015, visiting Brisbane, Mackay,
Townsville, Cairns, Rockhampton, Toowoomba, Maryborough,
the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast and Mount Isa.
Led by ACECQA’s National Education Leader, Rhonda
Livingstone and supported by the Workforce Council and local
regulatory authority staff, the workshops are practical, hands-on
sessions.
They are open to all educators and providers, but are
particularly targeted at services that have received a rating of
Working towards the National Quality Standard or have not yet
been rated.
Almost 3000 educators across Australia have attended the
workshops since they began in September last year.
Registrations for the Queensland workshops have been
exceptionally popular with sessions in Cairns, Brisbane,
Toowoomba and Gold Coast already at maximum capacity.
Places are still available for Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton,
Sunshine Coast, Maryborough and Mount Isa.
Ms Livingstone says the workshops provide a great opportunity
for education and care professionals to network and form
collaborative relationships within their community.
”Great set up and a good way to
encourage team work.”
”Our workshops offer an open forum for educators to share
their ideas and experiences and learn more about educational
programs and practices,” Ms Livingstone said.
”Participants are guided through a series of templates that focus
on Quality Area 1 – educational program and practice, with a
specific emphasis on the importance of documentation, critical
reflection and the cycle of planning.
“Registrations are still open in regional Queensland, so I
encourage all educators to secure their spot.”
“I’ve
learnt a
lot and it has
challenged my
thinking and
practice.”
”Thank you
for organising this
opportunity to
network with other
professionals.”
TO REGISTER FOR THE ACECQA NATIONAL WORKSHOP VISIT THE ACECQA EVENTS PAGE AT
WWW.ACECQA.GOV.AU/EVENTS. REGISTRATIONS WILL CLOSE ONCE EACH WORKSHOP IS FULL.
ACECQA NATIONAL WORKSHOP SESSION TIMES AND LOCATIONS
Monday 27 July 6:30pm – 9pm Pacific Hotel Cairns, Cairns Full
Tuesday 28 July 10am – 1pm The Mercure Townsville, Townsville Open
Tuesday 28 July 6:30pm – 9pm The Mercure Townsville, Townsville Open
Wednesday 29 July 6:30pm – 9pm Mackay Grand Suites, Mackay Open
Thursday 30 July* 6:30pm – 9pm Aspley Memorial Bowls Club, Brisbane Full
Friday 31 July 10am – 1pm The Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Brisbane Full
Monday 3 August 6:30pm – 9pm The Leichhardt Hotel, Rockhampton Open
Tuesday 4 August 6:30pm – 9pm Burke and Wills Hotel, Toowoomba Full
Monday 10 August 10am – 1pm Maroochy RSL, Sunshine Coast Full
Monday 10 August 6:30pm – 9pm Maroochy RSL, Sunshine Coast Open
Tuesday 11 August 6:30pm – 9pm Maryborough Neighbourhood Centre, Maryborough Open
Monday 17 August 10am – 1pm Quality Hotel Mermaid Waters, Gold Coast Full
Monday 17 August 6:30pm – 9pm Quality Hotel Mermaid Waters, Gold Coast Full
Tuesday 18 August 6:30pm – 9pm Mount Isa Civic Centre, Mount Isa Open
* Due to high demand, an extra session is planned for Ipswich on the 5th of August, venue and details to come on ACECQA’s events page.
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 23

Noah’s Ark Resource Centre
PERL - (Professional Educator’s Resource Library)
SOME NEW EXCITING
RESOURCES HAVE ARRIVED AT
THE NOAH’S ARK RESOURCE
LIBRARY.
THESE RESOURCES FOCUS
ON HELPING CHILDREN
TO LEARN ABOUT CARING
FOR THEMSELVES, OUR
ENVIRONMENT AND EACH
OTHER.
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IN THE LOOP

The resources provide an interesting approach to understanding what is good for our bodies and minds
and support intentional teaching, allowing children to discover and explore with hands on activities and
extension suggestions. The selection of new resources reflect the sector’s needs and interests and contain
the most up-to-date information.
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE
Help Healthy Harry eat through these brightly coloured set of wooden fruit (4 bananas,
4 pears, 4 plums, 4 oranges, 4 red apples and 4 green apples). This is a great resource
for enhancing fine motor skills, supporting hand / eye coordination, patterning and
sequencing and an opportunity to create conversations with children about healthy
eating.
GO GREEN – CARING FOR OUR EARTH
KIMBO EDUCATIONAL
A delightful music CD with “Songs about pollution, recycling, planting, gardening and
sharing the Earth. It will inspire children to get in touch with the great outdoors while
educating them to consider what they personally can do to take care of the natural world
around them.”
FOCUS ON BABIES
JENNIFER KARNOPP 2012 GRYPHON HOUSE
This book comes “complete with tips for creating a developmentally appropriate
environment and experiences that stimulate muscles and minds ... topics include the
following: your role as the educator/caregiver; setting up your environment; daily
planning; child growth and development; addressing multiple intelligences and
evaluating your program.”
THE PEACE BOOK
TODD PARR 2010
LITTLE BROWN BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS.
One of a series this book is designed to encourage early literacy, enhance emotional
development and celebrate multiculturalism. The Peace Book describes peace as making
new friends, sharing a meal and feeling good about yourself.
A NEST IS NOISY
DIANNA HUTTS ASTON & SYLVIA LONG 2015
CHRONICLE BOOKS
This beautiful children’s book looks at the fascinating world of nests. From tiny bee
hummingbird nests to orang-utan nests high in the rainforest canopy, an incredible variety
of nests are showcased here in all their splendour. Poetic in voice and elegant in design,
this carefully researched book introduces children to a captivating array of nest facts.
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE
A fantastic 24 piece wooden floor puzzle for individuals or small groups to work together
to learn and recognise the common vegetables, as well as the slightly unfamiliar ones. It
measures 40 x 60cm. This puzzle is suitable for children aged 3 years and older.
These resources and more are available to Early Education and Care services and individual
educators through our affordable yearly subscription. Call the Noah’s Ark staff to discuss
your resource needs or enquire more about the subscription on 1300 497 437.
You can also email us on resources@noahsark.net.au or visit us at our Rocklea Library.
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 25

IPSP Specialist Equipment
CLEAR, EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION IN EARLY
EDUCATION AND CARE
SERVICES IS VITAL FOR BOTH
CHILDREN AND ADULTS.
APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THE
COMMUNICATION WE USE
IS IN THE FORM OF BODY
LANGUAGE WHICH CONVEYS
OUR NEEDS, IDEAS AND
THOUGHTS TO OTHERS AND
IS INCORPORATED INTO OUR
DAILY ACTIVITIES.
26
IN THE LOOP

For some children, the simple act of saying what they want, like or need does not come easily or in fact
is reliant on utilising other resources to support them. Noah’s Ark Specialised Equipment has a number of
resources that can support the child as well as the educator to communicate.
SIMPLE VOICE-OUTPUT
COMMUNICATION DEVICES
Simple voice-output communication devices are electronic
devices that may assist a child who has limited or no speech
to have their communication needs be spoken aloud. Letters,
words, phrases and sentences can be spoken aloud by the
device via pre-recorded messages. Messages can be recorded
in varying lengths (depending on the model of the device). The
following devices use digitised (human voice recorded) speech
messages for simple communication needs.
SMART/TALK VOICE-OUTPUT
COMMUNICATION DEVICE
Smart/Talk has 8 message cells per level and 6 levels on
the device, giving 48 messages in total. It has an in-built key
guard and can be activated by direct access only i.e. via
touch.
Examples of activities to use with a Voice Output
Communicate Device:
BIGmack Communicator
The BIGmack enables a single message to be produced and
has 2 minutes recording time. The BIGmack can be accessed
directly by touching the large activation plate on the top or
indirectly via a single switch.
(It is important to ask the child’s Speech Therapist to assist you
in selecting varying uses to support the child’s communication.)
1. Use to play games such as Chasey and Hide-and-Seek.
Store phrases such as “You can’t catch me”, “Your Turn”,
“Ready or not, here I come!’’
2. Request an activity, “How about we read a book?”
3. Use it to do show-and-tell, record a message about the
event/object that the child would like to tell the group.
4. Give a compliment to a friend, ‘’I like your t-shirt.”
Little Step-by-Step with Levels Communicators and
Big Step-by-Step with Levels Communicator
These devices enable a single message or a sequence of
messages to be produced. Sets of messages can be stored
in levels. There are three levels included with a total of four
minutes of recording time.
Levels are ideal for pre-recording messages to be used at a
specific time of the day or for recording and storing sequential
messages that are used on a regular basis.
It can be accessed directly by touching the activation plate on
the top or indirectly via a single switch.
5. Use it at story time. Record some repetitive words or
phrases so that the child can participate. Books with
repetitive phrases include ‘The Hungry Caterpillar’,
‘Brown Bear, Brown Bear – What do you see?’
6. Giving direction in a group activity
– ‘’Put it in”, “Pick it up.”
7. Ask a friend to play.
8. Making single requests in predictable situations.
9. During reading, tell to turn the page – “Turn the page
now.”
10. Use it with the Survival Words Kit – give speech to the
pictures. Put a picture inside the switch cap and record the
message “I would like to go inside to play”,
“I am hungry now.”
Our Specialised Aids for Communication devices require the recommendation from the child’s
Therapist. To apply for Specialised Aids please download the application from our website
www.noahsark.net.au or contact Noah’s Ark on 1300 497 437.
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 27

FUNDED SUPPORT
FOR SERVICES
WORKING TOWARDSNQS
Access is easy!
FREE services
available
STEP 1: We will email you and follow it up with a phone call or you can call us on 1800 112 585
Understand what
professional support
is available
STEP 2: We meet to chat about the report and the self assessment tool, resources and support available
Link your service to
available resources
providing help and
practical support
STEP 3: We provide you with information on how to access and make sense of it all
Customise support to
address your needs and
plan for improvement
STEP 4: We tailor a professional development program just for your service
Call our Advice and Support line on 1800 112 585
to discuss your needs with one of our consultants.