Auslan is short for Australian sign language. It’s a visual form of communication that uses hand, arm and body movements to convey meaning.

National Child Protection Week runs from September 6-12. This year, event host National Association for Prevention of Child abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) celebrates 30 years of National Child Protection Week with the theme ‘Putting children first’.

Tours and orientations of early learning services are important for both educators and families and can be an emotional and much-anticipated experience.  However, conducting tours and orientations during COVID-19 brings a whole new raft of challenges.

Fine motor skills are essential for handwriting, as they allow children to make small movements using the muscles in their hands. Educators can support preschoolers in learning to write by including a wide range of fine motor experiences throughout their program.

Around Australia, many children are having to visit respiratory clinics instead of their regular family doctor. They may need to undertake a COVID-19 test. This can be confronting to young children, who may arrive to see large tents full of unfamiliar people with clipboards, wearing face masks and other protective clothing.

As the COVID-19 resurgence continues in Victoria, and with cases appearing across parts of New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland, the issue of wearing face masks is again a focus of discussion. Masks have been compulsory in Victoria for educators when greeting parents and working away from children, but are not currently mandated when an educator is working with children. 

Tours and orientations of early learning services are important for both educators and families and can be an emotional and much-anticipated experience.  However, conducting tours and orientations during COVID-19 brings a whole new raft of challenges.

We recently spoke with the Operations Manager of Everlearn Preschool Prestons, Alexander Spencer. The preschool recently received notification of a possible COVID case and had to close for two days. In this week’s Amplify we share their story and some tips, so that you can feel informed and prepared should your service be in a similar position.

This week we caught up with Kim Hoskin and Belinda Wakeford of the NSW Regulatory Authority Quality Support Team to find out more about the NSW approach to self-assessment launched in November 2019, and learn about a new working document that supports services to engage with self-assessment and quality improvement planning.

On 4 August 2020 each year, we celebrate National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day (Children’s Day). This is our national day dedicated to celebrating our children; who they are individually, but also who they represent as a collective, as the future generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Importantly, this day is a day for all Australians to learn more about the significant role that culture plays in the lives of raising strong and confident children.