Amplify! Blog

From 1st October 2023, significant changes to the National Quality Framework (NQF) will be implemented, focusing on sleep and rest for children in educational and care settings.  

Find out what the changes are and what needs to be considered in your service.

This year National Child Protection Week will continue to champion the message “Every child in every community needs a fair go” while introducing the accompanying theme of “Where we start matters”.  

CELA child protection specialists Eva Bowers, Aline Majado and Michelle Urquhart explore the meaning of “Where we start matters” and give an overview of important things to remember as you play a vital role in keeping children safe. 

Over the past few months, we've sought the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people concerning The Voice to Parliament Referendum, scheduled for 14 October.  

CELA's cultural consultant Lisa Walker posed four key questions to various First Nations early education sector professionals to help us gather diverse viewpoints. We believe it's important to share these views with fellow early educators as you form your stance on the referendum. Here are their insights, including narrative written by Lisa. 

As we approach the end of 2023, all services utilising the EYLF must be ready to transition to the newly updated EYLF V2.0 framework.

Are you well-versed with these revisions? Do you know how they can enhance your current practices?

Find out what's changed, and what you can do to ensure you're ready to transition in 2024. 

Styles Street Director Radha Babicci shares the philosophy behind a risky activity that brings big rewards for the children at her community-based service, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. 

As Children's Book Week nears, we had the pleasure of interviewing early childhood teacher Jackie Blackburn about a remarkable initiative, spearheaded by her kindergarten group, to fundraise for books. Throughout the process, the children have been immersed in STEM learning, literacy and social-emotional development, culminating in days full of joy and play-based learning. 

The rising costs of early childhood education have prompted the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to launch a Childcare Inquiry. Led by Treasurer Jim Chalmers, the inquiry's interim report reveals that fees are outstripping inflation, with disadvantaged families impacted the most. 

The ACCC's findings will play a pivotal role in shaping future early education reforms in Australia. Read on to discover the key findings, what CELA says, and why this inquiry is important for the sector. 

Our choice of language plays a crucial role in shaping our approach towards children, as well as our communication with their families.  

Early Childhood Teacher and CELA facilitator Meg Anastasi explores the power of strength-based language when communicating with families and demonstrates how emphasising a child's strengths can help nurture more supportive and positive relationships. 

Language is intrinsic to understanding and expressing culture; loss of language inherently means loss of culture and identity. For Indigenous children, being able to connect in early childhood with an Indigenous language helps strengthen their sense of belonging and identity. 

Proud Dunghutti woman and early education resources specialist Deborah Hoger explores the importance of introducing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages into schools and early education spaces. 

Biting can have significant impacts within an early childhood setting—for the children involved, the educators and parents, and even for the learning environment.

We explore the considerations around biting within an early education setting and provide strategies for dealing with biting, including policy and communications.