By CELA 26 Jun, 2023

New grant to help services boost skills through PD

Are you a rural/remote service receiving CCS or a First Nations owned and controlled service? 

The Australian Government announced a Professional Development and Paid Practicum Subsidies (program) as part of the 2023-24 Budget. The program is one of a number of urgent actions to help support the skills and training of early childhood education and care (ECEC) educators by expanding access to quality professional development. 

Applications opened on 3 July and include rural/remote services receiving CCS and First Nations owned and controlled services. Find out how CELA can help you to make the most of this grant to boost your team’s skills.  

By CELA 23 Jun, 2023

Understanding and responding to connection seeking behaviours

What if we re-framed what's traditionally been thought of as "attention-seeking" behaviour to see it as a child’s way of seeking connection? 

CELA Learning and Development Specialist Kerrie Maguire explains how this simple reframe can help educators to react differently and build crucial connections with the children who need us most.

By CELA 20 Jun, 2023

Australia’s care and support economy: What’s next for ECEC?

The Federal Government has released its draft Strategy for the Care and Support Economy for public consultation.

This strategy outlines how paid care and support should work across aged care, disability support, veterans’ care and early childhood education and care sectors, and covers a range of themes including workforce, pricing and payments, digital and innovation, and quality and safe guards.

CELA will continue to provide input to the draft Strategy for the Care and Support Economy on behalf of its members. Find out why it matters and how you can have your say. 

By CELA 16 Jun, 2023

AI and documentation: What are the ethical considerations?

The launch of new generative AI (artificial intelligence) tools to support early education documentation has sparked intense debate and reflection amongst some sector professionals.  

What are the ethics around these tools and how should we approach them? 

We interviewed technology expert and teacher/lecturer Dr Kate Highfield and CELA early education specialists Jannelle Gallagher and Meg Anastasi about the topic.

By CELA 5 Jun, 2023

CELA CEO represents members as multi-employer bargaining begins

A better paid early education and care workforce could be just around the corner, under a historic pay negotiation plan of unity and cooperation launched today. 

Early education and care peak bodies will embark on a collaborative process with unions to demonstrate how increased workforce professionalism can deliver the best opportunities for Australia’s children and their parents.

“Nothing is more urgent, that’s why CELA and our members are showing leadership by coming to the table under these new laws,” said CELA CEO Michele Carnegie at today’s press conference with Tony Burke, Minister for Employment & Workplace Relations.

Find out what else was said and download the media release.

By CELA 2 Jun, 2023

CELAs response: IPART Review of ECEC in NSW

IPART (Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal) is reviewing the NSW early childhood education and care sector to understand affordability, accessibility, and consumer choice, and make recommendations where necessary to improve them. IPART released an Issues Paper seeking feedback on experiences of access and affordability in the sector.

Read CELA's response to the Issues Paper

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