Amplify! Blog

Anzac Day and Remembrance Day hold a prominent place in Australian cultural and education calendars, and educators and parents are often encouraged to engage children in commemorative events.

This article by Marg Rogers, Emily Small and Amy Johnson, explores some of the challenges involved in engaging children with commemoration days, as well as tips to support children’s understanding of these events and participate in them in meaningful and respectful ways. 

The Fair Work Commission has handed down a landmark decision recognising the gender-based undervaluation of early childhood educators. Proposed changes include a simplified classification structure and wage increases of 15% to 23% under the Children’s Services Award.

We share key takeaways, what this means for our members and what's next. 

For generations, nursery rhymes and fairy tales have played a powerful role in shaping children’s identity and perspectives about themselves.

Here, we explore the benefits of these traditional forms and examine some ethical considerations, offering strategies for fostering inclusive and equitable storytelling practices. 

Low pay has long been one of the biggest barriers to building and sustaining a strong ECEC workforce. At the recent ECA Rural and Remote Early Childhood Forum, CELA and CCC shared how supported bargaining has created a new pathway to address this challenge.

This article outlines how the process worked, what it has achieved so far, and why it matters for the future. 

Our popular one-day Elevate Early Education online conference was held on 1 April 2025. We brought together experts and practitioners to share diverse perspectives and frameworks aimed at fostering inclusive education. 

We share a small sample of the powerful insights shared throughout the day, along with reflections from CELA Professional Learning Co-ordinator Rachel Ho, who co-produced the event.

The past three years have marked an unprecedented opportunity for early education reform. CELA has harnessed this momentum through powerful advocacy, ensuring the voices of community and small providers are heard at every level of government.

As we head towards the next federal election, read about how our sector leadership is creating momentum for universal, high-quality early education and care.

Many CELA members continue to experience challenges in recruiting qualified early education and care professionals, highlighting an ongoing need for innovative workforce solutions.

Y Careers, a new social enterprise, offers targeted training, career coaching, and streamlined employment pathways to attract and retain young talent in the early education and care sectors. Find out how Y Careers can help your service access motivated trainees and qualified professionals, with additional administrative support.

The ABC's Four Corners recently exposed alarming practices in some Australian early education and care services, revealing critical gaps in safety, oversight, and accountability. 

Marg Rogers, a senior lecturer at UNE and Postdoctoral Fellow at the Manna Institute, analyses the root causes behind these failings. She highlights how conflicting corporate interests and hidden government funding undermine quality care, calling urgently for reform.

Research has shown that active father engagement in children's early years significantly enhances child development, strengthens family bonds, and benefits the broader community.

This article provides insights from The Fathering Project and offers practical tips and resources to help early education settings effectively engage fathers in supporting children's learning.

For professionals in early childhood education and care, understanding and fulfilling child protection responsibilities is not just best practice—it's a legal and ethical obligation. Creating a genuine culture of child safety involves embedding protection principles into every aspect of daily practice.

We highlight how CELA member St Luke’s Dapto integrates the NSW Child Safe Standards into their daily operations, and also share why it's important to invest in high quality child protection training.