Amplify! Blog

Many services are striving to deepen their respect and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and perspectives, yet this respect may not always be visible to families.

Early childhood educators Cherie Longden and Natasha Bell from Styles Street Long Day Care share their journey of making Aboriginal perspectives more visible at their service, guided by Jess Sinnott of Koori Kinnections. They explore how fostering a culture of learning and reflection allowed them to engage children more deeply and meaningfully in the process.

Every day, CELA represents the interests of community and small provider members to local, state and federal decision makers. Our advocacy highlights our members’ issues and creates momentum to deliver solutions that support our five advocacy pillars.

Find out about recent major ECEC announcements, and how CELA has helped to shape these transformative changes for the sector, paving the way for a brighter future for children, families, and educators. 

We explore how behaviour guidance (rather than behaviour management), attuned relationships, and contemporary research can help educators in supporting children to navigate big emotions.  

Wondering what the Start Strong Funding 2025 means for families and early education providers in NSW?

This article pulls out key elements of the NSW Government's Start Strong Funding 2025 initiative, which is part of the Affordable Preschool Program. It gives a summary of key features of the guidelines including fee relief, funding options for long day care and community preschools, and extra support for disadvantaged groups.

Employers, educators and teachers signed the first national supported bargaining agreement with the Federal Government yesterday. 

Read a summary of what occurred and view the photos. 

Understanding neurodiversity is to appreciate the multitude of differences in our human minds—and to build a world that embraces and supports everyone’s unique brain. 

CELA Early Education Specialist Jen Boddy explores what neurodiversity is, the benefits of understanding it, and how we can communicate with children about neurodiversity. 

With the support of local Yuin Knowledge Holders and artists, Narooma Preschool has developed a series of bespoke Dhurga Language Learning Packages that embrace reconciliation and truth-telling. These valuable resources have now been generously shared with 20 early childhood education services within the service's local Shire, fostering a new generation of cultural awareness and connection.

We speak with Director Kathy Phipps to learn how the projects started, who was involved, and how the project is evolving.  

Building strong, nurturing relationships is at the heart of early childhood education. But what happens when a child in an early learning service expresses their feelings with the simple yet profound words, "I love you"? How should educators respond, and what messages can this convey to children about relationships?

CELA Early education specialists Jannelle Gallagher and Guita Badaoui provide valuable insights into this deeply meaningful moment.

From December 2024, children's services in NSW (including out-of-school-hours care that provide meals as part of their daily operations) need to comply with new food safety requirements, introduced under Standard 3.2.2A of the Food Standards Code. 

Find out what the changes are and how they apply to your service.

ECT and CELA Early Education Specialist Meg Anastasi explores the evolving role of family engagement in early childhood education.

As guiding documents like the EYLF emphasise the importance of strong relationships with families, Meg shares practical strategies to adapt in a changing environment. From using digital platforms to personalised communication, she offers insights for building trust and partnerships, ensuring each child’s strengths and experiences remain central to these connections.