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Early Childhood Education

As a Network, early childhood education is one of our biggest priorities, not only for ensuring children and young people have access to education but education about child protection and keeping kids safe. The early years of a child's life are the most crucial in their learning and development. 

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Below are a range of resources for you around Early Childhood Education

Government Resources

Department of Communities and Justice 

Enables services to better work together to support everyone's right to access justice and other help for families, and strengthen/bolster the promotion of early intervention and inclusion, with benefits for the whole community. 

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They have a reporter community (link below). It will be useful for all Mandatory reporters to have a look at this new page as well as the video on how to run the Mandatory Reporters Guide and how to create a report. 

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Department of Education

Has the key information on early childhood education, student wellbeing and the school curriculums. They provide tips and resources to help the family get ready for early childhood education and transitioning to school. 

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Office of the Children's Guardian

An independent authority in New South Wales Government that promotes and regulates the quality of child-safe organisations, services and people. They have information on what is a child-safe organisation and the 10 child safe standards.

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Office of Children's Guardian Child Safe Scheme

All child-related organisations in NSW should apply the NSW Child Safe Standards to better prevent and respond to child abuse. Organisations under the Child Safe Scheme must demonstrate their commitment to child safety by having child safe systems, policies and processes based on the Child Safe Standards. This website provides resources and tools to help implement and assess organisations work against the child safe standards.

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eSafety Commissioner

Online resource developed by the Australian Government to help provide a safer and more positive online experience. They have information for adults and children on how to be safe online, how to deal with Cyber Bullying and what to do if strangers are trying to contact them.

 

Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority 

An independent organisation that assists the governments in administering the National Quality Framework (NQF) for children's education and care. It discusses the laws and regulations for early childhood education and care. 

Child Protection Resources

Australian Childhood Foundation

This website has resources and training available on how to support children who have been affected by trauma and promote and build secure and stable relationships for all children.​

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National Association for Preventative of Children Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN)

Dedicated to creating safer communities for children and provides resources to help reduce the risk to children and young people. 

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Children and Media Australia

To support children’s healthy development and protect their rights and interests as digital and screen media users by assisting families and children’s professionals, and by influencing decision-makers.

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National Families Week

An initiative of Families Australia to celebrate the vital role that families play in Australian society. Let’s take the time to reflect on the critical role that families play in teaching, supporting and nurturing children especially as they grow.

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Reimagine Australia

Leading Australian body for early childhood outcomes for young children with a developmental delay or a disability and their families. Aim is to ensure that children with disability and/or developmental delay, and their families, have every opportunity to reach their potential in life by supporting families and practitioners, whilst reimagining communities in which we live, work and play through strategic and inclusive design.

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Woodslane

Woodslane Health stock a wide range of professional and self-help books across mental health, autism and neurodiversity, LGBT, social work, health care and more. We proudly distribute these resources on behalf of exceptional local and international publishers including American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, Class Professional, Guilford Press, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, and more.

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Woodslane has offered all SCCWN users an ongoing discount for publications and resources on their website. Click here to see their range of titles 

Parent Resources

​Raising Children

Provides up to date information and resources to help families grow and thrive together. They have various categories to help you find exactly what you are looking for including pregnancy, toddlers, pre-teens, autism and disability. â€‹

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Starting Blocks

Provides parents with resources and tips about early childhood education and care. They help you understand what to expect, learn about developmental milestones and give you tips on how you can encourage your child's learning and development.

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Munch & Move

Is a NSW Health initiative that supports the healthy development of children birth to 5 years by promoting physical activity, healthy eating and reduced small screen time

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Active for Life

Help parents give their children the right start in life through the development of physical literacy. They have many resources for parents and carers including fun and engaging activities for children, fundamental movement skills videos and a recipe for an active year.

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Snack Sized Research Showcase

Presented by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS), this website provides information about a wide range of issues relating to families' safety and wellbeing. 

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Play Safe Pro

Provides information on the sexual and reproductive health needs of young people in the out of home care (OOHC) sector have been overlooked and not addressed due to the complexities that can sometimes arise when discussing sexual health with youth who may have experiences of trauma. “Because you care: fostering conversations about sexual and reproductive health” has been developed after extensive consultation with key agencies in both the trauma and out of home care sectors. To access the training, please visit our website.

 

For local sexual and reproductive health information for the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, visit the Caddyshack Project’s webpage https://www.caddyshackproject.com/

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Thrive by Five

Initiative of Minderoo Foundation that is about making our early learning childcare system high quality and universally accessible. They are  guided by the principle that if you want to help society or a community, you must invest in the wellbeing and development of children.

How every child can thrive by five - a TEDTalk by Molly Wright

 

"What if I was to tell you that a game of peek-a-boo could change the world?" asks seven-year-old Molly Wright, one of the youngest-ever TED speakers. Breaking down the research-backed ways parents and caregivers can support children's healthy brain development, Wright highlights the benefits of play on lifelong learning, behavior and well-being, sharing effective strategies to help all kids thrive by the age of five. She's joined onstage by one-year-old Ari and his dad, Amarjot, who help illustrate her big ideas about brain science.

This TED Talk was produced in collaboration with Minderoo Foundation as an educational tool for parents and caregivers around the world and is supported by UNICEF.

Safety Resources

Royal Life Saving Society

Help all Australians enjoy the water safely through drowning prevention leadership, education and action and providing water safety education to more people in the community, especially those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to participate.​

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Kids Safe

An independent, charitable organisation dedicated to the prevention of unintentional death and serious injury to children aged 0 – 15 years. They have a variety of resources on Home Safety, Car and Road Safety and Water Safety as well as Sports and Play. 

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Safety 4 Kids

a non-profit organisation designed to help kids make better decisions about their personal safety. They have resources and tips on road safety, stranger danger, bullying, pool safety, and internet safety

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Other Helpful Resources

Hello Auslan

Created by Susan McConnell, who has worked as a Teacher of the Deaf for almost 10 years. She has developed resources for families and schools to help make learning Auslan enjoyable. Auslan also has just released four Auslan Kids smart books, it’s specially designed to help awareness among schools and families about Deaf children​

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Key Word Sign Australia

Is a tool or strategy which can be used to support children and adults with communication difficulties to understand and get their message across to others.​​​​

Nature Play and Child Wellbeing 

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Engaging Young Children (0-5) in nature play

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​School Transition for Parents and Carers

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Resources and Tips for Parents for the School Holidays

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Holiday Survival Resource

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Stronger Starts, Brighter Futures - this report proposes ways to improve access to early childhood education for children from culturally diverse backgrounds

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SBS Radio has shows in 68 different languages plus music channels

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Museum Activities for children 3-6 years - these activities are fun and engaging for children

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Story - Morty: The Day Morty's Face Fell Off - talks about expressions and emotions

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Australian Childhood Foundation has Bringing Up Great Kids resources for you including the Thoughtful Parenting Kit and Mindful Parenting Kit

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Big Ted's Tech Tips: Good online habits start early

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What researchers are learning about the health of early childhood educators

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Unpacking and Responding to Behaviour

 

The Australian Catholic University (ACU) have developed a number of tools and resources which are available to you for free regarding the 6 principles of the Kids Central Toolkit;

 

My Sensory Hand Activity - Invites people to build a rough sensory guide of comfort, with the aim of enhancing the feeling of safety and ease. ​

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Fl

South Coast Child Wellbeing Network acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we live and work.

We pay respect to their Elders – past, present and future.

The goal of the Network is to increase awareness of issues relating to child wellbeing and child safety across the local service network and within the communities in which children and young people live.

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