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Partnerships with families

This course has been developed to help educators build and strengthen partnerships with families on an ongoing basis, taking into account different circumstances and settings. It includes video interviews with educators from three service types, including long day care, family day care and outside school hours care.

Whichever part of the early childhood education and care sector you work in, this course will provide you with helpful information and ideas on how to build relationships and partnerships with families in your setting.

In this course, you will unpack:

  • what is desirable in relationships between educators and families
  • some of the challenges and rewards that come with taking the time to build solid partnerships with families
  • the uniqueness of each educator–family relationship
  • why the child’s wellbeing needs to be the focus of the relationship
  • how different service types approach partnerships with families.
Category: ECA Subscriptions

Partnerships with families for inclusive practice (2-part series)

Inclusion benefits all children. Partnerships with families and caregivers underpin young children’s inclusion, learning and development. This module examines the role of effective partnerships to enable inclusion within early childhood education and care services.

In this course, you will:

  • explore how partnerships with families and caregivers underpin young children’s inclusion, learning and development
  • explore the benefits of partnerships to enable inclusion
  • explore inclusive practices in early childhood settings, and
  • examine the role of inclusion in various services and settings.
Category: ECA Subscriptions

Philosophy leading strategy (3-part series)

Vision and philosophy represent the core values that inform all practice areas of a business. They are essential components for the operation of early childhood settings and are integral to the achievement of an ‘Exceeding National Quality Standard’ rating. Nevertheless, they are not always understood by educators and managers. This three-part series will expand on the meaning of vision and philosophy and explain how they can be used effectively within early and middle childhood settings.

In this course, you will:

  • explore the concepts of vision and philosophy and their relationship to the National Quality Framework
  • introduce theories related to the concepts
  • provide case studies and resources
  • apply their understanding through an interactive exercise and encourage them to develop a sample vision and philosophy for their setting.
Category: ECA Subscriptions

Physical activity-helping children grow

Category: Everyday Learning Series

Planning for nutritional wellbeing

In the early childhood education and care (ECEC) environment, supporting healthy dietary habits is crucial for children’s growth, health and development. Over 90% of Australian children do not meet vegetable intake recommendations. This course supports educators and cooks to strengthen their skills in planning balanced, nutritious menus that align with the Australian Dietary Guidelines, the National Quality Framework, and the National Regulations. Participants will explore the vital role of nutrition in early development and learn how to create menus that meet diverse nutritional needs, while also encouraging positive eating behaviours and meaningful food experiences. As many children are consuming up to two-thirds of their recommended daily intake while in care, ECEC settings are uniquely positioned to influence long-term health outcomes. The course also unpacks practical strategies for ensuring food safety and hygiene, while supporting compliance with relevant health standards and regulations. Through this learning, participants will gain confidence in developing menus that not only meet requirements but also foster lifelong healthy eating habits.

Category: ECA Subscriptions

Play and quality in early childhood: Educating superheroes and fairy princesses

Category: Research in Practice Series

Play-based learning: Using the Pedagogical Play-framework

Play-based learning is a cornerstone of early childhood education. In recent years, the concept of intentional teaching has also gained momentum. This on-demand webinar discusses a new approach to balancing open-ended play with intentional teaching, using the Pedagogical Play-framework. According to the framework, three main types of play—open-ended, modelled and purposefully framed—can be used in multiple combinations to support young children’s learning.

This on-demand webinar will:

  • help you understand the Pedagogical Play-framework and the relationship between open-ended, modelled and purposefully framed play
  • introduce you to the theoretical ideas in the work of Vygotsky that underpin the Pedagogical Play-framework.
Category: ECA Subscriptions

Playing with gratitude

This webcast examines the science of gratitude and outlines how combining gratitude with co-play enables positive change in the wellbeing of children from birth to age five. It also explores the development, implementation and findings of the Playing with Gratitude project and the role of mental health in children’s learning and development.

This course examines:

  • the significance of gratitude and how it can be used as a tool to support children’s learning and development
  • the role of play and gratitude in developing executive functioning skills, independence and wellbeing
  • links between gratitude and the development of positive neural pathways and social capacities, such as strong verbal reasoning and self-regulation skills
  • the role of gratitude in developing connections to self and between educators, families and the community.
Category: ECA Subscriptions

Privacy awareness in children's services

What does privacy look like in children’s services, and how do educators ensure they’re not in breach of the Privacy Act 1988? Using case studies from the sector, this course examines different aspects of the Privacy Act 1988, including the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme. It explains what qualifies as sensitive information and who regulates and protects privacy. The course also identifies useful support strategies to maintain and protect privacy across different service types.

In this course, you will:

  • understand what privacy is
  • think deeply about maintaining privacy in their setting
  • recognise who regulates and protects our privacy
  • implement strategies to protect privacy in their setting
  • understand the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme under the Privacy Act 1988 connect with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Category: ECA Subscriptions

Professionalism and identity in early childhood education and care: Who we are and what we do

This webcast explores the idea of professional identity in two ways— who you are and what you do. You will ponder notions of professionalism and your identity in early childhood education and care in relation to children, families, colleagues and the community. Educators are encouraged to stop and reflect, individually and with colleagues, on the importance of being an ethical early childhood educator in relation to element 4.2.1 of the National Quality Framework – Management, educators and staff work with mutual respect and collaboratively, and challenge and learn from each other, recognising each other’s strengths and skills. In addition to reflecting on identity, this course asks you to consider links between professional identity and the implications of professional ethics on your practice.

In this course, you will:

  • ponder notions of professionalism and your identity in relation to children, families, colleagues and the community
  • be encouraged to stop and reflect on the importance of being an ethical early childhood educator
  • be asked to consider the link between professional identity and the implications of professional ethics on your practice and being an advocate for the profession
  • explore ideas about professional collaboration and conduct.
Category: ECA Subscriptions

Professionalism, paperwork and pedagogy: Leading professional practice in long day care

In this on-demand webinar, Susan Irvine, Karen Thorpe and Jane Bourne explore leadership approaches and strategies for professional practice in long day care centres. While discussing a Queensland study on the early childhood education and care workforce, they ask centre leaders to reflect on the question, ‘What does professional practice mean to you?’ and specifically examine how directors can demonstrate and support professional practice in long day care settings.

This on-demand webinar will help you:

  • identify what the term professional practice means to you
  • understand how, as a centre leader or as part of the leadership team, you can enable professional practice
  • recognise how enabling leadership within your teams can make a difference to service practice across all aspects of education and care work.
Category: ECA Subscriptions

Putting art in place (2-part series)

Putting art in place by Dr Red Ruby Scarlet is a two-part professional learning series that focuses on art and how it can facilitate the development of relationships. That includes relationships with Country, children, and adults as well as with materials and technology to create a holistic artistic experience.

Often, educators may think they’re not ‘arty’ or ‘creative’, but when we focus less on expertise and more on relationships, we are able to create truly meaningful artistic experiences for children and educators. This in turn empowers them to put art in place in their everyday curriculum.

Discussion about the learning that arises from these arts practices will be entwined through beautiful examples of how relationships with Country, people, materials, technology, and knowledge are generated in practice in and in-between.

The program will answer questions such as:

  • Who is the teacher?
  • What counts as valid knowledge?
  • What does learning look and feel like in human-nonhuman relations?
  • How Indigenous cosmologies infused throughout all of these relationships?

Working this way takes the idea of the environment as third teacher from a human-led and controlled curriculum, to a collectively created one where place, materials and non-Western knowledge flourish. This allow us to centre arts practice as the nucleus of learning in early childhood curriculum.

By taking this approach to putting art in place, children will thrive and educators and teachers will benefit as equally successful learners.

Category: ECA Subscriptions

Putting children first: Child safe organisations

This course introduces early childhood professionals to the concept of child safe organisations and the 10 National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. It highlights everyone's role in creating safe environments where children’s rights are respected, risks are reduced, and harm is identified and responded to appropriately. Suitable for all staff in education and care settings.

Category: ECA Subscriptions

Putting children first: Child safe organisations

Category: Everyday Learning Series

Recognise the Signs: What is grooming and how to protect children from child sexual abuse

*** This is a recorded version of a live event ***

ECA presented this live webinar in partnership with Bravehearts. Recognising the signs of grooming can be challenging, but it is essential for protecting children. Hear from Kate McGill from Bravehearts as she explains what grooming is and how to identify its signs. The webinar provides practical strategies for creating a child-safe culture within your service. Protect children by understanding what grooming looks like and learning how to respond effectively.

Category: Live Webinars

Reconciliation in children's education and care: Taking the first steps

This course is suitable for all educators looking to build their confidence in taking their first steps or next steps in embedding reconciliation in an approved education and care setting. This is a foundation course that may be suitable for educators new to the sector or embarking on a formal early childhood qualification.

Exploring reconciliation in early childhood education and care settings can be an extremely powerful way of teaching children about culture and introducing them to concepts such as respect, equity and justice. This course will help you take your first steps or next steps towards embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and reconciliation into your daily practice. By referencing the truth about Australia’s history, this course explains how knowledge and personal beliefs may impact your experience of reconciliation and how they form the foundation for building reconciliation in education and care practice.

In this course, you will:

  • develop an understanding of the meaning and importance of reconciliation between First Nations peoples and the broader Australian community
  • take the first steps in understanding the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples personally and professionally
  • establish how inclusive practices can support the progression of reconciliation in children’s education and care contexts
  • develop an understanding of the meaning and importance of reconciliation in children’s education and care contexts across Australia.
Category: ECA Subscriptions

Rediscovering the planning cycle: EYLF (V2.0)

Presented by Rod Soper, this practical course will help you rediscover the Early Years Learning Framework (V2.0) planning cycle and show you how it can be used to reinvigorate not only your thinking but also your approach to children’s learning and development.

By addressing common misconceptions, the course will outline how to avoid making mistakes when using the planning cycle and foster strong analytical thinking skills within teams.

Target audience: This course is suitable for educators at any stage of their career.

In this course, you will:

  • revisit and rediscover the planning cycle
  • learn about the common misconceptions related to the planning cycle
  • reflect on your thinking around the planning cycle   
  • learn to approach planning with diversity of mind.

Category: ECA Subscriptions

Rediscovering the planning cycle: MTOP (V2.0)

Presented by Rod Soper, this practical course will help you rediscover the My Time, Our Place (V2.0) planning cycle and show you how it can be used to reinvigorate not only your thinking but also your approach to children’s learning and development. 

By addressing common misconceptions, the course will outline how to avoid making mistakes when using the planning cycle and foster strong analytical thinking skills within teams. 

Target audience: This course is suitable for educators at any stage of their career.

In this course, you will:

  • revisit and rediscover the planning cycle
  • learn about the common misconceptions related to the planning cycle
  • reflect on your thinking around the planning cycle   
  • learn to approach planning with diversity of mind.
Category: ECA Subscriptions

Respect: A guide to calm and nurturing infant care and education

Respect—defined as treating someone or something with consideration—should be the overarching feature that underpins the values and actions of educators. This module will unpack the practicality of respect in infant and toddler programs, with particular emphasis on primary caregiving, care rituals, settling processes, free movement and partnership with families.

This course will assist you to:

  • gain in-depth knowledge of what primary caregiving is and how it can be practically implemented in a group setting with infants
  • explore the settling process and the importance of authentic partnerships with families
  • understand free movement and its practical implications in an early childhood setting
  • discuss care moments and rituals and their place in infant education and care programs.
Category: ECA Subscriptions

Responding to harmful sexual behaviours: Birth to five

Educators work hard to maintain the safety of the children in their care. While there are many risks to mitigate, it is important to also consider the risk that children may experience harmful sexual behaviours from other children in your service. Your role is to reduce the risk, recognise the red flags, and respond and report.

In this course, you will learn about harmful sexual behaviours that may occur in a long day care setting. You will learn how to prevent, identify and respond to harmful sexual behaviours that may occur between the children in your care.


Learning outcomes

In this course, you will:

  • understand what sexual behaviours are developmentally appropriate in children and what behaviours are considered harmful
  • explore why some children engage in harmful sexual behaviours and what scenarios you may encounter in a long day care setting
  • discover educator expectations in reducing the risk and protecting children from sexual behaviours
  • examine ways to recognise the signs and indicators of harmful sexual behaviours and understand how to respond and report.


Recommended for: This course is suitable for early childhood education and care professionals at all stages of their careers.


Category: ECA Subscriptions
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