Blog - Australian Childcare Alliance

The following case study was provided by Eskay Kids, Karana Downs, Queensland.

It originally appeared in ACA's Belonging Early Year Journal, Volume 7 Number 3 2018

Trisha Dean, Centre Director and kids.

Eskay Kids, Karana Downs, Queensland

At Karana, we have built a strong staff team, who are both highly competent and also have longevity of service. Our staff turnover is virtually non-existent.

I credit this with the way we view our team. We are NOT just a group of people doing a job. We are a family team. I give my team every respect, trust, care and autonomy in their work. I encourage the team to find their strengths and sit in that space. It’s quite simple really – extend the same philosophies to your staff team, that you expect them to extend to the children.

Kids Alive

Tragically, drowning is a leading cause of accidental death in children under 5 in Australia.

Many children will also experience non-fatal drownings, which can lead to debilitating life-long disabilities.

This is why water safety education is so important for all young children in Australia.

To help prevent drowning fatalities and injuries, Laurie Lawrence and the and the "Kids Alive - Do the Five" team have released an online resource which promotes water safety to young children and offers a professional development opportunity for Early Childhood Educators.

Be You is the Federal Government’s renewed and expanded investment in children's mental health and wellbeing, covering the early years through school and up to the age of 18.

The initiative builds on ECA’s 10 years working with Beyond Blue to deliver KidsMatter Early Childhood.

If you're already participating in KidsMatter, you will transition seamlessly to Be You. If not you can join by visiting the Be You website - https://beyou.edu.au/

Be You is a mental health and wellbeing initiative for children in early childhood education and care services (preschools, kindergartens and day care centres) and primary schools.

Bringing the heart thank you

A huge thank you to all members who ran fundraising activities for our "Bringing the heart of Australia together this Christmas" campaign with Foodbank Australia this year.

As a result of donations from you and your generous families, we are able to provide 1,120 meals to people in need this Christmas!