Critical Aspects of an Existing Policy

Discuss about the Early Childhood Inclusion Policy.

Children are an important entity in the world especially when they represent our future. Hence, everyone looks forward to providing a better life to the children. The Australian Government has also devised policies, several of them, to secure their future. The Early Learning Association of Australia has devised the Free Policies for the Early Childhood Sector (Guralnick & Bruder, 2016). The Early Years Learning Framework helps in equipping the early childhood educators in working towards the extension and enriching the learning of children, right from their birth to at least five of their growing years till they are admitted in a school (Nicaise, 2012). It is necessary to provide for children to have a healthy childhood and this can only be brought about by supporting them with proper care and education to them. Several policies exist aiming at the wellbeing of the children such as Asthma Policy – Children’s Service Model Policy, Diabetes Policy, Nutritional and Physical Activity Policy, Sun Protection Policy, Road Safety Policy, and many more (Robertson & Doyle-Jones, 2015). This study concentrates on the ‘Dawson Street Child Care Co-Operative Policy’ which deals with early childhood inclusion policies. Another policy has been newly determined and discussed in the following sections.

The Dawson Street Child Care Co-Operative (DSCCC) Policy aims at formulating values, guidelines as well as strategies based on the following concepts which have to be addressed when dealing with children, such as, gender equity, inclusion, multiculturalism and preventing heterosexism and homophobia (Cheeseman & Fenech, 2012). From the gender equity’s aspect, without any sort of limitations based on the gender of the children, every child is asked to take part in activities as per their own interests. The staff is sensitized in order not to have sexist behavior towards the children by organizing staff development programs (Dalkilic & Vadeboncoeur, 2016). The language used by the DSCCC is child inclusive and further devise information projects that helps the parents in understanding issues on socialization and child development. From the inclusion aspect of the society, the individuality of the child is taken into account and his needs are catered to (Fenech, Giugni & Bown, 2012). It aims at facilitating the support towards children with additional or special needs. The child support groups are designed as such that they meet the needs of these children and during such sessions the privacy policy is practiced. The parents have the right to decide what to share and what not to regarding their child while participating in the child support group meetings (Guralnick & Bruder, 2016). From the multiculturalism aspect, the child is encouraged to develop his self-esteem based on his family’s linguistic and ethnic heritage. Sensitizing the children in accepting the diversity among people that surrounds him and develop in him a tolerant attitude is also part of this aspect which is stated by the DSCCC policy (Knaus, 2015). The children are also encouraged to use their native tongue frequently and promote the awareness of learning some other language too. From the aspect of prevention of heterosexism and homophobia, the policy aims at preventing references from a heterosexist point of view (Nicaise, 2012). The program should treat every child equally even if they belong to lesbian or gay parents and explain the idea of rainbow families to the children. The benefits of diversity are explained to them through this policy. DSCCC is very effective in helping the children with the several issues that they face during early childhood (Raban & Kilderry, 2016). The aspects they cover are important as these are the values that will help them build judgmental skills to assess the right from the wrong. The policy is mostly effective as they take regular feedbacks from the staff as well as the parents to assess its effectiveness (Robertson & Doyle-Jones, 2015). The only drawback of this policy is that they do not take into account the idea of promoting health among the children. Early childhood is a molding perod when the body is developed. The policy should make efforts of organizing campaigns and projects that will help in teaching the parents the lifestyle and eating habits that they need to follow for the wellbeing of the child (Shonkoff & Fisher, 2013).

Self Determined Inclusion Policy

In order to frame a policy, it needs to follow the structured headings:

determination of a policy, relevant background, legislation applicable, resources, key practices and framing a checklist (Shonkoff & Fisher, 2013). The self-determined inclusion policy deduced is called, “A Person-Centered Approach for the Wellbeing of the Children”.

The relevant background is provided by the pre-established facts that the first five growing years of a child is most important in his life. During this period, most of the part of significant development of the brain takes place. Therefore, it is important to build a foundation, which would concentrate on the health, behavioral development and learning aspect of the child (Stone, 2013). The emotional security aspect also has to be established with a person-centered approach of the parents. During the same time, a child learns to build relationships with adults and it is important to for them to establish them with trust.

This policy relies heavily on the legislations as stated by the Early Years of Learning Framework as well as the National Quality Standard. The Early Years Learning Framework was designed by the Council of Australian Government, was to help the educators of the children to assist them with chances to meet up to their true potential and also help them in developing a groundwork for the children in their successful learning process (Dalkilic & Vadeboncoeur, 2016). Based on the framework, the ‘United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child’ was passed. Based on the convention, it can be assessed that every child has a right to education, which is helpful in laying the foundation from the educational aspect, and helps them in increasing their ability to become tolerant and have respect for their respective families and towards people belonging to other communities (Tayler et al., 2016). 

The National Quality Standard aims at communicating a national approach towards the level of education and care directed at all Australians. The Standard consists of various fields related to childhood policy and aims at assessing their quality based on the services provided. The fields are: program and practice related to education, wellbeing health and safety of children, physical environment, improving the arrangements of staff, assessing relationships, and partnerships assessed between families as well as communities and the management of leadership and service (Cheeseman & Fenech, 2012).

The resources that involve the policy, providing with early childhood education is available from several sources such as the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), Zero to Three, NACCRRA (National Association of Child Care Research and Referral Agencies), National Association for Family Child Care and several others (Fenech, Giugni & Bown, 2012). All these bodies offers information regarding the development of the child in his early years and

The key practices involve the practicing of appropriate steps targeting the care and education of the children. Careful attention needs to be paid the needs of the children is one of the key practices under the policy heading. Along with it, new strategies and interventions need to be developed for devising better approach methods to provide with quality care (Sumsion& Grieshber, 2012).  Another important key practice is to provide with a nurturing environment to the childhood so that he feels safe and protected.

The checklist was framed based on the following queries, such as, considering the suggestions made by the parents while framing the policy; after all, it is their children who are involved (Tayler et al., 2013). The second in the checklist refer to the involvement of the community, which plays a significant role during the growing years of the child. The third escalation on the checklist states the importance of providing quality education to the children, supported by a caring environment.  The fourth point relates to appointing efficient healthcare workers who would help in strengthening the early childhood years with proper educational and emotional support (Knaus, 2015). The fifth option raises the point of easy access to the childcare facility. Certain times, parents fail to meet the requirements in taking care of their children and during those times, it is helpful if the childcare facility is accessible. The sixth escalation has been raised to manage the financial troubles that the family face while approaching a childcare facility. Hence, childcare costs are to be made affordable (Raban & Kildberry, 2016). 

Conclusion

Early childhood is considered a significant period in the life of a child. During these growing up years, they have to be nurtured in a way so that they feel safe and secure in the midst of the people they are growing up with. At times, they are in a position where the only people they rely on, are the ones who inflict harm upon them. In such a case, these Early Childhood Policies are important in order to safeguard the interests of these children. After all every child deserves a quality upbringing which prepares them to face the world. However, parents need to realize in such a situation that they are the first teachers of their child and the most influential one on top of that. Hence, it becomes their sole responsibility in providing with a safe and protective environment for their children to grow up during their early childhood days.

References

Cheeseman, S., & Fenech, M. (2012). The early years learning framework: Essential reading for the National Quality Standard.

Dalkilic, M., & Vadeboncoeur, J. A. (2016). Regulating the child in early childhood education: The paradox of inclusion. Global Studies of Childhood,6(1), 17-30.

Fenech, M., Giugni, M., & Bown, K. (2012). A critical analysis of the’national quality framework’: Mobilising for a vision for children beyond minimum standards. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 37(4), 5.

Guralnick, M. J., & Bruder, M. B. (2016). Early Childhood Inclusion in the United States: Goals, Current Status, and Future Directions. Infants & Young Children, 29(3), 166-177.

Knaus, M. (2015). ‘Time for Being’: Why the Australian Early Years Learning Framework opens up new possibilities. Journal of Early Childhood Research,13(3), 221-235.

Nicaise, I. (2012). A smart social inclusion policy for the EU: The role of education and training. European Journal of Education, 47(2), 327-342.

Raban, B., & Kilderry, A. (2016). Early Childhood Education Policies in Australia. In Early Childhood Education Policies in Asia Pacific (pp. 1-30). Springer Singapore.

Robertson, L., & Doyle-Jones, C. (2015). Pedagogies of Difference: Equity and Diversity in Early Childhood Policy in Ontario. The International Journal of Holistic Early Learning and Development, 2, 64-76.

Shonkoff, J. P., & Fisher, P. A. (2013). Rethinking evidence-based practice and two-generation programs to create the future of early childhood policy.Development and psychopathology, 25(4pt2), 1635-1653.

Stone, J. (2013). Planning for Universal Design for Learning in the Early Childhood Inclusion Classroom: A Case Study. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, PO Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106.

Sumsion, J., & Grieshaber, S. (2012). Pursuing Better Childhoods and Futures through Curriculum: Utopian Visions in the Development of Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework. Global Studies of Childhood,2(3), 230-244.

Tayler, C., Cloney, D., Adams, R., Ishimine, K., Thorpe, K., & Nguyen, T. K. C. (2016). Assessing the effectiveness of Australian early childhood education and care experiences: study protocol. BMC public health, 16(1), 1.

Tayler, C., Ishimine, K., Cloney, D., Cleveland, G., & Thorpe, K. (2013). The quality of early childhood education and care services in Australia.Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 38(2), 13.