Salmander Bay Child Care Centre recently opened their doors for the ECA Hunter region to meet.

Guest speaker was Sheila Francis. Sheila volunteered as an early childhood educator in Sri Lanka. The quilt in the photos is part of the documentation of her experience. Sheila found the experience life changing.

The rest of the meeting was group discussion on reflective practice and how different services are presenting documentation. Terrific evening. 

ECA NSW is holding an Issues Night. Topic: Inclusion Support.

Thursday 5th November, 2015. 6.30pm-8.30pm.

Blacktown Civic Centre, 5^th floor, 62 Flushcombe Rd, Blacktown City Council

Inclusion support is undergoing many changes that will affect services. Our panel of experts discuss their experiences with inclusion support, the NDIS trial and the future of inclusion in services.

The expert panel:

• Poppy Brown, KU Children’s Services

 Poppy Brown is the General Manager for Early Education Inclusion at KU Children’s Services. KU manages a range of programs which assist the inclusion of all children in quality education and care services including children with additional needs such as children with disability, children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and refugee and humanitarian backgrounds and Indigenous children. These include KU’s Education Support and Family Services team supporting inclusion in KU services, Family Programs and NDIS services, Inclusion Support Agencies and the National Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider though the Inclusion and Professional Support Program and Adult Migrant English Program.

• Darleen Tayor, First Chance Newcastle

 Darleen Taylor, General Manager Firstchance

Darleen is a Social Worker who has primarily worked in community development roles and later in management positions over the last 20 years (or so). Darleen worked for 10 years in local government across 3 councils performing a range of community development, advocacy and social planning functions. This was followed by a move into senior management roles within the NGO sector in the Hunter.   Darleen’s passion is working with and for people with a disability and their families and most of her professional career has been spent in the disability sector.Darleen is currently the General Manager of Firstchance, a not for profit organisation specialising in early childhood intervention supports.

Firstchance was the first ADHC funded early childhood intervention organisation to transition to the NDIA in the Hunter trial site in October 2013. Darleen’s presentation “Riding the NDIS roller coaster” contains a reflection on the experiences of Firstchance over the last 21 months.

• Linda Rolland, First Chance, Newcastle. 

Bookings essential. $5 ECA Member, $10 non ECA member (includes supper)

RSVP : Tuesday COB, 3rd November. http://www.trybooking.com/165479

This event is sponsored by Blacktown City Council.

ECA NSW is holding an issues night. Topic Inclusion support. 

Thursday 5th November, 2015. 6.30pm-8.30pm.

Blacktown Civic Centre

5^th floor, 62 Flushcombe Rd, Blacktown City Council

Inclusion support is undergoing many changes that will effect services.

Our panel of experts discuss their experiences with inclusion support, the NDIS trial and the future of inclusion in services.

The expert panel:

• Poppy Brown, KU Inclusion support
• Darleen Tayor, First Chance Newscastle
• Jo Goodwin, Inclusion Support Agencies, Queensland
• Linda Rowlins, First Chance, Newcastle. 

Bookings essential. $5 ECA Member, $10 non ECA member. RSVP :Tuesday COB, 3rd November. http://www.trybooking.com/165479

Supper provided. This event is sponsored by Blacktown City Council.

ECA NSW is holding an issues night. Topic Inclusion support. 

Thursday 6th November, 2015. 6.30pm-8.30pm.

Blacktown Civic Centre

5^th floor, 62 Flushcombe Rd, Blacktown City Council

Inclusion support is undergoing many changes that will effect services.

Our panel of experts discuss their experiences with inclusion support, the NDIS trial and the future of inclusion in services.

The expert panel:

• Poppy Brown, KU Inclusion support
• Darleen Tayor, First Chance Newscastle
• Jo Goodwin, Inclusion Support Agencies, Queensland
• Linda Rowlins, First Chance, Newcastle. 

Bookings essential. $5 ECA Member, $10 non ECA member. RSVP :Tuesday COB, 3rd November. http://www.trybooking.com/165479

Supper provided. This event is sponsored by Blacktown City Council.

Early Childhood Australia, Riverina and Wagga Early Childhood Network Group

Have great pleasure in inviting you to a dinner meeting

Thursday 8^th October , 7-9pm

Guest speaker:

Wagga Wagga’s own Author, Speaker and Early Childhood Educator.

Joy Lubawy

Come and hear Joy talk about her extraordinary successful EC career .

PLUS- ECA NSW – Riverina Achiever award to be presented.

Recipients:

2104 Joy Lubawy

 2015 Kate Barrow – Tatton Goodstart.

 Venue: The International Hotel,

Cnr Sturt Hwy and Lake Albert Rd, Wagga Wagga.

Cost $50 /$45(ECA member) per head, includes a two course meal. Booking are essential. Closing date Thursday 1^st October

Book at: http://www.trybooking.com/157571

Inquires:

Julia Ham (Riverina ECA) 0411585479 or Tracey Snow (Amy Hurd ELC) 69226226

Judith Page from Bostes addressed ECA NSW members and friends at an Issues night in August.

Her talk was informative and well presented. After the talk she answered many questions.

Find the link to her talk here: Teacher Accreditation talk – J Page

Some questions asked by participants were: 

• What happens if you are accredited already through the present system for primary teachers?
•  What happens if you are on a leave of absence?
•  Who decides what are the appropriate qualifications?
• Do you need to do additional training if you have not yet completed your degree but am working as a teacher?
• What about leave of absence?
• What happens if you are ceased?
• I am a non-teaching director. Will I be deemed?
• If you are a Diploma of Children’s Services being a teacher in the EC program , can I be deemed?
• How do I meet the requirement for teacher accreditation if I am not teaching but still working in the field?
• How long do you have to have been teaching to gain teacher accreditation?
• In a EC management position, how much PD is appropriate?
• What happens in regional areas where PD is not so readily available?
• I qualified in 1990 but have been off work for three years having children. Can I be deemed?
• What about EC teachers from TAFE or Uni , Can they gain teacher accreditation?
• I have been away working at TAFE or UNI for over five years, could I be deemed?
• Could this be done in 20 hours?
• I am a multi-based teacher . What do I do?
• Will the Dept. of Education teachers be deemed? Even if they have only received their degree?
• What does the 10 month opportunity mean?
• How do you know where to find registered PD?
• BOSTES appointees. How will the work in regional areas?
• Will there be a requirement to have teacher accreditation to teach?
• What happens if I am returning to EC from a long period of time?
• When will it start?
• When should I contact BOSTES if I have received no information?
• If you are currently working in EC will you get deemed?
• I have trained in EC but also go to primary . What happens to my accreditation?
• I am trained 0-8 years but work in a year 6 class. Will I be accredited?
• How many hours of PD is necessary over five years and is it pro-rata?
• Part-time and casual teachers, how much professional development (PD) do you need?
• Who assesses qualifications ACECQA or BOSTES?
• What about professional experience?
• What about non practicing teachers,  supervisors or non-centre based teachers?
• Is all staff development relevant?
• Will ECA NSW training be linked to the standards?
• How do you log you professional development (PD) hours?
• Do staff meetings etc. count towards PD?
• Can you be voluntary accredited? Which Teacher Accreditation Authority (TAA) do you use?
• Does all PD have to cover the seven standards?

ECA NSW Far North Coast Regional Group

is pleased to present an evening presentation, discussion and question sessions regarding the new

Early Childhood Teaching Accreditation

Guest Speakers:

Judith Page Director,| Teacher Accreditation, and

Meg Madden, Teacher Accreditation

Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW

From the start of 2016, all teachers working as early childhood education teachers in a children’s service in NSW will need to be registered. The speakers will give an overview of the work to support accrediting teachers working in early childhood settings. They will be available to answer any questions from teachers, about the registration and accreditation process. They will outline how all approved NSW children’s services will be contacted next month with instructions about how their teachers can register .

Date: Tuesday 8th September.

Time:  6pm-8pm

Choice of two Venues:

Lismore, Southern Cross University. Room to be confirmed.

or

Sandhills EC Centre, 6 Gilmore Cr, Byron. 

Light refreshments will be available.

This event is open to all ECTs and people working in the Early Childhood field.

Please email RSVP:

Name and organisation, by Friday 7th September, 2015 to

Leo@rainbow.nsw.edu.au

On Tuesday 4^th August, forty early childhood professionals from the Shoalhaven and Illawarra areas were engaged in enthusiastic and professional dialogue about early childhood mental health. Rita’s presentation of the KidsMatter Framework re-ignited the importance of social and emotional development in quality early childhood practice. It’s terrific to be part of this work.

Next ECA Illawarra -South Coast committee meeting, 4-6pm, Wednesday 9th September, Kiama Preschool, 168 Shoalhaven St, Kiama. All welcome.

For further inquires: Regional rep, Linda Windley:  linda@ectarc.com.au

We are delighted with the positive response we have had to the ECA NSW Issues night.

6th August.

Kingsgrove Community Centre

30 Morgan St, Kingsgrove.

6.30 to 8.30pm

Topic: Teacher Accreditation

Guest Speaker: Judith Page BOSTES

Judith will give an overview of the work to support accrediting teachers working in early childhood settings. She is available to answer any questions

RSVP for catering ecansw@nsw.earlychildhood.org.au. Or text 0418893830 Monday 3rd August, 2015

For people unable to attend KU services is kindly videoing the evening. This will be posted on the ECA NSW website. http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/state-territory-branches/nsw/

For interested people in the Riverina. Judith Page is speaking via video conferencing on Thursday 20th August 11am, Wagga TAFE. Contact Tracey Snow: traceys@amyhurd.com.au for more details.

Newly formed ECA NSW regional group, Illawarra/ South Coast, are holding an evening of professional dialogue.

Guest Speaker: Rita Johnston, Kidsmatter.

Rita has worked in early childhood education for over 25 years both as a teacher and a trainer and in recent years became a qualified counsellor. She is passionate about the therapeutic value of early childhood settings where children can overcome adversity and grow to their full potential.

Date: Tuesday 4th August, 2015 6-8pm

Venue: Ray Cleary Building, University of Wollongong –

Shoalhaven Campus, George Evans Rd, West Nowra

Cost: $10 ECA members, $20 non ECA members.

Light supper will be provided.

Seats are limited . Bookings essential.

Book on line : Illawarra/South Coast