Early Childhood Education: Child Protection Essay

Every babe has the right to a entire and productive life. Under the national framework for Protecting Australias Children (2009), defend children is everyones responsibility Parents, communities, governments and businesses all tolerate a role to play. Childrens operate receive an essential part to play in protecting children who may be at hazard of harm or illness. Educators have a duty of care to protect and preserve the gum elastic, health and social social welfare of all children in their care and must always act in their best interests.Policies have been developed at a local anaesthetic, state and federal level to provide a foundation for improving and maintaining the galosh and wellbeing of Australias young people. The purpose of this report is to analyse six of these policies effectively fostering childrens wellness at a physical and ablaze level. The policies have been rised from, and are underpinned by the following policies and legislation ? A local early chil dhood kindergarten and long twenty-four hours care centre operate policies ? The Children, Youth and Families Act (2005) ? national framework for Protecting Australias Children (2009) ?The Childrens Services Act (1996) ? key heathen Competence poser (2008) Values that underpin these policies Each of the six policies selected specifically addresses educator interest and is a key face of the service, state and federal constitution and legislation. Collectively the policies attend to and interpret issues of childrens safety, stability and development. In other(a) words, when indemnity development was occurring due consideration and encourage was given to child safety, stability of relationships in a stable environment, child development, and child health and wellbeing.These dimensions of safety, stability, development and wellbeing are understood in the context of use of whom the child is that is their age and stage, identity and their culture. These elements concerning the i dentity of the child are fundamental to two of the six policies. The Aboriginal Cultural Competence Framework and Day and Nights childcare and Kindergarten (DNCK) service Diversity and faithfulness policy chew over a strong sense of social justice, fairness and equity, and furthermore are free from prejudice.They both value the child as a whole, advocating for all childrens rights. It is not a question of being politically correct but rather respecting the unique identity of all(prenominal) and every child. Similarly part 1. 2- principles The termination makers to have regard to principles of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, place significant value to protecting and promoting the pagan and uncanny identity of children, and whenever possible, maintaining and building childrens connections to their family and community.As advocated for in the Early years accomplishment Framework, penetrating where and with whom you belong (identity, stability, and wellbeing) is integ ral to human humanity (2009). Focusing more on childrens wellbeing, that is the childs physical and emotional wellbeing, the DNCK Child tax shelter policy and the Child protection policy sourced from Protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people, reinforce and furiousnesse that all children need stable, sensitive, simulating relationships and environments in order to reach their full potential.The nucleus of both policies is the child and in order to see to the needs of the child each policy has placed a well-founded and substantial value on the role of educators, stating the role of staff atom in childrens services is to protect, nurture, recognise and support the needs of children in their care (Protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people, 2010, p19). Educators have an ethical responsibility and a duty of care to see that this is done. progressmore commensurate teachers (Degree qualified or higher) are mandated, therefore are legally r esponsible for the care and protection of children inwardly their care.In addition to this, Part 4- Operation of childrens services of the Childrens Services Act 1996, places an emphasis on the protection of children from hazards within the service. Legislators again place value on the role of the educator, stating, rather strongly that Staff members of a childrens service must ensure that every reasonable precaution is taken to protect a child (Childrens Services Act, 1996, p27) Though the previous two policies had feed for the emotional wellbeing of the child, this policy places equal value to the physical wellbeing of the child.What precipitated the development of the policy? Australia began to acknowledge the existence of child protection issues during the 1960s, which led to legislative reform and Australia signing the United Nations Declaration of the rights of the child in 1981 (McCallum, 2002). In recent years there has been an change magnitude awareness of child prot ection emerging from attachd incidents of child harm and abuse and intensified research. During this time, policy makers and service providers have developed a great understanding of childrens needs and have come together to bring us our current policies.Further investigation into the development of each of the six child safety/protection policies found that they are manifestations of each other. For instance without the Childrens Services Act 1996 and the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, the DNCK child protection policy would not have been developed as now services have a legal responsibility to have current and relevant policies within their service. Moreover without the Aboriginal Cultural Competence Framework the DNCK diversity and Equity policy would as not have been developed to such a high standard.Who benefits/ who is disadvantaged? It is quite evident who is benefited from these policies. These mainstream childrens services access codees and policies emphasise chil dren within a holistic and ecological framework. The holistic approach means looking at the whole child, that is, their identity, culture, community, age, development all areas within the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. The holistic approach also implies that educators exit have a community-focused and strength-based understanding of childrens welfare that necessitates previous attempts at early childhood education.In addition to this with a greater understanding to the enormousness of culture to a childs identity, the Aboriginal Cultural Competence Framework has provided a source where the dynamics of pagan connection can be explored. This benefits all children, including Aboriginal children and the broader community, as it represents childrens cultural needs in the following way. Childrens cultural needs are Cultural Expression and Events Language, cultural values, lore, beliefs and practices Country Extended family, clan and community History.Symbolic (Aboriginal Cultural Framework, 2008, p19) It is important to note that because of these six policies an increase of awareness of the needs of the child has been developed, and as such children have ? Freedom from hunger and have protection from diseases ?The rights to an identity and to preserve such an identity ? The right to equal treatment regardless of gender, race or cultural background ? The right to safe exposure to leisure, play, culture and art ? Freedom from violence, abuse and cut ?The rights to culturally competent practiceWhen asked if anyone would be disadvantaged by the implementation of these policies, the immediate response would have been no. Upon critical investigation, it was found that the educators themselves may feel disadvantaged. Though there is no provision for this within the policies, it is strongly implied that the implementation of each policy at a service level would need to be done by the childrens carers and educators. This may expand workloads, increase the need for professional development and training, and secure educators into uncomfortable situations (e.g. , having to call protective services on a family they like).The applicability for rural setting due(p) to the nature of the six policies, regardless of where the service is, each would be applicable for a rural setting. all told childrens services must comply with the Childrens Services Act 1996, and the Childrens Services Regulations. The capital objective of this legislation is that children are safe and that their developmental needs are met when being cared for and educated in a licensed childrens service.The Act provides for the monitoring, licensing and regulation of childrens services in Victoria, where a licensee fails to partake their legislative obligations there a range of statutory actions that may be taken by the section (DEECD, 2010). Encouragingly the incision has a number of initiatives to support childrens services meet the requirements of the Act and the Regulations. comminuted capital grants and resource kits are available to assist services. Furthermore professional development will briefly be delivered across Victoria on the Early Years Framework.Until the transition into the framework all childrens services will continue to be regulated by the Childrens Services Act and the Childrens Services Regulations (DEECD, 2010). Conclusion Every child has the right to a full and productive life. The Aboriginal Cultural Framework, The service Diversity and Equity policy, The Children, Youth and Families Act, the service Child Protection Policy, the child protection policy sourced from Protecting the safety and Wellbeing of Children and Young People, and the Childrens Services Act, ensures that this will happen.It has been identified that childrens services have an important part to play in protecting children who may be at risk of harm or illness. Under these frameworks, protection for childrens safety and wellbeing will one day become a natural procedure for educators. Key policy makers have attempted to make trustworthy that educators roles and responsibilities are well defined ensuring that this may happen. Overall each of the six policies makes provisions for childrens welfare, childrens identity, childrens wellbeing, childrens safety, childrens culture and stability.These are central concepts to Belonging, Being and Becoming, which will soon become the regulatory body for childrens services across Australia. References Murphy, M. (2011). Bacchus Marsh Childcare and Kindergarten service policies. Bacchus Marsh Victoria. Department of Education and Early Childhood Development & Department of human Services. (2010). Protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. Melbourne. Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2010). Publication of information. Fact sheet. Sourced 10/4/2011 web. education. vic. gov.au/escmanagement/licensedchildservices Department of Education and Early Ch ildhood Development. (2010). Regulations update. Childrens Services. Issue 2. Sourced 10/4/2011 http//www/eduweb. vic. gov. au/edulibrary/public/earlychildhoodregulations/regupdateapril10. pdf McCallum, F. (2002). Law, Policy, Practice Is it working for teachers in child protection. University of South Australia Victorian Government Department of Human Services. (2008). Aboriginal Cultural Competence Framework. Melbourne Vic Victorian Government. (2005). Children, Youth and Families Act 2005.