WEEK 4: Sharing Web Resources

Early Childhood Australia is an organization that advocates ensuring quality, social justice and equity in all issues relating to the education and care of children from birth to eight years.

The specific section that seemed particularly relevant to my current professional development is on their position statement on the issue of children of Asylum seekers. I believe currently in my path towards professional development, advocating for the rights of children to healthy living and quality education irrespective of whatever differences is a goal I desired to pursue

In the Australian context, Asylum seekers are people who have entered Australia, claiming refugee status under the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and seeking the protection of the Australian Government. The treatment of asylum seekers in Australia varies depending on how they have entered the country and applied for refugee status. They may be placed in detention centers while their claims are processed or they may remain in the community while their claims are processed. It is in the context of these immigration policies and practices that children of asylum seekers and refugees are experiencing their childhood in detention or in the Australian community.(ECA position paper 2011) A summary of their position papers addresses concerns on how the needs of children of asylum seekers would be met given their situation. Meeting their basic needs of health care, nutrition, quality education and healthy interactive and stable environment like any other children as well as special needs as a result of trauma due to loss, complete change of culture and other damaging .Thesexperiences e needs must be addressed in a secure stable and healthy environment and relationship, preferably a primary caregiver; the mother, which usually cannot occur in detention centers they are sometimes placed. Therefore a call for support for the welfare of children and families of refugees is paramount The goal is to ensure the protection and healthy development of all children as well as achieve durable solutions which are appropriate to the immediate and long-term developmental needs of children. more

The new insight I got from their Resources themes is related to experiences that affect human lives. The issue is on global warming and the debate on why children should be informed. This information is written in consultation with the ECA Victoria Environmental Sustainability Special Interest Group, 2007, by Tracy Young of the Swinburne University of Technology. This issue has made me realize the need to educate children early on those factors that affects their development negatively or positively. This education would be done in an age appropriate manner, so that children can see themselves as active participant of change. For example, play and other creative activities.

Why do young children need to know about climate change? Are we really sure this is happening

It may be comforting to deny the scientific information about global warming, but the evidence is now overwhelming. Recent reports from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007) prove that vast quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, created by human activities, are warming the planet. As former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said, ˜The question is not whether climate change is happening but whether, in the face of this emergency, we ourselves can change fast enough.' (Annan, 2006).

Climate change will directly affect the lives of young children both now and in the future. It would be irresponsible for us not to share this information with children, to give them the opportunity to learn how their actions impact on the health of the planet. This knowledge enables children to learn how to be part of the climate change solution and teaches them that they can make a difference.( Young,2007). more

The information I got posted on their face book page and related to this week topic on contributions from other field is a video clip and a short insight on how science has help better understand importance of the early experiences to brain formation and the lifelong benefits. The video is part one of a three-part series titled "Three Core Concepts in Early Development" from the Center and the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. The series depicts how advances in neuroscience, molecular biology, and genomics now give us a much better understanding of how early experiences are built into our bodies and brains, for better or for worse. Healthy development in the early years provides the building blocks for educational achievement, economic productivity, responsible citizenship, lifelong health, strong communities, and successful parenting of the next generation. 

According to Jack P. Shonkoff, MD, Director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University , neuroscience suggests that stronger returns on investment could come from programs that not only provide rich learning experiences for children but that also build the capacity of parents and other caregivers to protect young children from the consequences of toxic stress.“The circuits in the brain are very vulnerable to toxic stress, so even in the presence of good education later, children will not achieve as much as they would have if they’re not protected from this adversity early in their life,” said Dr. Shonkoff.

                                  Link to the video-

   http://youtu.be/VNNsN9IJkws

The other new insights I got from exploring the website of ECA is from their September 2012 Webwatch, Issue 147 on what makes children feel safe?

As part of National Child Protection Week (last week, 2-8 September) Save the Children Australia has talked with children aged as young as four about what makes them feel safe. Giving children a voice on this issue is the Safety Report. For a summary of their ideas and suggestions, check the Top Tips. The overarching aim of this process was to give children a voice so adults in their lives have a better idea about negative and positive things that improve or diminish their feelings of safety.(Save the children Australia ,2012).This to me is a good step in allowing children guide parents and caregivers on their needs and goals

                                                             Reference

Early Childhood Australia: The Australian Early Childhood Advocacy Organization
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/
https://www.facebook.com/earlychildhoodaustralia?fref=ts