Start by asking yourself these questions:

1. Do we listen to the children?
2. How do we support them to express their views?
3. How do we take their views into account?
4. How do we share power and responsibility for decision-making with the children?
5. Do we need to change our current documentation practices to ensure the above processes are captured?

Here are some practical examples of how to highlight children’s voices:

Critical reflection means ‘closely examining all aspects of events and experiences from different perspectives’ (Approved Learning Frameworks – EYLF p. 13, FSAC p. 12).

For example, some children in your program are all about superhero play, but you have educators who are concerned it’s too aggressive. Thinking critically about the different needs, perspectives and theories surrounding the situation will support you to make an informed decision, inclusive and responsive of everyone.

The role of educational leader can be tricky. Being assigned the role is no guarantee that you’ll feel empowered, confident in your knowledge and skills or 100% prepared to support the educators you work with – and that’s perfectly OK. There are several things that can help this situation.

I’ve observed many programs where children are left waiting in lines for other children to join them. Is this what’s best for the children, or is it being done because it’s easy for educators?

A clear example is during packup to transition to outside. The efficient children get their tasks done quickly and get to the door, only to be left waiting for the others. As a team, I’d be reflecting on why they need to wait. Where are the educators? Can one educator head outside while another supports the children still packing up?

This is a question that I often reflected on during my time as a centre director and – to be honest I never quite resolved it. You will need to reflect with your team on why you are considering this and whether it will work for all stakeholders in your community.

The most obvious benefit of a shoe-free room is that floors are kept clean where babies crawl around, as we know that shoes carry a lot of germs.

That being said, there are a few challenges you’ll need to consider:

Spend some time showing the family the sleep space and routine. You may need to explain the limitations of sleeping in a group environment, in that a crying baby may impact the sleep of others, and that the different smells, sounds and sights may mean children need more or less support to sleep than at home.

Focus less on people working directly with the document and more on how they engage with the process.

Having a 50-page document in the staff room that educators can look at on their lunch break probably won’t get their attention or their inspiration flowing. Make the process approachable to staff by using plain language and a user-friendly format that meets their needs.

During these tricky times, support for your team is crucial, and the best way to do this is by building meaningful relationships. You can do this by having one-on-one meetings with each educator in your team.

Some of the questions you can ask:

We hear you! Whilst 2 to 3-year-olds are a delightful and exuberant age group, we can often feel like their behaviour is challenging us.

When engaged with something, they find it difficult to shift their attention to something else – so even though they might hear your voice, they don’t yet have the capacity to stop what they’re doing and focus on your instruction. Your lack of loudness or firmness has nothing to do with it – speaking quietly and not adding to the already busy environment is more helpful here.

Whatever your service type, progressive meals are a wonderful way for children to have more choice and freedom in the program. Mealtimes are also a way for children to connect – smaller groups can provide more opportunities to share aspects of their home lives, talk about interests, support self-help skills and develop an understanding of healthy eating.