Ruby’s journey at Okinja Early Learning Centre began in 2018 when she started in the Nursery. During her time in Nursery, she won the hearts of her educators, but little did they know the impact that she would have.

Five years ago, a small team of Early Childhood professionals from different organisations and community groups came together with the common goal of embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in the community. The group, Our Nangara Group, includes both First Nations and non-Indigenous members and was formed to fill a gap in the local community.

Cairns Regional Family Day Care engaged in an Innovative Solutions Project to help children and educators cope with trauma in culturally responsive ways.

Nobbs St and Park Avenue OSHC services in Rockhampton identified barriers within their services relating to challenging behaviours and engaged in an Innovative Solutions project to address these barriers. Upon completion of the Innovative Solution project educators observed positive changes in the children’s behaviours.

During reflective conversations with her Inclusion Professional (IP), the Director of Goodstart Burleigh Waters ELC, Lee, identified that while the service held knowledge around Aboriginal culture, they had limited insight into the Torres Strait Islander culture. Unsure where to start, they worked collaboratively with their IP on their Strategic Inclusion Plan (SIP) and chose a strategy to acknowledge and embed Torres Strait Island culture into the service.

Recognising and addressing children’s sensory needs is crucial in creating environments that allow everyone to feel safe, supported, and comfortable. Melissa Taylor-Hansford is the Diversity and Inclusion Leader at Sanctuary Health and Knowledge Precinct on the Gold Coast. She shared how their team was incorporating sensory preferences into every aspect of their practice.

Clinton Hayden from the Narragunnawali team spoke to two Inclusion Professionals from the Queensland Inclusion Support Program involved in supporting the Mobo Jarjums Community of Practice.

Inclusion Support QLD has been reflecting on the current needs of Family Day Care (FDC) services and collaborating on new and innovative approaches to promote engagement and opportunities for FDC educators to network together.

Inclusion is a right not a nice or charitable thing to do for children.

Hear how Edge Early Learning Centre Elanora have been implementing reasonable adjustments and how these small changes, have had a big impact on the successful inclusion of all children.

Clearview Early Learning and Kindergarten is an established centre nestled in a beautiful semi-rural environment on the Gold Coast. Nominated Supervisor Debbie Priest and Educational Leader Netty Lester share how their service has developed the art of teaching through nature, by creating natural environments where children can learn holistically and care for the land, plants animals and people.

Kidspace Caloundra is an Outside of School Hours Care (OSHC) service on the Sunshine Coast that offers Before School, After School, Vacation and Saturday Care. They have over 1100 children enrolled in the service and up to 100 children attend each session. The service charters two fifty-seater buses each day to transport the children to eight local schools and then bring them back to the service in the afternoon.

Blackwater Community Childcare Centre borrowed a sensory pod through Specialist Equipment Library for use in the Kindergarten environment. This led to Duyans popping up all over the service to support children to self-regulate.

How did your service celebrate Reconciliation Week?