Children’s Week celebrates the right of children to enjoy childhood. It is also a time for children to demonstrate their talents, skills and abilities.’ Children’s week permanent theme is: “A Caring World Shares” and this year’s focus is on article 15 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child ‘Children have the right to choose their own friends and safely connect with others’.
We as adults and educators hold these values close to our hearts and we celebrate the precious childhood of each, and every child entrusted into our care.
Let us remember the value of play and the necessity of allowing children to be children not just during Children’s Week but as part of our everyday lives. We can take joy in spending time and allowing ourselves to play with children, being in that moment and soaking in those precious moments as we make many wonderful memories together
We learn and grow
Children’s Week is an annual event celebrated in Australia held around the fourth Wednesday in October. In 1996 it was decided to adopt a permanent theme: “A Caring World Shares” as a reflection of Children’s Week aims while at the same time acknowledging the designated year on national posters and other printed materials.
Children’s Week (23-31 October 2021) is one of the most joyous weeks on our national calendar – a time for us to celebrate the wonderment of children and the myriad of ways they enrich our lives.
During Children’s Week, the Children’s Week Council of Australia and its state and territory affiliates have planned a variety of events and activities across the country. A diverse range of events and activities are organised at National, State and Local levels. These focus the attention of the wider community on children, their needs and achievements. Anyone interested in taking part should visit the Children’s Week webpage.
Thousands of children and their families around the country are involved in activities and events during “The Week” through the participation of schools, playgroups, childcare, kindergartens, cultural groups, libraries, departments and community groups.
Designated by the nations of the world, Universal Children’s Day calls society to a greater response to the plight of many millions of children around the world who are denied the basic necessities of a happy childhood and the education to develop their capacities. It also calls us in Australia to consider those conditions in society which affect the lives and future of our own children.
However, there is a serious aspect to Children’s Week, which is child safety. Because of the pandemic’s impact, many children’s only way to interact with peers is on the internet. Every child has the right to feel protected, regardless of their circumstances. This fact is reflected in this year’s theme, ‘Children have the right to choose their own friends and safely connect with others’. It is our collective responsibility to guarantee that our children are safe and cherished.
The Children’s week council of Australia
The Children’s Week Council of Australia strongly advocates for and promotes the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child. Each year an article is selected by the Children’s Week Council of Australia. This article becomes the theme for Children’s Week across the country, and the Queensland Children’s Week Association promotes and advocates for this to be upheld.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
During Children’s week we are focussing on Article 15, ‘Children have the right to choose their own friends and safely connect with others’ of the 58 Articles in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
In 1989, world leaders made a historic commitment to the world’s children by adopting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – an international agreement on childhood. It’s become the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history and has helped transform children’s lives around the world. But still not every child gets to enjoy a full childhood. Still, too many childhoods are cut short.
It is up to our generation to demand that leaders from government, business and communities fulfil their commitments and take action for child rights now, once and for all. They must commit to making sure every child, has every right.
Precious early childhood years
Childhood is a time to be, to seek and make meaning of the world. Early childhood education recognises the significance of the here and now in children’s lives. It is about the present and them knowing themselves, building and maintaining relationships with others, engaging with life’s joys and complexities, and meeting challenges in everyday life. The early childhood years are not solely preparation for the future but also about the present.
Children’s identities, knowledge, understandings, capacities, skills and relationships change during childhood. They are shaped by many different events and circumstances which is why all the wonderful learning opportunities during early childhood are so important
Our educators are responsive to all children’s strengths, abilities and interests. They value and build on each child’s strengths, skills and knowledge to ensure their motivation and engagement in learning. Educators are also responsive to children’s ideas and play, which form an important basis for curriculum decision-making. In response to children’s evolving ideas and interests, educators assess, anticipate and extend children’s learning via open ended questioning, providing feedback, challenging their thinking and guiding their learning. They make use of spontaneous ‘teachable moments’ to scaffold children’s learning.
Giving children the best opportunities to learn and grow
The way that we interact with children and young people every day can make a big difference in their lives, supporting children to have the right to choose their own friends and safely connect with others.
How do you learn and grow?
Consider asking children:
how do they feel when they can do these things (on the front of the poster)?
why do they think it’s important for children to be able to choose who they spend time with and what they do together?
how do they want adults to support them?
what else do they need to help them learn and grow?
Children thrive when
… we respect children’s choices.
Under Article 15, this means children being able to choose their own friends, set up and join groups, and come together to have their say.
… we trust children’s capabilities and give them space.
For young children this might mean organising their own playtime; for older children this might mean setting up a group to discuss issues that are important to them.
… we play our part to keep children safe.
This includes considering children’s online safety, talking to them about their personal safety and how to respect the rights of others, and learning more about how organisations can keep children safe.
National Quality Standards
1.1.2 Child-centred. Each child’s current knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities and interests are the foundation of the program.
1.2.3 Child directed learning. Each child’s agency is promoted, enabling them to make choices and decisions that influence events and their world.
5.1.1 Positive educator to child interactions. Responsive and meaningful interactions build trusting relationships which engage and support each child to feel secure, confident and included.
5.2.1 Collaborative learning. Children are supported to collaborate, learn from and help each other.
Kids College philosophy quote
‘We aim to support children’s overall sense of wellbeing and increase their emotional intelligence through the love and dedication each of their own unique learning journeys.’
‘Our educators respond to children’s ideas and play and extend on children’s learning so that each child’s agency is promoted enabling them to make choices and decisions that influence events and their world as strong capable competent learners.’
‘We base our educational philosophy on research, theories, content knowledge, practice evidence and our understanding of the children and families that make up our Kids College family to ensure we are enhancing each child’s learning.’
‘Our unique Kids College curriculum and the Early Years Learning Framework builds on each child’s current knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities and interests to ensure all aspects of our program maximize learning opportunities for each child’.
Kids College family
At Kids College Childcare we work each day embedding our values and philosophy into each facet of what we do. We continually improve our practices by critically reflecting and engaging in meaningful relationships with our community and for this we need your support and input.
Make sure to follow Kids College Childcare on facebook, watch for our regular emails and keep an eye on our Kids College website. Join our Kids College family community and share in our vision of creating the very best childcare where children experience love, laughter and learning every day. You can reach us on Jennifer@kidscollege.com
With love, laughter and learning from your friends in the
‘village it takes to raise a child’
Teacher Jen and the Kids College Childcare family