International Contacts

 

 

It is important to understand what is occurring globally when attempting to identify issues and trends that are occurring locally.  The intent is to develop solutions to complex issues such as poverty, which is a global concern.  According to Unicef Report Card 10 (2012)

 

          “The highest rates of deprivation are found in countries that include Romania, Bulgaria and Portugal, though even some richer countries, such as France and Italy, have deprivation rates above 10%.The Nordic countries and the Netherlands have the lowest rates of relative child poverty, at around seven per cent. Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have rates of between 10 and 15 per cent, while more than 20 per cent of children in Romania and the United States live in relative poverty. Only Denmark, Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Cyrpus are ranked in the top 10.”

Several Weeks ago emails were set to groups in Europe querying information related to the Step by Step Program that targets proactive strategies to improve family and child outcomes.  There have been no responses.  As an alternative, several other international websites have been subscribed to.  I have successfully received information from Early Childhood Australia WebWatch.  This organization has been existence for 75 years serving the early childhood environments in Australia.

 

 

 

This website provides resources that can be purchased to support training and developmentally appropriate practices in early education environments.  It highlights issues of concern and provides augmentative and alternative solutions. There are also useful links to topics that are related to providing supports for children and their families. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Child’s Rights Video

 The first   initiative includes a children’s rights video targeting children.  It is produced by UNICEF and addresses issues related to inclusive and equitable practices, bullying and poverty.

 http://www.unicef.org.au/Educational-Resources/?utm_source=&utm_medium=short_url&utm_term=&utm_content=media&utm_campaign=education

 

Child Care Flexibility Fund Applications

 A link is associated with the Australian Government is entitled Child Care Flexibility Trials.  This is an intuitive where the government is responding at a front line level to support families who are indicating the early child care environments are not meeting the changing needs of families.  The Australian government is providing grants for early education environments to be more versatile and explore flexible child care arrangements including extended hours and modified levels of care to support families who are doing shift work.

 

 

 

References 

Adamson, P. (2012). Measuring Child Poverty: New league tables of child poverty in the world's rich countries (No. inreca660). UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre.

Australian Government. Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. (2013).  Child Care Flexibility Fund.  Retrieved from http://deewr.gov.au/child-care-flexibility-trials

Children in heart.  Children Should Be Seen & Heard & Listened To.  Retrieved May 23, 2013 from http://ww2.valdosta.edu/~ammathis/

Children in a circle. Hytec. Retrieved May 23, 2013,

         from http://www.hytec.co.uk/news.aspx

 

Early Childhood Australia WebWatch #162(2013). Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/early_childhood_news/eca_webwatch/eca-webwatch-issue-162-may-2013.

“What are child rights?” UNICEF.   Retrieved May 24, 2013 from http://www.unicef.org.au/Educational-Resources/?utm_source=&utm_medium=short_url&utm_term=&utm_content=media&utm_campaign=education