Become an early adopter of the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework for ECEC
Early childhood education and care providers and services are invited to be among the first to engage with the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care, by expressing their interest to participate in the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework early adopters program.
12 August 2024
Applications for the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework are now closed.
The 10-week program starts on 26 August 2024 (schedule below), and will support selected services with tools and resources to recognise, embed and facilitate culturally safe practices in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings.
Every Aboriginal child should feel safe and welcome walking into any ECEC service.
–Gudjagang Gulgul, Aboriginal ECEC Advisory Committee
About the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework
The Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework has been developed to support the ECEC sector to provide early learning environments that are culturally responsive, safe and welcoming for Aboriginal children and their families.
Culturally safe services support the participation of more Aboriginal children in early learning and ensure that all children attending ECEC services learn, understand and value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's culture and history.
The Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework has been co-designed in response to broad sector consultation. It offers clear expectations, standards and guidance for the ECEC sector.
Narrator: For over 65,000 years in Australia,
Children: Ooooh!
Narrator: the first students and educators have gathered and continued traditional learning.
For millennia, knowledge flowed. Not in the classrooms we know today, but through the Country we walk on. The greatest teacher – the world around us. The animals, the plants, the sky, the water. Woven knowledges that intertwined with our Lore and Kinship. But those connections were severed with the impacts of colonisation.
Families were torn apart and new ways of educating were introduced, worlds apart from our tradition. From our Country. We continue to learn, to practice and to care for the Country that teaches us. We remember and we reawaken. As cultural education continues, our connection to the land strengthens. Our knowledge is deepened. As a student, as people, as a nation. We glow brighter together.
The NSW Department of Education is committed to developing an Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework, the first of its kind for early childhood education and care settings.
The department has yarned with many. Aboriginal, non-Aboriginal early childhood education subject matter experts. But most of all, we've actively listened. We've listened to communities, Elders, mums, dads, Aunties, Uncles and children. There have been reports and findings, draft frameworks, webinars and further consultation. A lot of work has been done, but this is just the beginning. The findings show the openness and willingness of the sector to learn, do better and create environments for Aboriginal families and communities to flourish.
There's work to do in many parts of the country. Our findings reveal a need to end racism and discrimination. There is a crucial need for relationship building, and given our nation's history, there’s sometimes a lack of trust between Aboriginal parents, carers and the sector. Early childhood education, informed by Aboriginal values, histories and cultures, creates culturally safe environments. Creating a place where Aboriginal children feel proud and heard.
A space where all children can benefit from Aboriginal culture.
Children: Ooooh!
Narrator: Let's educate ourselves. Let's connect. Let's inspire. Together, we can build a brighter future for all our children.
Aboriginal cultural safety. A benefit to all early learners.
A suite of tools and resources will support services to develop, maintain and improve culturally safe environments that nurture culture, language, kinship and identity.
Your chance to be among the first to use the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework
The free, 10-week early adopters program will give a limited number of ECEC services the opportunity to be among the first to engage with the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework for ECEC tools and resources. Early adopters will be a part of the important work to improve awareness, build collaborative relationships with families and community and uplift culturally safe and responsive environments for Aboriginal children, families and staff in ECEC.
This is an opportunity for services that are ready to take the next steps in their cultural safety journey – services that want to support the participation of more Aboriginal children in early learning, and ensure all children attending ECEC services learn, understand and value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's culture and history.
Presented over 10 weeks in 2 sets of 5-week blocks commencing 26 August and 21 October 2024, the structured program will cover weekly topics to support you and your team to recognise and facilitate culturally safe practices in ECEC settings.
Services will have access to new tools and resources each week, and regular opportunities to meet with other early adopters to reflect, share their experience and ask questions.
This is a wonderful opportunity for all types of ECEC services to become champions of change for Aboriginal cultural safety in early learning.
Get involved
Applicants may be any type of ECEC service but must be willing to commit to a 10-week program delivered in 2 sets of 5-week blocks commencing 26 August and 21 October (see schedule below) and be prepared to challenge their thinking, learn and grow.
Places in the early adopter program are limited.
Applications close Tuesday 20 August 2024.
Successful applicants notified Wednesday 21 August.
Key dates and commitments
The program will be delivered in 2 sets of 5-week blocks, with a break for school holidays from 30 September to 11 October.
Part A - Starter kit
26 August - 27 September 2024
Introducing services to foundational elements of the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework. Resources are focused on a new core need each week:
- video
- learning guide
- poster.
Services will have the option to attend 1 of 2 weekly community of practice/check-in and Q&A sessions where they can share their experiences with other early adopters and ask questions about the resources.
| Activity | Time | Commitment |
|---|---|---|
| Information session introducing the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework and reflective tool | 10 am Mon 26 August | 1 hour webinar |
| Week 1 – Celebrate | Mon 26 – Fri 30 August | 1 hour |
| Community of practice Q&A drop-in sessions (online)* | 10 am Wed 28 August 10 am Fri 30 August |
1 hour (optional) |
| Week 2 – Acknowledgment | Mon 2 – Fri 6 September | 1 hour |
| Community of practice Q&A drop-in sessions (online)* | 10 am Wed 4 September 10 am Fri 6 September |
1 hour (optional) |
| Week 3 – ldentify | Mon 9 – Fri 13 September | 1 hour |
| Community of practice Q&A drop-in sessions (online)* | 10 am Wed 11 September 10 am Fri 13 September |
1 hour (optional) |
| Week 4 – Connection | Mon 16 – Fri 20 September | 1 hour |
| Community of practice Q&A drop-in sessions (online)* | 10 am Wed 18 September 10 am Fri 20 September |
1 hour (optional) |
| Week 5 – Open day | Mon 23 – Fri 27 September | 1 hour |
| Community of practice Q&A drop-in sessions (online)* | 10 am Wed 25 September 10 am Fri 27 September |
1 hour (optional) |
*There will be 2 community of practice sessions held each week. Services can choose which session to attend.
Part B - Quality practice pack
21 October - 22 November 2024
Using deep listening and yarning as Aboriginal learning styles, services will build their knowledge and understanding of the core needs explored in the Starter kit. Resources are focused on a new core theme each week:
- video
- podcast
- guided discussion notes
- journal.
As with the Starter kit, services will have the option to attend 1 of 2 weekly community of practice/check-in and Q&A sessions where they can share their experiences with other early adopters and ask questions about the resources.
| Activity | Time | Commitment |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 – Core need 1 | Mon 21 – Fri 25 October | 1 hour |
| Community of practice Q&A drop-in sessions (online)* | 10 am Wed 23 October 10 am Fri 25 October |
1 hour (optional) |
| Week 2 – Core need 2 | Mon 28 October – Fri 1 November | 1 hour |
| Community of practice Q&A drop-in sessions (online)* | 10 am Wed 30 October 10 am Fri 1 November |
1 hour (optional) |
| Week 3 – Core need 3 | Mon 4 – Fri 8 November | 1 hour |
| Community of practice Q&A drop-in sessions (online)* | 10 am Wed 6 November 10 am Fri 8 November |
1 hour (optional) |
| Week 4 – Core need 4 | Mon 11 – Fri 15 November | 1 hour |
| Community of practice Q&A drop-in sessions (online)* | 10 am Wed 13 November 10 am Fri 15 November |
1 hour (optional) |
| Week 5 – Core need 5 | Mon 18 – Fri 22 November | 1 hour |
| Community of practice Q&A drop-in sessions (online)* | 10 am Wed 20 November 10 am Fri 22 November |
1 hour (optional) |
*There will be 2 community of practice sessions held each week. Services can choose which sessions to attend.
Enquiries
For any enquiries about the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care please contact:
ECEC Information & Enquiries
ececd@det.nsw.edu.au
1800 619113
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