Today is a wonderful opportunity, as we celebrate Early Childhood Educators Day, to acknowledge and celebrate the critical role that early childhood educators play in shaping the lives of our youngest learners. As both a speech pathologist and a mother to a 3-year-old autistic boy who attends daycare four days a week, I am deeply aware of the incredible work that these educators do, especially for children with developmental differences or delays. This day also highlights the importance of supporting our early childhood educators so they can support our children to make the most of the wonderful learning opportunities available to them.
The Essential Role of Early Childhood Educators/Key Worker, Early Childhood Supports
Early childhood educators and Key Workers are the cornerstone of a child’s early development. They provide more than just supervision; they are integral in fostering cognitive, social, and emotional growth. Their influence is particularly profound for children with developmental differences or delays, as they create an environment tailored to each child’s unique needs. Through individualised support and inclusive practices, educators help these children build essential skills and confidence, setting a strong foundation for future learning.
For children like my son, early childhood educators play a vital role in facilitating a positive and inclusive learning experience. Their ability to adapt teaching strategies and provide targeted support helps children thrive in a supportive environment where they feel valued and understood. The bond he has with his educators is truly wonderful and I leave him each day, happy that he is with people he trusts and who support his learning and let him be himself.
Children’s work is play and early childhood educators and early childhood support services provide meaningful, naturalistic opportunities to learn through play every day. They know and understand the needs of each child in their care and tailor their strategies to suit them. They work hard, managing tears, laughter, arguments over toys, and battles over meals and nappies, all whilst providing individualised, play-based learning opportunities.
Supporting our Early Childhood Educators through Key Worker Early Childhood Supports
Early Childhood Educators do phenomenal work but sometimes they benefit from some added support to know how best to individualise the environment for children with developmental differences. This is where Key Workers can play a role. A Key Worker is a professional who plays a central role in coordinating and delivering support to individuals with developmental needs. In the context of early childhood education, a Key Worker often acts as a bridge between the child, their family, and various support services. Most young children who are accessing the NDIS receive funding for a Key Worker to streamline their supports and ensure they are delivered efficiently and effectively. Key workers collaborate with educators to ensure that the child’s specific needs are met effectively. Like educators, Key Workers develop a close relationship with the child and family and advocate for their needs.
Here are a few tips for educators working with children with developmental differences:
- Get to know each child individually. Understand each child’s unique interests, strengths and challenges. Knowing each child will enable you to provide strategies that work well for them and their individual learning needs.
- Build trusting relationships. Children learn best when they feel safe and are surrounded by people they trust. Build strong relationships with each child and with their family and support network (including therapists). Strong relationships and open communication will ensure each child is provided with the supports they need.
- Be curious. Children’s behaviour is influenced by everything that is occurring in their bodies and their environments. When you are seeing something happen in your care be curious about what else is happening for the child both in the moment and the lead-up to that moment e.g. did they have a poor sleep? Has there been a change in routine? Are they feeling overwhelmed?
- Provide consistent routines. Routines create predictability for children (and adults) and this helps in creating feelings of safety and security. Consistency helps children participate in daily routines as they know and understand what is happening next and what the expectations are of them.
- Be sensory aware. We all have different sensory preferences and for children with developmental differences, these preferences can have a huge impact on their ability to participate in activities. Occupational Therapists can guide an individual child’s sensory preferences and appropriate support strategies. Having access to a calm corner or quiet space can be beneficial for some children who become overwhelmed by lots of sensory information.
- Model language. Children learn language through hearing language and watching others communicate throughout the day. Use words to talk about what the child is looking at and is interested in. Generally, model language that is slightly longer than the child’s language level. For example, if a child is not using words yet then you can model single words “dog!” If a child is starting to combine words you can model two or three words “Look! Big dog.”
A Heartfelt Thank You
On this Early Childhood Educators Day, let’s take a moment to express our gratitude to the educators who dedicate themselves to nurturing and supporting every child. Your role extends beyond teaching; you are a source of encouragement, understanding, love, and growth for all the children in your care.
For those children with diverse needs, you are a trusted face and a caring cuddle who makes each day fun and who provides us parents with a source of relief that our children are not just being looked after but are being cared for and educated.
To all the early childhood educators and Key Workers: thank you for your unwavering commitment to providing exceptional early childhood education. Your efforts make a profound difference in the lives of children and their families, helping to build a more inclusive and supportive community.
Happy Early Childhood Educators Day!
