Management in Childcare: Professional & Legal Responsibilities EDUC2002- Alana Parker 20162082

Educational leaders have “an influential role in inspiring, motivating, affirming

and also challenging or extending the practice and pedagogy of educators”

(ACECQA, 2018).

Within the early years, the most crucial aspect for an educator is to provide

and promote high quality learning experiences for both the care settings as

well as the education programing (ACECQA, 2018). This needs to be

adapted to suit each child’s needs, that is visibly attuned to the students’

thoughts, feelings and ideas. This report will cover what an educational

leader entails and the roles and expectations of such, what they do and the

steps and processes that an educational leader uses to form appropriate

management strategies to provide the best outcomes for childcare facilities.

You are the pedagogical/educational leader at a large centre, catering for

children 6 weeks – 5 years. (What does this mean? Give a definition of

the role of the educational leader).

An educational leader is an individual that supports the teaching and learning

stages in childcare facilities (Abel, 2016). By this, they support educators

through establishing the preparation as well as application of the curriculum

(Abel, 2016). The educational leader leads and develops the application of

the programs and the preparation stages for evaluating children. They

influence all children’s education in nurturing personal engagement, use

information to assess the accomplishment of the learning program, and

continuously reach the national quality standards, to establish the

educational surroundings (Abel, 2016). Within this it does not mean that an

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Management in Childcare: Professional & Legal Responsibilities EDUC2002- Alana Parker 20162082

educational leader completes all the planning in the centre. They work with

the room leaders in the facility to help them in their program, assessment and

offer some strategies and assessment rubrics which may provide support. An

educational leader does not need to complete a degree in education however

the best person caries out having experience such as having a profound

understanding of the growth of children as well as early learning. These

individuals see themselves as facilitators, viewers, and co-learners beside

the educators of the facility (Coughlin and Baird, 2013).

As part of the role as an educational leader, there are particular roles that

need to be followed in order to be successful within the qualifications of said

role. It is imperative to create adequate as well as a stable structure that

supports the morals and visualisation for developing a superiority learning

environment (Kearns, 2017). The responsibilities and the roles of which the

educational leader must demonstrate consists of;

 Helping educators in the facility to better the outcomes for children.

Within this building the knowledge, skills and on-going professionalism

is a crucial role of an educational leader by always providing support

to update the pedagogy and practice of the childcare facility through

shared discussions (Early Childhood Australia, 2012).

 Make sure that the childcare philosophy is applied equally amongst

the whole facility, by this providing resources and engaging in

conversations to provide ongoing opportunities and decision making

processes to support the implementation of the philosophy at all times

(Early Childhood Australia, 2012).

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Management in Childcare: Professional & Legal Responsibilities EDUC2002- Alana Parker 20162082

 Work with other employees of the facility to break down curricular

content by discussing the planning cycle of programing, assessment

strategies and the teaching approaches (ACECQA, 2018).

 Support educators to implement professional development to reach

the best educational program.

 Ensure that documentation is used to support colleagues learning as

well as the child as a whole, through implementing the five outcomes

of the EYLF (ACECQA, 2018).

 Demonstrate a strong understanding of the responsibilities and

requirements in regards to Education, Care Regulations and Law

(ACECQA, 2018).

 A Genuine passion for working with children and making a difference

in their lives (Kearns, 2017).

 The ability to work in collaboration with other educators, staff,

management and families (ACECQA, 2018).

 The ability to follow policies procedures and processes at all times.

 Having a sound understanding of ACECQA (ACECQA, 2018).

In your role as the pedagogical/educational leader, outline all essential

obligations that must be met in terms of achieving best practice for children

and families in the early childhood setting. (What do you have to do and

why?)

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Management in Childcare: Professional & Legal Responsibilities EDUC2002- Alana Parker 20162082

The essential obligations that must be carried out by the educational leader

in order to achieve the best practice for children and families in the early

childhood setting includes the following;

 Having exceptional communication skills both verbal and written.

 Able to build strong relationships with employees, families and the

children.

 Deliberating curriculum issues, to provide the best practices for all

individuals.

 Applying the learning framework into practices as well as thoroughly

understanding the EYLF (DEEWR, 2009), NQS (ACECQA, 2018) and

the Government regulations (Kearns, 2017, p 24).

 Discussing practises and how to form effective educational

experiences for the children and families (Kearns, 2017, p24).

 Make observations of events such as interactions of child and

educators bonding experiences, and then making recommendations

on how to improve them as such to provide the best care (Kearns,

2017, p 24).

 Involving parents by communicating and updating them on the

educational programming (Kearns, 2017, p 24).

 Creating conversations and guiding questions about the curriculum.

 Guiding other educators, children’s and families in understanding

play-based learning and how important it is in the early years of child

development (Early Childhood Australia, 2012).

 Help plan to reach each individual child’s learning styles.

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 Form meetings with other educators/ employees to better practices

and to plan.

As an educational leader there are such qualities that need to be touched

upon in order to achieve the best practice. By this, as mentioned the role

entails an individual that has experiences and/ or qualifications in early

childhood as well as having educational knowledge on documentation,

research and theories to obtain being a leader (Cheeseman, 2012). This

meaning that the individual has a broad knowledge and is willing to share the

findings with other educators to help provide professional standards in

childcare facilities (Cheeseman, 2012). Having confidence in the curriculum

approaches is crucial to be able to cater for all children’s needs as well as

guide other educators within reflecting on the teaching pedagogies of all

educators and adapting this into the physical environment appropriately

(Cheeseman, 2012). Knowledge and flexibility on ways to provide for

differentiated learning qualities to meet the needs of the children attending

the facility plays an importance as well as having initiative and the patients to

listen to other employees, mentor and take part in reflective practices as a

team (Cheeseman, 2012).

Within the essential obligations as an educational leader, there are four

major styles that fit well in educational surroundings. However, both

consultative and participative are the two styles that facilities are wanting to

adopt into their leadership qualities to try and make changes and or support

in the best formal solution involving everyone.

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Management in Childcare: Professional & Legal Responsibilities EDUC2002- Alana Parker 20162082

‘Consultative leadership’ is all about involving all individuals in a collaborate

manner, listening to employer’s suggestions but always forming the final say

in the decision processes of planning (Marotz and Lawson, 2007). This style

normally arises when the educational leader is unsure of a situation that had

occurred to gather all possible information, views as well as opinions of other

employees (Marotz and Lawson, 2007). And ‘Participative leadership’ is all

based on a team approach in facilities where everyone is encouraged to

participate in all educational aspects of planning preparation, decision

making and problem solving throughout circumstances that play act in the

surroundings Marotz and Lawson, 2007). This leadership style plays an

importance, as it builds individuals self-confidence/ esteem and expand

professional growth through the facility (Marotz and Lawson, 2007). As well

as plays a more democratic approach then the others. These are the two

common styles that childcare facilities mostly reflect on in terms of the role of

the educational leader.

Explain and justify the steps and processes you would take to ensure that
you are providing quality care and education at the centre and that you are
meeting the obligations described above. (What would you do and why?
Which leadership and management strategies would you use? Why?)

Quality education and care is crucial in childcare facilities to support

children’s learning and to meet the obligations at all times. It is based on the

communication and partnerships of both the educator and the parents to

work together to support each child’s learning processes, to learn through

play and explore the world around them, as well as supporting each child’s

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learning and developmental aspects of the community, wellbeing, identity

and communicating with those around them (Waniganayake et al., 2012).

Through reaching the roles and obligations as an educational leader, there

are steps and processes that best ensure this occurs in a continuum.

Working closely with the centres director to ensure the needs are still being

met is important to provide the best practice.

Creating staff meetings to improve the practices as well as discuss how to

form effective educational experiences for children and families would be

supported by the collaboration of staff members as well as the frameworks

such as the National Quality Standards (ACECQA, 2018) as well as the

Code of Ethics (Early Childhood Australia, 2016). Staff members should

collaboratively organise suitable meeting times and other communicative

methods about issues that may arise, curriculum learning opportunities, as

well as the best methods for child involvement and covering the standards in

the NQS such as safety and the physical standards (ACECQA, 2018). This

will be done in order to act in the best professional manner possible and also

to act in the best interest of all the children, families and the employees of the

centre. It will also be done to ensure that the best outcomes are being

addressed, representing the commitments of actions to support the children,

colleagues, families, the community and society. It is the job of the

educational leader to take the responsibilities to articulate the best outcomes

of the role through guiding all individuals by supporting professional decision

making through the use of obligations and responsibilities, the implementing

of such strategies to support colleagues to make positive contributions to the

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Management in Childcare: Professional & Legal Responsibilities EDUC2002- Alana Parker 20162082

profession as well as the use of constructive processes to address

differences of options to negotiate shared perspectives and decision making

(Early Childhood Australia, 2016).The importance of meetings is to take

responsibility for articulating each other’s professional values, knowledge and

practices with positive contribution. Demonstrated by the encouragement

through the qualities and practices of the leader within the profession and

providing quality practice in turn providing space for constructive feedback

and the assessment criteria of both the frameworks as well as the child as a

whole (Early Childhood Australia, 2016).

Planning stages of a centre are crucial to provide ongoing quality and

professionalism towards children and families. An educational leader equips

strategies to make the staff more resourceful. Through this, the educational

leader supports the different learning styles for each child through forming

discussions and research on theories to support each of these styles. In

order to assist the development of a centre the educational leader would

have to have knowledge of the different learning styles as well as have a

very sound understanding of the EYLF (DEEWR, 2009), NQS (ACECQA,

2018) and how the principals and practices support high quality learning for

children. Also making sure that relationships are incorporated at all times

with parents and families to learn more about the child to plan and implement

the needs in an educational approach. This plays a significant part in

planning preparation. Respective to this, following the NQS standards, such

as safety and the physical environment (ACECQA, 2018) to adapt the

personal interests of each child, the educational leader would follow these

procedures to support and cater for all the children, families’ decisions and to

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Management in Childcare: Professional & Legal Responsibilities EDUC2002- Alana Parker 20162082

help support the educators with their planning processes to better the

opportunities for the facility, teaching standards and philosophy.

As an educational leader it is crucial to involve parents/caregivers by

communicating and updating them on the educational programs being

addressed in the facility as well as allowing them to be involved in some

circumstances. Having excellent verbal and written communication skills is

essential to communicate with parents/caregivers. To obtain this role the

educational leader notifies them with any changes occurring within the centre

or the learning program to make them aware of everything that goes on

within the centre as a secondary partnership (ACECQA,2018). As an

educational leader using the Code of Ethics (Early Childhood Australia,

2016) to support the communication processes with the parents allows for a

supportive as well as a guided insight of the expectation and quality care

through acknowledging their rights to make decisions. This could be through

the planning preparation for a learning centre/outdoor play-based area and

so on. Involving the parents is crucial as they are the child’s first educator in

life, so as an educational leader is it important to respect and be receptive of

their responses to form the central importance of both responsive and

reciprocal relationships to cater for children and their educational care (Early

Childhood Australia, 2016). In addition to the above, it is important to take

into consideration all parents/ caregivers contributions of communication of

their child and respect their response by keeping it private and confidential.

In order to the support this, the educational leader could schedule times for

one-on-one meetings at the facility to support decision making processes, as

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well as online chatrooms or electrical and/ or paper copy of newsletters that

are private and confidential between the educational leader and the child’s

parents to inform them with regular updates of their child’s progress, the

changes that may be made to the facility and the inputs of families to have

their say and contribution to the changes, making it a “fair and inclusive

practice that promotes equity and a strong sense of wellbeing” (Early

Childhood Australia, 2016, p1).

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References:

Abel, M. (2016). Why Pedagogical Leadership? McCormick centre for early

childhood leadership, National Louis University. Retrieved from
https://mccormick-assets.floodlight.design/wp-
content/uploads/2018/03/4-25-16_WhyPedagogicalLeadership.pdf

Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority [ACECQA] (2018).

ACECQA. Retrieved from https://www.acecqa.gov.au

Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority [ACECQA]. (2018).

The Role of the Educational Leader. Retrieved from
http://files.acecqa.gov.au/files/Information_Sheets/TheRoleOfTheEduca
tionalLeader.pdf

Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority [ACECQA] (2018).

QA7 The Role of the Educational Leader. Retrieved from
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-
05/QA7_TheRoleOfTheEducationalLeader.pdf

Cheeseman, S. (2012). The educational leader. Barton, ACT: National

Quality Standard Professional Learning Program.

Coughlin, A., & Baird, L. (2013). Pedagogical Leadership. Retrieved from

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/Baird_Coughlin.pdf

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR].

(2009). Belonging, being and becoming: The early years learning
framework for Australia. Barton, ACT: Commonwealth of Australia

Early Childhood Australia [ECA]. (2016). Code of Ethics Brochure. Retrieved

from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/wp-
content/uploads/2016/07/ECA-COE-Brochure-2016.pdf

Early Childhood Australia. (2012). Talking about practice: The role of the
educational leader. Retrieved from
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/nqsplp/wp-
content/uploads/2012/12/NQS-12-177-TAPS-Video-Launch-Role-of-
Educational-Leader.pdf

Kearns, K. (2017). The Business of Child Care (4th ed). South Melbourne,
Vic: Cengage Learning Australia.

Marotz, L., & Lawson, A. (2007). Motivational leadership in early childhood

education. Clifton Park; Australia: Thomson Delmar Learning.

Waniganayake, M., Cheeseman, S., Fenech, M., Hadley, F., & Shepherd, W.
(2012). Leadership: Contexts and complexities in early childhood
education. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press.

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