The Mparntwe Declaration was released at the end of last year.  I do not use the official full title of the document on purpose.  I do this as a final hurrah to 2019, the Year of Indigenous Languages and I do this because, as was pointed out, this was the first time a national education declaration has included Indigenous language in its title. I do this to emphasise that we are on Aboriginal lands first and foremost. 

Building a sense of belonging within an early childhood education and care (ECEC) service is more than a “have to”. Educators know, after all, that one of the core components to the Early Years Learning Framework and the Framework for School Age Care is belonging – one of those three wonderful “b” words that outline the work we do with children and families every single day – but what does a sense of community look like, beyond being a requirement for meeting our obligations under the approved learning frameworks?

As a consultant, I am fortunate enough to be invited into the lives of early childhood professionals. More recently, many individuals seem to be exploring what educator wellbeing means for them both personally and professionally. The element that comes up most frequently can be found within the investigation of identity nurturing, specifically the concept of self-care.