Shirley Pearl & Her Bush Friends offers a unique way to build cultural competence 

Cultural competence is much more than an awareness of cultural differences. It is the ability to understand, communicate and effectively interact with people across cultures.

In the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families, cultural competence in early childhood education and care (ECEC) also includes delivering a curriculum that respects the cultural identity, language and values of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Shirley Pearl and her Bush Friends, the creation of Koori Curriculum founder Jessica Staines, a proud Wiradjuri woman and early childhood teacher, began as a way of wanting to share culture and love of Country with a small group, and has, over time, transformed into a valuable resource for services all across Australia to support the children in their care to develop a meaningful relationship with First Nations communities, stories, identities and more. 

We caught up with Jessica to learn more about the program. 

“The letters are sent monthly and detail adventures that I have with my daughter, Shirley Pearl, on Country, the bush friends we meet and how I’m sharing my culture as an Aboriginal Woman with her as she grows in her identity,” Jessica explained.

Services register to read along with these adventures, receiving their monthly updates either via email, or through posted letters, both of which come with play prompts for educators outlining how to extend on the letter’s themes, contents, ideas and invitations to learn more. 

A highlight of the program is the way that many services will write back.

“Shirley Pearl has lots of pen pals writing to her from their homes and early learning services around Australia,” Jessica explained. 

“This in turn has been a great opportunity for us to learn about different Aboriginal nations and seasons.”

Some pen pals have sent in copies of project books where they have embarked on a whole topic of enquiry that stemmed from one of Shirley’s letters. 

“One in particular that I can think of was on an Emu,” Jessica shared. “The children progressively and collaboratively made a huge emu sculpture whilst learning about Emu Sky stories. I thought that was quite exceptional.”

Drawings, photos, recipes and questions about Australian animals are also common, and the community supports one another through a special Facebook group for Shirley Pearl’s Bush Friends where recipients post questions and experiences that have been inspired by the letters to connect with one another.

As Australian early learning communities look to Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June) and NAIDOC Week (6-13 July), Jessica made links between the 2025 NAIDOC Week theme of “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy” and the work done in her community. 

“I personally think the letters are a way that we are inspiring the next generation to be proud of their culture and for Non-Indigenous children to be curious, knowledgeable, intrigued and ultimately have respect for First Nations peoples and our culture,” she said.

“In our most recent letters we have also tried to explain some of our significant dates such as Invasion Day and the National Apology in age appropriate accessible ways. We have received some great feedback from this so far and will continue to do this where we can.”

To learn more about Shirley Pearl and her Bush Friends, or the Koori Curriculum in general, please see here.