What happens after drop-off? New series follows everyday life in early learning

Journey Early Learning has released the final episode of its seven-part observational documentary series, Now & Always .

Shot across several months at three of its Victorian early learning centres, the series follows the everyday life of children and the relationships between children and educators through care routines, learning and play. Journey says that filming was done without scripts or staged moments.

"Every relationship in this series is one that our educators have developed long before a camera ever came in," Journey Early Learning Chief Quality Officer Cat Warne said.

"That's what I'm most proud of, and that the quality of practice on screen is the quality of practice that happens on any ordinary day."

Cameras follow the rhythm of the centre

Rather than focusing on individual activities or milestones, Journey says the series tracks the natural rhythm of its centres. Across the seven-part series, the focus of each episode is the experiences of the children as well as the interactions that make up their day.

Journey Early Learning's observational documentary series, Now & Always , sees cameras tracking the everyday life of children and the relationships between children and educators at three of its Victorian early learning centres.

It aimed to capture everyday practice as a way of allowing families to see more than the occasional activity or milestone. By focusing on those moments of curiosity, connection and care that often happen outside the view of someone only visiting the service, the production offers another lens to connect with the people and the practices on a daily basis.

To educators, those moments are part of everyday practice. How they respond to a child's need for reassurance, join their play or support a routine can be challenging to capture in a photo or brief note, but can be a rich opportunity for a documentary to allow families to have a conversation.

Relationships take centre stage

Ms Warne said that their decision to share everyday practice was influenced by the trust that families place in services to look after their children.

"The trust families place in us when they leave their children in our care is huge," she said.

"We really wanted to give them the opportunity to see what those everyday moments look like. To see the ways that educators respond to need and build relationships that support children to feel safe, connected and supported."

She said that the series aims to acknowledge the educators' work and the relationships they build with the children. The series' focus on everyday practice is not limited to specific learning experiences but reaches into the care and responses that make up the day.

A starting point for conversations with families

Journey Early Learning's release of this series comes at a time of heightened focus on child safety, quality and transparency in the early childhood education and care sector. It says that it opened its doors to cameras in an effort to support families' understanding of the people and practices involved.

For the teams running the services, the subject of the series provides an opportunity to reflect on the practices that they engage with everyday and which might offer families an insight into the values or vision behind what happens in the service. Ms Warne spoke of sharing the practices of educators in response to children's needs and familiar routines as a chance for families to engage in conversation.

The provider released a series that captures experiences and interactions at three of its centres, rather than aiming to evaluate the sector as a whole. The full series is available at Journey Early Learning's Now & Always webpage.