“It’s our polite nudge in the ribs to help you and your team stay organised and on task.”
This week’s subject is: Environmentally responsible
Element 3.2.3: Environmentally Responsible
The service cares for the environment and supports children to become environmentally responsible.
Services have a responsibility to educate children about our environment, caring for it and embedding sustainable practices as a part of the everyday routine at the Service and in their everyday lives.
Services play a significant role in helping children develop an understanding and respect for the natural environment and the interdependence between people, plants, animals and the land (Early Years Learning Framework, p. 13; Framework for School Age Care, p. 15).
Has your service conducted an Environmentally responsible/sustainability audit recently? Conducting an audit is a beneficial way to highlight the practices already implemented, for your self-assessment as well as identify areas of improvement, to be included in your Service Quality Improvement Plan.
Reflective questions for your team:
- How do we promote our sustainable practices to families?
- How do we request, encourage and implement parent input when reviewing our Environmental/sustainability policy?
- How do we support children to embed sustainability in their everyday practice?
- Do educators consistently use teachable moment opportunities to help strengthen children’s understanding of the environment, our planet and the impact our actions have on its sustainability?
- How do we support children to get excited about implementing and maintaining sustainable practices?
- How can we access additional information, ideas and strategies to support children to take an active role in caring for the environment and contribute to a sustainable future?
- What strategies can we implement to support educators to model environmentally responsible practices, and foster children’s capacity to value and respect the broader environment?
Resources for families:
Change Starts at Home: Teaching Kids About Sustainability
Resources for Services:
Taking an active role in the environment and promoting a sustainable future
Within System7 go to Quality Area 3/ 11, 12, 13 & 14 to submit self-assessment notes and if required, open a QIP issue if you identify any areas of improvement.
The Childcare Centre Desktop has a range of resources to assist services with environmental responsibility. These include Environmentally responsible Service audit (LDC, OSHC, FDC), Environmentally Responsible Policy (LDC, OSHC, FDC) and much more.
Resources, NQS Element, Regulation and System7 links
Childcare Centre Desktop – Childcare Centre Desktop
National Quality Standard – QA 3/ 3.2.3- Environmentally responsible
National Regulations – 73, 110
System7 Module – QA 3/ 11, 12, 13 & 14
If you have any questions send us a note via the Contact page here!
