Unit Synopsis

You will engage with the national policy landscape to understand how it is both responsive to contemporary issues facing young children and their families in the 21st century and aspirational, articulating goals for the future. You will analyse policy texts that focus on strategies for providing equitable access to high quality education and care for children with special needs and their families. You will articulate how policies reflect the values and agendas of government, contemporary research/reports, beliefs about children and childhood and expectations for how early childhood services and educators contribute to implementing policy that addresses disadvantage and builds a democratic, equitable and just society. Central to this unit is an understanding of the social construction of childhood, of the educator and of what is valued for children in the 21st century. You will explicate and analyse the dominant images and constructions of children and childhood that are evident in policy texts and policy discourse and derive implications of policy for practice and ethical considerations and responsibilities.

Details

Unit Availabilities from Term 2 - 2025

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).