Health and Wellbeing Contexts
Situations that could affect children's physical, emotional, psychological, and social welfare are included in health and wellbeing contexts. Families dealing with parental mental health issues and families going through trauma or bereavement are two important contexts for early childhood educators. Depression, anxiety, and other psychological issues that affect a parent's well-being and ability to handle daily obligations are examples of parental mental health issues. Pregnancy and the early years of a child's life can be impacted by mental health issues, which are prevalent in the Australian community (Grace et al., 2022).
Following a family member's death, a serious illness, family violence, an accident, relocation, families may also go through trauma and bereavement. Young children may express discomfort through behavior, play, sleep patterns, withdrawal, hostility, or regression since they lack the vocabulary to convey complex feelings (Lytje & Dyregrov, 2019).
It is especially important to adopt a trauma-informed viewpoint. In contrast to punishment or judgment, trauma-informed approach emphasizes safety, connections, predictability, choice, and emotional regulation (AGDE, 2022). Wellbeing is acknowledged as a crucial component of learning in Australian early childhood policy. The EYLF V2.0 highlights responsive connections and circumstances that promote children's emotional and physical wellbeing and lists wellbeing as one of its five learning outcomes.
Impacts
Children may feel depressed, anxious, confused, have trouble controlling their emotions, or exhibit behavioral problems. While some kids may show signs of increased activity, anger, or separation anxiety, others may withdraw. Young children may ask questions about a loss on a regular basis. It is not necessary to automatically perceive these answers as bad because they are developmentally understandable (Lytje & Dyregrov, 2019). Children who have experienced trauma may develop heightened sensitivity to perceived threats, loud noises, unexpected persons, and disruptions in routine. Children, however, react to hardship in different ways (Grace et al., 2022).
Eduators should follow strict child safety and reporting procedures, engage with families in a sensitive manner, and record any notable changes in children's behavior and wellness. We need to work with mental health specialists or other agencies, adjust routines, and offer more emotional support. Maintaining confidentiality is crucial and information should only be disclosed in a way that complies with legal requirements and service guidelines (AITSL, 2022).
Social Policy and Australian Responses
Governments can collaborate to enhance mental health outcomes and promote prevention, treatment, and support by using the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement as a national framework. Families in need of assistance with family safety and well-being as well as those facing family violence can receive free support from the Orange Door network. Early childhood services can help families find the right kind of support when necessary.
According to ABS 2022, around 12% of young children and adults, between the age of 0-24 years, have been diagnosed with disability in 2022. Early childhood education is centered on wellness, according to the Early Years Learning Framework V2.0. While the framework emphasizes responsive connections and settings that enhance children's sense of security, Outcome 3 focuses on children developing good social and emotional wellbeing.
Figure 6: Young children with disability
Source: ABS, 2022
Five Evidence-Based Strategies for Practice
| Evidence-based Strategy | Application in Practice |
|---|---|
| Create a calm soft corner in ECE setting | Creating a calm and composed corner with soft toys, light music, and warm lights for when a child feels overwhelmed |
| Using play to express emotions | Including emotion expressing play where each child feels comfortable sharing their feelings |
| Keeping predictable routines | Making certain planning for children, especially those who are feeling uncertain at home |
| Creating "People I can Trust" chart | Displaying and adding pictures of people and caregivers that children feel comfortable with, to enhance safety |
| Supporting whole family by arranging Family Day of the Week | With legal consent, interacting with each family once a week on a deep manner to know the situation of the family, without overstepping |
Community and Professional Partnerships
It helps in child's mental health and support consecutive difficulties.
Collaboration:
Use right resources provided by them to professional learning environment
It helps in providing safe mental health support and wellbeing.
Collaboration:
Provide local referral channels for trauma-induced families
It offers support in young child's mental health and addresses trauma.
Collaboration:
Establish trauma-informed practices for respective families
It offers help in crisis and wellbeing support.
Collaboration:
Provide families knowledge about crisis emergency support while maintaining professional boundary
It provides free health, medical and parental support.
Collaboration:
Work ethically with parents and caregivers to support child's development.
Resources for Educators and Children
Projects, Programs, or Websites
Teachers can use the tools to increase their knowledge and give families relevant referral information.
It offers educators and other professionals professional development opportunities and tools for trauma-informed practice.
It makes information regarding children's mental health, anxiety, grieving, and helping them throughout challenging times easily accessible to parents and experts.
It offers children with disability and provide information about care, safety, and precaution to such disabilities.
Children’s Storybooks
It strengthens children's emotional security, resilience, and confidence while they are separated from significant others by using the concept of an invisible connection between loved ones.
The book's narrative is helpful for discussing the value of listening and emotional support.
It examines mourning and remembering a deceased person. Teachers can use it tactfully to talk about loss, love, and memory.
It can facilitate discussions about sorrow and emotional expression that are age-appropriate.
Videos, Educational shows, Podcasts
It offers materials that help kids comprehend intense emotions, relaxation techniques, and emotional expression.
Young children can explore emotions, relationships, and wellbeing in developmentally appropriate ways with the aid of songs, tales, and play.
It offers materials that use well-known characters and age-appropriate explanations to help young children comprehend death, grief, and emotional reactions.
Certain incidents help kids learn coping mechanisms, self-control, and emotional literacy.
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