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  3. Section 3: National Quality Standard and Assessment and Rating
  4. Quality Area 6: Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
  5. Standard 6.2: Collaborative partnerships

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Standard 6.2: Collaborative partnerships

Collaborative partnerships enhance children’s inclusion, learning and wellbeing.

How Standard 6.2 contributes to quality education and care

Standard 6.2 recognises the connections between children, families, the service and communities and the importance of reciprocal relationships and partnerships in enhancing all children’s inclusion, learning, development and wellbeing (Early Years Learning Framework; Framework for School Age Care).

When working with families, the service understands the importance of seeing families in the context of their participation in the local community and wider society. Services can also establish and maintain an active presence in the local community, seek to strengthen community links and use community resources to support families. This supports the inclusion of all children in their community and broadens children’s understanding of the world in which they live and of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture within the context of their own community. Educators work to build trusting relationships with families, Elders and communities so that histories, stories and languages, as well as the local knowledge of how the Traditional Owners care for and sustain the land, are shared with all children (Early Years Learning Framework; Framework for School Age Care).

Open communication and collaboration between the service, families, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and community members, and other professionals within the community can be mutually beneficial. These partnerships:

  • build the relationships between each child, their families and the service so that each child’s capacity to fully participate in the program is supported
  • assist children to become aware of the similarities, differences and connections between people within the community
  • can provide everyone with a holistic understanding of each child, which contributes positively to every child’s inclusion, learning, development and wellbeing
  • create opportunities to develop a shared understanding about inclusion
  • provide opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to see themselves, their identities and cultures reflected in their environment, and build the knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives for all children (Early Years Learning Framework; Framework for School Age Care).  
  • give families an opportunity to provide information about their child’s interests, strengths and abilities, as well as provide feedback that assists educators to develop programs that are focused on supporting the learning and development of every child
  • build the capacity of organisations involved in supporting children and families in the local community
  • are more likely to result in information sharing and collaborative problem-solving
  • assist in building an environment that supports inclusion and celebrates diversity
  • are built on understanding children’s and families’ right to privacy and confidentiality (see Element 7.1.2).

Questions to guide reflection on practice for Standard 6.2 (for all services)

Building collaborative partnerships

 
  • How do we share information to support children’s learning, development and wellbeing with other services with which the child and family are connected?
  • How do we share our knowledge and expertise about children’s learning and inclusion with other professionals who are working with children and families enrolled in the service?
  • How do we support each child’s transition from and to other education and care environments?
  • How do we support each child’s successful transition to formal schooling?
  • In what ways do we work with schools and other community organisations to support children and families? How effective are these strategies and how can we improve them?
  • How do we work with schools (or any other service that provides education or care to children) to develop our policies and procedures for the safe arrival of children who travel to and from the service?
  • How do our policies and procedures include the delivery of children to, and the collection of children from, schools (or other education and care services) and our service?
  • How do we work with schools (or other education or early childhood services) to undertake risk assessments for the safe arrival of children who travel to and from the service?
  • How do we communicate with other educators and school-based staff to ensure a common understanding of who holds the duty of care for children when they travel between schools (or other education or early childhood services) and our service?
  • How do we access support for children’s specific individual requirements and rights?
  • What local resources and networks exist that might connect children and families with the local community?
  • How is information and data (for example the Australian Early Development Census) used to build an understanding of the local community?
  • What inclusion support services are available to provide tailored advice for our service?
  • What is happening in our local community that is relevant to our work with children and families? How can we best be involved?
  • How do we build and ensure we have genuine and sustainable partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations? 
  • How do we engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to seek understanding of and assistance in embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and knowledge truthfully and respectfully? 
  • How are we assisting children and their families to develop a sense of belonging to their local community?
  • How are we supporting children to see themselves as connected and belonging to groups and communities as well as understanding their reciprocal rights and responsibilities as active and informed members of those groups and communities?