The power of early childhood educators
Early childhood educators are calling for policy reform with new research showing their expertise was poorly utilised during the pandemic.
The research, led by Macquarie University’s School of Education, shows that while the Early Childhood Education (ECE) sector was one of the most trustworthy and accessible sources of health information for children and families during the pandemic, a breakdown in effective communication stunted its potential.
“ECE services understand their local community and are a trusted source of information, meaning there is strong potential for them to be more effective and efficient health communicators,” said Professor Sheila Degotardi, lead researcher and Director of the Centre for Research in Early Childhood Education at Macquarie University.
“ECE health information needs to be coordinated at a national level with government health agencies and early childhood organisations working together to support the communication of accessible, clear and relevant messaging.”
Findings identified several areas which constrained educators’ efforts. Many found government health advice difficult or impossible to implement in the early childhood setting, with language targeting primary or high school environments. Health messaging also often failed to address concerns about educator safety, including advice regarding low infection rates in young children, which ignored educators’ concerns about their own health.
Many educators and managers struggled to find relevant information, reporting they often accessed information from multiple sources, including National and State Departments of Health and/or Education and approved ECE providers. This presented a barrier to effective dissemination, as educators were required to digest, translate and communicate ECE-relevant information to children and families, a task often done outside of work hours and at their own expense.
The multidisciplinary team is now calling for the establishment of a National Early Childhood Health Information Unit (ECHIU) to serve as a mediator between government health departments and ECE sector organisations. The ECHIU would enable two-way communication of information between those issuing health orders and the ECE sector, to ensure information is relevant, trusted and up-to-date. This will enable efficient and effective communication to educators, children and families.
“The establishment of an ECE health communication unit at a national level, staffed by both ECE and health communication experts, would create a single, trusted voice of information which would enable more efficient and effective dissemination of information, and remove the strain and burden many educators felt during the pandemic,” said Professor Degotardi.
This research was undertaken by Macquarie University’s School of Education, Department of Health Sciences, Australian Institute of Health Innovation (AIHI), Australian National University and 10 stakeholder partners. The research was funded by the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).