Social Context

Impact on Children and Families

Social contexts significantly affect children’s development and family wellbeing. Children often experience delayed language and social skills due to limited interactions, while their families struggle with mental health and access to services. Divorce can trigger emotional distress, behavioural changes, and academic struggles, with impacts varying based on parental conflicts levels. Children frequently face attachments disruptions, trauma, and instability, leading to challenges in emotional regulation and engagement in early learning.

These contexts demand tailored early childhood service provision. It requires outreach programs, emotional support strategies, trauma-informed care, stable routines, and collaboration with child protection services. Educators play a vital role in fostering resilience through inclusive, responsive practices that address each child’s unique needs.

Social Policy and Australian Responses

Here are the key policies and initiatives:

Rural Childcare program (2023)- This program funds mobile childcare in remote areas. It is aimed to reduce preschool fees and provide fee relief, especially for families in disadvantaged areas or with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

The Family Law act 1975 (Cth)- It emphasises the importance of both parents in a child’s life and promotes family dispute resolution. It also ensures children have the right to know and be cared for by both parents, regardless of marital status, and encourages cooperative parenting after separation. It includes provisions to protect children from family violence and child abuse. ECE services need to be vigilant in identifying and reporting any potential child protection concerns, especially in situations of family violence and abuse.

National Framework for Protecting Children- It aims to reduce child abuse and neglect and its intergenerational impacts fostering a cooperative approach across various sectors. It aligns with the broader goals of the National agreement in closing the gap. Overall, 46,000 children were in OOHC in 2023(Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], 2023) and around 1 in 3 marriages end in divorce in Australia (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2023). Approximately, 30% of Australians live in remote areas (ABS, 2023). These policies ensure inclusive, culturally safe environments while requiring educators to understand child wellbeing, facilitate co-parenting, and address developmental risks via targeted interventions in disadvantaged communities.

Understanding the Context

Social Contexts

Several Australian families experience complex social challenges such as geographical isolation, divorce, and out-of-homecare (OOHC). These factors influence children’s access to education, security, and developmental outcomes. Geographical isolation occurs in rural and remote areas where families face reduced access to health, education, and support services. Limited infrastructure and digital access often result in fewer opportunities for early childhood development and social interaction. Divorce can significantly affect children’s emotions and wellbeing. Children placed in OOHC often experience trauma, separation from family, and multiple placements, all of which can negatively affect their learning, behaviour, and attachment. These contexts are highly relevant in early childhood education as they impact children’s sense of security, identity, and learning engagement. Educators need to respond with inclusive practices.

Attachment theory- It explains how children need consistent, responsive teachers to form secure attachments. Disruptions from OOHC or divorce may result in insecure attachment patterns, affecting emotional regulation and behaviour.

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory- It highlights how children’s development is shaped by multiple environmental layers. For instance, divorce (microsystem) or rural isolation (exosystem) directly affects children’s everyday experiences (Waugh & Guhn, 2024).

Critical theory: It reminds educators to view children as active participants whose voices should be included in navigating transitions or adversity.

These contexts are evolving in Australia. While divorce rates have plateaued, blended family structures and co-parenting arrangements are more common. Geographic isolation is compounded by digital exclusion, and the number of children in OOHC remains high- particularly among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, who are over-represented due to systemic inequities.

Strategies for Practice

1. Cultural Programs: Collaborate with Indigenous elders to embed traditional knowledge and support Aboriginal children in care. Activities might include storytelling, art, and bush kinder.

2. Emotional literacy programs: Early childhood teachers can use books like The Invisible String and role-play to help children articulate feelings about divorce or separation.

3. Partnership with families: Offer workshops on co-parenting, mental health, and navigating services, ensuring families feel supported.

4. Social stories- Use books and storytelling to normalise experiences such as Two homes and invisible string.

5. Transition support systems: It is structured to support for children experiencing instability. Educator can plan with visual timetables and use books like ‘All about me’.

Community and professional partnerships

1. CREATE Foundation: It focuses on ensuring children have a voice, are empowered, and have access to the support they need to thrive in early learning settings. It also ensures that children have a say in policies, programs, and practice in early childhood education.

2. Relationships Australia: It emphasis on relational well-being contributes to a child’s overall development and learning. It helps educators and families understand and nurture these relationships, promoting children’s ability to learn, communicate, and develop social skills.

3. Community Playgrounds: It offers a safe learning environment for children to socialise. Early childhood settings can collaborate with playgrounds by providing information about their programs.

4. Local library: It offers a wealth of resources like books, educational programs, sessions, which promotes children’s learning. ECE can partner with libraries to organise regular visits or invite librarians to conduct storytelling sessions.

5. Playgroup Australia: It provides a platform for children to develop social skills, emotional maturity and sense of belonging.

Resources for Educators and Children

Programs & Projects:

1. Emerging Minds: It promotes empathy and resilience by supporting trauma and family change (Australian National Centre for Mental Health and Resilience [ANCMHR], 2023).

2. Royal Far West: It provides access to allied in remote areas (Royal Far West, 2024).

3. The incredible years program: It focuses on strengthening parent-child relationships and building social skills in children (Incredible Years, 2022).

4. Raising Children Network: It emphasises the importance of strong, positive relationships between children and educators. It also empowers educators to implement strategies that support children’s social competence (Australian Government, 2023).

Children’s book:

1. Two Homes by Claire Masurel- It gently explores life in two households (Masurel & Dodd, 2003).

2. When sadness comes to call by Eva Eland- It helps children process big feelings (Eland, 2019).

3. Maybe Tomorrow? by Charlotte Agell- It supports grief and transition (Agell & Lamniscates, 2019).

4. Alfie’s Big Wish by David Hardy- It celebrates strength and connection in Aboriginal culture (Hardy, 2020).

Children’s Videos

1. Kinderling kids: Calm- It addresses emotional regulation after family separation. It models positive coping mechanisms for challenging circumstances (Kiderling Kids Radio, 2023).

2. The wiggles- Social emotional learning compilation- It focuses friendship skills. Educator can incorporate song like, ‘Do the Propeller’ for conflict resolution (The Wiggles, 2022).

3. Bubble Guppies-A new friend- It focuses on inclusion of diverse abilities and welcoming newcomers. Educators can pause video to role model responses (Nickelodeon, 2021).

4. Tell me a story- It focuses on family diversity, inclusion, and emotional literacy (Early Childhood Australia [ECA], 2023).

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