Healthy hand for kids

MORE than 280 people attended City of Casey’s annual Early Learning Conference on 13 and 14 May.
The conference, now in its eighth year, is a professional development event, which aims to improve communication and collaboration between kindergartens, childcare services and primary schools.
This year, for the second time, organisers included an evening session to give greater opportunity for as many as possible to attend.
City of Casey Acting manager Children’s Services Ann Addinsall said this year’s conference theme, Connecting the Dots – Building Effective Partnerships, was based on the previous year’s evaluation feedback and industry trends in the early childhood sector.
“We were very pleased to be able to have innovative and leading presenters in the field of children’s development at this year’s conference,” said Ms Addinsall.
The opening keynote address was given by Michael Grose, a leading parenting presenter in Australia and the author of seven books who has provided practical advice on how to nurture positive children’s behaviour and co-operation without repeating yourself or raising your voice.
Paul Pritchard, the Tasmania Development co-ordinator for the Centre for Community Health at the Victorian Royal Children’s Hospital, gave the final keynote address. He discussed the important role fathers play in the lives of their children, how to engage men in services and benefits for children of having fathers participate in the services that support their care and education.