Examined family day care providers' views on training. Found that some providers view family day care as a professional service requiring training and providing a career path, whereas others view their services as an extension of their own home duties and oppose formalization of family day care through training. However, pay and status concerns…

Seventy-seven directors of childcare centres and 77 childcare staff were surveyed about their training to work with children with a disability, experience with these children, attitudes to disability, inclusive practices and barriers to inclusion. General support was expressed for the inclusion of children with a disability in child care,…

Outlines an innovative approach taken by a TAFE (technical and further education) institute in Tasmania to overcome problems associated with effective implementation of on-the-job training in field placements of early childhood students. The program involves a college-based child care training center, where students in an Associate's degree…

Examines the training and development of early childhood professionals around most states and territories of Australia. Outlines the nomenclature used in each area to provide the context for issues raised. Examines new and existing courses, staffing, employment prospects, and career paths. Discusses what is unique about those who work with young…

This article is concerned with the continuing staff shortages in Australian long day care services. To expand possibilities for addressing this ongoing problem, the article advocates the use of discourse as a theoretical and practical tool for reframing discussions about staff shortages. Drawing on discourses of crisis and professionalism as…

Outlines some of the challenges facing tertiary education courses in early childhood in Australia, including the competency movement, university and TAFE (technical and further education) restructuring, articulation between courses, and effective communication in a field which spans children from birth through age eight. Notes that outcomes of…

Describes the development and features of an innovative field experience program, in the form of an internship, for early childhood student teachers, as part of a four-year Bachelor of Education Degree at Australia's University of Newcastle. Discusses participants' perceptions of the internship as a professionalizing experience. (HTH)