GDECE101 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Epistemologies Worldviews Assessment 2 Answer

Introduction

The report is based on the epistemologies and belief systems of Indigenous communities. The essay will examine strategies for fostering resilience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children within this worldview. These Individuals cope with a variety of health disorders, such as cancer, cardiac disease, accidents, physical illnesses, and respiratory ailments (Yang et al., 2022). This will be taken into account when the report explores historical notions of childhood and the way they shaped early childhood curriculum and system (ACECQA, 2021). In addition, this essay will include methods for establishing connections with varied parents, political, cultural, economic, and social aspects of educational challenges, children's rights, and anti-bias strategies for engaging with other cultures and identities. Furthermore, Indigenous Epistemology as it relates to defining the strategies employed by indigenous people to maintain a strong sense of identity while achieving success in the fields of knowledge and academia, which are typically dominated and governed by western techniques and epistemologies (ACECQA, 2021). Moreover, the culture of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia is the oldest and still-existing culture in the world. Even though it is impossible to give a whole history of Indigenous Australia here, it is significant to note that before the British colonial invasion, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and children were healthy and prosperous. The strategies for fostering resilience among indigenous children will be effectively covered in this report ( Young et al., 2017) . 

Examine How Past Conceptions Of Childhood Have Influenced The Early Childhood Education Systems And Curricula In Australia Today

The concept of childhood is socially shaped and points out the realization that growing up is not a natural procedure because Society selects when someone becomes an adult. The impression of childhood is likewise not understood in isolation but is closely linked to other social elements (Hamilton et al., 2019). Furthermore, Aboriginal children suffered under a system of discrimination that at various times isolated, segregated, excluded, "protected," or took them away from their parents until the late 1960s, according to the history of Aboriginal education in NSW since 1788 and in other Australian states (Yang et al., 2022). The current Aboriginal community’s education policies and programmes aim to provide Indigenous youth and children availability to educational opportunities. Since the beginning of the millennium, interest in early childhood education and care (ECEC) has grown on a global scale (Lee-Hammond et al., 2021). When issues with female work engagement, financial output, family services, or social unfairness arise, ECEC is frequently proposed as a part of the remedies by the Government or international organizations (ACECQA, 2021). 

Children from low-income families were supported by the national Government's economic reforms in the 1990s to access earlier education, making the country a leader in the effort to increase accessibility and raise the standard of early education (Hard et al., 2018). Postcolonialism, post-structuralism, queer theory approaches, childhood sociology, alternative points of view on the development of childhood, and concerns corresponding to individual identity and language are just a few of the cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research fields that are involved in today's early childhood issues. According to the current educational curriculum, the children create their own experiences, connections, and worldview (The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, 2021). Additionally, by concentrating on children’s interests, hobbies, and abilities in a supportive and secure environment, educators play a significant role in fostering children's development. The curricula schedule is the documentation that lists all the occasions, adventures, and pursuits that are available to children during the school day. Additionally, region, heredity, the surroundings, wellness, exercise, and nutrition all have an impact on how the contemporary early childhood system works (Cumming et al., 2020). 

Strategies For Fostering Pleasant Working Relationships With A Variety Of Parents, Caregivers, And Communities

Many Indigenous households and societies in contemporary Australia struggle greatly. Their resilience and power are weakened by a variety of complex problems, including past and contemporary expropriation, marginalization, and prejudice, as well as the results of previous policies of enforced expulsion and cultural integration (Gower et al., 2021). These issues are what lead to the extreme levels of poverty, lack in education, brutality, and substance abuse that exist in many Indigenous communities. Indigenous children suffer worse socioeconomic, educational, and health results than non-Indigenous children as a result of them, which is another negative effect. Additionally, professionals and policymakers may find it difficult to prepare for and provide assistance to kids, families, and societies who identify as Aboriginals (Collings et al., 2022). Given that social problems are frequently deeply ingrained, it is essential to approach them while taking historical, social, geographical, familial, and individual qualities into account. Due to the diversity of Indigenous Australian customs, indigenous communities can also vary greatly. Indigenous communities typically display traits unique to their geographic setting, with considerable distinctions amongst populations in urban, rural, and distant areas (Whitesell et al., 2022). 

Work With The Indigenous Communities

In history, certain service providers have been targeted for including the communities in the process of providing services. The planning and delivery of services for Indigenous Australians are more successful when Society is involved. When Indigenous Elders, locals, and other providers are engaged in a consultation, the most important community requirements can be identified, and the best execution techniques can be found for Aboriginal children (ACECQA, 2021). Due to extensive community engagement and a failure to take the necessary measures afterwards, certain Indigenous groups have traditionally been distrustful. Striking a balance between discussion and execution is essential. This can be completed effectively if an action research strategy is employed. Additionally, it is essential to interact with Society in order to discover its most immediate concerns. Experience shows that it is usually smarter, to begin with modest and attainable goals rather than aiming to take on too many tasks too quickly (Collings et al., 2022).

Ensure That The Services Are Culturally Competent

Australian aboriginals have preserved traditions that, in many ways, differ from those of mainstream, aboriginal-free Australia. This cultural disparity has effects on both practice and policy. Interventions have little prospect of long-term improvement if they are not tailored to the contemporary Indigenous cultural environment (Collings et al., 2022). Support firms must make sure that cultural understanding shapes the following: (1) the service's structure; (2) the particular techniques and strategies used; and (3) the hiring, training, and behaviour of particular team members. Additionally, deliver services in a distinctive and flexible manner to satisfy Society's changing needs. This offers freedom in how services are offered and where they are supplied. Deliver services "in language" (the native tongue), or if this is not possible, utilize presenters or interpreters who have excellent English communication skills (Lee-Hammond et al., 2021). 

Cultivate Networks And Relationships

Research shows that standalone services typically find it difficult to meet the varied demands of underprivileged and at-risk children. Services that cooperate and team up with other neighbourhood municipal and civic organizations are better able to ensure that persons in need receive the assistance they require. Organizations that offer Indigenous-specific services have worked, which include government departments, other local service providers, both mainstream and Indigenous-specific, Indigenous cultural centres etc. (The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, 2021)

Secure Family Environments

In order to promote resilience in Aboriginal children, it was thought that they needed to grow up in a secure, orderly, loving, and stable family setting (November et al., 2020). Participants believed that consistent parenting techniques, tough but fair discipline, clearly established boundaries, continuous monitoring of children's locations, and children's impression of their home as a safe place all contributed to the development of resilience. Threats to Aboriginal children's capacity to build resilience included substance misuse, marital violence, money problems, and caregivers who were less involved in their lives (Australian Government., 2022). 

Establishing A Role Model Of Good Behaviour And Relationships

 Participants held that children's access to strong role models increased their understanding of their capacity to lead positive lives and the strategies that may support them, despite any obstacles they may encounter (Reis et al., 2021). On the other hand, they believed that Aboriginal kids who lacked these positive examples would be less knowledgeable of wholesome behaviours and how good relationships work. Children's capacity to acquire resilient attitudes and actions was assumed to be significantly influenced by the values, morality, and ethics of caregivers and older siblings. Additionally, caregivers could set a bad example for behaviours that get passed down (Australian Government., 2022). 

Providing Sustained, Strategic Services (Community Programs)

Children in homes with less consistent support from parents were thought to benefit most from community programmes that were thought to promote children to development resilience (Abid et al., 2021). Higher availability of recreational facilities/activities, homework facilities, educational mentors, camps meant to educate cultural knowledge, and locations where children might go if they felt unsafe at home were mentioned as potential measures to increase resilience. They believed that long-term community programmes delivered in casual, outdoor settings and conducted by Aboriginal people would make children feel more at ease (where possible). They believed that doing so would serve as a catalyst for establishing trust, which might then encourage more participation in resilience-building initiatives (D’Amore et al., 2020). 

Social, Cultural, Political, Philosophical, And Historical Contexts Of Current Educational Concerns

The right to an education is still restricted to millions of individuals, with indigenous peoples being among the most affected and marginalized (Two Bears et al., 2022). Their issue has frequently been defined by a lack of access to a quality education that honours their varied cultures and languages. All too few educational resources provide accurate and balanced knowledge of Aboriginal peoples and their approach to life, and history textbooks typically portray them negatively. Similar to this, educational programmes frequently do not give indigenous peoples the chance to participate in decision-making, the creation of curricula, the choice of teachers, instructional strategies, and the determination of standards (Haight et al., 2019). However, there are two challenges that indigenous education must address: supporting and promoting the preservation, use, and identification of indigenous peoples' traditions, languages, information, and customs. In addition to this, the provision of the development of knowledge and abilities enable indigenous peoples to engage freely and fairly in the national and international community (Buchanan et al., 2022). Today, there are a variety of international treaties, declarations, and local agreements that collectively form the fundamental Framework for providing indigenous peoples with high-quality education and recognizing their educational rights. In these international regulatory frameworks, the international community's commitment to providing high-quality education that satisfies the fundamental learning requirements of all children, youth, and adults living in today's culturally and linguistically varied Society is clearly stated. According to this, education is considered a fundamental right (Knijnik et al., 2022). The right of indigenous peoples to acquire education is frequently misunderstood to suggest that they only desire access to non-indigenous education. However, indigenous populations all over the world are demanding educational services that are both linguistically and culturally relevant to their requirements while also allowing them to participate fully in national education systems (Reis et al., 2021). Education must be both uplifting and draw on indigenous culture and knowledge at the same time. To address all the educational issues of the aboriginal community, the development and implementation of educational programmes and services for the affected populations must take into account their unique requirements as well as their histories, expertise, and technology, as well as their value systems and future social, economic, and cultural goals (Knijnik et al., 2022). However, despite encouraging legislative advancements over the past two years and growing acknowledgement of the educational and linguistic rights of indigenous peoples, much work needs to be done to put this law into practice and policies and to ensure that all indigenous children receive an education, taking into consideration the critical role that education plays in encouraging residents and transforming communities (Collings et al., 2022). 

Concerns And Epistemologies Related To Diverse Indigenous Australian And Torres Strait Issues, As Well As The Effects On Early Childhood Care And Education.

The research has identified several factors, such as cost, locality, culture, communications, and the nature of the service itself, as both explicit and implicit obstacles to Aboriginal children using ECEC services. For instance, it is difficult to think about cost and finance separately since they are tightly linked to geography. For instance, Indigenous parents and caregivers who live in isolated regions might not have access to well-paying professions or have access to educational opportunities when they were younger (Harrison et al., 2019). Similarly, families with poor literacy and numeracy skills may be discouraged from filling out the documentation necessary to submit a financial aid application. This directly impacts the Current ECEC services. All of these obstacles prevent the intended consumers from effectively using the current offerings. The major reason behind the obstacles is the disparity that exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children (ACECQA, 2021). Furthermore, for Indigenous children thinking about using and taking part in early childhood education services, trust are a major barrier. The quantity of personal information requested in funding application papers, interactions with child protection agencies, and the problem of child protection orders all contribute to the public's distrust of the Government. Indigenous families were more likely to believe in service if a relationship was built with the service provider. By using local Indigenous Australians as educators, trust was further strengthened (Australian Government., 2022).

Advocate The Rights Of Children And Anti-bias Strategies When Engaging With People Of Different Cultures And Identities

Anti-bias education is a method of teaching that aims to proactively fight discrimination, stereotypes, and all other forms of prejudice while also fostering a greater appreciation of differences and their importance to a respectful and civil society (Moodie et al., 2019). This entails the creation of an inclusive play-based learning curriculum in early childhood settings that reflects and celebrates the variety of experiences, viewpoints, and instructional strategies that progress the development of all children in a fair and inclusive way (Wooltorton et al., 2022). Furthermore, the refusal to collaborate with others, opposing and/or rejecting others' participation, and formulating and acting on preconceptions about individuals and groups are all examples of bias in early childhood. These behaviours can result in harmful actions like exclusion, bullying, and name-calling in settings where diversity and individuality are not respected and where children are not given the proper supervision (Duke et al., 2021). 

Conclusion

Principles, Practice, and Learning Outcomes are the three interconnected components that make up the EYLF Framework, which prioritizes the education of children. All three elements must be taken into account when making judgments about early childhood pedagogy and the curriculum. The curriculum takes into account all of the interactions, routines, and unplanned as well as intentional events that occur in a setting designed to foster children's development. 

The intentional or deliberate components of the curriculum are the focus of the Framework. For indigenous children, however, it is crucial to address all kinds of challenges in order for them to participate effectively in the EYLF framework. The research has identified several factors, such as cost, locality, culture, communications, and the nature of the service itself, as both explicit and implicit obstacles to Aboriginal children using ECEC services. Additionally, legislation has to focus on strategies that build resilience in children of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, such as offering culturally appropriate services and establishing a positive role model in their lives. 

References

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