We don’t often talk about gender in OSHC and there are probably many reasons why. Gender and childhood is a sensitive and political topic in Australia that is often silenced. It can be tricky for educators to address when there are diverse and contradictory community attitudes. Regardless of the sensitive nature of the topic, gender is a vital consideration in all our practices. Encounters with gender norms and stereotypes have implications for wellbeing and equity during childhood and adulthood.

It can be easy to sidestep gender in our practices if we see OSHC simply as a place where kids ‘just’ play. However, we underestimate OSHC and its role in children’s lives if we see it as ‘just’ play. Research shows that children understand and engage with gender norms in their play from as young as 3 years old.

This session will look at gender from a range of perspectives including: