Inappropriate Discipline

Facilitated by Emily McKenna

The Queensland Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (ECRA) is responsible for regulating the early childhood education and care sector including outside school hours care. They have a vital role in making sure children are safe and receive high-quality education and care. This series spotlights the new priority areas they announced in late 2023.

A key objective of the National Quality Framework (NQF) is to ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of children attending education and care services. Inappropriate, or unreasonable, discipline are contrary to this objective, and are offences under the National Law.

Traditional compliance-based approaches to “managing” children’s behaviour have not only been found to be ineffective, but can also have harmful consequences on children’s wellbeing, learning and development. This requires service’s to reflect on their behaviour guidance practices and the intention behind the strategies they are using.

A considered, social and emotional approac…