Multicultural Policy and Early Childhood Education in Australia

This report delves into the Australian Government's Multicultural Statement and its implications for Early Childhood Education, focusing on the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). It provides an overview of multiculturalism in Australia, tracing its evolution and impact on educational policies. The report evaluates the EYLF, highlighting its values, implementation strategies, and educational outcomes, emphasizing the importance of cultural competence, inclusion, and fostering a sense of belonging for children. It also examines how the EYLF supports educators in creating inclusive learning environments and promoting children's development. The report concludes with recommendations for enhancing early childhood programs to better reflect cultural diversity and integration, and it underscores the significance of ongoing learning and collaboration within the educational community. The report references key literature to support its analysis and recommendations, offering valuable insights into the integration of multiculturalism within Australian early childhood education.

Running head: AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MULTICULTURAL STATEMENT AND
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Australian Government Multicultural Statement and Early Childhood Education
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s note

2
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MULTICULTURAL STATEMENT AND EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Overview..........................................................................................................................................3
Critical Evaluation...........................................................................................................................5
Recommendation.............................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9

3
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MULTICULTURAL STATEMENT AND EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Introduction
Since its implementation in Australia in the 1970s multiculturalism has been a debated
agenda and ideology. Although retaining some basic values, federal multicultural policy policies
have changed in reaction to evolving government preferences and reactions to the problems
posed by Australian society in the 3 decades following its adoption. Though Australia's
multicultural policies have their origins in policy reactions to post-settlement problems. The
definition of mutual interest encompasses respect, democracy, gender equality, impartiality,
freedom of expression, freedom of thought and religious rights (Buchori & Dobinson, 2015). The
new policy condemns prejudice, and stresses the country's mutual interest, health and
competitiveness. Belonging, Being and Becoming the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)
defines the values, activities and results that promote and improve the development and
transformation of young children from birth to five years of age. The framework for the early
childhood care and education is a core component of the National Quality System (Banks, 2015).
The EYLF was created with support from the early childhood industry and early childhood
researchers, by the federal governments and Australian State.
Overview
The term multiculturalism is being used to define the plurality of cultures within
community. After 1970, the Australian Government also supported the concept of
multiculturalism in the nation with the influx. Australia's inclusive policy respects common
values as well as ethnic practices (Watkins, Lean & Noble, 2016). The new agenda is Australia
multicultural that is going to be unified, stable and effective. The new law fixed the vision of
preserving diversity while prioritizing the specific the significance and the national identity of

4
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MULTICULTURAL STATEMENT AND EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
integrating and uniting people. In this legislation, the Government of Australia endorsed the
Australian's concept of diversity, security, safety and unity. Australia’s Early Year Curriculum
System describes the values, procedures, and results that support and promote the development
of young children of Australia from birth to age five. The Early Year Learning System is the
principal aspect of the Regional Consistency Structure for the early childhood education. This
paradigm provides the dream that growing child learns learning, and that will help certain kids
build a good life (Forrest, Lean & Dunn, 2016). The purpose of this framework is for developing
the mutual, safe and polite relationships, the partnership idea, high equity and
expectation, respect for diversity, reflective practice and the ongoing learning. This system
identified five learning results, which are a clear sense of belonging, a strong sense of health,
positive and active learners, successful communicators, and linked and contributing to the
environment. In this sense a guidance is being created for Australia's educators. The system is
based on the Regional Quality Norm, which prescribes which works of early childhood
education for promoting inclusion (Berry & Sam, 2014). The Early Year Education System is
used to help and improve the Australian Early Childhood Survey. The structure is the priority of
the Australian Government. Early Growth of the Australian child Survey offers proof of the
tremendous effect this system has on early life of the children. Children profit from exposure to a
plurality of cultures which make up the social structure of Australia (Ghosh & Galczynski,
2014). This involves the traditions of the Native and Torres Strait Islander those are central to the
history and identification of Australia. Knowing how to educate effectively about the broad
variety of various cultures present in the Australian society may seem like the challenging task,
though.

5
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MULTICULTURAL STATEMENT AND EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
The Australian government's multicultural strategy aims in providing all students with
awareness, interest, skills to engage in the diverse community and address the unique needs of
non-English-speaking students. This inclusive approach gives importance to the programs to
fight prejudice. Australia's leadership is committed to maintain a healthy school atmosphere for
the students. The school's healthy climate would help the students work away from bigotry and
bullying. The Australian schools will enable students to learn intercultural understandings. The
Early Year Learning System calls focus to the concept of diversity and inclusion. The
framework for the early childhood care and education is a core component of the National
Quality System. The EYLF was created with support from the early childhood industry and early
childhood researchers, by the federal governments. Cultural competence includes cultivating an
awareness of how the society of each person affects his or her principles, actions, opinions and
simple assumptions. This requires recognizing that a societal context influences the society
(Davis, Torr & Degotardi, 2015). This inevitably affects how they interpret and view the world
surrounding, and how they relate to others. Of these factors, it is necessary to gain an
understanding of how your own cultural values and traditions influence the job, and to find out
more about the communities and ethnicities reflected in the society.
Critical Evaluation
A perception of children's lives as defined by belonging, becoming and being is central to
the Framework. Children are related to families, society, culture and position even before they
are raised. Through such relationships their earliest growth and learning occurs, especially inside
families those are the first and most prominent educators of children (Grieshaber & Graham,
2017). When children get interested with daily life, they grow experiences and create their own
social perceptions and understandings. Retaining some basic values, federal multicultural policy

6
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MULTICULTURAL STATEMENT AND EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
policies have changed in reaction to evolving government preferences and reactions to the
problems posed by Australian society in the 3 decades following its adoption. Though Australia's
multicultural policies have their origins in policy reactions to post-settlement problems. The
definition of mutual interest encompasses respect, democracy, gender equality, impartiality,
freedom of expression, freedom of thought and religious rights. The new policy condemns
prejudice, and stresses the country's mutual interest, health and competitiveness. The system
would include early childhood education from birth by progression through adulthood. It system
includes the teachers instruction (Knaus, 2015). The Early Year curriculum structure requires a
systemic approach to strengthen the schooling environment in early life. The Framework puts
schooling for children at the center which incorporates three interrelated elements: Values,
Implementation which Education Outcomes. All three components are central to the decision-of
early childhood pedagogy as well as curricula. The program includes both the scheduled and
unplanned activities, encounters, behaviors and occurrences that exist in an atmosphere intended
to facilitate learning and growth for children (Tayler, 2014). The focus throughout the
Framework is on program designed or intentional elements. The Framework supports
the decision-making model for the curriculum as a continuing cycle. The framework involves
educators drawing on the professional knowledge, which consists of the depth of each child’s
knowledge (Simpson-Dal Santo, 2017). Acting in collaboration with communities, educators are
utilizing the learning results to direct their children's curriculum plans. To effectively engage
children in the learning, educators recognize the talents and desires of the students, select
effective instructional approaches and plan the learning atmosphere.

7
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MULTICULTURAL STATEMENT AND EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Recommendation
A perception of children’s lives as defined by involvement, becoming and being is central
to the Framework. Australian c Children are related to families, society, and culture and position
even before they are raised. Through such relationships their earliest growth and learning takes
place, especially inside families that are the most prominent educators of children. When
children get interested with daily life, they grow experiences and create their own social
perceptions and understandings (McLachlan, Fleer & Edwards, 2018). By adopting the context
Australia's early childhood programs are evolving a society, the children can benefit from early
childhood learning regarding cultural diversity and integration. It system gives educators
the opportunity to concentrate on other facets. These factors concentrate specifically on
children's health and well-being, a common language program in the early childhood field, a
framework for preparing, encouraging and reviewing each child’s content, cultural protections
for children belonging to the minority ethnic family, participation of families and cultures in the
health cycle of each child.
The Early Year Education Program provides a training guide for Australia's education.
The educators will give minority children equal learning opportunities. The school board must
have a clean and healthy educational atmosphere and non-discriminatory climate. This
environment can help those kids think about cultural identity, harmony. We will know about the
effects of inequality from their early childhood education. The Australian Educators should lead
those children by adopting the guidelines (Lowrie, 2014). To be understands the value in the
lives of infants. This is about understanding oneself and the world, establishing and sustaining
partnerships with others, dealing with the joys and uncertainties of life and facing obstacles in
everyday situations. The early years of childhood are not only about preparing for the future but

8
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MULTICULTURAL STATEMENT AND EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
also about the current situation. The Framework will offer the specific guidance for early
childhood educators to promote children's development in early childhood environments (Peers,
2018). This supports educators in the decision-making process and assists in the content
preparation, execution and assessment of early childhood environments. It also underpins
introducing more complex curricula applicable to growing local population and environment in
early childhood. The Framework seeks to encourage discussions, strengthen collaboration and
establish a shared language for the development of young children between children themselves,
their communities, the larger community, educators of early childhood and other professionals.
Conclusion
From this study, this can be concluded that the Australian Government has introduced the
latest multicultural strategy 2017 to achieve the national aim of culturally integrated Australia.
This program is directed towards strengthening national integrity, economic performance and
social justice. The Early Year Education Program was adopted by the Council of Australian
Government. The intent of this system depends on three principles relating to, becoming, and
being. The Early Year Learning System is designed to facilitate connectivity, promote interaction
and use a shared language for the children’s learning in Australia. Successive Australian
Administrations have dedicated themselves fully to a democratic Australia. Renewing and
reaffirming the Government's dedication to this new declaration is timely a strong reminder
about the principles and obligations that shape the culture, promote our national interest and
direct how we adapt to challenges. It offers a dream for the future as a prosperous and productive
multicultural country, unified by the commitment to Australia and dedicated to liberty and
growth.

9
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MULTICULTURAL STATEMENT AND EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
References
Banks, J. A. (2015). Cultural diversity and education: Foundations, curriculum, and teaching.
Routledge.
Berry, J. W., & Sam, D. L. (2014). Multicultural societies. The Oxford handbook of
multicultural identity, 4, 97.
Buchori, S., & Dobinson, T. (2015). Diversity in teaching and learning: Practitioners'
perspectives in a multicultural early childhood setting in Australia. Australasian Journal
of Early Childhood, 40(1), 71-79.
Davis, B., Torr, J., & Degotardi, S. (2015). Infants and toddlers: how visible are they in the Early
Years Learning Framework?. International Journal of Child Care and Education
Policy, 9(1), 12.
Forrest, J., Lean, G., & Dunn, K. (2016). Challenging racism through schools: teacher attitudes
to cultural diversity and multicultural education in Sydney, Australia. Race Ethnicity and
Education, 19(3), 618-638.
Ghosh, R., & Galczynski, M. (2014). Redefining multicultural education: Inclusion and the right
to be different. Canadian Scholars’ Press.
Grieshaber, S., & Graham, L. J. (2017). Equity and educators enacting the Australian early years
learning framework. Critical Studies in Education, 58(1), 89-103.
Knaus, M. (2015). ‘Time for Being’: Why the Australian Early Years Learning Framework
opens up new possibilities. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 13(3), 221-235.

10
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MULTICULTURAL STATEMENT AND EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Lowrie, T. (2014). An educational practices framework: The potential for empowerment of the
teaching profession. Journal of Education for Teaching, 40(1), 34-46.
McLachlan, C., Fleer, M., & Edwards, S. (2018). Early childhood curriculum: Planning,
assessment and implementation. Cambridge University Press.
Peers, C. (2018). The meanings of belonging: Revisiting the theory of ‘belonging, being and
becoming’in the Australian Early Years Learning Framework. Contemporary Issues in
Early Childhood, 19(4), 356-366.
Simpson-Dal Santo, R. (2017). Gender Identities in the Australian Early Years Learning
Framework. In Feminism (s) in Early Childhood (pp. 165-177). Springer, Singapore.
Tayler, C. (2014). The early years learning framework in remote Aboriginal Australia. Every
Child, 20(4), 8.
Watkins, M., Lean, G., & Noble, G. (2016). Multicultural education: the state of play from an
Australian perspective. Race Ethnicity and Education, 19(1), 46-66.

11
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MULTICULTURAL STATEMENT AND EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION