Early Childhood Education: Cultural Factors Assignment - Garung Centre

This assignment solution addresses cultural factors impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children within the context of the Garung Early Learning Centre. It identifies key cultural considerations, such as the representation in educational resources, language barriers, and family structures. The assignment explores the importance of culturally safe practices, particularly concerning the Mabo Day celebration, and proposes strategies for community engagement and the involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in planning and evaluating center activities. The solution also addresses potential cultural biases and the role of cultural brokers, providing practical strategies to mitigate potential issues and promote inclusivity. Finally, the assignment emphasizes the need for creating awareness, engaging families, and seeking opinions to increase the involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in early childhood education.

RUNNING HEAD: DIPLOMA OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
DIPLOMA OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

Question 1
The Garung Early Learning Centre has seen an increased enrolment of children from a
range of ethnic backgrounds (Kinnane, Wilks, Wilson, Hughes & Thomas, 2014). As a worker of
early childhood education and care, three cultural factors that could impact the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander children need to be identified. The study resources for the children should
not contain white faces, as they are not able to identify with these characters effectively. The
study resources need to contain aboriginal history such that they can connect to the same.
Children from ethnic background should not be taught in English language as they are not
accustomed to it.
Question 2
Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander family structures are different which might impact
early childhood education and care environment (Pink & Allbon, 2008). Aboriginal and Torres
Islander children have uneducated parents as compared to Australian families. Their families do
not allow dreaming big as Aboriginal children were found to aspire for low paying jobs.
Australian families generally aspire for high paying jobs and encourage their children to dream
big.
Question 3
Considering Mabo Day celebration at the Centre, it becomes integral to find local
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community leaders or groups to get participation from them
(Behrendt, Larkin, Griew & Kelly, 2012). I would make use of the government websites and
local websites which contains information related to Aboriginal people in the area and then
identify leaders from there.
2

Question 4
The Mabo Day event that is organised need to be culturally safe for all participants. In
order to ensure safety, the community needs to be asked three questions.
 What are the time members will attend the event?
 What aspects of the Mabo Day they would like to not accommodate?
 Which part of Mabo Day disturbs them?
Question 5
A cultural bias against the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family is that they do not
undertake education seriously.
Question 6
A situation in which a cultural broker needs to be engaged includes taking children on a
field trip and secondly marking children in examination (Price, 2012).
Question 7
Potential cultural safety issue Strategy to reduce impact
Issue 1 Creating awareness strategy by providing
details regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people
Issue 2 Bringing about awareness regarding
importance of families
3

Question 8
Objective Strategies
1. Creating engagement strategies through regular
communication and programs
2. Engaging them in small roles at the Centre or
asking their opinion regarding the same
Question 9
In order to increase involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in
evaluating cultural safety strategies, their opinions have to be sought. More importantly they
need to be called to attend meetings and provide feedback related to such safety strategies.
Question 10
In order to increase involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander in planning and
implementing Center activities, the local community leader has to be engaged. Secondly, their
importance in the community has to be highlighted.
4

References
Behrendt, L. Y., Larkin, S., Griew, R., & Kelly, P. (2012). Review of higher education access
and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Accessed from
https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/31122/1/2013003561OK.pdf
Kinnane, S., Wilks, J., Wilson, K., Hughes, T., & Thomas, S. (2014). “Can’t be what you can’t
see”: the transition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to higher education.
Accessed from http://apo.org.au/node/39231
Pink, B., & Allbon, P. (2008). The health and welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. Accessed from
http://www.gooriweb.org/history/178.pdf
Price, K. (2012). A brief history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education in
Australia. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education: An introduction for the
teaching profession, 1-20. Accessed from https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=lszSCQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=early+childhood+edcuation+fo
r+Aboriginals+and+Islander+Strait&ots=zpJGFBp9Kj&sig=pLkrq9RoBU9Kw3AZlhpHl
z_a-yg#v=onepage&q=early%20childhood%20edcuation%20for%20Aboriginals%20and
%20Islander%20Strait&f=false
5

6