Blog

Bush kinder is inspired by the ‘forest schools’ of Denmark and Scandinavia and has been growing in popularity in Australia over the last few years. Doug Fargher, founder of Bush Kinder in Victoria highlights that children who spend time outdoors and connect with the natural environment tend to be healthier, happier and stronger. And it’s […]

A focus on wellbeing in the workplace is vital for individuals working in care industries like childcare and aged and disability care, to be effective in their roles. Educators and carers need the support, tools and opportunities to foster wellbeing in themselves — and those in their care — for all to thrive. From exercise […]

There’s no other time of year that has brings about the level of excitement in children that Christmas does, is there?! Coming up with fresh and fun Xmas activities each year can be tricky, so we’ve compiled a few that children will love — and so will the environment. Creating a healthy and happy future […]

Reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, improving sleep, relieving pain — mindfulness can have a measurable positive impact on physical and mental health for young and old. More than just a buzzword, research has even shown that mindfulness in aged care could help to prevent dementia, slow its progress, reduce dementia-related stress and improve quality of […]

Linda Nolte is an aged care professional who started her career as a personal care worker. She is now the Program Director at Advance Care Planning Australia and is passionate about enabling individuals to have choice and control over medical directives at the end of their life.   In her talk at Catalyst’s aged care industry […]

Jess Sugarman trained as a trained Occupational Therapist. She started her career developing early intervention programs in early childhood centres for children between two and five years old who presented with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).   In her talk at Catalyst’s early childhood education and care industry roundtable, Jess addressed the strategies that can be used to best support children who present with ASD or other […]

Build it and they will come? As great as that would be, creating a successful and thriving childcare centre does require some conscientious effort, especially when you’re in the earlier stages Working closely with many childcare services, we frequently see what works best when it comes to marketing a childcare centre and attracting families. We’ve […]

Tracking enrolments, attendance and fees, documenting children’s learning, staff development and effective hiring are vital when running a successful childcare service. Thankfully technology that has been developed, sometimes specifically for the child care industry, helps make the administration of early childhood more streamlined and efficient for everyone. In this article, we’ve flagged some great tools […]

Over the next decade, the Victorian Government is introducing funded three-year-old kindergarten. This means the creation of more than 4,000 new early childhood teacher roles and 2,000 new educator roles. This means lots of opportunity for those who would like to pursue a career in this important industry! We asked a group of inspiring and dedicated […]

If you’re in Victoria and you’ve been researching your government-funded course options, or looking into what government funding is available to you for your aged care or early childhood education and care course, you have probably come across Skills First funding. The jargon can be confusing, so let’s do away with get clear on answers […]

Making the decision to study for the first time or to go back to study is not always straightforward. You may be going back and forth about the decision, or you may believe a career change is not within your reach. Having the confidence to see the potential of a change and your ability to […]

Selmar Institute of Education teamed up with the Department of Jobs and Small Business, home care provider Calvary Community Care and Ternary a specialised recruiter in the health care sector to help deliver a quality workforce to Calvary and an opportunity for job seekers to find meaningful employment. Selmar created a 6-week refresher training program which was aligned to Calvary Community Care’s […]

Separation anxiety is a normal part of development for children and while it doesn’t affect all children, it is pretty common. So if you are working in childcare jobs it is likely that you will come across varying degrees of separation anxiety in children as young as babies through to primary school age. It’s important […]

In 2019 there are over 447,000 Australians who are living with dementia. According to Dementia Australia, this figure is on the increase, with around 250 people adding to it each day. Dementia is also the second leading cause of death in Australia. Dementia Action Week takes place from September 16 to 22, 2019, timed to […]

The first five years of life are fundamental to a child’s future. The most crucial period of rapid brain development takes place during these early years and lays the foundation for children’s health, happiness, growth and wellbeing. The first five years are also when a child will likely spend time in early childhood education services, […]

Patient, kind, thoughtful, nurturing — these are just a few of the words that come to mind when thinking about early childhood educators and the incredible work they do each day. The first Wednesday of September each year is Early Childhood Educators Day, and there’s no better time to show the educators in your life […]

If you’re in the process of choosing a trainer provider to get your qualifications and career on track, there are some essential things to look for to make sure you get it right. Chances are you have come across your chosen course at a variety of vocational education and training (VET) training providers, from TAFE […]

Deciding where to study can be challenging, with seemingly many options to choose from to enrol in the same course. Certificates and Diplomas are delivered by a number of Vocational Education and Training (VET) institutions, but when making your decision, it’s good to understand the key differences between the available providers of VET. Why is Vocational […]

First aid training is an essential skill when every second counts. Providing yourself, or your team the skills to act quickly and effectively in an emergency situation, creates confidence. While it’s not mandatory for aged care workers to possess their first aid qualification, you or your staff’s first aid skills could make all the difference. It’s true […]

To deliver the highest possible standard of care in early childhood education, first aid qualifications are vital. It’s not enough to have a first aid kit — knowing how to use it properly and administer potentially life-saving first aid is a must for safety in any industry. In the child care industry approved first aid […]

Wondering if a child care career is right for you? We’ve rounded up seven of the top reasons why working in child care is a great choice!   Excellent job prospects The child care industry is booming, with child care educators highly sought after across Australia. With the demand expected to continue to grow, a […]

An engaged employee is one who is committed, loyal, hard-working, proactive and motivated. In other words, an engaged employee is the kind of employee you want working in your business, whether you’re in aged care, child care or any industry you can think of. Where do you discover this kind of employee engagement that’s going […]

Studying for a career in a meaningful industry where you can really make a difference is a goal for many, but you want to be sure there will be jobs available to you as well. Luckily, child care industry growth continues on an upward trajectory! The rise in demand for child care workers, educators and […]

 It’s one thing to read about working in early childhood education but getting in there and gaining hands-on experience is a vital part of your childcare course training. That’s why your childcare course is likely to have a practical placement component as a course requirement. It’s this real-world work experience that really enables our learners to graduate […]

If taking up VET training is on your to-do list, you’ve probably thought about how you’ll pay for it. What funding options are available for your childcare or aged care course and which are you eligible for?  Let’s summarise the options available to you when you undertake training so you can go ahead and choose the best funding option […]

Tax time has rolled around again and for anyone studying or planning to, it’s worth knowing what study expenses you can claim as deductions at the end of financial year. The Australian Tax Office makes it clear that you can claim many self-education deductions when you’re a student, as long as the course you are […]

What does it mean to be a leader in early childhood education? A genuine desire to contribute to the wellbeing and care of young children is usually the impetus for those seeking a leadership career within the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector. You’re also going to need some key skills such as patience, […]

National Reconciliation Week takes place 27 May until 3 June and is an important time for us all to learn and reflect on our shared history as Australians. The dates are the same each year, marking the successful referendum in 1967 that paved the way for laws protecting the rights of Aboriginal people as equal […]

Investing in people, helping them to grow and to access career opportunities is of vital importance to us as trainers and educators. That’s why Selmar Institute of Education was part of a cross-sector collaboration with the Department of Jobs and Small Business, Calvary Community Care, a home care provider based in Mount Waverly, Victoria, and […]

 Play-based learning is at the heart and soul of Australia’s approach to early childhood education. And for good reason. Research shows that when it comes to optimal brain development in children, learning through play and exploration delivers results, going so far as to shape the structural design of the brain.    The Early Years Learning Framework defines play-based learning as […]