Blog

As we farewell 2017 and say a big ‘hello’ to 2018, it’s only natural that we reflect on the year that was — and start making our plans for the year to come. Could the end of the year be the beginning of a new career for you? New Year’s resolution: start a new career […]

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. With images of Santa Claus, elves and his reindeer filling shopping centres, homes and child care centres alike, it is an exciting time for children. Celebrating Christmas in your child care centre can be a fun and educational experience, but it is important to be mindful that […]

Children and the elderly don’t seem like they would be the best of friends, but research suggests that encouraging intergenerational hang outs can provide many benefits for young and old. With vastly different energy levels and interests, and oldest and youngest among us seem as though they wouldn’t have much fun, but an Australian study […]

Only a couple of years ago, pets were not permitted in aged care facilities. Nowadays, pets are often allowed. In fact, they are encouraged in many aged care facilities. While pets are not for everyone, it has now been found that animals benefit the elderly. The presence of pets, such as dogs and cats, can […]

Did you know that over 500 people die from heat stress in Australia every year? Older individuals are particularly vulnerable to the heat, making caring for the elderly in summer an important job. According to Australia Medical Association of Queensland Council of General Practice chair Richard Kidd, more people are killed from heat stress each […]

A challenge of working in child care is discovering ways to engage children while also enhancing their development. Exploring the five senses with children in child care can open up your mind to many activities with the confidence that you are contributing to their development. The five senses are an excellent way for children to […]

Spending time finding jobs in Australia can feel like a full time job in itself. While there are plenty of jobs out there, when you don’t have qualifications, options can feel limited. You might have been looking at retail jobs without any luck — probably because according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data, there are […]

Starting work placement can be scary. New people, new environment and putting your new skills and know-how to the test. To make it easier and help you start work placement with confidence, we’ve compiled a handy guide with tips to get you prepped. Know where you’re going: Do a trial run to get to your […]

Just like adults rights, children’s rights in child care are equally important. This includes children’s rights to ownership and control of their own bodies. They should feel safe and respected and understand that when it comes to their bodies, they have control of who can touch them. As child care providers, you play a vital […]

It may not be a life skill as much, but taking care of planet earth is incredibly important for children’s futures. Learning how to do the right thing by the environment is something that we can teach children from a young age, so why not start going green in child care? Encouraging environmentally friendly habits […]

7 artistic activities for sensory play in child care As a childcare worker, you want to do your very best to enhance your children’s development. A great way to achieve this is by incorporating sensory play into your daily activities. Sensory play has an integral role in children’s development by enabling them to explore the […]

Helping children think outside the box is one of the most important roles of the child care environment. Lucky there are so many ways to engage and excite young minds while having fun. To help children think outside the box, we’ve got five approaches to share with you. Try these and you will be opening up […]

When you’re focused on excelling in your career, it’s easy to forget about your own mental health and wellbeing. If you are working in the aged care or child care industries, chances are you are passionate about caring for others. You need to remember that in order to care for others well, you must care […]

We hear a lot about drug epidemics in the news, but taking a look at the facts reveals a number of surprising revelations. Pharmaceutical and prescription drug addiction is on the rise. Arguably in recent times, there has been a focus on the abuse of crystalline methamphetamine, better known as ice. According to a survey […]

Working in aged care, you expect to work with older Australians. What you might be less prepared for are the younger individuals requiring care due to living with a disability. A Senate inquiry in 2015 found that upward of 7,000 individuals under the age of 65 with physical and intellectual disabilities are living in aged […]

Working in childcare means you’ll more than likely come across children who are unwell from time to time, but a little knowledge can go a long way. Learn how to identify an illness and find out the right steps to take care of the child – and how to prevent germs from spreading. What is […]

Dementia – as an aged care worker you are likely to come across individuals living with it, but how much do you know about it? Dementia is often associated with confusion and frustration, including for the families of those impacted, though there’s still quite a bit of misconception around what it actually is.   What […]

It’s a common career misconception that you must pick one industry and stick to it. Forever. It’s simply not true. In this day and age, you can try working in many industries – some may suit certain stages of your life better than others. You might even choose to commit yourself to more than one […]

  As a child care worker, chances are you will have one or more children in your care who live with an allergy and allergy symptoms. The allergy may be to a range of different and common allergens, including: foods such as peanuts, cow’s milk, soy, seafood, and eggs dust animals like cats, dogs, horses […]

Ageing is a fact of life, but until it happens to you it can be difficult to fully understand what it’s like. Can you imagine yourself in 10 years? 20? What about 40 years from now? What about your partner or family members? To gain some insight into the experience of ageing, aged care workers […]

  While some children arrive at centres with a smile and are happy to wave goodbye to mum or dad without a worry in the world, others aren’t as comfortable with the idea. Similarly, while some parents rush off to work after a quick hug and kiss, others find the drop off to be a […]

  You only need to make a trip to your local supermarket to sense that the way we work, shop and consume is rapidly changing. A big part of this is thanks to automation – that is, the use of automatic technology to replace tasks that are completed manually by a person. In many Australian […]

  Winter is here and the days of shorts and thongs are gone for a while. It’s all about coats, boots, and scarves. Working in child care, it can seem natural to keep children indoors now that the temperature has dropped. However, there are many benefits to playing outside. Get outside, it’s good for your […]

If you’re thinking about taking on some extra training to advance in your career, enrol now and take advantage of your potential tax deductions. End of financial year is fast approaching, with June 30 the cut off date for your work-related expenses to count towards your deductions for the 2016/17 tax year. The Australian Tax […]

Your career success can often have a lot to do with keeping motivated while studying and pushing through when things get frustrating. If you’re a student who is having trouble getting motivated – or staying motivated – these tips could make all the difference. Break it down – Big tasks can be overwhelming and it […]

Deciding a career path can be a difficult yet exciting decision. Once you do work that part out and find out what what’s required to get job ready, choosing a reputable registered training provider (RTO) can be overwhelming! While qualifications may have the same name at various RTOs, the quality of the training is not. […]

Pursuing a rewarding career and the qualifications you need for it takes time and energy. There’s no doubt that it pays off, but a little extra support can go a long way when your juggling life commitments with training. At Selmar, we want to give you all the support you need to succeed. That’s why […]

Flu vaccination often becomes a hot topic as we farewell summer and make our way towards the colder part of the year. There is no hard and fast rule about getting the flu jab, but it helps to know what’s available and why it might be an option worth considering. Causes in ‘Flu Season’ While […]

Scoring a new job it seems is now more competitive than ever – with prospective employers having the luxury of choosing from more applicants, with greater skills and who are presenting themselves in increasingly clever ways. In light of this, the humble resume is still one of the most important tools you have to get […]

At Selmar Institute of Education we are always on the look out for opportunities that enable us to give our students the best training experience possible. When it comes to the aged and disability care sectors, we’re committed to improving industry standards and ensuring that we deliver graduates who are confident and capable of providing […]