Kym Majella Macfarlane

Childcare - Human Services or Education: a genealogical approach

This article examines the implications of a ‘problem of the present’. It explores the potential conflicts and fragmentation that may arise as a result of divisions in the interpretation of the metanarrative of child development within the two disciplines of education and human services. Childcare in Australia is strongly driven by this metanarrative and already some providers in this country use developmental discourse as a way of de-emphasising the educational aspects of the work. These providers use the focus on child development as an argument to keep qualifications in the field at a minimum level. This has impacted on teachers in childcare, making it difficult for them to obtain recognition and adequate remuneration for their skills. In this article there is a particular focus on how childcare is situated in Australia and an examination of the constant struggle to ensure it remains a part of the educational context. The authors question the practicality of continuing this struggle given the particular historical context, societal position, and industrial situation in this country. It is argued that it is possible for childcare to maintain substantial links with educational discourse while still developing a strong identity of its own.

A systematic review of the efficacy of equine-assisted interventions on psychological outcomes

Much research attests to the beneficial effects of equine interventions on physical development and ability. However, less is known about the possible psychological benefits of horse activities, such as therapeutic riding or interactions with horses. Although there is public consensus that horses can have psychological benefits, it is an under-researched area and conclusions are largely based on anecdotal data. The little empirical evidence that is available about the efficacy of equine-assisted interventions on psychological outcomes tends to be mixed and is often difficult to interpret due to the lack of rigorous research designs. The purpose of this review was to examine the current state of the literature regarding the psychological effects of equine-assisted interventions, and to make recommendations for future research. Findings from this review suggest that equine-assisted interventions hold much promise, particularly in terms of child/adolescent social and behavioural issues, and perhaps adult affective disorders. However, the current state of the literature does not allow us to definitively conclude that equine-assisted interventions are efficacious. Well-designed randomised controlled trials are greatly needed in this area, as it is an appreciation of the need to standardise and document equine-assisted interventions and outcomes in future research.

Playing the game: Examining parental engagement in schooling in post-millennial Queensland

Parent engagement in schooling has long been held as a vital component of the successful navigation of the schooling process and, consequently, governments often invite such engagement via policy implementation. However, at times, contestation arises about parent engagement, with some parents seemingly ‘crossing the line’ when attempting to be involved in their children’s schooling. This paper investigates the possibility of parent engagement in schooling in Queensland, Australia, conceptualising it as a game of social and systemic practice. The author examines this notion using a recent example of contestation between parents at a regional government school and the education authority. Policy directives about parent engagement are explored, with the rhetoric of such policy applied to the example in question. The work of Bourdieu and Foucault is used to argue that the invitation to parents to engage is framed and thus often misrecognised, resulting in unintended conflictual relationships between parents and governing authorities.

Circles of change revisited: building leadership, scholarship and professional identity in the children’s services sector

The field of children’s services in Australia is currently undergoing significant change. For example, the current implementation of the Early Years Reform Agenda encompasses the development of National Quality Standards, which promote a strong focus on workforce development. As a consequence, practitioners in this sector are being required to consistently reflect on their practice and often re-invent themselves in order to maintain their employment. This paper details a new and innovative strategy, which has been successful in facilitating transformational change. Entitled Circles of Change, the strategy has been embedded in class teaching, in field placement and in professional development with outstanding results. The authors contend that in the children’s services sector in Australia, strategies such as this one are crucial to the development of the workforce and, ultimately, to the provision of high-quality children’s services, particularly as a professionalised workforce is a rapidly growing concern.

Looking to the future: producing transdisciplinary professionals for leadership in early childhood settings

This paper reports on an Australian initiative Developing and Sustaining Pedagogical Leadership in Early Childhood Education and Care Professionals, where academics and professionals shared knowledge, experience and research about transdisciplinary practice. The project aimed to develop an understanding of the strategies and skills early childhood professionals and practitioners required to strengthen pedagogical leadership when working in multi-agency organisations. The conceptual framework underpinning the design, analysis and evaluation of the project was bricolage. Bricolage enabled the researchers, professionals and practitioners and other organisational members to consider the principles of multiplicity, complexity, relationality and criticality. The use of bricolage created an opportunity for a more comprehensive level of analysis to occur. A model of professional development emerged from the analysis of the data and was subsequently used to develop an open source learning website.

Navigating a treacherous game: conceptualising parental engagement in contemporary Queensland schooling

Parent engagement in schooling has long been held as a vital component of the successful navigation of the schooling process and, consequently, governments often invite such engagement via policy implementation. However, at times, contestation arises about parent engagement, with some parents seemingly ‘crossing the line’ when attempting to be involved in their childrens schooling. This paper investigates the possibility of parent engagement in schooling in Queensland, Australia, conceptualising it as a game of social and systemic practice. The author examines this notion using an example of contestation between parents at a regional government school and the education authority. Policy directives about parent engagement are explored, with the rhetoric of such policy applied to the example in question. The work of Bourdieu and Foucault is used to argue that the invitation to parents to engage is framed and thus often misrecognised, resulting in unintended conflictual relationships between parents and governing authorities.

Performativity, Propriety and Productivity: The Unintended Consequences of Investing in the Early Years.

This paper examines notions of childhood development in a significant Australian policy document. Using Fairclough’s approaches to discourse analysis as guides, Foucault’s understanding of regimes of truth and discourses as systems of power relations and Nikolas Rose’s concept of ‘responsibilisation’, the paper argues that discourses of healthy childhood development as represented in this document produce definitions of ‘proper’ child development and thus, place certain children and families outside this idea. Proper development is understood through Nikolas Rose’s concept of ‘responsibilisation’ where the recognition of ‘at risk’ or ‘improper’ groups, and notions of productivity, are addressed through understandings of performativity while highlighting consequences for children and families.

Understanding reason in policy reform: engaging 'problematic' families

This paper seeks to examine current policy reforms that situate education as a means of addressing social inclusion. Borrowing from the work of Popkewitz and Lindblad, the paper takes the form of a cross‐disciplinary literature review that informs understanding of the relationship between educational governance and social inclusion/exclusion in policy research in Australia. To do so, the author examines the assumptions, omissions and contradictions in policy direction via two problematics – the engagement problematic and the early intervention and prevention problematic – to emphasise how policy discourse produces ways of thinking about inclusion/exclusion. The author argues that discourses of engagement and intervention and prevention reinscribe each other, acting as a palimpsest which produces notions of the ‘proper’ family and ‘proper’ participation. These notions of propriety ironically exclude particular types of individuals and families by situating them outside of possibilities for ‘success’ in social and systemic participation. Therefore, the author seeks to examine the ‘systems of reason’ that enable these discursively produced notions of propriety to become normalised.

Crossing borders and blurring boundaries: Early childhood practice in a non-Western setting

SummaryThis paper examines the educational and epistemological implications for early childhood practitioners who work in non-Western environments. Predominantly, early childhood knowledge is strongly driven by the metanarrative of child development, which can prove problematic for practitioners working in non-Western settings. Practitioners who draw their knowledge from the strong Western tradition of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) often find themselves ill equipped when placed in environments that do not embrace these principles. In these settings it is often necessary for practitioners to ‘think otherwise’ about early childhood practice if they are to enhance the development of the young children for whom they are responsible.The authors argue for a review of unconditional adherence to DAP in these situations, by using a case study of a student practicum in the Bachelor of Human Services: Child and Family Studies program. This practicum took place in Cambodia in 2001, where a third year student in her final placement was involved in planning programs for young children who were rescued from child trafficking in Thailand and placed in Cambodian reception centres.Poststucturalist theory provides a useful lens for analysing how fundamental ‘truths’, such as the metanarrative of child development, work to hinder the practice of early childhood practitioners in non-Western settings. The authors argue that by abandoning unconditional adherence to this metanarrative and adopting alternative constructions of childhood and practice, practitioners are more able to respond effectively to children in context. Implications for early childhood education and knowledge generation are presented.RésuméCet article explore les implications éducationnelles et épistémologiques pour les praticiens de la petite enfance qui travaillent dans des environnements non-occidentaux. D’une manière prédominante, la conaissance en petite enfance est fortement dirigée par le méta-narratif du développement de l’enfant, ce qui peut s’avérer problématique pour les praticiens en contextes non-occidentaux. Les praticiens qui tirent leurs connaissances de la forte tradition occidentale des pratiques développementales appropriées (Developmentally Appropriate Practice-DAP), se trouvent souvent fort mal équipés lorsqu’ils sont placés dans des environnements qui n’adhèrent pas à ces grands principes. Dans ces conditions, il est souvent nécessaire que les professionnels commencent à «penser autrement» à propos de leur pratique en petite enfance lorsqu’ils ont à enrichir le développement des jeunes enfants dont ils sont responsables.Les auteurs réclament que l’on revoit l’adhésion inconditionnelle aux DAP dans ces situations, en menant une étude de cas sur un stage du baccalauréat en services sociaux (IUP ‘Carrières sociales’): Programme d’études sur l’enfance et la famille. Ce stage se déroule au Cambodge en 2001: durant son demier stage, un(e) étudiant(e) de 3ème année était impliqué(e) dans la planification de programmes pour enfants sauvés du trafic d’enfants en Thaïlande et placés dans des centres d’accueil cambodgiens.La théorie post-structuraliste procure une vision utile pour analyser comment des ‘vérités’ fondamentales, telles que le méta-narratif du développement de l’enfant, s’exercent à retarder les pratiques des professionnels dans des milieux non-occidentaux. Les auteurs soutiennent qu’en abandonnant une adhésion inconditionnelle à ce méta-narratif et en adoptant des conceptions de l’enfance et des pratiques éducatives alternatives, les praticiens sont plus à même de répondre de manière efficace à l’enfant dans son contexte. Les implications pour l’éducation de la petite enfance et la génération du savoir sont présentées.ResumenEste estudio examina las implicaciones educacionales y epistemológicas para profesionales de educación preescolar quienes trabajan en ambientes que no son occidentales. Para ello se llevó a cabo un estudio de caso. La investigadora conversa con la docente sujeto del estudio, acerca de sus prácticas y los problemas que encara en relación con sus competencias culturales y educativas. Los desafíos que ella encuentra están referidos a los recursos, la seguridad y el racismo. Pero también llega a ser evidente que sus creencias, largamente sostenidas, sobre las prácticas tradicionales de la Educación Preescolar pueden ser inadecuadas cuando buscamos implementar programas efectivos para niños y familias de sociedades no occidentales. En gran medida, el conocimiento en el área de educación infantil está dirigido por la ‘metanarrativa’ del desarrollo infantil de acuerdo con la fuerte tradición de occidente de la ‘práctica adecuada al desarrollo [Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP)]’. Profesionales occidentales se pueden encontrar mal preparados y dispuestos cuando están en ambientes donde no se aceptan estos principios. Puede ser necesario ‘pensar de otra manera’ en cuanto a la práctica para realzar el desarrollo de los niños/as que uno enseña.Las autoras razonan que se debe hacer una critica de la adherencia incondicional a los principios de DAP en tales situaciones. Examinan un caso de la práctica de magisterio de estudiantes en un programa de bachillerato de servicios humanos: estudios de niños y familias (Bachelor of Human Services: Child and Family Studies). Esta práctica de magisterio, la última de una estudianta en su tercer año de estudios, fue hecha en Cambodia en el año 2001. Estaba dirigida a diseñar programas educativos para niños/as que habian sido rescatados del tráfico ilegal de niños/as en Tailandia y colocados en centros de recepción en Cambodia.La teoria ‘pos-estructural’ ofrece un lente útil para analizar como las ‘verdades fundamentales’, tales como la metanarrativa del desarrollo infantil, impiden el trabajo de los profesionales en ambientes orientales. Las autoras proponen que uno debe abandonar la adherencia estricta a esta metanarrativa y adoptar otros conceptos de la niñez para que se pueda responder efectivamente a niños/as en tales ambientes. Implicaciones para la educación infantil y para la generación del conocimiento son presentados.

Playgroups offering health and well-being support for families: a systematic review.

This systematic review explores the health and well-being outcomes that families experience as a result of their participation in playgroups that provide health and well-being services. A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature resulted in 12 articles for inclusion. A meta-synthesis method, using reciprocal translation, was implemented to synthesize findings. Findings suggest that programs support childrens social development, transition to school, and overall health. For parents, programs provide targeted social and health support, and knowledge sharing and learning opportunities. Future research in this area will benefit from participatory research approaches and exploring how universal approaches to program provision benefit families.