Perfect for Bringing Up Great Kids Program from Australian Childhood Foundation with BEST Childcare Consultancy
By BEST Childcare Consultancy
Across Australia, early childhood services are facing increasing expectations to support children’s wellbeing, emotional development, self-regulation, child safety and secure relationships.
With the introduction of EYLF V2.0, strengthened child safety requirements under the National Quality Framework, increased focus on Child Safe Organisations, and the implementation of Reportable Conduct Schemes across jurisdictions, services are being asked to do more than simply manage behaviour.
Today’s educators are expected to understand the reasons behind behaviour, respond to children in trauma-informed ways, build emotionally safe environments and develop strong partnerships with families.
This is exactly where the Bringing Up Great Kids (BUGK) Program excels.
Developed by the Australian Childhood Foundation, Bringing Up Great Kids is an evidence-informed, relationship-based program that helps adults understand how children’s experiences, emotions and developmental needs influence behaviour.
Rather than focusing on punishment, consequences or behaviour control, BUGK provides practical strategies that strengthen relationships, emotional wellbeing, resilience and connection.
Most importantly, it gives educators and families a shared language and understanding that can transform the culture of an entire service.
Learn the Bringing Up Great Kids (BUGK) Program with Jennifer from BEST Childcare Consultancy childcare consultant, quality improvement partner, Assessment & Rating support person, family engagement specialist and trauma-informed practice mentor.
Beyond Positive Behaviour Guidance
Many services initially view Bringing Up Great Kids as a positive behaviour guidance program.
While it certainly supports educators to respond more effectively to challenging behaviours, its value extends far beyond behaviour management.
BUGK helps educators understand:
- How early experiences shape brain development.
- The impact of stress, trauma and adversity on behaviour.
- The importance of emotional co-regulation.
- Why children communicate through behaviour.
- How relationships influence children’s capacity to learn and thrive.
- How adults can respond calmly, respectfully and intentionally.
- The role of reflective practice in improving outcomes for children.
The result is a team that is better equipped to respond to children with empathy, understanding and professionalism.
Instead of asking:
“How do we stop this behaviour?”
Educators learn to ask:
“What is this child communicating and how can we support them?”
This shift sits at the heart of trauma-informed practice and contemporary early childhood education.
How Bringing Up Great Kids Supports trauma informed practices embedded within the EYLF V2.0
Many services are hearing increasing references to trauma-informed practice, but are often left wondering what this actually looks like within an early childhood setting. Bringing Up Great Kids provides practical strategies that help educators bring key EYLF V2.0 concepts to life through their everyday interactions with children and families.
Secure, Respectful and Reciprocal Relationships
Bringing Up Great Kids helps educators build safe, trusting and predictable relationships that foster children’s sense of belonging, security and wellbeing.
Holistic, Integrated and Interconnected Approaches
The program supports educators to understand how children’s experiences, including stress, adversity and trauma, can influence their behaviour, learning and development.
Responsiveness to Children
Educators develop skills in recognising emotional cues, co-regulating with children and responding sensitively to individual needs.
Learning Outcome 3: Children Have a Strong Sense of Wellbeing
Bringing Up Great Kids strengthens educators’ capacity to support children’s emotional wellbeing, resilience, self-regulation and positive relationships.
Equity, Inclusion and High Expectations
The program encourages educators to approach every child with empathy, respect and an understanding of their unique experiences and strengths.
Turning EYLF Principles into Everyday Practice
Bringing Up Great Kids transforms trauma-informed practice from a compliance expectation into practical everyday strategies that support children, families and educators.
Bringing Up Great Kids provides practical strategies that help educators translate these concepts into everyday practice. Rather than trauma-informed practice remaining a theoretical concept, BUGK helps educators understand what it looks like during routines, transitions, behaviour incidents, family interactions and curriculum decision-making. It turns theory into action.
Strengthening Child Safety and Safeguarding Children
Child safety is no longer solely about recognising and reporting abuse.
Services are now expected to create cultures where children are safe, respected, heard and supported.
Bringing Up Great Kids contributes to safeguarding by helping educators:
- Understand children’s emotional and developmental needs.
- Build trusting relationships with children.
- Recognise signs of distress and dysregulation.
- Respond appropriately to behaviour.
- Reflect on their own emotional responses.
- Reduce reactive and punitive practices.
- Promote children’s sense of safety, belonging and agency.
These practices align strongly with Child Safe Organisation principles and the expectations of Element 2.2.3 Child Protection.
Reducing the Risk of Inappropriate Conduct and Reportable Conduct
Many examples of inappropriate conduct arise not from deliberate harm but from educators becoming overwhelmed, frustrated, reactive or disconnected from the needs of the child.
Examples may include:
- Shaming language.
- Threats or intimidation.
- Emotional outbursts.
- Inappropriate discipline practices.
- Excluding children from learning experiences.
- Escalating power struggles.
Bringing Up Great Kids encourages educators to critically reflect on their responses, emotional triggers and communication styles.
By strengthening emotional awareness and reflective practice, services can reduce the likelihood of interactions that may breach policies, compromise children’s wellbeing or contribute to reportable conduct concerns.
In this way, BUGK is not simply a wellbeing program—it is a risk management and safeguarding strategy.
A Powerful Tool for Exceeding the National Quality Standard
Services working towards Exceeding NQS are increasingly required to demonstrate that professional learning leads to meaningful improvements in practice.
Bringing Up Great Kids provides strong evidence across multiple Quality Areas including:
Quality Area 1 – Educational Program and Practice
Supporting responsive teaching, wellbeing-focused curriculum and reflective practice.
Quality Area 2 – Children’s Health and Safety
Supporting emotional wellbeing, child protection and trauma-informed approaches.
Quality Area 5 – Relationships with Children
Strengthening secure, respectful and responsive relationships.
Quality Area 6 – Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities
Creating shared understanding between educators and families.
Quality Area 7 – Governance and Leadership
Supporting professional learning, continuous improvement and a positive organisational culture.
Links
Australian Childhood Foundation – Training and Programs
Australian Childhood Foundation Learning Hub
Bringing Up Great Kids Facilitator Training
BUGK Facilitator Training
Early Years Learning Framework V2.0 (Official ACECQA PDF)
EYLF V2.0 PDF
Belonging, Being & Becoming V2.0 Overview (ACECQA)
EYLF V2.0 Overview
Approved Learning Frameworks V2.0 Information Sheet
Approved Learning Frameworks V2.0
National Quality Framework Guide
Guide to the National Quality Framework
National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
National Child Safety Training (Australian Centre for Child Protection)
https://www.accpchildsafety.edu.au
ACECQA Child Safe Culture Resources
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/resources/supporting-materials/infosheet/child-safe-culture
Be You
Be You Early Learning Resources
Emerging Minds
Emerging Minds
Australian Institute of Family Studies – Bringing Up Great Kids Program Overview
AIFS Bringing Up Great Kids Overview
Why Work with Jennifer from BEST Childcare Consultancy?
Jennifer is a qualified Bringing Up Great Kids facilitator, experienced childcare professional, consultant and service leader who has spent many years working alongside children, families, educators, leadership teams and Approved Providers within the early childhood education and care sector.
Unlike many trainers who deliver a program and leave, Jennifer understands the day-to-day realities of running a childcare service. She understands Assessment and Rating, the National Quality Framework, Quality Improvement Plans, critical reflection, child safety requirements, family engagement, educator wellbeing, trauma-informed practice and the challenges educators face every day.
Jennifer’s approach is practical, relatable and tailored specifically to the early childhood sector. She helps educators understand not only the theory behind children’s behaviour and emotional development, but how to apply this knowledge during routines, transitions, challenging behaviours, family conversations and everyday interactions.
Services receive more than just professional development. Jennifer provides practical tools and implementation support that can be immediately embedded into practice, including critical reflections, QIP write-ups, educator resources, family engagement materials and evidence that can support Assessment and Rating outcomes.
As a childcare consultant, Jennifer understands what assessors are looking for when evaluating trauma-informed practice, responsive relationships, family partnerships, child safety and continuous improvement. She helps services connect their learning directly to the EYLF V2.0, National Quality Standard and Child Safe Organisation principles.
More Than Training – Complete Implementation Support with BEST
One of the challenges many services face is translating professional learning into evidence for Assessment and Rating.
This is where BEST Childcare Consultancy provides additional value.
Services participating in BUGK receive support that may include:
- Critical reflection templates.
- QIP write-ups linked to the NQS.
- Professional development certificates.
- Practical educator tip sheets.
- Family engagement resources.
- Implementation ideas for everyday practice.
- Guidance on documenting improvements and outcomes.
This means services are not simply attending a training session.
They are building evidence that demonstrates compliance, quality improvement and exceeding practice.
Supporting Families as Partners
One of the greatest strengths of Bringing Up Great Kids is its ability to engage families.
When educators and families share a common understanding of children’s behaviour, emotional development and relationship needs, children benefit from greater consistency and support.
Services may choose to host:
- Introductory information sessions.
- Family workshops.
- Parent information evenings.
- The full six-session Bringing Up Great Kids program.
These opportunities create meaningful family partnerships while supporting children’s wellbeing both at home and within the service.
BEST Childcare Consultancy
Learn the Bringing Up Great Kids (BUGK) Program with Jennifer from BEST Childcare Consultancy childcare consultant, quality improvement partner, Assessment & Rating support person, family engagement specialist and trauma-informed practice mentor.
Contact Jennifer at BEST Childcare Consultancy today.
