Author Archives: Jennifer Scafidas

Exceeding the NQS BEST tips

Every Child, Their Own Way: Supporting Neurodiverse Children in Early Childhood Education 

Posted on by Jennifer Scafidas

After recently connecting with the team at Neurominded, I was reminded of the importance of truly understanding the lived experiences of neurodiverse individuals. Their insights reinforced that inclusion is not simply about strategies or checklists, but about a shift in mindset—one grounded in respect, curiosity, and a willingness to see each child for who they are. It was a powerful reminder that the way we interpret and respond to children’s behaviour shapes their sense of belonging and identity.

Supporting autistic children in early childhood education calls for a thoughtful, compassionate approach that honours difference rather than trying to change it. When we adopt a neurodiversity-affirming lens, we begin to see behaviour as communication, and environments as something we can intentionally shape to better support each child. By creating spaces that are predictable, responsive, and inclusive, we give children the opportunity to feel safe, understood, and confident to engage with the world in their own unique way.

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Exceeding the NQS BEST tips

Creating Inclusive Workplaces in Early Childhood Education: Supporting Neurodiverse Educators

Posted on by Jennifer Scafidas

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend time with the team at Neurominded, and it was a genuinely meaningful experience. Their depth of knowledge, combined with the way they centre respect, understanding, and practical support for neurodiverse individuals, offered valuable insight into how we can do better as a sector. It prompted reflection not just on how we support children, but on how we show up for one another as educators.

Creating truly inclusive early childhood environments means recognising that educators themselves are neurodiverse, and that this diversity strengthens our teams. A neurodiversity-affirming approach invites us to move beyond one-size-fits-all expectations and instead build workplaces that are flexible, supportive, and grounded in genuine understanding. When educators feel seen, valued, and supported to work in ways that align with their strengths, this has a profound impact—not only on their own wellbeing, but on the quality of care, connection, and learning we provide for children.

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Exceeding the NQS BEST tips

ANZAC Day in Early Childhood: Meaningful, Respectful and Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Posted on by Jennifer Scafidas

ANZAC Day holds a special place in the story of Australia, and within early childhood it offers a gentle, meaningful way to begin introducing children to the idea of community, remembrance and care for others. While young children are far too little to understand war, they are deeply capable of understanding human connection — of noticing kindness, recognising fairness, and feeling what it means to belong. It is through these simple, everyday experiences that ANZAC Day finds its place in early learning.

In our classrooms, ANZAC Day is not about history lessons or complex explanations. It is about creating space for children to explore what it means to help others, to be a good friend, and to be part of something bigger than themselves. It is about the quiet moments — placing a poppy, sharing a story, or sitting together in reflection — that allow children to begin forming an early sense of respect and empathy.

When approached with care, intention and sensitivity, ANZAC Day becomes more than a commemorative event. It becomes an opportunity to nurture children’s developing identity and connection to their world, while honouring the values that continue to shape our communities today.

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Exceeding the NQS BEST tips

Immunisation Matters: Embedding Immunisation Awareness into Exceeding Practice

Posted on by Jennifer Scafidas

In the early years, health is not something children learn about through facts—it is something they experience through care, connection and trust. Every time a child washes their hands, rests when they are tired, or seeks comfort from a familiar educator, they are building an understanding of what it means to feel safe, supported and well.

World Immunisation Week gently reminds us of the invisible ways we protect children every day. While vaccinations themselves sit beyond the daily practice of early learning settings, the values behind them—protection, prevention, and collective responsibility—are deeply embedded in what we do.

As educators, we are not teaching children about illness—we are teaching them about care.
Care for their bodies. Care for others. Care for their community.

Through simple, meaningful conversations and experiences, we help children begin to understand:

“My body is important.”

“There are people who help keep me safe and healthy.”

“We can look after each other.”

These understandings form the foundation of lifelong wellbeing, resilience and belonging. This week is not about adding something extra to your program—it is about recognising that

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Exceeding the NQS BEST tips

Nature Play as Pedagogy: Embedding Nature Play into Everyday Practice

Posted on by Jennifer Scafidas

There is something deeply human about watching a child connect with nature. It is in the quiet moments—small hands digging into soil, eyes lighting up at the discovery of a bug, the careful balance along a log—that we see children exactly as they are meant to be: curious, capable, and completely engaged in their world.

Nature Play Week is not simply a themed event on the calendar. It is a powerful reminder of what childhood should feel like. In a time where routines can become rushed and environments increasingly structured, nature offers something irreplaceable—freedom, wonder, and the space to just be. It invites children to slow down, to take risks, to problem-solve, and to develop a genuine connection to the world around them.

For educators, this is where our role becomes most meaningful. Nature play challenges us to step back, to trust children, and to move beyond pre-planned outcomes. It calls us to observe more closely, listen more deeply, and respond with intention. It is in these moments that the richest learning occurs—not because it was planned, but because it was lived.

Importantly, nature play is not about creating perfect outdoor setups or aesthetically pleasing experiences. It is about authenticity. It is about mud, unpredictability, and real discovery. It is about giving children the time and permission to explore, to fail, to try again, and to succeed in ways that truly matter to them.

When we embed nature play into our everyday practice, we are doing far more than meeting frameworks or ticking boxes. We are supporting children to build resilience, develop confidence, and form a strong sense of identity and belonging. We are shaping children who feel connected—to themselves, to others, and to the environment they will one day care for.

This is the heart of quality practice. This is what exceeding truly looks like.

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Exceeding the NQS BEST tips

Intentional Humour in Early Childhood: Embedding Joy into Everyday Practice

Posted on by Jennifer Scafidas

In early childhood education, the most meaningful learning does not come from what is delivered to children—it comes from what is felt alongside them. The laughter that echoes through a room, the shared glance during a silly moment, the joy of something unexpected—these are the experiences that build trust, connection, and a genuine love of learning. In a sector often focused on outcomes, documentation, and compliance, it is easy to overlook that joy itself is a critical foundation for quality practice.

April Fools’ Day offers educators a rare and intentional opportunity to pause and prioritise something deeply human—laughter. When approached thoughtfully, it is not about tricks or embarrassment, but about creating shared moments of delight that strengthen relationships and invite children into a deeper sense of belonging. It is through these moments that children learn that their environment is safe, that adults can be playful and responsive, and that learning can be filled with wonder and enjoyment.

Embedding humour into our pedagogy is not an “extra”—it is a powerful way to support wellbeing, identity, and social development. When educators model light-heartedness, flexibility, and joy, they show children how to navigate the world with curiosity, resilience, and empathy. April Fools’ Day, when grounded in respect and intention, becomes more than a date on the calendar—it becomes a reflection of the kind of learning environments we strive to create every day: connected, responsive, and full of life.

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Educational Programming

Child-Led Easter Learning in Early Childhood 

Posted on by Jennifer Scafidas

Easter can provide rich opportunities for learning in early childhood settings. However, traditional Easter activities in education and care services often rely on templates, identical crafts and teacher-directed outcomes. When every bunny, chick or egg looks the same, it can suggest that the adult controlled the experience rather than the child’s learning process.

High-quality practice under the National Quality Framework and the Early Years Learning Framework V2.0 requires educators to design learning experiences that respond to children’s interests, agency and curiosity.

Instead of asking: “What Easter craft will children make?”

Educators can ask: “What investigations, play opportunities and conversations might Easter inspire?”

When children are provided with open-ended materials, time, and genuine choice, Easter becomes a catalyst for creativity, inquiry, collaboration and meaningful learning.

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Exceeding the NQS BEST tips

Epilepsy Awareness in Action: Embedding Inclusive Medical Practice in ECEC

Posted on by Jennifer Scafidas

Some children arrive at our services carrying more than backpacks. They carry medical plans. Emergency medication. Parent anxieties. Quiet hopes that their child will be safe, included, and understood.

For families of children living with epilepsy, every day requires trust. Trust that educators will recognise a seizure. Trust that supervision is vigilant. Trust that systems are strong. Trust that their child will belong — not be defined by a diagnosis.

Purple Day (26 March) is not simply about wearing purple. It is about honouring that trust. For early childhood services, this day provides a meaningful opportunity to strengthen inclusive practice in alignment with the Education and Care Services National Law, the Education and Care Services National Regulations, and the vision of the Early Years Learning Framework — that every child is safe, supported and able to participate fully.

When approached intentionally, Purple Day becomes powerful evidence of Exceeding practice — not because of decorations, but because of strengthened systems, deeper reflection and genuine collaboration.

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Exceeding the NQS BEST tips

Embedding Equity: Harmony Week & Closing the Gap Through the NQS Lens

Posted on by Jennifer Scafidas

Perfect for Harmony Week (16–22 March) & Closing the Gap Day (19 March 2026) By BEST Childcare Consulting In early childhood education, belonging is not a theme — it is the foundation of everything we do. Harmony Week reminds us that every child walks through our doors carrying language, culture, history, hopes and identity. Some

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Exceeding the NQS BEST tips

Where Every Voice Matters: Hearing Awareness in Early Childhood Education 

Posted on by Jennifer Scafidas

The 2026 World Hearing Day theme, “From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children,” is more than a public health message. It is a reminder of our responsibility as early childhood professionals. It calls us to look closely at the environments we create, the noise we allow, the language we model, and the inclusion we practise every single day. This theme emphasises the importance of preventing avoidable hearing loss, ensuring early identification and care, and embedding hearing health and inclusive communication into everyday community and early learning environments. It recognises that supporting children’s ability to hear, listen and communicate is foundational to learning, wellbeing and participation in all aspects of ECEC life. 

In early childhood education, hearing care is not only about ears — it is about belonging. It is about ensuring that every child can access learning, connection, relationships and joy. It is about noticing when a child leans closer to hear. It is about recognising when frustration may stem from not fully understanding. It is about slowing down our speech, adding visual cues, learning a few Auslan signs, and adjusting our spaces so every child can participate with confidence.

Our classrooms are communities. And our communities shape futures. When we intentionally embed hearing awareness into our everyday practice, we are not simply acknowledging a calendar event — we are strengthening children’s identities, protecting their wellbeing, and building bridges between health, education and family life. This is the work of early childhood

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