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fka Children's Services fkaCS Early Childhood Pedagogy & Practice Solutions

fka Children’s Services (fkaCS) began as the Free Kindergarten Union (FKU) in 1908.

fkaCS Early Childhood Pedagogy & Practice Solutions
We advocate and support the provision of high quality early childhood education and care including Children’s Cultural and Linguistic Rights through the provision of advocacy, consultancy and resources. The FKU was at the forefront of the early childhood education movement and had a major role in instigating many significant early childhood initiatives including the establishment of the first Kindergarten Teachers College (now part of Melbourne University), the formation of a national association for early childhood (which evolved to Early Childhood Australia) and were the original trustees for the Lady Gowrie Centre in Victoria in the late 1930s. Today, fkaCS advocates for children’s cultural and linguistic rights and supports education and care services in the provision of culturally rich pedagogy and practice. Our vision is for all children to actively participate in quality education and care services that recognise, value and celebrate diversity.

Changes to the Working with Children (WWC) Check for organisations take effect on Monday 19 October 2026.Here’s what you...
15/10/2026

Changes to the Working with Children (WWC) Check for organisations take effect on Monday 19 October 2026.

Here’s what you need to know:

▪️ WWC Connect, a new online service, will help organisations and sole traders meet a new legal requirement to notify the Social Services Regulator about workers and volunteers they engage to work with children.

▪️ Mandatory online child safety training will become part of the WWC Check application and renewal process.

To prepare, early childhood services should:

➡️ Understand the changes and review your processes.

➡️ Check that workers’ and volunteers’ WWC Clearance information is accurate and up to date.

➡️ Have each person’s name, WWC Check card number, address and phone number ready to add to WWC Connect.

➡️ Make recruitment, compliance and HR staff aware.

➡️ Let workers and volunteers know about the training requirement.

More information via our website here – https://fka.org.au/working-with-children-check-changes/

Thriving Kids commenced roll out in Victoria from 1 October 2026.The new system of supports is for children aged 8 and u...
15/10/2026

Thriving Kids commenced roll out in Victoria from 1 October 2026.

The new system of supports is for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay or autism who have low to moderate support needs.

In Victoria, it brings together the Maternal and Child Health system and early childhood education and care, with supports delivered where children live, learn and play.

👉 For everything early educators need to know, head to – http://fka.org.au/thriving-kids/

Questions? Get in touch with our team, we’re here to help!

Do you work in early childhood education and speak more than one language?📅 Coming up on Thursday 15 October from 2-3.30...
13/10/2026

Do you work in early childhood education and speak more than one language?

📅 Coming up on Thursday 15 October from 2-3.30pm join us at 𝙈𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙀𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠, a free, in-person space to connect with colleagues, share ideas and celebrate the strengths multilingualism brings to early childhood practice.

Learn more and register 🔗 https://fka.org.au/event/multilingual-early-childhood-professionals-network/

Know a multilingual educator or teacher who’d love to join? Please share or tag them below! 💬👇

Planning for School Readiness Funding 2027-28?As services begin preparing for the next School Readiness Funding cycle, n...
09/10/2026

Planning for School Readiness Funding 2027-28?

As services begin preparing for the next School Readiness Funding cycle, now is the time to think beyond short-term purchases and plan for sustainable outcomes that strengthen learning, inclusion and participation for children.

Our latest resource, 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳-𝟮𝟴: 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀, explores how services can use the two-year planning cycle to build educator capability, support priority cohort children, strengthen family engagement and embed lasting practice change.

The resource includes practical planning considerations, reflective questions and real-world examples to help services use SRF strategically and effectively.

✅ Focus on meaningful outcomes
✅ Strengthen educator practice
✅ Support multilingual learners and priority cohorts
✅ Plan for sustainable change over time

📖 Read the resource on our website: https://fka.org.au/resource/school-readiness-funding-2027-28-planning-for-sustainable-outcomes/

We had a fantastic time at the 2026 ECA National Conference in Melbourne!It was wonderful to connect with early childhoo...
06/10/2026

We had a fantastic time at the 2026 ECA National Conference in Melbourne!

It was wonderful to connect with early childhood professionals, educators, leaders and advocates from across Australia who are passionate about creating inclusive, equitable and culturally responsive learning environments for all children and families.

A big thank you to everyone who visited the fka Children's Services booth to learn more about our multicultural resources, professional learning opportunities and the Cultural Inclusion Reflective Practice Toolkit. We loved sharing ideas, hearing about the inspiring work taking place in services and discussing practical ways to support cultural inclusion in early childhood settings.

The conference reminded us that cultural inclusion is an ongoing journey.

Thank you, Melbourne, for a wonderful conference. We look forward to continuing the conversation and working together to build more inclusive futures for children and families.

We’re at the ECA Conference! Come and say hello to the fka Children’s Services team at Booth 71.We’d love to chat about ...
30/09/2026

We’re at the ECA Conference!

Come and say hello to the fka Children’s Services team at Booth 71.

We’d love to chat about how fka supports early childhood services to strengthen children’s identity, wellbeing and belonging, and share some of our resources, books and learning materials.

And, of course, there are plenty of wonderful resources to explore at the stand!

Find us at Booth 71 — we’d love to see you!

October Days of Significance October brings many opportunities to celebrate, learn and connect with the diverse cultures...
29/09/2026

October Days of Significance

October brings many opportunities to celebrate, learn and connect with the diverse cultures, traditions and experiences that enrich our communities.

Recognising days of significance can support children's sense of identity and belonging, encourage meaningful conversations, and provide opportunities to learn from the rich cultural knowledge within families and communities.

We're looking forward to sharing our work with educators from across Australia at the ECA National Conference 2026 in Me...
27/09/2026

We're looking forward to sharing our work with educators from across Australia at the ECA National Conference 2026 in Melbourne. Visit us at Booth 71 to explore our resources, connect with the team, and learn more about our programs.

Conference Presentations:

Friday 2 October | 3.05 pm - 3.50 pm Peace Education in Early Childhood Presented by Andrea Del Rio and Samantha Gould.

Friday 2 October | 3.05 pm - 3.50 pm Supporting Social Cohesion through Multilingual Ecologies in Early Childhood Settings Presented by Emma McGrath and Bassima Al Hadi.

We'll also be showcasing a Possum Skin Pedagogy poster display and an exhibition celebrating fka's history and impact in Victoria.

See you in Melbourne!

🕊️ International Day of Peace | 21 SeptemberThis year’s International Day of Peace theme,“Invest in Peace: For Everyone,...
20/09/2026

🕊️ International Day of Peace | 21 September

This year’s International Day of Peace theme,“Invest in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day,” reminds us that peace is built through everyday actions that foster empathy, inclusion, respect and belonging.

In the early years, educators play a powerful role in helping children develop the skills to build peaceful communities. Explore our Pedagogy & Practice – Peace Education and the Early Years resource for practical strategies and reflective questions to embed peace education into everyday practice.

🔗 https://fka.org.au/resource/pedagogy-practice-peace-education-and-the-early-years/

Term 3 eNews is here! Explore articles on peace education, multilingual learning, School Readiness Funding, sector updat...
16/09/2026

Term 3 eNews is here!

Explore articles on peace education, multilingual learning, School Readiness Funding, sector updates, and upcoming fkaCS events. Check it out and stay connected with the latest news and resources from fkaCS.

https://fka.org.au/fkacs-enews-term-3-2026/

Address

18 Harper Street
Melbourne, VIC
3067

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61394284471

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