Welcome to the first fkaCS eNewsletter of 2025.

The Term 1, 2025 edition of the fka Children’s Services (fkaCS) Members eNewsletter focuses on supporting early childhood professionals to embed cultural inclusion, strengthen family partnerships, and uphold children’s rights in everyday practice. This edition explores meaningful ways to celebrate and acknowledge days of significance, emphasising cultural curiosity, intangible cultural heritage, and authentic engagement with families and communities.

Educators will find practical guidance on creating culturally responsive environments, integrating multilingual practices, and planning celebrations that reflect identity, belonging, and respect. A key feature article highlights the importance of being an active and supportive bystander, offering actionable strategies, including the SPEAK Framework, to help educators intervene safely, uphold ethical responsibilities, and foster high-quality learning environments.

This newsletter also showcases new resources such as the “Engaging with Multilingual Families” guide and the “Hello Kinder” social story, alongside a three-module eLearning series designed to support inclusive enrolment, orientation, and ongoing engagement. Updates from fkaCS and across the sector include board recruitment opportunities, policy changes affecting CCS and kindergarten reporting, professional development programs, mentoring opportunities, and new tools to support compliance, cultural inclusion, and educator wellbeing.

Together, these insights and resources support educators to strengthen culturally responsive pedagogy, build confident partnerships with families, and deliver inclusive, rights-led early childhood education across Victoria.

Contents

• Feature Article:
• Feature Article: A Meaningful Approach to Celebrating and Acknowledging Days of Significance …. p. 3
• Feature Article: Being an Active and Supportive Bystander in Early Childhood Education…. p. 8
• fkaCS and Sector Updates …. p. 11