Exploring the 3 dimensions of sustainability in ECEC
Dr Jane Warren from the University of Wollongong unpacks the approved learning framework’s new sustainability principle and provides practice ideas for educators.
26 June 2024
We know that children develop foundations in the first 5 years of life which have a significant impact on their lifelong learning (NSW Department of Education 2024). Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are instrumental in supporting development within this crucial time of children’s lives. Educators provide play-based opportunities for children to be engaged in multiple and complex learning experiences.
Since they were introduced in 2009, the national Approved Learning Frameworks have provided guidance for approved providers and services about principles, practices and learning outcomes they must embed in their educational programs. Version 2.0 of the frameworks were released in 2023 and highlight new areas that are recognised as foundational in children’s learning. One key area is sustainability.
Read the following articles for the service’s insights and implementation tips.
Sustainability is a term we are all familiar with, and often conjures up thoughts of recycling, limiting packaging, turning off water and other practices that can help us lessen our impact on the natural environment. However, while environmental sustainability is paramount, it’s just one pillar of sustainability.
Sustainability defined
There are 3 key dimensions of sustainability – environmental, social and economic – all of which are inextricably linked. For children to really understand sustainability, they must understand respect for our natural world and for each other, developing an awareness of our shared community responsibility.
The updated frameworks, Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia V2.0 (EYLF V2.0) and My Time Our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia V2.0 (MTOP V2.0), provide the following definition of each dimension.
- 'Environmental sustainability focuses on caring for our natural world and protecting, preserving and improving the environment.
- Social sustainability is about inclusion and living peacefully, fairly and respectfully together in resilient local and global communities.
- Economic sustainability refers to practices that support economic development without negatively impacting the other dimensions. This includes a focus on fair and equitable access to resources, conserving resources, and reducing consumption and waste (AGDE 2022a, 2022b).'
Supporting children and young people to connect with and contribute to their world (Learning Outcome 2 of the frameworks) is essential and provides a foundation for them to become active, responsible citizens, now and in their futures.
It’s essential to address each area of sustainability to ensure practices are embedded and not just a tokenistic approach. So, how can this be done within the service?
Environmental sustainability
Being connected to Country provides children with opportunities to become protectors of the environment and advocates for positive change in their own lives, their families’ and wider community.
There are many ways you can support children to respect Country and care for the natural world. When considering how to support children develop a respect for Country, it’s important to connect with your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Elders and community. By engaging with community about Aboriginal ways of knowing, being and doing, children are afforded rich opportunities to become responsible caretakers of the land, not only understanding what Country does for them but also what they can do for Country.
Tips for educators
- Reflect on how you can strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in your service policies, practice and educational program.
- Collaborate with children and educators to create a personalised and meaningful Acknowledgement of Country, unique to your service.
- Build genuine relationships with your local Aboriginal community. Invite them to design and/or deliver learning experiences that honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, stories, cultures and knowledge.
- While it’s important to participate in celebrating occasions such as National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week, remember that building strong connections to Country and community should be embedded in your everyday practice.
Other ideas for incorporating environmental sustainability into your program include:
- creating a sustainable garden, such as a vegetable or bush tucker garden
- reminding children (verbally and visually) to turn off taps to conserve water
- managing waste appropriately and conserving resources by recycling, composting and reusing items.
- How do you foster ‘an appreciation of the natural world and the interdependence between people, animals, plants, lands and waters’ (ADGE 2022a, 2022b)?
- How can you build stronger relationships with local Aboriginal Elders within your community and ensure care for Country is embedded in your service?
- How do you encourage children to minimise and manage waste, and respect the impact human actions have on the environment?
- In what ways do you meaningfully embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into your play-based program, including with regard to care for Country?
- Does your service have a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)? Does it explicitly reference care for Country?
- Visit Early Childhood Australia’s (ECA) Reconciliation Resources webpage.
- Explore support resources and professional learning opportunities offered by non-profit Environmental Education in Early Childhood (EEEC).
Social sustainability
Quality Area 6 – Collaborative partnerships with families and communities of the National Quality Standard is an important starting point for social sustainability. Respect for diverse cultures, values, beliefs and the expertise of families is at the core of this quality area. It requires educators to build supportive relationships with families and have honest, respectful conversations when making shared decisions about children’s learning and wellbeing.
It is not enough to speak about respect for others – it must continually be modelled to children and families. Inclusion is not something you ‘do’ but should be part of who you are. Social justice reminds us that the rights of all children must be reflected in your philosophy, policies and filter through your daily practice. No child has more or less rights than another, irrespective of diverse circumstances or learning needs. Building relationships with your local community is also essential to support children’s sense of social sustainability.
When exploring aspects of social sustainability, children may feel overwhelmed by information they don’t understand. Educators need to be aware of changes in children’s behaviour that may reflect their understanding of world events, news items or conversations they overhear. It’s important for educators to discuss with families any sensitive content that children do share so appropriate support can be offered to children.
Tips for educators
- Develop learning experiences that not only acknowledge our similarities but also celebrate our differences.
- Diversity is a fact – embrace it and be an advocate for inclusion. If children or parents make negative comments about someone’s ability, culture, appearance or any other characteristic, be sure to address the comments constructively and seek to engage the child/parent in reflection in order to raise awareness and understanding. Also refer to your service policy about appropriate behaviour.
- Reflect the diversity of your community across your service through your everyday practice in everything that you do. This might include music you play, books you read and pictures you display. You could also invite parents or community members in to share their stories and experiences. Remember to ensure you’re not perpetuating stereotypes by sharing stories, images or other content with oversimplified and/or generalised representations of any members of your community.
- Ensure that children with disability and developmental delay have equitable opportunities to participate in the service. But remember, equity is not the same as equality. Equity recognises that we each have different needs based on our circumstances and may require different resources to achieve the same outcome as someone else.
- How does your service support children to celebrate diversity and develop a sense of belonging and respect for all individuals within the community?
- How do you acknowledge and celebrate diversity within your service and ensure a welcoming environment focused on inclusion?
- Do you have an inclusion policy that everyone is aware of and follows?
- Find further guidance on supporting children to respect and value diversity and community in Section 3 – Quality Area 6 of the Guide to the National Quality Framework.
- Read the Australian Education Research Organisation’s Sustainability: Play-based learning and intentionality practice guide for strategies and reflective questions to inform your practice.
- Browse learning and resources on supporting children’s wellbeing on the Be You website.
- Read Professor Jennie Hudson’s article, Traumatic events in the media and your children, on the Black Dog Institute website for practical tips and advice.
Economic sustainability
Supporting children’s understanding of economic development can occur in multiple ways that are developmentally and socially appropriate. Resources in the service don’t have to be expensive. Consider ways you can help children understand that we can all take positive steps to avoid unnecessary expense, consumption and waste through better resource management.
Learning opportunities that explore – at a foundational level – the value of money, how it can be used and how people may have different experiences with money also encourage children to be responsible consumers. These learning experiences can support children’s agency and promote the sharing of resources, while helping them to build upon their decision-making and problem-solving skills too.
Tips for educators
- Role-model and encourage children to reduce consumption and conserve resources.
- Save spare paint and encourage children to reduce waste and recycle items.
- Set up a range of experiences that help children develop agency.
- Engage children in discussion about sourcing resources and exploring low-cost options, such as purchasing from recycling centres or second-hand stores.
- Consider connecting with other services to develop a resource library function to share.
- What responsibilities do children have within your service, and how does this contribute to their sense of agency?
- In what ways can you encourage agency in children?
- How do you have appropriate discussions with children about responsible choice, and encourage critical thinking and problem-solving?
- Visit the Raising Children’s Network’s Money management for children page for play-based money management learning ideas.
- Download ACECQA’s Supporting agency: Involving children in decision-making information sheet (PDF 1.2 MB).
- Read CELA’s Upcycling inspirations for ideas on reusing and repurposing materials.
AGDE (Australian Government Department of Education) (2022a) Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (V2.0), ACECQA website, accessed 13 June 2024.
AGDE (Australian Government Department of Education) (2022b) My Time our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia (V2.0), ACECQA website, accessed 13 June 2024.
NSW Department of Education (2024) Why the first 5 years matter, NSW Government website, accessed 13 June 2024.
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