Task Description:
The purpose of this assessment task is for you to demonstrate: your knowledge and understanding of an issue related to early childhood education, the ability to understand the current government documents/policies to assist in advocacy and the ability to develop strategies to advocate for this issue by developing an Action Plan.Observations and excerpts from the reflective journal are not counted in word count but should be included as Appendices.
The Action Plan requires you to:
Consider an issue, which is relevant and may require advocacy work.Reflect upon observations and discussions from your work in this area or from a service where you have undertaken a professional experience and choose an issue that is important for you.Write a detailed Action Plan (in a hypothetical consultation with staff/Centre Mentor) on how you would conduct the advocacy process.Please explore your issue in a way that is current and relevant to the bigger picture of the early childhood sector- for example, teacher-child ratios, cultural perspectives, use of new technologies and television in early childhood services, the way children are grouped by age.This must be validated with reference to published contemporary academic sources and related to key current themes.
The following must be included:
A clear description and analysis of the issue and rationale for its choice.The insights you have gained from your professional placement on your chosen issue.Research to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issue, its background, and related topics.This section needs to be linked to literature and correctly referenced.Comprehensive description of the ways you will proceed to advocate for the issue.Remember to identify all stakeholders and discuss the ways you will communicate with these stakeholders.Relevant literature must be incorporated from the course texts and from your own research.Possible obstacles that you could foresee in regard to this process of advocacy and strategies you could use to overcome these barriers.
