MacKillop Family Services launches Carer Learning Hub for flexible support

It’s not enough to simply provide job training programs. We’re working to remove barriers to accessing training programs necessary to begin careers in growing fields. Read more about the Barrier Removal Fund and how it helped eliminate a childcare barrier for one Cleveland mother: https://lnkd.in/gKDm9fSJ Learn about the Build Environment Collaborative: https://lnkd.in/eHZYbfq6 Olivera Perkins Cleveland Foundation Renee Timberlake Built Environment Collaborative Partners: Cleveland Builds HHW Ohio Cuyahoga Community College Towards Employment United Labor Agency Rid-All Green Partnership Spanish American Committee Youth Opportunities Unlimited ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland Cleveland Neighborhood Progress Urban League of Greater Cleveland Greater Cleveland Partnership CONTRACTORS ASSISTANCE ASSOCIATION

Parent Pathways is a voluntary service that provides personalised assistance and financial support to eligible parents and carers of children up to the age of 6 years. Delivered in partnership with Training Alliance Group the Parent Pathways program focuses on parents and carers and their individual needs ⭐ We offer a range of support options, with the help of qualified mentors, parents and carers can receive flexible support to assist with any personal, study or work goals. Some services on offer include: 📚 language or literacy programs 👩👦support to find a childcare centre and help with childcare costs 💸financial support, to assist with the cost of training courses, textbooks or to purchase a computer 🤝referral to supports such as financial information services or family and domestic violence support services 🎓training, such as a short course at the local TAFE 💼career guidance To register with our program, see link: https://lnkd.in/g9D6eC7A

-->Teaching Children the Heimlich Maneuver:: Teaching children the Heimlich maneuver is an important step in helping them learn how to respond during a choking emergency. Using a stuffed animal or adult for demonstration allows them to visualize and safely practice the technique. Encourage them to stand behind the “victim,” wrap their arms around the waist, and place a fist just above the belly button this helps them understand proper hand placement. Emphasize performing firm, quick upward thrusts using their body strength. Additionally, practicing back blows between the shoulder blades helps reinforce both methods for clearing an airway obstruction. Always remind children that if someone is choking, they should first call for adult help or emergency services before attempting the maneuver. Use a stuffed animal, doll, or adult volunteer to show the steps clearly. This helps children understand body positioning without causing harm or discomfort. >>Teach the Correct Position: Have the child stand behind the “choking” person. Instruct them to wrap their arms around the person’s waist. Show them how to make a fist with one hand and place the thumb side of that fist just above the belly button, but below the rib cage. The other hand should grasp the fist to prepare for the thrusts. >>Demonstrate the Thrust Motion: Explain that the thrust should be quick, strong, and upward, as if trying to “lift” the person slightly. Emphasize that this motion helps push air from the lungs to expel the object causing the blockage. Encourage them to use their whole body, not just their arms, to make the movement powerful. >>Introduce Back Blows: Teach that if the first method doesn’t work, or if they aren’t strong enough, they can try back blows: Stand to the side and slightly behind the choking person. Use the heel of one hand to deliver firm blows between the shoulder blades (up to five times). Alternate between back blows and abdominal thrusts until the object comes out or help arrives. >>Emphasize Safety and When to Act: Teach children to shout for an adult or call emergency services (like 911) right away. Remind them not to practice directly on friends or other children, as thrusts can hurt if done improperly. Stress that they should only use the Heimlich maneuver when someone cannot speak, cough, or breathe — clear signs of choking. >>Reinforce Through Practice and Discussion: Let children repeat the steps several times using their stuffed animal or a pillow. Ask questions to check their understanding (“Where do your hands go?” “What do you do first?”). Praise their effort and confidence. >>End with a Safety Message: Explain that knowing this skill doesn’t make them a doctor, but it can help them save a life while waiting for an adult or emergency team to arrive.

Keeping Children Safe on Their Way to School: Every day, over 10 million South African learners walk to school often on routes that are unsafe and expose them to risks (NHTS, 2020). Safety on the way to school is not just a community concern; it is a critical child protection and education priority. How we can ensure safer journeys: ✔️Walking in groups and transports organised by parents and communities. ✔️Using busy, well-lit routes and avoiding unsafe shortcuts ✔️Staying alert and avoiding distractions like headphones or phones ✔️Knowing safe stops along the route, shops, community centres or police posts ✔️Using only registered taxis and buses, with parents informed of drivers and routes Unsafe journeys affect children’s focus, wellbeing and learning outcomes. Protecting learners during their journey to and from school is foundational to securing quality education, equal opportunity and their rights as children. Collective action is key: Parents: Organise safe walking groups and monitor children’s journeys Schools: Integrate road and travel safety into learner wellbeing programmes Communities: Provide safe stops and stay vigilant along routes Authorities: Enforce transport regulations and strengthen child safety policies As an afterschool programme, We champion an integrated approach, parents, schools, communities and government working together because child safety is the first step to learning. Let’s align our efforts in learner safety priorities and adopt a collective, community-based approach to keep children safe. Every child deserves to arrive at school safe, confident and ready to learn

🌟 Empowering Futures Through Choice and Individualised Learning 🌟 Today’s lesson with one of our post-16 learners was a real reminder of why personalised education matters. This young person has a clear passion for working in childcare and residential care, and has had the opportunity to choose her own modules for her Level 1 Certificate. Giving her that autonomy sparked real motivation, she was fully engaged, asking questions, and linking her learning to her future career goals. At AS2Educate, we believe that choice and individualised learning are key to helping young people thrive. Within our Post 16 Alternative Provision, we work in small groups and offer tailored support so that each learner can build confidence, gain qualifications, and take meaningful steps toward their next level of education or employment. It’s inspiring to see what happens when a learner feels ownership of their journey, education becomes not just a requirement, but a pathway to purpose. 💫 #Post16Education #AlternativeProvision #AS2Educate #IndividualisedLearning #Childcare #ResidentialCare #EmpoweringYoungPeople #EducationThatInspires

Accurate, accessible recording is the backbone of safe and effective foster care. For carers, records are not just compliance, they are protection in times of allegations or disputes. For children, they become their history. For services, they underpin quality assurance. Yet too often, carers report difficulties with systems, limited access to their own notes, or lack of training. If carers cannot record confidently and clearly, the whole system is weakened. Are your carers given the tools, training and access they need to record well? 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dF75XPvH

🏫 School Readiness: What Parents Need to Know in 2025 and Beyond Starting school is a big milestone — and in 2025, being “school ready” means more than just knowing letters and numbers. Children need social confidence, emotional resilience, independence, and a strong foundation for learning. ✨ Why it matters: School readiness helps children settle into classrooms smoothly, build positive relationships, and develop a love for learning that lasts a lifetime. 🌿 What supports readiness: Choosing the right early learning environment that nurtures the whole child Encouraging daily routines, reading, and play-based learning at home Fostering outdoor exploration to build resilience and problem-solving skills Partnering with educators to create consistent support between home and centre. As education continues to evolve, understanding these areas can give your child the best possible start. At Wiggles and Giggles Childcare Centre in Dural, we focus on holistic development that prepares children not just for their first day of school — but for a lifetime of learning. 💛 👉 Read the full blog here: https://lnkd.in/gtXvTrba #SchoolReadiness #EarlyLearning #Childcare #ParentTips #DuralChildcare #WigglesAndGiggles

🌟 Movement: The Foundation of Early Childhood Learning 🌟 At Rakoon Design, we are excited to share insights from our collaboration with leading experts to develop the Active Crèche concept for children under three. This initiative, born from the partnership with Prof. Dr. Ungerer-Röhrich, Susanne Przybilla from the University of Bayreuth, and other esteemed organizations, emphasizes the critical role of movement in the healthy development of young children. The Importance of Movement Movement is an essential gateway for young children to explore their physical and social worlds. It fosters self-awareness and helps them discover their physical capabilities. Our concept highlights that early childhood learning flourishes when driven by a child's innate curiosity. When children are free to explore, act, and experience, they engage with their environment in meaningful ways. Creating Development-Promoting Environments The design of our spaces is tailored to accommodate the varying cognitive and motor developmental stages of children. This thoughtful approach ensures that all children encounter development-promoting challenges, allowing them to acquire cognitive, communicative, and physical skills independently. We believe that a dynamic and health-promoting routine is supported by a comprehensive qualification program for educational professionals, enhancing their ability to nurture young learners. Recognizing the Impact of Active Learning Our integration of active room design and ongoing training has been endorsed by the Federal Working Group for Posture and Movement Promotion as particularly beneficial for child development. Movement is not just play; it is the foundation of learning. Diverse movement and sensory experiences are vital for developing thought structures and perceptual abilities, reinforcing the idea that "grasping is understanding" (Zimmer 2004). Encouraging Exploration Through Play Children's curiosity drives them to experiment and explore their surroundings. Through daily free play and movement, they expand their movement repertoire, learn about their strengths, and build self-confidence. Our daycare environments are designed to provide a wide range of movement and perception options, ensuring that each child can independently practice and enhance their motor skills. Let’s Support Healthy Development Together If you share our vision of fostering an active, engaging, and development-promoting environment for young children, we invite you to connect with us. 📧 Email us at: info@rakoondesign.com 📞 Call us at: +852 6032 5209 Together, let’s create spaces that empower children to learn through movement and exploration! 🌈💚 hashtag #RakoonDesign #ThoughtLeadership #ActiveCreche #EarlyChildhoodDevelopment #MovementInLearning #EmpowerChildren #CreativeSpaces

🌟 Movement: The Foundation of Early Childhood Learning 🌟 At Rakoon Design, we are excited to share insights from our collaboration with leading experts to develop the Active Crèche concept for children under three. This initiative, born from the partnership with Prof. Dr. Ungerer-Röhrich, Susanne Przybilla from the University of Bayreuth, and other esteemed organizations, emphasizes the critical role of movement in the healthy development of young children. The Importance of Movement Movement is an essential gateway for young children to explore their physical and social worlds. It fosters self-awareness and helps them discover their physical capabilities. Our concept highlights that early childhood learning flourishes when driven by a child's innate curiosity. When children are free to explore, act, and experience, they engage with their environment in meaningful ways. Creating Development-Promoting Environments The design of our spaces is tailored to accommodate the varying cognitive and motor developmental stages of children. This thoughtful approach ensures that all children encounter development-promoting challenges, allowing them to acquire cognitive, communicative, and physical skills independently. We believe that a dynamic and health-promoting routine is supported by a comprehensive qualification program for educational professionals, enhancing their ability to nurture young learners. Recognizing the Impact of Active Learning Our integration of active room design and ongoing training has been endorsed by the Federal Working Group for Posture and Movement Promotion as particularly beneficial for child development. Movement is not just play; it is the foundation of learning. Diverse movement and sensory experiences are vital for developing thought structures and perceptual abilities, reinforcing the idea that "grasping is understanding" (Zimmer 2004). Encouraging Exploration Through Play Children's curiosity drives them to experiment and explore their surroundings. Through daily free play and movement, they expand their movement repertoire, learn about their strengths, and build self-confidence. Our daycare environments are designed to provide a wide range of movement and perception options, ensuring that each child can independently practice and enhance their motor skills. Let’s Support Healthy Development Together If you share our vision of fostering an active, engaging, and development-promoting environment for young children, we invite you to connect with us. 📧 Email us at: info@rakoondesign.com 📞 Call us at: +852 6032 5209 Together, let’s create spaces that empower children to learn through movement and exploration! 🌈💚 #RakoonDesign #ThoughtLeadership #ActiveCreche #EarlyChildhoodDevelopment #MovementInLearning #EmpowerChildren #CreativeSpaces