Wellbeing assessment resource

The recently released Wellbeing Practice Guide, developed by the Victorian Department of Education (DET) and the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is designed to inform a greater understanding of wellbeing and its place as both a prerequisite for, and an outcome of learning. Together with the Assessment of Wellbeing in Early Childhood Education and Care: Literature Review (University of Melbourne, 2015) it forms a Wellbeing Assessment Resource for early childhood professionals. The Wellbeing Practice Guide includes information about the Victorian Government Child Safe Standards, with links to the DET Respectful Relationships Initiative (2016). The guide provides scenarios and learning activities to support engagement with key concepts of the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, including the Learning and Development Outcome: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing. Its purpose is to: strengthen early childhood professionals’ understanding of the importance of wellbeing support practice that strengthens children’s dispositions for wellbeing learning promote practice that strengthens children’s knowledge and self-awareness of their own wellbeing and sense of identity guide assessment practice decisions of early childhood professionals working within and across early years services and in the early years of school highlight the importance of birth-to-three-years in establishing a strong foundation for subsequent and lifelong wellbeing. This guide is useful for leaders working across early years services and settings. It presents ways to place wellbeing at the forefront of professional practice, using the theory and pedagogy that underpin day-to-day practice of early childhood professionals