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Child Care News for Parents & Carers
April 3, 2019 |
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Welcome, this week an opinion piece by early childhood thought leader Christine Legg, the CEO of KU Children's Services and National President of Early Childhood Australia, on the importance of high-quality early education. We also look into the emerging field of epigenetics.
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Why Getting Early Education Right is so Critical for Children and Our Future
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If you imagine a child's brain as a five-drawer filing cabinet, research indicates that the majority of those drawers are already filled by the time the child turns five. The CEO of KU Children's Services and National President of Early Childhood Australia, Christine Legg, says this analogy is a powerful illustration of the importance of quality early childhood education.
"The early years of a child's life is the optimal time to lay the foundations for learning," Legg says. "The first five years are crucial at setting them on the path towards lifelong success as an adult. And success isn't only measured by occupation or income - it's also about individuals contributing to society as a whole person."
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Epigenetics:
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How children's experiences shape their genes
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It's well known that young children benefit from supportive relationships and quality early learning opportunities, but according to an emerging field of scientific research, these positive early experiences can actually change youngsters' genes.
Here, we delve into the fascinating world of 'epigenetics' and see the far-reaching impact of a child's first influences, according to researchers at Harvard University.
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