Health and Wellbeing in the Early Years (11994.2)

This unit supports students in investigating children's health and wellbeing through a holistic lens, addressing both physical and mental health. Students will learn how educators can apply research, policy, and guidelines to promote children's health and wellbeing, and to meet professional responsibilities set by regulatory frameworks and legislative requirements. The unit also explores how developing learning activities based on contemporary research and theories of brain development and learning supports wellbeing. The unit covers contemporary topics and research to provide a comprehensive understanding of health and wellbeing in the early years.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Critically discuss contemporary physical and mental health and wellbeing topics in relation to the education setting;
2. Utilise contemporary research, policies, and guidelines to identify strategies and activities that promote children's physical and mental health and wellbeing, ensuring alignment with regulatory frameworks and legislative requirements;
3. Explain the role of educators in supporting children's physical health, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and safety based on contemporary research; and
4. Create and evaluate learning activities that are informed by contemporary research and theories of brain development and learning, that will support optimal learning and therefore promote wellbeing.

Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas

Prerequisites

Must be enrolled in EDB001 Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth to Five) OR 326JA Bachelor of Early Childhood and Primary Education.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

10171 Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood Education

Assumed knowledge

None.