Routines are part of everyday life. Essentially a routine is a sequence of actions that is followed regularly, although not always with the same frequency. For example, some routines are part of every day, while others may occur weekly or even less frequently. Some people are comfortable with a framework of their day and prefer a flexible approach to routines. Others prefer a more rigid schedule, and routines are part of that fixed plan. However, there are some people who find routines challenging, and require additional support for these to be a successful part of the day. This chapter will explore some of the daily routines that are part of a child’s life, both within and outside the ECEC service. It will include what routines are, why they are important, challenges some children (and adults) might experience, and strategies that may provide additional support for routines to become less difficult, and more seamlessly embedded in the day.

At the heart of effective inclusive education lies a shared understanding among all stakeholders. When early childhood communities develop collective commitment to inclusive philosophies, they establish the essential groundwork for sustainable change. This shared vision recognises that inclusion extends beyond physical placement to encompass full participation, valued contribution and authentic belonging. The It takes a village approach acknowledges that inclusion cannot be the responsibility of individual educators working in isolation; rather, it requires coordinated effort across the entire early childhood community. When staff, families and community co-design inclusive principles together, they develop ownership and commitment that withstands the inevitable challenges of implementation.

Working with others is at the heart of inclusive practice. In early childhood education and care, no single professional can meet the full range of strengths, needs and identities that children bring with them. Inclusion becomes possible when educators, families and external professionals think, plan and act together with shared intent. This chapter explores what it means to build strong, respectful and coordinated partnerships across a service and beyond the gate. It positions early childhood education settings as relational spaces where collaboration supports participation, wellbeing and belonging for children with disabilities, developmental differences and neurodivergence, as well as for children and families navigating complex circumstances. Drawing on Australian frameworks and research, the chapter offers practical ways educators can participate confidently in cross-sector collaboration while holding children’s rights, agency, and cultural identities at the centre.

Collaboration is essential to inclusive practice, ensuring that children with disabilities, developmental differences and neurodivergence receive holistic, coordinated and high-quality support. A collaborative, team-based approach allows children to experience inclusive, responsive learning environments where interventions are seamlessly integrated into their everyday experiences. Research has demonstrated that when educators, allied health professionals, and families work together, children’s learning and development are enhanced, leading to greater participation, engagement and wellbeing.

When we think about inclusion in early childhood education, our minds often turn immediately to children with disabilities. While supporting children with diverse abilities remains crucial, true inclusion extends far beyond this single lens. Inclusion is fundamentally about creating environments where every child, regardless of their cultural background, family circumstances, language or life experiences, can belong, participate and thrive.

You may have thought that as an early childhood education and care (ECEC) provider, your unifying focus will be centred around on the children in your setting. Supporting children’s learning and wellbeing may indeed be the priority, but this cannot be achieved without the positive involvement of children’s family members. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems model describes the layered systems of support that children can be influenced by, acknowledging that no individual child exists in a vacuum (See chapters 1 and 2 for further details). The resources and wellbeing of the family as a whole will have an impact on children’s development, behaviour and engagement in ECEC settings, as well as at home and other community settings.

The early years of a child’s life represent a critical period of development where identities form, relationships flourish and foundations for lifelong learning are established. Within this formative landscape, inclusion emerges not only as an educational approach but as a fundamental human right and ethical imperative. In Australian early childhood contexts, inclusive practice exists at the intersection of policy, pedagogy and personal commitment. This chapter establishes the conceptual underpinnings of inclusion and inclusive practice and invites the reader to consider inclusion not as an additional responsibility, but as the very essence of quality early childhood education and care. By creating environments where every child experiences belonging, participation and growth, we honour each individual child, while also laying the groundwork for a more equitable society.

Māori comprise 17.4 per cent of the total population of Aotearoa New Zealand. They are a relatively young population, with a median age of 25.5 years for males and 27.6 years for females, compared to the national median age of 37.0 years for males and 39.1 years for females. Contemporary Māori, like their pre-colonised counterparts, are diverse in their identity, with many having connections to iwi (tribal nations) or hapū (constellations of whānau, or extended family networks). Today, rather than being defined solely by iwi and hapū differences, Māori are also diverse regarding their histories of colonisation, their levels of disconnection from te ao Māori (Māori world) and their contemporary social experiences. Disconnection from te ao Māori means not all Māori know their whakapapa (genealogical) connections.

This chapter analyses the role played by coinage in the Achaemenid empire, exploring the dynamics of royal policy and iconography within the multifaceted political and economic within its imperial space. The vast Persian empire stretched from Mesopotamia and further east to the Aegean Sea. When the Persians captured the Lydian kingdom of Kroisos in 546, at first they took over his coinage in gold and silver, and later, from around 515, they produced distinctively Persian coinage of gold darics and silver sigloi, which had images of an archer, as a symbol of the Persian king. These were only for the western part of their empire, and even there they were not part of a fully coin-using economy. Their purposes were probably gift-giving and payments to mercenary soldiers. Other coinages continued to be made, in electrum, for example at Kyzikos, and especially in silver. A large variety of silver coinages were made at many cities in western Asia Minor and in Cyprus. Some were very small denominations, perhaps to facilitate daily market exchanges. The famous deposits of coins in the Apadana of Persepolis are analysed in detail, and the controversial puzzle of their selection is discussed.

Nurses can find themselves working within teams containing health professionals from other disciplines. Cultural safety of the tangata whaiora and their whānau (family) needs to be the collective goal of the team. Providing services and collaborating in mana-enhancing ways ensure practice is cohesive and culturally safe for all stakeholders: the team, community and tangata whaiora as determined by the person and their whānau. Cultural safety must be addressed systemically so that workers understand what is required of them. Resources that support this systematic approach include equity frameworks, anti-racism initiatives, legalisation, organisational policies and procedures, regulatory bodies, professional organisations, codes of ethics, standards and competencies. Being cognisant of the requirements for allied health professionals and the team to provide culturally safe services ensures accountabilities for all.