Brown acknowledges the impact that government legislation has on policy development and subsequently on early childhood: Policy development in Early Childhood Assignment, HU, Singapore

Brown acknowledges the impact that government legislation has on policy development and subsequently on early childhood settings as it fails to reflect the many complexities within early childhood education. Education is not value-free, and the nature of values is highly subjective.

In light of this, for our Service Report, we will critically engage with legislative documents. To enhance this we engaged with theory, ethics, and current understandings of best practice. This, in turn, will lead to the creation and
implementation of a policy that reflects all of those complexities.

Policy Research & Theoretical

Prior to developing a policy document, a variety of research elements relating to the policy content, needed to be explored. Ethics is a fundamental aspect of respectful relationships. Early Childhood Australia provides a moral guide for the enactment of ethical practices.

However, Woodrow, (2001) suggests that, due to the evolving nature of early childhood education, professionals can use a variety of resources to critically
examine how this document and others like it, can be directly applied to the context of our early childhood setting.

With respect to this, we engaged with a variety of resources to critically examine legislation and identify the presence of gaps relating to legal requirements and real-life situations. As our first resource, we engaged
with a theory that underpinned our philosophy for the multifaceted nature of reciprocal relationships with families.

The theory was closely accompanied by research literature which served to compliment the practicalities of implementing the many aspects encompassing reciprocal relationships.

Policy Development

In developing a policy that embraces sound theoretical perspectives of best practice, current research, legal requirements, and recommendations and is recognized by all stakeholders, we aimed to work through the four stages of policy development Collecting information, consultation, reaching consensus, and notification

To start with, we consulted relevant legislation and guidelines  and best
practice theory and particular theories relevant to the policy. Through discovering current trends, information, and theory about the area of practice in the early childhood field, identifying recent changes in legislation/regulation, as well as changes in the center, we were then able to assess the accessibility and effectiveness of the current policy and identify any gaps to rectify this in an updated policy.

Policy Implementation

As professional leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure that this policy document is implemented effectively for the improvement of our quality practice. All too often policy documents are developed and then promptly
filed away to be retrieved, in most cases, only when complications arise.

There is minimal value in developing policies, with objectives to improve the quality of service for all stakeholders involved, if the intent is to merely
secure these documents in a policy manual.