The Early Years Learning Framework is made up of 8 EYLF Principles, 7 EYLF Practices, and 5 EYLF Learning Outcomes.
The EYLF Learning Outcomes are designed to capture the learning and development of all children from birth up until 5 years of age. They are:
EYLF Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity
EYLF Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world
EYLF Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
EYLF Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners
EYLF Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators
What is EYLF Outcome 1?
EYLF Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity is the cornerstone of learning, development and wellbeing - and of belonging, being and becoming. When children learn about themselves, they begin to construct their own identity - including their relationships, and the actions and responses of others.
Identity is shaped by experiences, meaning identities can change as they move from one setting to another. In the context of belonging, positive experiences where children can exercise agency result in a development of understanding of themselves as significant, respected and accepted. This, in turn, enables children to tackle new things, express themselves, work through differences, and take calculated risks.
Educators should assist children in exploring their cultural, social, gender and linguistic identities, being culturally responsive.
Children develop their identity through relationships and interactions with others. In particular, interactions with educators, families and children help them to develop a positive sense of self-worth. As children develop their sense of identity, they explore different aspects of it through play and relationships. The ability to explore is enabled when children feel safe, secure and supported.
In the context of being, children build their confidence and sense of identity when given choice, time and opportunity to exercise agency, autonomy, resilience and persistence. Educators should focus on children in the moment, and allow them to experience the joys of childhood through their right to be a child. Being allows children to develop an awareness of their social, linguistic and cultural heritage - for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, awareness of their kinship connections and connections to country are essential for developing identity.
Becoming means children build and shape their identity through evolving experiences and relationships. Educators should promote children's agency to allow them to learn about the impact of their personal beliefs and values, shaping their experience of becoming.
EYLF Outcome 1 is made up of 4 key indicators:
Children feel safe, secure and supported
Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and agency
Children develop knowledgeable, confident self-identities and a positive sense of self-worth
Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect
The 4 Key Indicators of EYLF Outcome 1
Educators should use these key indicators to provide evidence for a child's learning in relation to EYLF Outcome 1, and promote this learning through examples of practice outline in each indicator.
Children feel safe, secure and supported
Evidence of children feeling safe, secure and supported:
Building secure attachments with one (and then other) familiar educators
Participating in familiar routines and rituals to make smooth transitions
Sensing and responding to a feeling of belonging
Sharing ideas and information about their culture and cultural artefacts
Seeking and connecting with adults they trust to share their accomplishments and communicate their needs for comfort and assistance
Establishing and maintaining respectful, trusting relationships with other children and educators
Openly expressing their feelings and ideas in their interactions with others
Responding to ideas and suggestions from others
Initiating interactions and conversations with trusted educators
Confidently exploring and engaging with social and physical environments through relationships and play
Initiating and joining in play
Exploring aspects of identity through role play
The use of home languages
Accessing resources that support cultural diversity, family structures and gender identities
Describing things that make them unique
Telling stories about their family and culture
Examples of educators promoting this through their practice:
Acknowledging and responding sensitively to children’s cues, signals and home languages
Valuing and responding sensitively to children’s attempts to initiate interactions and conversations
Supporting children’s sense of security through consistent and warm nurturing relationships
Giving children their full attention, showing interest, understanding and attunement
Designing and using routines and rituals to support smooth and effective transitions
Ensuring daily schedules, including individualised arrival, departure or sleep rituals that support children’s sense of security
Being attuned to children’s natural daily rhythms to support being and belonging
Learning key words in children’s home languages and using them when greeting and talking with children
Ensuring continuity to bridge the gap between the familiar and the unfamiliar, e.g. feeding and sleeping routines
Building upon culturally valued child rearing practices and approaches to learning
Providing a culturally safe place where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children from culturally diverse backgrounds can share their stories about history and culture
Being emotionally available, listen carefully and support children’s expression of their thoughts and feelings
Recognising children’s feelings of distress, fear or discomfort and understand that these feelings may take some time to resolve
Acknowledging each child’s uniqueness in positive ways
Providing opportunities to invite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators to provide feedback and reflections on assisting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to feel safe, secure and supported
Interacting and conversing with each child to establish mutual trust and respect between the families that attend the early childhood setting
Displaying both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags at the setting and discuss their importance for all Australians
Developing inclusive learning approaches that acknowledge different ways of knowing, being and doing
Enabling children to see their culture in the environment, e.g. Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander art from the local region, cultural events that are significant in the child's life
Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and agency
Evidence of children developing their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and agency:
Initiating exploration and independent learning
Showing interest and curiosity through observing, listening, selecting and making choices
Demonstrating increasing awareness of the needs and rights of others
Being open to new challenges and discoveries
Increasingly cooperating and working collaboratively with others
Taking considered risk in their decision-making and coping with the unexpected
Recognising their individual achievements and the achievements of others
Demonstrating an increasing capacity for self-regulation and self-soothing
Approaching new safe situations with interest and confidence
Initiating negotiation and sharing behaviours
Persisting and persevering in self-chosen tasks, including when faced with challenges and when first attempts are not successful
Cooperating and participating in routines and rituals
Showing initiative by seeking information and asking questions
Learning how to stand up for themselves in appropriate ways
Examples of educators promoting this through their practice:
Providing children with strategies to make informed choices about their actions, interactions and behaviours
Promoting children’s sense of belonging, connectedness and wellbeing
Maintaining high expectations of each child’s capabilities
Sharing stories with families including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically diverse families about their child’s learning success
Mediating and assisting children to negotiate their rights in relation to the rights of others
Providing opportunities for children to engage independently with tasks and play
Displaying delight, encouragement and enthusiasm for children’s attempts
Supporting children’s efforts, assisting and encouraging as appropriate
Motivating and encouraging children to succeed when they are faced with challenges
Sharing stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have shown agency and resilience
Providing time and space for children to engage in both individual and collaborative pursuits
Building on the culturally valued learning of individual children’s communities
Sharing stories that reflect children's cultural and family diversity
Encouraging children to make choices and decisions
Children develop knowledgeable confident self-identities, and a positive sense of self-worth
Evidence of children developing knowledgeable confident self-identities, and a positive sense of self-worth:
Expressing and sharing pleasure and pride in their own efforts, achievements and accomplishments through language, gestures, facial expressions and/or movements
Feeling recognised and respected for who they are
Exploring different identities, roles and points of view in pretend play
Developing strong foundations in both the culture and language/s of their family and of the broader community without compromising their cultural identities
Reaching out and communicating with trusted educators and familiar children for comfort, assistance and companionship
Celebrating and sharing their contributions and achievements with others
Showing curiosity and growing confidence in their identity as a learner
Sharing information about their family, culture, home languages and aspects that make them unique
Engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and community members to explore their own and others social and cultural heritage
Taking calculated risks in play and learning and begin to cope with the unexpected
Displaying a positive image of themselves, families, culture and community
Acknowledging, sharing and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditions, customs and celebrations
Sharing their stories about their Country and community
Feeling comfortable to use their home language to construct meaning
Feeling accepted and affirm their group membership
Sharing with others how they have learned to use digital technologies
Feeling safe to participate in all activities regardless of gender, age, culture or ability
Sharing spaces and resources safely and equitably regardless of gender, age, culture or ability
Examples of educators promoting this through their practice:
Acknowledging and joining in with children’s expressions of pleasure and pride in their efforts and accomplishments
Promoting, in all children, a strong sense of who they are and their connectedness to others – and a shared identity as Australians
Ensuring all children experience pride and confidence in their achievements
Describing and share children’s successes with families
Showing respect for, and celebrating, diversity, acknowledging the varying approaches of children, families, communities and cultures
Acknowledging and understanding that children construct meaning in many different ways
Demonstrating deep understanding of each child, their family and community contexts in planning for children’s learning, development and wellbeing
Provide children with diverse examples of the many ways identities and culture are recognised and expressed
Building upon culturally and linguistically valued approaches to learning
Building on the funds of knowledge, languages and understandings that children bring
Talking with children in respectful ways about similarities and differences in people
Providing rich and diverse resources that reflect children’s social and cultural worlds
Listening to and learn about children’s understandings of themselves
Actively supporting the maintenance of home language and culture
Developing children’s authentic understanding of themselves
Providing books and other resources that depict diverse gender roles and identities respectfully
Supporting sharing of spaces and resources safely and equitably
Acknowledging each child’s family, culture and individual uniqueness in positive ways
Supporting all children to access science and technology experiences safely regardless of gender, age, culture or ability
Recognising disability as a form of diversity and demonstrating inclusive approaches in their
interactions with children
Implementing approaches to support gifted and talented children
Providing inclusive indoor and outdoor environments that incorporate reasonable adjustments where there are barriers to participation
Having opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander relationships and connections to Country and family including kinships systems
Supporting children to identify and assess risks in play and learning and to cope with the unexpected.
Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect
Evidence of children learning to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect:
Showing interest in other children and their play
Approaching and initiating interactions with other children in order to form or be part of a group
Engaging in and contributing to shared play experiences
Expressing a wide range of emotions, thoughts and views constructively
Helping and offering care to other children
Recognising and naming a range of feelings in themselves and others
Empathising with and expressing concern for others
Appreciating the need to take turns and wait so that others can have their turn
Co-using and collaborating with others when using digital technologies
Displaying awareness of and respect for others’ perspectives
Displaying awareness of and respect for children’s diverse worlds, e.g. culture, family structure, capabilities and strengths
Reflecting on their actions and considering consequences for others
Naming and challenging unfair acts, and discrimination on behalf of themselves and others
Listening to others’ opinions or points of view
Recognising safe and unsafe situations
Identifying trusted adults and friends
Seeking help from trusted adults when needed
Expressing their views
Raising concerns or requests
Participating in discussions and decision-making
Evidence of educators promoting this in their practice:
Initiating one-to-one interactions with children, particularly with very young children, during daily routines
Paying attention to, appreciating and acknowledging children’s independent efforts to approach and initiating interactions with other children
Organising learning environments in ways that promote small group interactions and play experiences
Facilitating sharing of equipment and turn-taking, being mindful of children’s differing capacities to wait
Modelling care, empathy and respect for children, colleagues and families
Providing a culturally safe and secure environment for all
Providing secure and predictable environments, relationships and engagement in learning to support children affected by trauma
Building awareness of different emotions by modelling and naming feelings
Supporting children to learn about and recognise safe and unsafe situations
Modelling how to respond appropriately to unfairness, challenge stereotypes and discrimination in respectful ways
Explaining and providing self-regulation strategies using books and pictures of emotional states
Modelling explicit communication strategies to support children to initiate interactions and join in play and social experiences in ways that sustain productive relationships with other children
Acknowledging children’s complex relationships and sensitively intervene in ways that promote consideration of alternative perspectives and social inclusion
Providing opportunities for all children to develop knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture in the context of their community
Using a range of teaching strategies and multicultural resources to acknowledge and show respect for differences, e.g. multicultural dolls, books and artefacts
Facilitating child-friendly ways for children to express their views and raise their concerns
Enabling children to participate in decision-making that affects them
What Next?
Using these examples in accordance with EYLF principles and practices ensures that educators are assisting children in achieving EYLF Outcome 1.
But it's also important to show evidence. So here's 2 ways to help your team when it comes to educating children:
Use a tool that helps saved educators 4hrs per week on documentation - Book Your FREE Demo Today!
Download the EYLF Outcome 1 Sheet below, so you always have this on-hand ⬇️
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