Barbara Creaser Awards

Barbara Creaser 1940 – 1995

The Barbara Creaser Memorial Lecture Fund was established in 1995 to celebrate and acknowledge the contribution made by Barbara Creaser to the lives of young children, early childhood practice and the early childhood profession.

Barbara made a major contribution to the professional development of students, childcare staff and kindergarten teachers in the Australian states and territories in which she worked.  In particular Barbara gave significant support to newer members of the profession. Her books too have been in the forefront of work to support early childhood professionals in their understanding and implementation of an anti-bias curriculum and play-based pedagogy.

The fund aims to:

• support and promote the work of professional organisations
• honour leaders and potential leaders in the early childhood profession
• improve the quality of programs and experiences for young children and their families

There are two Barbara Creaser Awards

1. The Barbara Creaser Memorial Lecture; and
2. The Barbara Creaser Young Advocate Award

Barbara Creaser Memorial Lecture Award

Purpose
The Barbara Creaser Memorial Lecture is awarded to a well-recognised and respected early childhood professional. The winner will be invited to deliver a 30-minute lecture or presentation at ECA’s National Conference to the full conference delegation (typically around 1800 delegates).

Eligibility
To be eligible for this award the nominee must be a permanent resident in Australia and must be nominated by an ECA State or Territory Branch.
All ECA members are welcome to suggest nominations for this award to their Branch Committee. Branch contact details are:

Judging/Selection Criteria
Nominees for this award will be well-recognised and respected early childhood professionals who engage in effective advocacy on behalf of young children and the early childhood sector. In order to select one award winner, the judges will review each nomination against the following criteria (400 words max per criteria):

1. How has the nominee shown leadership in supporting and promoting early childhood advocacy organisations?
2. How has the nominee supported the improvement of programs and experiences for young children and their families?
3. Has the nominee served as a catalyst for policy or practice change in early childhood education and care? If so, how?
4. How has the nominee provided advocacy for young children or early childhood education and care, to the extent that their work is used as a model for others? If so, how?
5. How has the nominee assisted in the building of partnerships to advance early childhood education and care?
6. How has the nominee inspired others to strive for excellence?

Application Process
ECA Branches nominate candidates for the Barbara Creaser Memorial Lecture.  All applications should contain a brief Curriculum Vitae or biography of the nominee including their qualifications as well as responses to the selection criteria.

• Nominations must be completed and submitted electronically via the online form (accessed here)
• The specific Award category must be selected, and the appropriate nomination form completed.
• Faxed or late nominations cannot be considered.

Process for reviewing applications
Nominations are confidential and will remain confidential throughout the reviewing process.

Award benefits/prizes

1. The Award recipient will be contacted prior to the Early Childhood Australia Conference and invited to prepare a lecture or presentation.
2. The Award will be announced at the ECA National Conference.
3. The Award recipient will receive travel and accommodation costs and conference registration to the ECA Conference in the year awarded as well as a trophy presented to them at the conference. They will also be invited to write an article (or be interviewed) for an edition of ECA’s newsletter Every Child.
4. The Award recipient will also receive 12 months complimentary Early Childhood Australia membership and subscriptions to AJEC, Every Child, Research in Practice and Everyday Learning (any or all of these can be transferred to another individual or service if desired).

Nominations close 30 April 2019

Download the nomination form. Completed nomination forms should be emailed to awards@earlychildhood.org.au

Download nomination form

Barbara Creaser Young Advocate Award

Purpose

The purpose of this award is to support the development of a young early childhood advocate and to encourage them to participate in ECA’s advocacy work.

Eligibility

1. Applicants must be a permanent resident in Australia
2. Applicants must be under 30 years of age when applications close
3. Branch Boards (Executive) must indicate a commitment to mentoring the candidate for 12 months and provide information about how they propose to do this

Judging/Selection Criteria
Nominees for this award will be young early childhood professionals who are engaging in advocacy on behalf of young children and the early childhood sector. In order to select one award winner, the judges will review each nomination against the following criteria (400 words max per criteria):

• Is the nominee regarded as an emerging leader in the early childhood profession, i.e. someone who is beginning to take a leadership role in the profession and make a contribution to the early childhood field? In what ways?
• How has the nominee been effective in supporting and promoting advocacy for young children and quality early childhood programs?
• How has the nominee’s work either been effective or potentially effective in supporting the improvement of programs and experiences for young children and their families? This may be through raising awareness, enhancing knowledge or influencing policy or practice.
• Has the nominee assisted in the building partnerships to advance early childhood education and care? If so, how?
• Has the nominee inspired others to strive for excellence?
• How will the nominee benefit from mentoring and support to continue engaging in advocacy work? Please detail what support will be provided.

Application Process
The ECA Branches nominate candidates for the Barbara Creaser Young Advocate Award.

Nominations should contain a brief Curriculum Vitae or biography including any relevant study and/or qualifications.

• Past recipients of this award may not reapply.
• Nominations must be completed and submitted electronically via the online form (accessed here) emailed to awards@earlychildhood.org.au.
• The specific Award category must be selected, and the appropriate nomination form completed.
• Faxed or late nominations cannot be considered.

Process for reviewing applications
Nominations are confidential and will remain confidential throughout the process. All nominations must be endorsed by the ECA Branch President and one other member of the Branch Committee.

Award benefits/prizes

• The Award winner will be announced at the Early Childhood Australia Conference.
• The Award recipient will receive travel and accommodation costs and conference registration to the ECA Conference in the year awarded as well as a trophy presented to them at the conference.
• The Award recipient will receive 12 months of complimentary Early Childhood Australia individual membership and subscriptions to AJEC, Every Child, Research in Practice and Everyday Learning (transferrable to another individual or service if requested).

Nominations close 30 April 2019

Download the nomination form. Completed nomination forms should be emailed to awards@earlychildhood.org.au

Download nomination form