Reconciliation

Rachel’s Place acknowledges the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we learn and play. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and we recognise that this land was never ceded.

Why it matters to us

Children form ideas about fairness, belonging and difference long before school. If reconciliation only appears once a year in a poster, children learn that it’s decorative. We’d rather it be ordinary — part of how we speak, what we read, whose knowledge we treat as expert.

What we actually do

• Acknowledgement of Country is part of our daily group time, spoken by the children as much as by us.
• Our book collection, music, art materials and dolls include First Nations authors, artists and stories all year.
• We learn about local seasons, bush foods and waterways as part of our Forest School program, and connect that to the custodianship of this Country.
• We seek guidance from local First Nations community members and educators rather than assuming we know, and we pay people for their expertise.
• Educators undertake ongoing professional learning in culturally responsive practice.
• We mark National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week with families — as a focus point, not the whole program.

Still learning

We don’t claim to have this finished. We get things wrong, we adjust, and we welcome families telling us when something could be better. If you have a connection, a suggestion or a correction, please talk to Rachel — [email protected].