An online training module is helping early childhood educators keep young children protected from the sun year-round.
As any parent or teacher knows, outside play is an integral part of a child’s education. Of course, alongside this, it is imperative to keep our young children safe.
The Cancer Society of New Zealand has developed an online training module for early childhood educators about the importance of keeping young children protected from the sun year-round.
The module is free to complete and takes about an hour. It includes information about ultraviolet (UV) radiation and skin cancer risk, as well as practical advice for the early childhood education setting, including templates and checklists. The module ends with a quiz, and upon passing participants receive a certificate and an action plan based on their answers to some reflective questions.
Kathy Warne is director and centre manager at Rosy Cheeks Early Learning Centre in Christchurch, and she attended the course at the beginning of summer. ‘I found it very user-friendly and simple in the way it was written and designed. It was accessible but also very interesting – it challenged some preconceptions I had about skin cancer risks.’
Teachers are encouraged to share their knowledge with their community where possible, and parents and whānau members are welcome to complete the module at home. To get started visit: cancernz.org.nz/early-childhood-sunsmart-pd-module.
