Walking into a kindergarten, knowing it's culturally safe would be an Acknowledgment plaque that's on entry is always the first thing, it's a really good sign. And then down to the room, I'd be looking for, like having conversations with educators around significant dates and celebrations. Education is such a really important tool that services can use because even me as an Aboriginal woman, I still learn about my culture to this very day and I think it should be the same for services that they're continuously on this cultural inclusion journey. If ever a parent is concerned or they have any questions, we always encourage them to come to the educators and the teachers and management as well. There’s the KESO workforce, so the Koorie Engagement Support Officers, they’re from the Department of Education.
So they are a great resource for our families. If parents or carers aren’t that confident in having that conversation with services, it's really important for our Aboriginal kids to be strong in their identity, but we can also share that with non-Aboriginal young people as well. Aboriginal history and culture is everybody's and it's really important that we all acknowledge it, celebrate it and just to have it included in all early year services in schools is really, really important.
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