Health and Wellbeing in Childhood

Susanne Garvis is a professor of early childhood education at Griffith University, Australia. She is a member of the Griffith Institute for Educational Research. Susanne is an international expert in early childhood education policy, quality and teacher education. She has been involved in national and international research projects and worked with NGOS, professional organisations and agencies throughout the world. Donna Pendergast is the Arts, Education and Law Group Director of Engagement at Griffith University, Australia. She is former Dean of the School of Education and Professional Studies for fourteen years at Griffith University, Australia. She specialises in early and middle years research and teacher education, school reform, and student engagement. Donna received the Research Supervision Award in the 2017 Griffith University Vice Chancellor's Research Excellence Awards and in 2018 she was honored with the Australian Council for Educational Leadership Miller-Grassie Award for Outstanding Leadership in Education. In 2022 she was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Education Award from the Australian Council of Deans of Education.

Part I. Context: 1. The importance of health and wellbeing Donna Pendergast and Susanne Garvis; 2. Classifying health and wellbeing: applying the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health to early years learners Jane McCormack and Sharynne McLeod; Part II. Dimensions of Health and Wellbeing; 3. Social determinants of health and wellbeing Margaret Sims; 4. Physically educated: developing children's health and wellbeing through learning in the physical dimension Timothy Lynch; 5. Body image and young children: seeing 'self' or seeing 'other' Sharryn Clarke; 6. Food and nutrition: the role of teachers and parents in children's food choices Donna Pendergast and Susanne Garvis; 7. Child safety Susanne Garvis and Donna Pendergast; 8. Communication development Jane McCormack and Sharynne McLeod; 9. Education for the prevention of sexual abuse in the early years Kerryann Walsh, Donna Berthelsen and Jan Nicholson; 10. Loose parts on the school playground: a playful approach to promoting health and wellbeing for children of all abilities Shirley Wyver, Anita Bundy, Lina Engelen, Anita Nelson Niehues and Iliana Skrebneva; 11. Bullying and social-emotional wellbeing in children Aileen Luo, Kay Bussey and Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett; 12. Strengthening social and emotional learning in young children with special educational needs Wendi Beamish and Beth Saggers; 13. Executive Functions in Early Childhood Parian Madanipour and Caroline Cohrssen; 14. Friendships Maryanne Theobald, Susan Danby, Catherine Thompson and Karen Thorpe; Part III. Social and Emotional Wellbeing: 15. Social and emotional competence for young children and educators Wendi Beamish and Fiona Bryer; 16. Strengths-based, community-led approaches to physical activity and wellbeing with educationally disadvantaged children Susan L. Whatman; 17. Talking Circles Jennifer Cartmel, Marilyn Casley and Kerry Smith; 18. Partnering with families for child health and wellbeing Sivanes Phillipson; 19. Using contemplative practices to enhance teaching, leadership and wellbeing Alison Black, Gillian Busch and Christine Woodrow.