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Effective 20 April 2026, the numbering of the curriculum criteria has changed. There have been no changes to the curriculum criteria wording or associated guidance.
Criterion C310#
The service curriculum supports children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour.
Curriculum criteria documentation required
Guidance#
As children learn to make sense of their world and develop working theories, they develop an understanding of themselves in social contexts including the early childhood service.
What is viewed as social competence and appropriate behaviour may vary from setting to setting. In a hospital it will depend on the values that families, educators, and the hospital hold. It is therefore vital that educators, parents, the medical staff and children share with each other their understandings of social competence.
The environment, our expectations, and our teaching practices will be strong indicators of what we consider to be socially appropriate and competent behaviours.
A service curriculum that supports social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour will provide ongoing opportunities within flexible settings for children to practise through actions, words and behaviours their growing development.
