Lets Write a Winning College Application Essay!

Why is it that most students freeze up when it comes to writing the college application essay? Its an essay about a topic you know very well: yourself. Many students think that in order to write a great essay, they have to be a straight-A student or a star athlete or have done volunteer work in a Nicaraguan orphanage over the summer. In fact, the beauty of the college application essay is that its not about what youve done its about how well youre able to write about yourself. Anyone can write a great essay if they focus on the right things. Heres a step-by-step guide to writing the best college application essay you can: Brainstorm The essay is a chance for the college application officers to get to know you better. Think about something that you wish to communicate about yourself. If you already know what you want to write about, great! If not, sit down and make a list of your personality traits, activities, strengths and passions. Talk to your friends, teachers, coaches or parents and ask them if they would add anything to the list. Sometimes an outside perspective can help you see things you werent aware of. Identify your strengths If you are a star athlete, straight-A student, class president, or some other form of superlative, then the essay will probably be made infinitely easier. But most people arent stars. Youve got to work with the strengths you do possess. Maybe youre not the best athlete at your school. Maybe youre a middle ranking one. But, maybe you started out at the bottom of the pack and worked your way up. Instead of quitting, you now secure your position on the team and support the star athletes who couldnt do it without you. Maybe you never missed a practice. Maybe you also have strong leadership skills or have a knack for boosting team morale and were voted player of the year. Those things are worth mentioning to a college application officer. Dont think about generic ideas of strengths. You dont have to be number one. You just have to recognize whats great about you. Tell them about your passions What do you enjoy doing with your time? Are you an artist? An IT fanatic? Do you enjoy leadership positions and participate in the student body? Are you a musician? An actor? An environmentalist? Are you an introvert who sits quietly in the library during lunch and writes poetry? Whats your thing? If you have a calling, write about it. Describe how that activity makes you feel. Have you earned any accolades or awards, officially or unofficially for your talent? Include them. Dont be boring Admissions counselors will love you if you write something creative and original. Do you have any idea how many essays they have to read each year? A lot of students are afraid to say something that the counselors wont like and end up taking the safe route instead of daring to be different. Be creative, look at the question or subject from a different angle. Explore an uncommon point of view. Just dont be boring! Dont be afraid of controversy Dont be afraid to tackle controversy in your essay. If theres a specific issue that you feel strongly about, express it. Maybe youre anti-war and feel that the past two presidential administrations spent too much time and energy fighting wars abroad. Maybe youre pro-war and you feel that the nations military programs need to be expanded. Whatever your stance on the subject you choose, make sure you allow time to consider counterarguments and give examples of why you feel so strongly and how this particular issue affects you. Dont make a list Dont write a resume or make a list of your accomplishments. There should be plenty of space to list them on the rest of your application. The application essay should have a specific theme that you identify in the beginning and carry through to the end. Dont try to talk about a bunch of different topics and experiences. It will sound muddled and its not the point of the essay. The point of the essay is for the college application officers to see how well you can express yourself and to get to know your personality, not just your test scores. They want to see the student behind the grades and numbers. Write in your own voice If you had some assistance from someone else, especially if its an adult, in crafting your essay, please make sure that the final outcome has your own voice. Admissions counselors will be able to tell if the essay was mainly written by a parent or if it reflects a students viewpoint. Remember, they dont want a perfect paper. They want to get to know you better. And hiding behind the sophisticated language of adults isnt going to allow them to accomplish that. By trying to craft the perfect essay, you will end up robbing the readers of the opportunity to find out who you are. Ask for feedback You may want to show your essay to a trusted teacher or your college counselor or a parent or your friend. Or all of the above. Getting someone elses feedback may help you identify weaknesses in your essay that you could address before submitting it. But remember that the essay is yours and if you dont agree with the advice, dont take it. How to self-edit Read it through several times out loud. Reading out loud is a much more effective way to spot awkward phrasing and errors than reading to yourself. If you find yourself stumbling over your words, go back and edit. Keep editing and re-reading out loud until it comes out smoothly. Rigorously submit it to spelling, grammar and punctuation checks. If those things arent your strong suit, let someone else with better editing skills read it. Good luck on your college applications!

SAT for Regular Admissions Deadlines

When's the Last ACT/SAT for Regular Admissions Deadlines SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you have been putting off the ACT/SAT or are hoping to retake one, you need to know when you can take your last test so that your scores will arrive at your schools in time. In other words, when is the very latest you can take the SAT or ACT for your college applications? Read on to find out when you can still take the SAT or ACT- and when you'd be too late. You might be surprised by how little time you have! College Application Deadlines: General Info and Trends Most regular decision college application deadlines are around January 1, though some are earlier in mid- to late December and some are as late as mid-January. I recommend keeping New Year's in mind as the general date your college applications will be due. (Note that if you are applying to a school early action or early decision, your application deadline will likely be much sooner!) The standard date you find out your admission decision is April 1 (though some colleges release results earlier in March). But while admissions decisions are finalized in March, applications are being read and evaluated long before then. Typically, applications are read for the first time in January and maybe February, and decisions are made in February and March. This is why having your entire application submitted by the deadline, including your SAT/ACT scores, is so crucial. In many cases, your application could be read before your parents get around to taking down the holiday decorations ... In order for scores to arrive in time to be considered in January, the last ACT/SAT test dates are usually in December. (For the 2019-20 school year, this is the SAT on December 7 and the ACT on December 14.) December scores usually arrive in time to be considered during the initial application reads in January and February. However, if you take the tests in February or March, your scores won't get to your schools until March or April, which is typically well after your application is read for the first time. (In early 2020, the ACT is on February 8 and the SAT is on March 14.) Since there is no longer a January SAT test date, this means December really is your last chance for the SAT for almost all schools. While a handful of schools do accept the February ACT, these policies aren't the norm. Ideally, you want to finish your SAT/ACT testing before senior year so you can focus on applications exclusively. If you're taking any of the final test dates, you have to make sure you put your colleges down to receive your scores when you're signing up for the last available test. In other words, don't wait to see your scores before you send them, or else it will be too late! If there's a problem with your score reports or they get delayed, sometimes colleges will accept a screenshot or printed version of your test report sent from your guidance counselor as a provisional result. That said, this won't replace an official score report from the College Board or ACT, Inc., which needs to be sent along eventually. Last SAT/ACT Test Dates: Advice for Your College Applications If you're reading this as a junior or younger, aim to have your standardized testing done before senior year, or at the very least by the October ACT/November SAT dates (this means the October 26th ACT and the November 2nd SAT for the 2019-20 school year). This will make the application process less stressful since you'll only have to focus on applications, not testing. Studying for the ACT/SAT while also working on an your applications in December can be a real stressor and might result in subpar applications! Keep in mind that if you're sending SAT/ACT scores from the last possible test date, you're taking a risk. If it's your first test score and it's not within your schools' average score ranges, it won't help your chances of admission. It also won't look good if it's a retake and your score goes down. (While most schools focus on your highest test scores, some require students to send all SAT scores or all ACT scores and will take all scores, high or low, into consideration.) This is why we recommend having your testing done by senior year- including retakes. If you really need to take one of the last possible ACT/SAT dates, plan ahead as much as possible so you have plenty of time to both study and work on your applications. The Latest Possible ACT/SAT Dates for Top Schools In this section, we'll be taking a look at the last possible ACT/SAT dates for top colleges. We'll also show you how to look up this information yourself for any school you're interested in applying to. Schools Whose Final Testing Date Is in December The majority of schools we researched will accept the December ACT and December SAT, but no later SATs or ACTs. If any of your top schools are on this list, do your best to complete your testing as soon as possible! You'll need to have your standardized tests completed by winter break if you're applying to any of these schools! Amherst For regular decision, Amherst requires all materials to be received by January 1. This means you should aim for the December ACT or December SAT at the very latest. Brown According to Brown's website, "Most first-year students choose to apply under our Regular Decision plan, which requires applying by January 2 (11:59 p.m. applicant's local time)." (emphasis mine). Caltech Caltech lists December as its standardized testing deadline, meaning you can take the December ACT or SAT at the latest. Applications are due by January 3 for regular decision. Cornell Everything has to be submitted by January 2 for Regular Admission for Cornell, which means your last-chance test dates for the SAT/ACT are in December. Dartmouth At Dartmouth, because the regular decision deadline is January 2, the last possible SAT/ACT test dates for regular admission are in December. Duke Although Duke's last test date is December for both the ACT and SAT, the school will accept ACT scores from the February test date and consider them as additional scores in your application file. The regular decision deadline is January 2. Georgetown Georgetown's deadline is slightly later in January than those of many other top schools: "Regular Decision applicants should have all application materials postmarked by January 10" (emphasis mine). The December ACT and SAT are still the last test dates whose scores will arrive before the deadline. Harvard There are two regular decision deadlines at Harvard: December 15 (the preferred deadline) and January 1 (the final deadline). Harvard states on its admissions website, "Although it is possible to submit scores from tests taken as late as the December SAT and the February ACT, we recommend that you submit testing as early as possible" (emphasis mine). However, the school also says, "Scores submitted before the end of November will allow us to begin our evaluation process for those submitting applications by December 15." So even though you can submit scores from December tests, the earlier you submit, the better! MIT At MIT, most parts of the application are due by January 1. Therefore, "you must take the required tests on or before the November test date for Early Action or the December test date for Regular Action. These are the latest scores that will reach the Admissions Committee in time for review." Northwestern Since the application deadline for regular decision is January 2, the latest tests you can take for Northwestern are the December ACT or SAT. Princeton As the deadline for regular decision is January 1, "regular decision applicants must complete all SAT testing by the December test date. All ACT testing must be completed by the December test date." Stanford For the regular admission deadline on January 2, Stanford's last test date is in December for both the ACT and SAT. University of Pennsylvania According to Penn's admissions website, the regular decision deadline is January 5, meaning the last test dates accepted are those in December for both the SAT and ACT. Vanderbilt Vanderbilt's website states the following: "For students applying under Early Decision II or Regular Decision (submission deadline January 1), the last opportunity to take the exam is the December administration" (emphasis mine). Washington University in Saint Louis "The last test date accepted will be the December testing," writes the WUSTL website. So at the latest, you can take the December SAT or ACT for Regular Decision (deadline January 2), or the October SAT or ACT for Early Decision (deadline November 1). Williams College You have to take the ACT or SAT by December for it to be added to your file at Williams in time for the January 1 regular decision deadline. These next schools let you take an even later test- the February ACT! Schools That Accept Testing Through February Some top schools have even later testing deadlines and will accept the early February ACT. Again, these schools are in the minority, so do your best to complete your testing much earlier than February of your senior year! Columbia According to the Columbia Admissions FAQ, "Scores for February tests can be provided in time for consideration. Testing taken after February cannot be considered." Note that although the regular application deadline is January 1, Columbia is willing to accept scores from as late as February. University of Chicago UChicago says that it will accept January SAT scores and February ACT scores. However, since there is no longer a January SAT test date (it was replaced by the August date), your last possible SAT test date is actually the one in December. You'll still have the February ACT, though. The deadline for regular decision is January 2. Yale The last testing dates Yale will accept are the December SAT and the February ACT. Applications for regular decision are due by January 2. How to Look Up the Last ACT/SAT Date for Any School We couldn't include the final SAT/ACT date for every single college in the country! Use this guide to learn how to look this info up anywhere you're applying. First, search "[School Name] regular decision deadline" on Google. I'm searching for Wellesley College's last possible SAT and ACT dates. The first link, "Decision Plans and Deadlines," looks promising, so I'll start there. This search should pull up the page on the school's admissions site with regular decision dates and deadlines. The admissions page will typically list the last SAT/ACT dates a school will accept for consideration. For Wellesley, the first link I found led to the following page with info about regular decision dates and deadlines, including for standardized tests: For the regular decision deadline of January 15, Wellesley lists the last possible test dates for the SAT or ACT as "December of your senior year." If you're looking up a school and can't find a deadline page that lists SAT/ACT dates, check its FAQ page- there's often a question there about SAT/ACT testing. Look for questions such as "When is the latest I can take the SAT/ACT?" and "How long does it take for SAT/ACT scores to arrive?" If there's no info about the last ACT/SAT dates on either your school's deadlines page or FAQ page (which is unlikely!), call the admissions office and ask about the last test date you can sign up for if applying regular decision. Key Takeaways: The Last Test Dates for Regular Admissions Most schools have regular decision admissions deadlines on or around January 1. These deadlines vary slightly depending on the school and can be as early as mid-December or as late as mid-January. As a result, usually your absolute last chance to take the SAT or ACT is in December; however, it's advisable to opt for an earlier test date, if possible. If you decide to take the December test, be sure to choose your score recipients as you register for the test. This ensures that your scores will arrive at your schools before the January deadline. While results from a December test should arrive in time, it's best to take the SAT/ACT as early as possible- typically starting in the fall of your junior year. This way you have plenty of time to retake the test should you want to get a higher score. What's Next? Read more about optimizing your ACT and SAT test dates for your senior fall schedule. How high does your ACT/SAT score need to be for your top school? Find out what number you should be aiming for to make sure you're on track for admission. Still have to make serious changes to improve your SAT/ACT scores? Get top strategies for each section with our individualized guides to SAT Reading, Writing, and Math, as well as ACT English, Math, Reading, and Science. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT and ACT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160+ points or your ACT score by 4+ points. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Summary Analysis about Cape Verde Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Summary Analysis about Cape Verde - Essay Example Cape Verde is a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). As a result of all the mentioned factors, there has been increased tourism, American and European trade, and investment in Cape Verde in recent years. The Cape Verde government is happy with the nation’s development, and it has therefore taken the initiative to further develop the economy of Cap Verde. After a lot of evaluation and consultation, the government decided that establishment of an aviation hub in Cape Verde will lead in the attainment of further economic development. The government chose Dubai as a blueprint for their undertaking. The project is a long-term plan that will be executed in three phases. The first phase will involve investment of 310 million Euros and generation of 15,000 new construction jobs (â€Å"Dubai International Airport,† ameinfo.com).The second phase will involve the development of a fully operational airline and airp ort, while the third phase will involve investment of an additional 3billion Euros (â€Å"Dubai International Airport,† ameinfo.com) to ensure the creation of a consumer centered and commercially oriented strategic aviation hub. The establishment of an aviation hub similar ton Dubai in Cape Verde is a viable project. This is because it will promote trade, tourism, hospitality, and travel, which are the key sectors that drive growth in Cape Verde. The competitiveness of Cape Verde’s economy will also be enhanced, foreign direct investment will be enhanced, local companies in Cape Verde will be integrated into the global business community, and more jobs will be create. The establishment of an aviation hub in Cape Verde will have a great effect on the economy of Cape Verde and Africa in general. 2. Chinese Ambassador says that Cape Verde may get Chinese-African Trade Zone Beijing authorities plan to establish six special trade areas in Africa. According to a speech by Su n Rongmao, who is the Chinese ambassador to Cape Verde; Cape Verde may be selected as one of the six special trade areas. Sun supports the selection of Cape Verde due to its strategic geographical location. Sun added that he, together with the Chinese Embassy in Cape Verde were making great efforts to ensure that the Chinese government selects Cape Verde among the six trade areas. However, the decision by the Chinese government would depend on a number of other factors such as Cape Verde’s links to other African nations and the nation’s infrastructure. Jorge Borges, the foreign minister of Cape Verde emphasized on Cape Verde’s interest to Beijing authorities in holding the special trade area. He also emphasized on the nation’s strategic geographical location between Europe and the Americas, social stability, and the peace that abounds, making it favorable for economic undertakings. The support of Cape Verde’s selection as an African Economic Zone b y the Chinese ambassador and the Chinese Embassy in Cape Verde is a great step in the attainment of Cape Verde’ s economic goals. Cape Verde’s interest in becoming an African Economic Zone is also a considerable factor. Another advantage comes from the fact that the nation’s geographical location is no doubt strategic and will promote businesses in Africa, Europe, and the

Position paper on capital punishment Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Position on capital punishment - Research Paper Example Some believe that it is a good way to punish serious criminals such as murderers, while others consider it unethical and immoral. Personally, capital punishment is right and should never be abolished, especially for certain horrid crimes such as murder. The main aim of this essay is to give readers some facts about capital punishment, and convince them that it is right and should be practiced as punishment for horrid crimes. Capital punishment is sometimes referred to as execution, the death sentence, or the death penalty. All these terms refer to a legal process whereby the state puts an individual to death to serve as a punishment, usually for a crime of high magnitude, committed by that individual (Mandery, 2005). Crimes that can lead to capital punishments are usually very serious crimes and are usually referred to as capital offences or capital crimes. The term capital has its origin in the Latin word ‘capitalis’, which literally refers to execution through beheading. Many societies have been practicing capital punishment for many years in the past (Rita & Blaskovich, 2007). Governments have been using it to execute political opponents and criminals with the aim of suppressing political dissent and punishing serious crimes. In most places where capital punishment was practiced, it was usually reserved for crimes such as military injustices, political crimes, treason, espionage, and mur der. In other countries, capital punishment was used to punish sexual crimes that included sodomy, incest, adultery, and rape. Capital punishment was also used to punish religious crimes, for example, apostasy in Islamic countries. In other countries, any crime that was considered a capital offence was punishable through capital punishment. Such crimes include drug trafficking, and human trafficking or corruption in China (McCafferty, 2010). Formal execution (capital punishment) dates back to the start of recorded

Tourism in Antarctica Essay Example for Free

Tourism in Antarctica Essay Oil spills, although reasonably infrequent, are major threats to nearby wildlife. Increased tourism is also bringing about the invasion of alien species and spores into Antarctica, and although species such as the Mediterranean mussel will not be able to thrive on the ice shelf due to the temperatures, they can prove to be a threat to the marine wildlife when growing on ship hulls. Most tourists to Antarctica have flown to southern areas such as Punta Arenas in Chile or New Zealand. The pollution created by these long-distance flights is considerable and contributes to global warming. In addition to this, as global warming melts away floating ice sheets on the water, there will be space for larger ships to arrive, resulting in more tourists, and an increase in the issues aforementioned. Furthermore, there are the issues which are prevalent in all tourist destinations, such as litter, sewage, and overcrowding. What is being done to minimise the impact of tourism? All 100+ tour operators in Antarctica are members of IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators), which urges tour operators to be environmentally-friendly, and to urge their clients to also do so. Tourism is very much legal and acceptable in Antarctica, and it is only the scale of this which needs to be controlled. SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest), such as Bird Island on South Georgia are laid out beforehand, and tourists are not allowed to visit these, in order to preserve wildlife and certain habitats. In order to partake in any activities on the island, a permit is required, so that this can be regulated. Ships landing in Antarctica cannot be carrying more than 500 people, with only 100 being allowed to disembark at once and ships carrying heavy fuel oil (normally large passenger ships) are not allowed to enter Antarctic waters. The number of cruise vessels at any one site in the Antarctic has been limited to 40, and only one ship is allowed to land at each site at once. In addition to this, no waste or litter is to be left at the tourist sites, tourists are not allowed to walk on the lichens or moss and no tourist is allowed to go within 5 metres of an animal. All tour guides are officially trained and are experienced scientific personnel who have been involved in research in Antarctica. Waste disposal is tightly regulated, with prohibitions of the dumping of waste anywhere in the Antarctic continent, with ships now having purpose-built waste containment facilities. This shows how sustainable tourism in Antarctica is a high priority, and how there are many measures taken to minimise the negative impacts of tourism. Although these measures are effective now, it is unknown whether they will stay in place in the future, and if Antarctica will retain its title as the ‘World’s last true wilderness’ for much longer.

Reincarnation Essay examples -- Law of Karma Papers

Reincarnation I suppose in the world, today, there are really three approaches to the idea of reincarnation. A two-fold one in the West, where the idea itself is almost non-existent, either a belief in the transmigration of souls - that you could be a human being in one life and an animal in the next, and therefore that there is great danger in swiping flies and treading on ants because it could be your grandmother -- or simply an interest in past lives. That is almost the sole interest in the concept of rebirth in the West. In the East, broadly speaking, people do believe in reincarnation and, correctly, in relation to the Law of Karma. Unfortunately, even in the East, the Law of Karma is seen from an erroneous point of view. Of course, here and there, both in East and West, there is a correct interpretation and approach to the idea of rebirth, and its close connection with the Law of Action and Reaction, Cause and Effect. In the Orient, most people believing in the Law of Karma accept that they are who and where they are because of their actions in a previous life, which is true; but, unfortunately, they think they can do nothing about changing their particular situation, which is not true. In the West, we tend to think that we are totally in control of our destiny, which we are to some extent, but that there is no greater law governing our destiny, which is not true. The Westerner tends to reject the idea of a future life. It is an idea which is only just beginning to engage people's minds. If he thinks about it at all, he really thinks about it in terms of: If I have a future life, I must have had a past life; and if I had a past life it is interesting to know w... ...ally artificial and man-made. The poverty, the squalor, the degradation and the misery of people in the Third World is not necessary, it is not a result of karma, but of our greed. And we have the major responsibility to help them change these conditions and enter true living. People think of karma as always from the past life, but what about yesterday's karma, or the day before, last week's, last month's karma? It is this succession of moments of action and reaction which today we are coping with, which tomorrow and in our next life we will cope with. Until we come into right relationship with each other and with the whole of which we are a part, we will go on making bad karma. It is more important, more useful, to realize the benefit of right relationship, thus handling the Laws of Karma and Rebirth correctly, than to know our past lives.

Early Childhood Education: Child Protection Essay

Every child has the right to a full and productive life. Under the national framework for Protecting Australia’s Children (2009), protecting children is everyone’s responsibility: Parents, communities, governments and businesses all have a role to play. Children’s services have an important part to play in protecting children who may be at risk of harm or illness. Educators have a duty of care to protect and preserve the safety, health and wellbeing of all children in their care and must always act in their best interests. Policies have been developed at a local, state and federal level to provide a foundation for improving and maintaining the safety and wellbeing of Australia’s young people. The purpose of this report is to analyse six of these policies effectively fostering children’s wellness at a physical and emotional level. The policies have been sourced from, and are underpinned by the following policies and legislation: ? A local early childhood kindergarten and long day care centre service policies ? The Children, Youth and Families Act (2005) ?National framework for Protecting Australia’s Children (2009) ? The Children’s Services Act (1996) ?Aboriginal Cultural Competence Framework (2008) Values that underpin these policies: Each of the six policies selected specifically addresses educator interest and is a key facet of the service, state and federal policy and legislation. Collectively the policies attend to and interpret issues of children’s safety, stability and development. In other words, when policy development was occurring due consideration and value was given to child safety, stability of relationships in a stable environment, child development, and child health and wellbeing. These dimensions of safety, stability, development and wellbeing are understood in the context of whom the child is; that is their age and stage, identity and their culture. These elements concerning the identity of the child are fundamental to two of the six policies. The Aboriginal Cultural Competence Framework and ‘Day and Nights childcare and Kindergarten (DNCK)’ service Diversity and Equity policy reflect a strong sense of social justice, fairness and equity, and furthermore are free from prejudice. They both value the child as a whole, advocating for all children’s rights. It is not a question of being ‘politically correct’ but rather respecting the unique identity of each and every child. Similarly part 1. 2- principles ‘The decision makers to have regard to principles’ of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, place significant value to protecting and promoting the cultural and spiritual identity of children, and whenever possible, maintaining and building children’s connections to their family and community. As advocated for in the ‘Early years Learning Framework’, knowing where and with whom you belong (identity, stability, and wellbeing) is integral to human existence (2009). Focusing more on children’s wellbeing, that is the child’s physical and emotional wellbeing, the DNCK ‘Child protection policy’ and the ‘Child protection policy’ sourced from Protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people, reinforce and emphasise that all children need stable, sensitive, simulating relationships and environments in order to reach their full potential. The nucleus of both policies is the child and in order to see to the needs of the child each policy has placed a well-founded and substantial value on the role of educators, stating â€Å"the role of staff member in children’s services is to protect, nurture, recognise and support the needs of children in their care† (Protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people, 2010, p19). Educators have an ethical responsibility and a duty of care to see that this is done. Furthermore qualified teachers (Degree qualified or higher) are mandated, therefore are legally responsible for the care and protection of children within their care. In addition to this, Part 4- Operation of children’s services of the Children’s Services Act 1996, places an emphasis on the protection of children from hazards within the service. Legislators again place value on the role of the educator, stating, quite strongly that â€Å"Staff members of a children’s service must ensure that every reasonable precaution is taken to protect a child†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Children’s Services Act, 1996, p27) Though the previous two policies had provisions for the emotional wellbeing of the child, this policy places equal value to the physical wellbeing of the child. What precipitated the development of the policy? Australia began to acknowledge the existence of child protection issues during the 1960’s, which led to legislative reform and Australia signing the ‘United Nations Declaration of the rights of the child’ in 1981 (McCallum, 2002). In recent years there has been an increased awareness of child protection emerging from increased incidents of child harm and abuse and intensified research. During this time, policy makers and service providers have developed a greater understanding of children’s needs and have come together to bring us our current policies. Further investigation into the development of each of the six child safety/protection policies; found that they are manifestations of each other. For instance without the Children’s Services Act 1996 and the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, the DNCK child protection policy would not have been developed as now services have a legal responsibility to have current and relevant policies within their service. Moreover without the Aboriginal Cultural Competence Framework the DNCK diversity and Equity policy would as not have been developed to such a high standard. Who benefits/ who is disadvantaged? It is quite evident who is benefited from these policies. These mainstream children’s services approaches and policies emphasise children within a holistic and ecological framework. The holistic approach means looking at the whole child, that is, their identity, culture, community, age, development; all areas within the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. The holistic approach also implies that educators will have a community-focused and strength-based understanding of children’s welfare that necessitates previous attempts at early childhood education. In addition to this with a greater understanding to the importance of culture to a child’s identity, the Aboriginal Cultural Competence Framework has provided a source where the dynamics of cultural connection can be explored. This benefits all children, including Aboriginal children and the broader community, as it represents children’s cultural needs in the following way. Children’s cultural needs are: Cultural Expression and Events Language, cultural values, lore, beliefs and practices Country Extended family, clan and community History. Symbolic (Aboriginal Cultural Framework, 2008, p19) It is important to note that because of these six policies an increase of awareness of the needs of the child has been developed, and as such children have: ? Freedom from hunger and have protection from diseases ?The rights to an identity and to preserve such an identity ? The right to equal treatment regardless of gender, race or cultural background ? The right to safe exposure to leisure, play, culture and art ? Freedom from violence, abuse and neglect ?The rights to culturally competent practice When asked if anyone would be disadvantaged by the implementation of these policies, the immediate response would have been no. Upon critical investigation, it was found that the educators themselves may feel disadvantaged. Though there is no provision for this within the policies, it is strongly implied that the implementation of each policy at a service level would need to be done by the children’s carers and educators. This may expand workloads, increase the need for professional development and training, and compel educators into uncomfortable situations (e.g. , having to call protective services on a family they like). The applicability for rural setting Due to the nature of the six policies, regardless of where the service is, each would be applicable for a rural setting. All children’s services must comply with the Children’s Services Act 1996, and the Children’s Services Regulations. The primary objective of this legislation is that children are safe and that their developmental needs are met when being cared for and educated in a licensed children’s service. The Act provides for the monitoring, licensing and regulation of children’s services in Victoria, where a licensee fails to meet their legislative obligations there a range of statutory actions that may be taken by the Department (DEECD, 2010). Encouragingly the Department has a number of initiatives to support children’s services meet the requirements of the Act and the Regulations. Small capital grants and resource kits are available to assist services. Furthermore professional development will soon be delivered across Victoria on the Early Years Framework. Until the transition into the framework all children’s services will continue to be regulated by the Children’s Services Act and the Children’s Services Regulations (DEECD, 2010). Conclusion: Every child has the right to a full and productive life. The Aboriginal Cultural Framework, The service Diversity and Equity policy, The Children, Youth and Families Act, the service Child Protection Policy, the child protection policy sourced from Protecting the safety and Wellbeing of Children and Young People, and the Children’s Services Act, ensures that this will happen. It has been identified that children’s services have an important part to play in protecting children who may be at risk of harm or illness. Under these frameworks, protection for children’s safety and wellbeing will one day become a natural procedure for educators. Key policy makers have attempted to make certain that educator’s roles and responsibilities are well defined ensuring that this may happen. Overall each of the six policies makes provisions for children’s welfare, children’s identity, children’s wellbeing, children’s safety, children’s culture and stability. These are central concepts to Belonging, Being and Becoming, which will soon become the regulatory body for children’s services across Australia. References: †¢Murphy, M. (2011). Bacchus Marsh Childcare and Kindergarten service policies. Bacchus Marsh: Victoria. †¢Department of Education and Early Childhood Development & Department of human Services. (2010). Protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. Melbourne. †¢Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2010). Publication of information. Fact sheet. Sourced 10/4/2011 www. education. vic. gov. au/escmanagement/licensedchildservices †¢Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2010). Regulations update. Children’s Services. Issue 2. Sourced 10/4/2011 http://www/eduweb. vic. gov. au/edulibrary/public/earlychildhoodregulations/regupdateapril10. pdf †¢McCallum, F. (2002). Law, Policy, Practice: Is it working for teachers in child protection. University of South Australia †¢Victorian Government Department of Human Services. (2008). Aboriginal Cultural Competence Framework. Melbourne: Vic †¢Victorian Government. (2005). Children, Youth and Families Act 2005.