Communication is not just how individuals talk to each other. It's listening, what your body language says and the response you receive. That is, it is a two-way interaction, based on respect and valorization of the different points of view offered. It is through the use of effective communication that individuals establish relationships with those around them. Relationships have been shown to provide children with the needs necessary to shape their behavior in later years. According to Cheatham (2009, p.6), offering numerous opportunities for communication, both verbal and non-verbal, encourages the development of more functional skills. Therefore communication becomes the most important skill an early childhood educator can acquire, consequently encouraging children's development socially, emotionally and academically through positive relationships built on effective communication with parents, colleagues and the community. Due to changing times, more and more children are now in some sort of care, be it long-term daycare, family daycare or with grandparents. There were 869,770 children benefiting from enhanced childcare in the June 2010 quarter, up 8.7% on the June 2009 quarter. This is almost one in four children aged 0 to 12 year old attending child care (Care for Kids, 2010). This means that early childhood educators care for 7% of all children under the age of one and 54% of all children under the age of three (Care for kids, 2010). Research has shown that this is the period when children develop most rapidly, so they need a caregiver who can communicate appropriately and accurately to meet their needs. A research paper from the Council of Australian Governments (Australian Government Department of Education.... middle of paper ......93) Body language for competent teachers. (p.8) New York, NY: Routledge National Science Council on Child Development. (2004). Young children develop in an environment of relationships. Working document no. 1. Retrieved from http://www.developingchild.netOutreach & Extension; University of Missouri Columbia (2003). Child Development - Communicate effectively with children. MU Extension, University of Missouri-Columbia. Retrieved from http://muextension.missouri.edu/explorePorter, Louise. (n.d.). Teacher-parent collaboration: from early childhood to adolescence. Communication skills Camberwell, Vic.: ACER Press, 2008: 41-54. Smith, A. A. & Hubbard, P. M. (1988). The relationship between parent/staff communication and children's behavior in early childhood settings. Early Childhood Development and Care, 35(1), 13-28. doi:10.1080/0300443880350103