Parent Information

About Our Centres
Rooms, Routines and Programs
Wait List, Enrolments, Starting Care
Communication
- Sharing Information
Administration
- Child Care Benefit (CCB)
- Child Care Rebate

Policies and Procedures

About Our Centres

Open Door Policy

Our centre has an “open door” policy as follows:

Our centre is open at all times for families to drop in; you don't need to ring and tell us you are coming - you are welcome at any time.
Please come and join in our programs - your participation is welcomed.
Entry by you at any time is your guarantee of continuing quality to our work practices and protection of staff and management reputation.
Never feel there is a question you can't ask.
Do come and visit us at any time.
Our centre is proud of the care we provide.
Our staff are qualified, trained, experienced, dedicated and talented.
Rather than take our word for it...

SEE FOR YOURSELF – COME AND VISIT US

smiling_girl

Security

Access to our centre is by use of a swipe card obtained at the time of enrolment or through the use of our intercom system. We believe security is essential to allow families to have peace of mind. We remind families of the importance of this security and your card should be kept in a safe location at all times. Security systems are kept secure by their users.

Staffing

At HeadStart we recognise our staff as a critical factor in providing quality and consistency in the care and education of children.

Staff turnover and dissatisfaction rates are typical across the Early Childhood industry. At HeadStart we have implemented a number of initiatives and practices to contend with this situation including:

Extensive orientation process
Support and training through in house training and external courses
Centre equipped with play materials to higher levels then experienced at many other centres or recommended by DoCS
Environments with spaces designed for both children and adults
Contract cleaners – staff not required to do daily cleaning
Staff incentive scheme – to reward staff for their dedication
Management support with dedicated non Teaching Director and General Manager
Staff recognition through monthly and annual awards
Regular performance reviews and satisfaction surveys in order to recognise and address issues affecting staff in a timely manner

Our staffing structure at HeadStart provides the following advantages:

Each room has consistent staff – this allows your child to build relationships with a small number of adults
It reduces staff turnover (through in house training, incentives scheme, work environments, organisational culture and staff feedback)
It provides opportunities for staff to progress in their careers
Dedicated Non-teaching Director, Room Leaders and a full time cook
Staffing ratios at HeadStart exceed the licensing requirements as set out by the Department of Community Services through the Children's Services Regulations 2004

We employ a range of qualified staff from:

University trained teachers with a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)
TAFE trainedgraduates with a Diploma of Community Services (Children's Services)
Our Child care workers hold a Certificate III in Children's Services
We endevour to build a balanced team from a variaty of backgrounds, experiences and qualifications
Trainees work under the close supervision of our Centre Director and Room Leaders. Traineeships support staff in commencing their careers in an environment which supports best practices; a good start for their future.

Our staff has knowledge, training and experience in early childhood education and care. The staff works as a team and are committed to making your child's day happy, safe and educationally stimulating.

All our staff members are screened through a Working with Children Check carried out by the Commission for Young Children.

Our staff rosters are varied to ensure continuety of programs. This staffing arrangement has benefits for children, families and staff:

children spend their whole day with the same staff
staff are aware of how each child's day has started
parents can exchange information in the morning and afternoon with the same staff member
the adult to child ratio is at a higher level for longer periods each day

HeadStart's staffing philosophy is to provide the best working conditions for our staff, who in turn provide the best care and education for your children.

Casual Staff

Our staffing policy, rosters and procedures reduce the level of casual staff to ensure continuity for your children. Casual staff are only employed when necessary to ensure we maintain adult: child ratios.

Students and Trainees

Students from Universities, TAFE Colleges, school work experience and Job Start Programs may participate in our programs at the centre, as a requirement of their studies. Students use their time at the centre to extend and develop their skills.

HeadStart supports the training of students and employment of trainees to extend and develop their knowledge and skills. HeadStart views this support in providing positive experiences for students and trainees as our contribution to the development of staff in the Early Childhood Field.

Volunteers

Volunteers are welcome at the centre and the Director ensures their suitability prior to their placement.

If you or someone you know would like to come to the centre as a volunteer please talk to the Director.

Quality Improvement and Assurance System

HeadStart Early Learning Centres support the National Childcare Accreditation Council in its endeavours to ensure Quality Care and Education for all children.

The goal of the QIAS is to help families and centres improve the quality of education and care for all children. In order to offer families Child Care Benefits, day care centres must register for QIAS and follow the guidelines towards achieving high quality childcare. This process is underpinned by seven Quality Areas, each of which defines a particular aspect of care.

The seven Quality Areas are:

Staff Relationships with Children and Peers
Partnerships with Families
Programming and Evaluation
Children's Experiences and Learning
Protective Care and Safety
Health Nutrition & Wellbeing
Managing to Support Quality

Staff encourage all families to be involved throughout the process of accreditation and improvement and maintenance of quality practices.

Rooms, Routines and Programs

Room Details and Transitions

Each room caters for selected age brackets to ensure all children are in groups where the program and resources best suit their development and learning.

When it is appropriate to move to an older age group, the centre will consult with families to ensure the transition process is stress free for both the child and family. The decision to move a child to the next room is based on the individual child's development and their current friendships

Children “visit” their new room for a short play and gradually the length of their “play visits” are increased as the staff observe the child's reactions. Parents will be given feedback on how the transition is progressing and when their child will start in the new room.

As the year passes, the average age of each group of children obviously increases. As this occurs the staff in the room ensures the program they are providing is appropriate for this age group of children.

Daily Routine

The daily routines (or flow of the day) vary significantly depending on the ages of the children in each room, the weather and seasons, even the dynamics of individual groups of children. At various time throughout the day activities will include:

Indoor play
Outdoor play
Art and craft activities
Music activities
Language and story times
Meal and snack times
Nappy changing and toileting
Sleep and quiet times

Daily routines for our babies and toddlers are of course individual. Their feeding and sleeping schedules and times to play will be recorded on the daily feedback sheets available for your collection at the end of the day. You will find more specific details of the daily routine in each room displayed on the noticeboard near the sign in sheets.

Educational Programs

Our balanced programs encourage children to participate in activities at their own developmental level to further enhance their skills. Opportunities to practice and reinforce existing skills through participation in new and exciting play are provided throughout the day. Learning experiences are planned based on observations taken as well as communication with families, taking into account children's current interests.

In our 0-2's there is an emphasis on exploration in a safe and caring environment;

You Will See:	Why?
Spacious rooms with soft spaces where babies can relax on large pillows and cuddly rugs	Babies need a space that is soft and comforting
Toys which are varied in textures, colours and shapes	Babies need a range of materials which stimulate, sooth and relax
Adults responding to babies cries and coos	Babies develop a sense of trust and self-esteem when adults respond to their needs - they learn they are important and worthy individuals

In our 2-3's, there is a balance between exploration and discovery along with specific learning outcomes

You Will See:	Why?
Activities for dramatic play, blocks, art, books, dough, drawing making choices is an important skill for children to learn.	Clearly defined activities assist toddlers in making their choice
Materials that vary in complexity e.g. puzzles with varying number of pieces, play dough with utensils	Toddlers should experience success and be sufficiently challenged to learn new skills and concepts
Noisy play such as blocks and home corner located away from reading and drawing areas	Toddlers are better able to focus on their play and are less distracted
Sufficient times for routines such as eating, toileting, tidying the room	Routines are important learning times and toddlers should not be rushed through these times of the day

In our 3-5's there is a balance of play and fun with literacy and numeracy as they learn skills to assist them in the transition to a school environment

You Will See:	Why?
Clearly defined activity centres that accommodate two to five children	Preschoolers work best in small groups where they learn to relate to others, establish friendships and solve problems together
Children meaningfully involved in transitions such as setting the lunch table, tidying home corner	Learning takes place when children have a chance to try out their ideas and see the results of their actions; allowing for their development and responsibility for their environment - eventually their classroom
Children engaged in activities that enable them to represent their ideas e.g. art, telling stories, dramatic and block play	In representing their ideas children are learning to think abstractly and preparing for reading. In order to read, children must first understand that words represent ideas
Opportunities for reading and writing e.g. a range of story books, staff reading stories in both group and free play, use of charts, written language displayed at child's level, access to word cards, story CD's to listen to, writing and drawing materials always available	Children will be motivated to read and write if they understand words have meaning. Teachers guide and facilitate preschooler's learning by responding to their ideas and suggestions

Each learning experience based on play is to support the child's development in the following areas:

Social Development • playing together co-operatively • respecting others point of view • growth of self esteem and self awareness • accepting limits for appropriate behaviours and interactions • self confidence • developing self help skills	Intellectual Development • Problem solving and decision making • Thought processes to match, sort, classify, sequence • Apply reason, predict, ask and answer questions
Physical Development • Develop and extend gross motor (large muscles) skills – jumping, running, climbing, catching, throwing, music, movement and balance • Develop and extend fine motor (small muscles) skills – drawing, cutting, threading, painting	Emotional Development • Understanding their own strengths and talents • Understanding their own feelings • Early development of peer relationships • Understanding of responsibilities
Language Development • Development and extension of vocabulary • Participating in group time activities • Story telling • Recognition of the components of language and print • Foster reading and writing skills

Girl Painting Children learn most readily through their interactions with the physical and social environment. Our program seeks to help children understand the environments that continually influence their lives. Children also vary greatly in their needs and wants according to their stage of development. We recognise and cater for these needs so that your child can develop to their full potential.

The weekly program incorporates educational objectives, consideration for the individual child's strengths and interests within the contexts of a group and covers all areas of the child's development; fine motor, gross motor, cognitive, social, emotional and language.

We encourage the children to be independent by being responsible for their own actions, co-operating with peers and staff and making their own choices between activities offered.
Each child will be treated as an equal participant of our society. Therefore, children will be taught to respect differences in cultures, using books, music, songs, cooking activities, craft, multicultural dolls, multicultural jigsaws, etc.

Children with additional needs face a greater challenge in learning and social environments. The program will provide opportunities for children with additional needs to be involved in a mainstream program, as well as obtain the advantages of an individualised program.

Meals

HeadStart employs a full time cook who holds qualifications in Nutrition, Menu Planning and Safe Food Handling. All our snacks and meals are freshly prepared in our own fully equipped kitchen.

We use only quality ingredients; lean meats and chicken, fresh vegetables and fruits. We do not use frozen, packaged meals which are re-heated.

The centre provides breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and a late snack. We recognise that children's likes are different to adults and our menus are specifically designed to reflect children's food preferences, providing child friendly foods. In addition to taking children's likes and dislikes into account, our menu is designed to meet 70% of children's total daily nutritional requirements.

Our menus are on display in the front foyer as well as a chart in each room informing you of what your child has eaten for the day. We are always keen to get your feedback on our menu.

Both water and milk are served at various times throughout the day. The centre does not permit babies and toddlers to have sweetened drinks in their bottles or training cups and seeks family's support in developing good eating and drinking habits for all children.

Specific dietary requirements can be discussed with the centre at enrolment. Details for each child are recorded on a whiteboard in the kitchen – please ensure any changes are advised to the staff.

Wait List, Enrolments, Starting Care

Waiting List

A waiting list is kept in order of the date of application and is updated regularly. We suggest families contact the centre 6 to 8 weeks prior to their required start date to confirm a placement.

Vacancies occur in our centre for a range of reasons; families moving house/workplace, children moving to an older room, children starting school, changes in child care requirements. So stay in contact with us; we will always endeavour to meet your requirements for care.

Enrolments are offered according to the Priority of Access Guidelines set by the Department of Community Services. Details are on the Wait List form.

Enrolling Your Child

When you enrol your child you will be given an Enrolment pack from HeadStart which will contain a number of forms and information. We have a continuing enrolment process rather than starting all our new children on the same day.

You will be asked to return the completed forms, pay a two week bond and confirm times for orientation visits. There are a number of legal requirements to this process, but more importantly, it gives HeadStart the opportunity to start building a relationship with you and your child. At any time, but especially when you are starting Child Care, please ask many questions. By helping us understand your concerns, you'll be helping us help you and your child. We know it is important for families to feel secure and confident in the decision they have made – and it's important for us too!

Orientation Visits

We encourage all parents to visit the centre at least once - twice is preferred - for orientation visits. The visit:

lasts about 1 hour
gives parents a chance to meet the room staff
provides an opportunity to discuss important details about their child
allows children to explore their new environment with their parent's support
allows staff start to establish a relationship with the child
allows parents the opportunity to see how children are playing and what action staff take to support their play and learning
shows how our daily routines naturally flow through the day

What Parents Should Expect in Group Care

Caring for children in groups has many benefits and some limitations for families. For some families other types of care may be more appropriate. Before you make your decision, ask lots of questions and spend some time in our centre – we want to support parents in their choice of care for their child. Things you should be aware of and expect include:

Children are in happy, friendly, relaxed environments
Their development, growth and learning is supported by an experienced team of staff who genuinely enjoy their days with children
There are lots of routines and procedures – all of which are there to ensure quality care, education and safety of children
Accidents are common in young children in all settings. Sometimes, some babies and toddlers do bite their peers
The spread of germs and infections is a higher risk once children start to mix with peers outside of their home environment
Each room in our centre works as a mini team – so even if your favourite staff member leaves, both you and your child will have other staff with whom you have built a relationship
There is flexibility in our routines to meet individual needs, but we do not run individual programs and routines

At HeadStart Early Learning Centre we have an ongoing commitment to supporting families in their child care choices.

Tips to Help Settle Into Care

Starting child care is a new experience for families and children. Like all new experiences in life, they can be exciting, but often leave us a little worried and anxious. Most children need between 4 to 6 weeks to settle into their new surroundings. So we hope these helpful tips might just make this transition a little less stressful:

Every child and family are individual - so lots of patience is needed
Attend at least one, hopefully two orientation visits with your child
Organise your Kindy bag the night before
For the first three weeks keep days as short as possible
Don't leave home in a rush – make sure you have time to change your child's nappy on arrival, talk with staff, write information specific for your child onto their Daily Routine page. For older children spend some time reading a book or doing a puzzle
Always say good bye - tell them you will be back in the afternoon
Ask the staff about anything – no matter how small it might seem
Call us as many times as you like – we know how reassuring this is
Be positive when talking about day care
When you arrive in the afternoon give your child a big cuddle before you worry about their daily routines. Tell them you have missed them and that you love them
Encourage your child to wave good-bye to their carers and say we'll see you tomorrow
On your journey home, talk about what you did today, about their day and what's going to happen when they get home

It takes time and trust to build relationships so let's make sure we have lots of both. And of course, call us, make an appointment, whatever it takes; just ask questions so you don't go home and worry.

What to Do Each Day

On arrival sign your child into the attendance register
Say hello to at least one staff member
Change their nappy, wash their hands and wipe down the change mat - or take them to the toilet (for older children)
Write their routine into the Daily Routine Folder
Put milk bottle in the fridge in the correct time containers
Hand any medication and nappy creams to a staff member and fill in appropriate forms
Put fruit in basket
Check for notices in the Communication Basket from staff
Leave a notice in the Communication Basket for staff, if required
Return completed survey or other forms
Play with your child before you say good-bye
Ring us during the day if there is anything you are unsure about or would like to know how your child's day is going
Arrive at the centre no later than 15 minutes before our close time
Say hello to your child
Talk to the staff about their day
Change your child's nappy before going home
Collect your copy of the daily routine sheet
Collect bottles, dummies, favourite cuddly toy, clothing
Check the lost property basket – it's always full of surprises
Check for notices in the Communication basket from staff
Leave a notice in the Communication basket for staff
Sign your child out
Say good bye and have a nice evening at home with your child

What to Bring Each Day

How many times do we say – if only we were more organized! Here's a list to help you – don't forget you can involve your child in this too:

changes of clothing, dummies
bottles with formula made up
one special cuddly toy
cot size fitted sheet set and blanket
piece of fruit to share with my friends
hat for outdoor play

Remember, no medications, creams or food to be left in your child's bag – they are all hazards; choking, poisoning and anaphylactic shock are all real threats to children's safety.

Communication

Sharing Information

Communicating information is vital to establishing a trusting and caring relationship with our families. At HeadStart we make it simple and practical for information to be readily exchanged

Feedback on the daily routines, programs and your child's development

We use a variety of methods to help families know what's going on:

daily slide shows on the computer – photos of your children playing and learning with their friends
daily diary in each room – information written up by staff each day as a brief overview of the day
displays on noticeboards of children's play and learning
child profiles distributed yearly and ongoing individual Portfolios which are available for you to read and also write information about your child

Family participation in our program

Families are encouraged to participate in our programs by:

sharing their skills and time within the rooms
making suggestions to be incorporated into the program
providing feedback specifically about their child
providing feedback about the program in their child's room
providing feedback about the centre through surveys

Information and Parent Evenings

HeadStart Early Learning Centre organises a number of evenings throughout the year where parents are invited to participate in sessions where a guest speaker or our Director leads a discussion on various topics. These can include: Speech Development, Occupational Therapy, Health and Nutrition, Child Development, Early Literacy and Numeracy Development, Transition to School Programs, Parenting Skills.

The purpose of these evenings is to provide parents with information and the opportunity to share and discuss their experiences. They are not to discuss individual children, but general information about children.

These informal evenings allow parents to meet and exchange ideas – enjoyed with light refreshment.

Administration

Child Care Benefit (CCB)

Child Care Benefit (fee relief) and Childcare Tax Rebate is available. Now your child is starting Child Care you need to make sure you register for Child Care Benefits. The telephone number for the Family Assistance Office number is 13 61 50

Calculating your daily fee is done by a formula set by the Family Assistance Office. The FAO will advise you by letter what your CCB percentage is based on their scheduled daily fee for child care. It's similar to the Medicare system – there is a schedule fee and then the actual fee.

Our administration staff can give you an estimate of what your actual daily fee will be, if you know your Child Care Benefit percentage.

Child Care Rebate

Families should contact their tax agent or the Australian Tax Office for details of the new 50% Child Care Tax Rebate. The centre will issue yearly receipt statements for this purpose.

Policies and Procedures

In our foyer is a comprehensive outline of all of our Policies and Procedures for families to view. Our Policies cover topics such as:

Programs for children
Families
Child Protection and Ethics
Child Health & Safety
Hygiene and Cleaning
Emergencies & Hazards
Food & Nutrition
Centre Operations
Human Resources

The following HeadStart policies and procedures cover the most commonly needed information for families' reference.

Emergency Procedures

We will regularly have a fire evacuation drills
Staff will display a notice on the days these drills are practiced
Staff also evacuate the building whenever the alarm sounds, even in the event of it being known that it is a false alarm. We need to show consistency and role model the importance of alarms to children
There are smoke detectors in all rooms, hallways and the kitchen
Our building is linked to a back to base alarm and Fire Departments are contacted whenever the smoke alarm is raised

Health and Hygiene Policy

Minimising cross infection and the spread of germs in our centre can be achieved by families ensuring that on arrival each morning and at departure each afternoon:

change your baby/toddler's nappy – including washing their hands and yours when you have finished
take your older child to the toilet and wash their hands and yours when you have finished
this one simple procedure reduces the risk of cross infection significantly and reinforces to children the normality of nappy change and toileting from all adults

We appreciate your support in keeping HeadStart Early Learning Centre a healthy and safe environment for all children.

Sickness Policy

children who become sick during the day will be required to be collected from the centre and taken home
in order to minimise cross infection sick children must not attend the centre
in the case of an outbreak of an infectious disease a notice will be displayed in the centre and relevant authorities will be contacted
details of infectious diseases and the relevant Period of Exclusion are displayed in the foyer
there may be situations where HeadStart Staff and Management may feel a child is contagious or too ill to attend the centre and families may be asked to obtain a Doctor's Clearance letter before their child may return to the centre

Immunisation Policy

parents enrolling children in the centre must provide approved evidence of immunisation
if no evidence is shown, then the child is taken not to be immunised against any of the vaccine preventable diseases
non-immunised children will be excluded from the centre for the duration of the outbreak according to the NSW Department of Health
parents are required to keep their child's immunisation up to date and supply details to the centre

Medication Policy

only medication in it's original container, with Child's name, dosages and times and has been prescribed by a Doctor will be administered at the centre
parents are require to complete all details on the medication permission form
parents MUST NEVER LEAVE MEDICATION IN THEIR CHILD'S BAG – HAND IT TO A PERMANENT STAFF MEMBER

Nut and Egg Free Centre

Our Centre is a nut and egg free zone – please send only fruit to share each day. Other foods must not be bought into the centre in children's bags.

families are required to strictly adhere to our Anaphylaxis Policy.
we may have children who would experience a severe (and potentially fatal) reaction to nuts and eggs
please do not send any food other than fruit to share to the centre
please do not allow children or other family members to leave food in children's Kindy bags

Sun Protection Policy

a hat should be brought each day for outdoor play
protective clothing should also be worn. Singlets and sleeveless shirts and dresses are not recommended
the centre will supply and use SPF30 sunscreen to exposed areas of the skin all year round. Parents are required to apply sunscreen when they arrive with their child in the morning (during Spring, Summer & Autumn months)

Guiding and Supporting Children's Development and Behaviour

guiding children's behaviour will be constructive and non-threatening in all cases. Physical force or punishment will not be used at any time
children with unsuitable behaviour for a particular situation will be directed to another activity to divert their attention from their behaviour and encouraged to verbalise their feelings
consistent, clear guidelines are well established in the centre. These guidelines will be explained and well known to the children (appropriate to the ages of children)
children will be encouraged to resolve their own conflicts through role-modelling and support by staff – our goal is to help empower children to become responsible for and to better manage their own actions

Rest and Sleep Policy

each room has a period of time after lunch for rest and sleep. This is a relaxing time when children are given an opportunity to rest
staff play a range of music and create a quiet, relaxing atmosphere for rest time
after a period of time, children who are not asleep are able to do a quiet activity such as reading and drawing
all children are required to supply a set of fitted cot sheets and light blanket everyday