Ann-Marie Winter, Service Manager/Coordinator

Phone: 02 6862 3111

Fax: 02 6862 5856

fdc@parkes.nsw.gov.au

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Office Hours: 8.30 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday.

Central West Family Day Care Scheme philosophy is to encourage the individual child's potential; to pursue learning in a fun, engaging and nurturing environment; to support and scaffold development with the help of families, educators, staff and the community and; provide an affordable and accessible service to the community.

As part of the National Quality Framework, Central West Family Day Care will support and enhance the ongoing development of each child, through a series of Standards and Elements outlined within each Scheme Policy and which guides all aspects of the services operations.

Central West Family Day Care prides itself on the values it maintains.

• Create a welcoming, friendly atmosphere, trusting and respecting each other.
• Commitment to sharing information.
• Frequent and effective communication.
• Openness, understanding of other's perspective.
• Share responsibility/partnership.
• Respect all ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds.
• Promote co-operation not competition.
• Respect privacy and confidentiality.
• Advocate quality childcare practices.
• Provide professionalism, guidance and support.
• Participate in personal development and training.
• Protect and provide children with quality experiences, safety and healthy environments enhancing competence and self-esteem.

1. Establish a comfortable and warm atmosphere, where families feel welcome to approach the coordination unit staff, anytime.
2. Provide a loving, stable and secure environment in which each child, regardless of needs or abilities, can develop to their fullest potential.
3. Acknowledge that each family is important.
4. Support families in the care and upbringing of their child.
5. Continually strive to improve the quality of care provided for all stakeholders using our service through ongoing monitoring of daily practices, use of the National Quality Framework, National Quality Standards and the Early Years Learning Framework.
6. To keep abreast of any industry based changes that may occur, wherever possible.

Our Scheme has an Anti-bias Policy which ensures that no one shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, gender, disability, health, religion, lifestyle and political affiliation. Children are encouraged to celebrate the difference between each other and accept others for who they are. Scheme policies can be accessed through the Family Day Care Coordination Unit or your Educator.

Scheme Policies are reviewed annually, through the input of all stake holders.

The support of the Central West Family Day Care Coordination Unit ensures that Educators are resourced, trained and up to date with current child care practices. In addition to this we provide playgroup sessions, access to a resource library, craft and paint supplies, fun days, phone support and alternate care arrangements.

Early childhood trained staff, the coordinator/nominated supervisor and child development officers with educators throughout Parkes and surrounding districts administer the Central West Family Day Care Scheme.

Roles and responsibilities of the Family Day Care Coordination Unit include:

• Providing families with information about Family Day Care.
• Conducting courtesy calls on a regular basis to all families.
• Assisting families in choosing a suitable educator
• Recruiting, monitoring and supporting educators, providing training, information, guidance and resources.
• Administering Child Care Benefit (CCB) and Child Care Rebate (CCR) and other government subsidies.
• Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the children throughout annual educator premises inspections, regular monitoring and support visits of trained staff and adherence to the Education and Care Services National Regulations, Education and Care Services National Law 2010, National Quality Standards, National Quality Framework, and the Central West Family Day Care Scheme Policies.

Staff visit educators on a regular basis. The purpose of these monitoring and support visits is to determine how each child is progressing in care and observe each child, monitoring the quality of care and offering support, resources, and guidance to the educator.

If a staff member observes that a child may require professional attention in a certain area, for example speech therapy, optometry or other professional assessment, staff will contact the parent/guardian/family and inform them of the concern or alternatively the educator may discuss the matter with the parent/guardian/family.

Educators are carefully selected through interviews, service educator induction process, educator premises audits, Criminal Record Check, Working with Children and Referee Checks, and must have a Current Senior First Aid Certificate with Asthma and Anaphylaxis certification. Educators have training in Child Protection, Child Development, Work Health and Safety and other relevant topics.

In-home care is a flexible form of child care, where care is provided by a registered educator in the familiar environment of the child's own home. Families who don't have access to a child care service, or whose child care needs cannot be met be an existing service, may be able to use In-home care.

If you are eligible for in-home care, your children can receive child care by an approved educator at home. Children may experience and be involved in a full range of activities, including arts and crafts, stories, music, outdoor activities and games.

All services providing in-home care are required to monitor, support and train educators. Services also must have policies on aspects of care including hygiene and safety.

Our service will prepare an in-home care agreement for families that will clearly outline the care requirements and the responsibilities of our Service, the Educator and the Family.

Educators are expected to provide a high standard of child care and to adhere to the policies and procedures of the service. Educators are enthusiastic, caring, warming and sensitive to the needs of the families.

Child care benefit is available to assist families through the commonwealth government. To see if you are eligible for this assistance, please contact the Family Assistance Office on 136 150.

Playgroup aims to provide children with a safe, secure, stimulating and challenging environment based on the Early Years Learning Framework, where children have the opportunity to interact and experience activities, their individual developmental needs are enhanced and their sense of belonging in the community and wider world are encouraged.

All children, families and educators will be made to feel welcome and a part of playgroup. Staff and educators will encourage the children to choose freely from a range of developmentally appropriate indoor and outdoor activities. Playgroup focuses on the natural environment and enables children to freely explore a wide variety of experiences including vegetable and flower gardens, chickens, worm farm and composting.

As a service we promote and encourage sustainable practices, both at playgroup and within the educators’ homes.

Experiences provided at playgroup will foster all areas of the children's development and enable them to learn and grow to their fullest potential.

Staff and educators, through modelling, will guide children in mutual respect for each other and non-violent forms of conflict resolution.

Playgroup will provide an inclusive environment where diversity and an anti-bias approach are implemented, respecting individual children and educators.

Interactions and experiences at playgroup will support children to work collaboratively with each other, staff and educators. Through observation the program will be challenging and meet the children's individual needs and interests.

Parents and families are welcome to telephone or visit the Central West Family Day Care office and encouraged to speak with your educator or coordination unit staff member about your children. We wish to work in partnership with you to provide the best care for the individual needs of your child.

It is often useful to share information with your educator about your child's sleeping routine, their favourite toy and any other relevant information that will help your educator throughout the day.

Central West Family Day Care staff and educators are able to discuss any additional care requirements your children may have. Commonwealth Inclusion support is also available to assist Family Day Care services to include eligible children with special needs.

Immunisation

Parents are required to provide Central West Family Day Care with an updated immunisation record of the child/children. This is available through the Immunisation Registry or at Medicare.

Childcare Benefit and Childcare Rebate

Central West Family Day Care Scheme is funded by the Commonwealth Government and is therefore eligible for government child care subsidies, i.e. Child Care Benefit and Childcare Rebate. To see if you are eligible for this assistance, you need to contact the Family Assistance Office on 136 150.

Enrolling your Child

Families are asked to contact the Central West Family Day Care office either by phone or by calling in. Staff will provide you with the "Information Pack for Families" which contains enrolment details and important information related to using our service. At this time you will also be referred to available educators, who will suit your family’s individual needs. When enrolling your children you need to provide us with your own and your child’s date of birth and Customer Reference Number (CRN) (from Centrelink/FAO). To enable a smooth transition into care, parents and children are advised to visit the selected educator at their premises prior to commencing care. This provides you and your children with the opportunity to become familiar and comfortable with the educator and the new environment.

Hours of care provided

The hours of care are flexible and can be matched to your family's needs. Central West Family Day Care is available to working and non-working parents. Care may also be available weekends or overnight, during shift work and school holidays, or for emergency or relief care, when needed.

Types of care provided include:

Through observation and individual programming a range of experience and materials are provided to meet the needs and interests of every child. Educators provide age/stage appropriate and cultural experiences to develop positive self image and high self esteem for children. This planning is based on the National Quality Standards, the Early Years Learning Framework, and school-aged " My Time Our Place" framework, set out by the National Quality Framework, for all Early Childhood settings.

Interactions

All children are provided with many opportunities to explore and interact with other children of different ages through regular playgroup sessions and daily experiences. Educators provide a safe, fun, warm and stimulating environment for each child.

If running your own business from home appeals to you, then why not operate an approved, registered, child care service with Central West Family Day Care Scheme.

You can choose the hours and days you work to match your family's needs and have the opportunity to look after your own child or children while working.

Family Day Care can be both financially and personally rewarding. Educators are paid by the hour according to the number of children in care and the hours of care provided.

All educators are required be eighteen years of age or over and be prepared to undergo the Working with Children check, as per the Young People Act 1998, Commission for Children and Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998 and Police Criminal Probity Check.

What do I need to become a Central West Family Day Care Educator?

• Attend initial and on-going induction/orientation training.
• Complete the registration process including an interview, medical, referee checks, criminal probity check and working with children check.
• Educators’ premises must meet Government Regulations and Scheme safety standards.
• Educators must be registered and their premises must meet Central West Family Day Care policies and procedures.
• Have obtained a minimum qualification of Certificate 3 in Early Childhood Education.
• Participate in the on-going National Quality Framework process with service Quality Improvement Plans.