Parents' Corner
The role of the family is very important to the development of the child and their experiences in the classroom. Parents are welcome and are encouraged to undertake observation time in the classroom. Parent involvement is an important part of the culture at all of our Sydney Early Learning Centres. Such involvement helps provide important opportunities for parents to experience the centres’ environment, to share the joy of learning with their child, and to develop a dialogue with their child’s teacher, the rest of the staff, and with other families in the Sydney Early Learning Centre community.
We provide a high quality service with state of the art equipment. We strive to provide your child with the best childcare experience he or she can possibly receive through experienced and qualified staff, a safe, hygienic environment and natural indoor and outdoor programs. We envision that our centre will become an extension of many families within the Toongabbie, Westmead & Pendle Hill Community and we look forward to being a part of yours too. Please feel free to contact us, we would be more than happy to discuss your childcare needs further and answer any queries you may have.
Parent Participation
Parents are our biggest support. Their encouragement and aid, in whatever way, such as coming to a parent night, collecting bits and pieces for collage and art activities, help with fund raising and at busy bees, is of invaluable assistance. Being a Parent Committee Member to help us with our valuable Policy updates and feeding all the parent concerns or queries back to us.
You are encouraged to become involved with the program of the centre and your ideas and suggestions will be greatly appreciated. We are always happy to have people come into the centre with interesting things to show, sing, teach and make with the children, especially activities of a multicultural nature.
You can be involved by explaining your child’s temperament, stages of development and likes and dislikes to the caregivers. Even though a parent’s life is very busy, we would appreciate a few minutes every morning and evening as you bring and collect your child to talk about how he/she is progressing. Tell the caregivers the little things they need to
know e.g. changes in sleeping patterns, any development you observe, the cold your child appears to be contracting or how an activity was enjoyed.
To give the children the best opportunity for development, child care staff and parents work hand-in-hand. We want children to gain the best that is possible from our centre, so please do keep in touch and discuss your joy, problems, concerns and feelings with the staff. A suggestion box is also located in the foyer.
Settling Your Child
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Strategies the centre encourages to help children and parents through the settling in period.
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Information for parents on leaving their child at the centre.
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Policy on parents telephoning the centre for information about their child.
Children all react differently to being away from their parents and we encourage you to remain with your child for as long as you feel is necessary to ensure your child’s well being. We use a variety of strategies to help your child settle into our centre. We recommend that you bring your child for a visit of at least an hour, prior to beginning care at the centre.
This will help to introduce yourself and your child to the staff and other children and familiarize the child with the playroom. Other visits can be arranged if needed. There is no charge to the parent for these visits as the child is still in your care.
A comfort toy or item belonging to you to look after is a good settling technique. It is important to say goodbye to your child when you are leaving, even if your child becomes upset, to establish trust that you will not disappear and to reassure him/her of your return. Alert the staff of your intention to leave, so they can distract your child.
If you are worried, please feel free to telephone the centre during the day for reassurance that your child has settled. The staff will always tell you honestly how your child is. Be aware that some children settle quickly and others take longer or may be distressed by group care. Our staff will assess your child’s emotional needs and discuss this with you. Regular attendance also helps a child to settle.
Priority of Access
The Commonwealth Government has set specific priorities of access to childcare services.
The Commonwealth Government requires the centre to provide access to the service according to the following priority of access. This means that when the centre is full, those families who are third priority may be asked to alter their care arrangements to allow a family with higher priority to access the service.
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First priority:
Children at risk of serious abuse or neglect.
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Second priority:
Children whose parents satisfy the work/training/study test
under section14 of the Family Assistance Act.
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Third priority:
Any other child.
Children With Special Needs
Our Policy on Caring for Children with Special Needs. Is located in the centre’s policies and Procedures Booklocated in the foyer.
Children with special needs that cannot be catered for within the usual day care routine will be integrated into the whole group with additional support from an Inclusion Support Facilitator. Referral to the Inclusion Support Facilitator or other professionals is made either directly by the parent, or by the Coordinator after permission is given by the parent. Where possible, support will be obtained prior to the commencement of care. This will ensure transition into care is successful to all concerned.
Payment & Fees
Our centre’s operation is dependent on maintaining fees. Please read the following information carefully.
Your Payment of Fees Policy.
Fees must be paid for two weeks in advance. Parents pay for a place, therefore, once it is booked, payment is
required whether your child attends or not. Fees are payable on public holidays. Casual care must be paid for at the
beginning of the day or session. Casual care clients cannot be guaranteed a place.
The Director/Manager will provide a statement of fees due each week. You are asked to pay your fees promptly to
ensure the viability of the service. Please put your fees in bank transfers to direct debit or EFTPOS is also available.
Details of individual families’ accounts and all completed forms are confidential and may only be accessed by the family concerned and those centre staff who are authorized by the Director to access the information.
Anyone experiencing difficulties in meeting their fees payments can speak to the manager who can make mutually
agreeable repayment arrangements. If your fees are more than three weeks overdue and you have not made
arrangements to pay, or have not kept to the arrangements made, your child’s place will be cancelled.
Because we plan staffing rosters two weeks in advance, based on bookings, we ask all parents to comply with our
withdrawal policy. If you wish to withdraw your child from the centre you are asked to provide two weeks written notice or pay the fees due in lieu of this notice.
Please inform the Director in writing if your child is going to be away for longer than one week. Any child not attending the Centre for one week without notifying the Coordinator of the reason, shall be regarded as having withdrawn and the place will be cancelled.
Parents should notify the Centre if their child will not be attending during their booked time, as soon as this is known or at the very latest by 10 a.m. on the morning of attendance.
The friendly staff at your Education and Care Service will be happy to talk you through how government funded financial assistance may affect the fees you pay at the service. More information regarding government assistance can be found below.
To assist with child care costs, the Australian Government offers a various types of financial assistance, including:
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Child Care Rebate
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Child Care Benefit
Termination of Care
In extreme circumstances it may be necessary to terminate a child’s care.
Exclusion of children from the service will only occur after all other avenues of communication and support have been exhausted and when:
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Professional advice confirms a child is in psychological danger as a result of an unusually prolonged inability to settle into care away from the parent.
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A child puts the majority of children at risk through inappropriate behaviour.
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The parent continually fails to observe Centre hours of operation and/or fails to pay the required fee.
Health & Safety Issues
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Hygiene
In group care situations one of the most troublesome problems is controlling the spread of infections among the children and staff.
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The Hygiene Policy is in the centre’s Policy and Procedures Book located in the Foyer next to the signing in and out sheets. The application of universal hygiene procedures will be followed at the Centre at all times to control the spread of infection. Staff model a high level of personal hygiene at all times, and place emphasis on the children learning and understanding why hygiene is important. Hand washing is central to this system and children will be introduced to washing their hands before all clean tasks (i.e. meals) and after all dirty tasks (i.e. after using the toilet) as soon as they developmentally ready.
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Immunisation
Immunisation of children who attend the Centre will help to limit the spread of infection.
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The Immunisation Policy is in the centre’s Policy and Procedures Book located in the Foyer next to the signing in and out sheets.We encourage parents to immunise their children against all diseases appropriate to the child’s age. A record of your child’s current immunisation status will be kept at the Centre. Children who are not immunised will be excluded from care during outbreaks of some infectious diseases in accordance with the National Health & Medical Research Councilexclusion guidelines (on display in the foyer), even if the child is well. This is to limit the spread of infection and protect non immunised children.
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As a protection for all children and staff the following exclusion policy applies to all children enrolled in the Centre. The Exclusion Policy is in the centre’s Policies and Procedures Book located in the Foyer next to the signing in and out sheets. Children with infectious diseases will be excluded from the Centre in accordance with the National Health & Medical Research Council exclusion guidelines (on display in the foyer). A clearance certificate from your child’s doctor, is required to pronounce the child fit for child care, before your child can return to the Centre. If your child is unwell at home please do not bring him/her to the Centre. Children who have more than a slight cold should not be brought to the Centre and may not be accepted at the Coordinator’s discretion. Fevers, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained rashes are some of the indications that a child should not be brought to the Centre.
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Unwell Children at the Centre
The Centre is not able to care for children who are ill. The following policy has been developed to protect your child and the other children attending the Centre.
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The Policy on Unwell Children is in the centre’s Policies and Procedures Book located in the foyer.
It is important that the Coordinator or the child’s caregiver be notified if your child has been unwell or received an injury since last attending the Centre. In the event your child becomes ill whilst at the Centre, you will be contacted and asked to collect your child. Where the Coordinator has asked you to seek medical advice regarding your child’s health, you will be given details about your child’s symptoms and information of any illnesses that have recently affected children and/or staff at the centre to relay to the doctor. The doctor will need to provide a Clearance Certificate that pronounces your child fit for care before they can return to the centre. On your child’s enrolment form you have given approval for an ambulance or doctor to be called if urgent medical attention is required. Every effort will be made to contact you or your nominated emergency contact people as soon as possible. All medical and ambulance costs are the parent’s responsibility. In the event of an outbreak of a communicable disease at the centre, families and the Health Department will be notified.
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Medication
The giving of medication to children will be strictly monitored to ensure the child’s safety and welfare.
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The Medication Policy is in the centre’s Policies and Procedure Book located in the foyer.
Wherever possible, medication should be administered by parents/guardians at home. However, we are aware that this is not always feasible. Therefore, to ensure children’s safety and welfare, the giving of medication at the centre will be strictly monitored. Parents/guardians should consider whether the child who requires medication is well enough to be at
the centre and to keep the child home if they are unwell.
Medication will only be administered by Centre staff if:
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It is prescribed by a doctor and has the original pharmaceutical label detailing the child’s name, the name of the medication, the required dosage, the date of dispensing and the expiry date; OR
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It is still in the original pharmaceutical packaging (ie. Non-prescription medication), indicating the name of the medication, the dosage, age appropriateness and the expiry date; AND
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The parent has completed and signed an authority to give medication form on the day that it is to be administered.
You must never leave medication in your child’s bag or add medication to your baby’s bottle. You must inform a staff member, place the medication in the Medication cupboard or in the refrigerator, if necessary; and complete an Authority to give Medication Form. At the end of the day you must collect the medication from the cupboard or fridge. Only prescribed medications, or medications accompanied by an explanatory letter from the child’s Doctor will be administered by staff at the Centre. This is to ensure an accurate dosage of appropriate medicine is given to children at all times.
The centre will provide you with a list of ointments, creams and applications used at the centre, such as sunscreen, insect repellent, antiseptic cream, nappy rash cream, teething gel, band aides etc. You will be required to sign your consent that these applications can be applied to your child, or provide an alternative brand for your child’s use. Any other creams or applications will require completion of an Authority to give Medication Form in line with administration of medication policy.
Where medication is needed for long term treatment (eg. Asthma, epilepsy, ADD), or your child has severe allergies (anaphylaxis) the centre will need you and your child’s doctor to complete a ‘Special Health Needs Support Plan’, and/or an ‘Emergency Action Plan’. If a child is receiving medication at home but not at the centre, the centre should still be notified of the purpose of the medication, its nature and the possible side effects it may have on the child while they are in care.
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Occupational Safety and Health
Our Centre is concerned with protecting the health and safety of children and staff at the Centre.
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Relevant information for parents from your Occupational Health & Safety Policy in the centre’s Policies and Procedures Book located in the foyer next to the signing in and out sheets. In the interest of Occupational Safety and Health, and the well being of the children, the Centre is a smoke-free zone. This includes all indoor and outdoor play areas and anywhere that is within sight of the children. We request that parents adhere to this. Staff are vigilant to identify and remove any hazards that may create a risk to children or themselves. All equipment, toys and play areas are checked regularly to ensure they are clean and safe for children’s use.
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Sun Protection
To ensure all children attending the Centre are protected from skin damage caused by harmful ultra-violet rays of the sun the following applies:
The Sun Protection Policy is in the centre’s Policies and Procedures Book located in the foyer . Children will wear a hat which protects the face, neck and ears whenever outside and will be encouraged to use available areas of shade during outdoor activities. SPF 30+ broad spectrum water resistant sunscreen will be provided for children and applied 15 minutes before going outside. Outdoor play will not occur in extreme heat or at the hottest time of the day. Staff will act as role models, by wearing hats, applying sunscreen and seeking the shade wherever possible.
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Safety Drills
Safety drills will be practiced to ensure that children and staff are familiar with the procedures should an emergency occur. Emergency evacuation and safety drills will be practiced at the Centre every 3 months. Evacuation procedures are displayed in the foyer and in each play room. Parents are asked to familiarise themselves with these procedures.
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Accidents
Despite every precaution, accidents will occur at the Centre from time to time. The following policy will be implemented to protect your child and keep you informed should an accident occur.
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The Accident Policy is in the centre’s Policies and Procedures Book located in the foyer. You are required to provide written authority (included in the enrollment form) for staff of the Centre to seek medical attention for your child if required. In the case of a minor accident, staff who are qualified in First Aid will attend to the injured child and apply first aid. Depending on the injury, you will be contacted at the time of the accident or informed about the incident when you arrive to collect your child. If a serious accident occurs which requires more than simple first aid treatment you will be contacted immediately or, if you cannot be contacted, your emergency contact person will be phoned. Your child’s injuries will be assessed and either an ambulance will be called or your child will be taken to a local clinic or medical practitioner for medical treatment. A staff member will accompany your child until you are able to be there. You will be asked to sign an accident report completed by the person in charge at the Centre at the time of the accident, and be provided with a copy of this report.
Sleep Time
Sleep and rest times are another daily routine for the children at our Centre.
Please discuss your child’s current sleep patterns with their caregiver.
Children are encouraged to rest from about 11.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Some younger children will need to sleep, others will read, play quiet games and construct puzzles. Parent wishes about their child’s sleeping pattern will be adhered to as far as possible. Remember, however, that in group care there are many distractions and children’s sleep patterns may be different. At no time will a child in this Centre be forced to take a sleep. Babies’ sleeps are according to need and routine. Centre staff will consider such factors as SIDS guidelines, cultural needs and requests from parents when tailoring individual children’s sleeping routines.
