Aldinga Community Children's Centre

Aldinga Community Children's Centre

Parent handbook

Welcome to our Centre

This booklet is to provide parents with information

about the Centre: our education and care programs, and the management and policies of the Centre.

Aldinga Community Children's Centre was established in 1991 after a fire extensively damaged our original building. Initially a Neighbourhood House with crèche facilities it was soon identified that the area needed a large Community Childcare Service to meet the needs of the families in Aldinga Beach and surrounding areas.

We are a community-based, not-for-profit centre.

The Centre welcomes families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Bilingual staff can be arranged to assist children in settling into the Centre. This booklet can be translated into community languages if required.

Hours of Operation

6.30am – 6.30pm Mon – Fri

We are closed on public holidays and for about seven

days over Christmas/New Year.

We provide:

Long day care for children aged 3 months- 5 years :

Baby room for children 3 months - 2 years

Toddler room for children aged 2 - 3.5 years

Kindergarten room for children aged 3.5 - 5

years

Childcare places are offered according to availability and ‘priority of access’ guidelines set by the Government as a condition of our funding. These guidelines give a high priority to parents who are working, seeking employment, or studying / training for future employment.

Where a place is not immediately available, the child’s

name may be placed on a waiting list.

Enrolment Procedures

The enrolment process takes about an hour, usually

with the director. Relevant information is recorded,

including emergency contact details, health

information, immunisation status, dietary

requirements etc. Time is spent discussing policies

and practices such as safety and hygiene, behaviour

management, nutrition, medication, the payment of

fees, and communication procedures.

Please note: If a child is not collected before closing time, 6:30pm, a late fee applies: $50 for the first 15 minutes (or part thereof), an additional $30 for the next 15 minutes (of part thereof), and $30 for every 15 minutes after that.

New parents and children are shown around the

Centre and introduced to staff members.

For families from non-English speaking

backgrounds an interpreter may be arranged to

assist with the enrolment process and to help

children settle in.

Parents are encouraged to bring their children for at

least two visits before starting and to leave them for

about half an hour during their second visit. (Fees

are not charged for these times.)

Parental Involvement

We encourage parents to participate in the Centre and

be involved in their children’s care and education:

The management committee is made up of parents

and staff representatives.

Our accreditation committee develops and

monitors our policies and practices to ensure a high

standard of care.

Regular communication, by formal and informal

means, promotes our partnership with parents.

Newsletters, posters, and notices are frequently

distributed.

We have regular family teas, parent evenings, social

occasions, and working bees.

Parents are able to talk informally with staff on a

daily basis or may like to make an appointment for a

longer discussion.

Each section of the Centre has at least one parent

representative on the management committee.

Parents are welcome to visit or phone the Centre at any time.

Management

Management Committee

The Centre is managed on a day to day basis by the

director, and overseen by the management committee

which is elected at the Annual General Meeting held in

September. The committee is made up of parents and

staff and meets monthly. Parents are encouraged to be

involved in the committee, or sub-committees convened for particular purposes eg building and grounds, social, accreditation etc.

The agenda and minutes of each meeting are displayed

on the management committee notice board in the foyer.

The Role of the Parent Representatives

Each section of the Centre has at least one parent

representative on the committee. Their photographs are displayed on the committee notice board in the foyer.

The parent representatives provide a means of

communication between parents and the committee

independent of staff.

Parents can talk to the parent representatives about

any issues, concerns or suggestions they do not wish

to raise personally or directly with a staff member.

The parent representatives aim to make

management committee processes and decision making

visible and accessible to parents.

Accreditation

The Centre is currently accredited by the National

Childcare Accreditation Council. To achieve this, a

centre must reach an agreed standard on all aspects of

quality childcare reviewed by the Quality Improvement

and Accreditation System.

The Centre’s Composite Quality Profile is displayed in the office and reflects very high quality in all areas of our service.

Daily Operations

Settling in

Children may be very shy during their first few days at

the Centre, and also very tired. It is an emotional strain

for children to adjust to their new environment – even if a child seems to be coping well.

We request that you stay with and settle your child on

arrival. Never leave without saying goodbye … it may

teach him/her to distrust you.

On arrival:

Please sign your child in each time

Take your child to greet a staff member

Help your child to place belongings in his/her

locker

Write any information staff may need in the section communication book. e.g. if you have a change of phone number for the day or if someone else will be collecting your child.

NB: A signed authority is required if another person is to collect your child(ren) . We will not allow them to leave the Centre with another person without your authority .

On leaving:

Help your child to collect belongings, paintings etc.

Take your child to farewell a staff member

Remember to sign out your child.

Excursions

Excursions and neighbourhood walks are an important

part of providing experiences which extend the

children’s knowledge, interests and enjoyment.

On enrolment, parents sign a general consent for local

walks which may be arranged spontaneously. Parents’

written consent is obtained for all other excursions.

Parents are encouraged to join in when possible.

Accident & Emergency

The Centre has formulated a detailed policy which

includes procedures to minimize risks to children and

adults. Most staff have first aid qualifications.

Evacuation procedures are displayed prominently in the Centre and are regularly reviewed. Fire drills are held each term.

It is important that contact telephone numbers for

parents and emergency contacts are kept up-to date.

Health

One of our most important goals is to provide a safe

and hygienic environment that will promote the health

of the children and staff. As a general principle, children and adults should not come to the Centre unless they are well and able to cope adequately with the normal daily routines and activities.

Parents should not bring a child to the Centre who has been unwell at home.

If a child becomes unwell at the Centre staff will

inform parents and isolate the child from other children if appropriate, until parents can arrange pick-up. The child will be cared for by staff according to the parent’s or doctor’s instructions. Refer to policy for Care of Unwell Children for further details.

Please inform staff by phone if your child has an

infectious illness so that other parents can be notified

of the illness. This will be done by placing a notice at

the entry….children’s names are not revealed.

We follow the Government’s Exclusion Policy

Guidelines which are reproduced for your information.

Immunisation

We support Government objectives of full

immunisation of all children. It is important for all

healthy children to be immunised in order to protect

children who are chronically ill or who have immunosuppressed conditions.

On enrolment, a child’s immunisation status is recorded. Parents are asked to inform staff of recent

immunisations so that records are kept up to date. (Refer also to Immunisation Policy)

Grievance Procedures for Parents

We encourage parents to build strong relationships and

maintain good communication with the staff who care

for their children. If parents have a concern in relation

to their experiences at the Centre, they should raise their concerns initially with the staff member involved or the Team Leader. If this is not possible or the matter is not resolved satisfactorily, the concern should be taken up with the Director. Parents may also contact a

Management Committee representative. (Committee

members including parent reps are listed on the

notice board in the foyer). (Refer also to Parent Grievance Policy)

Nutrition

The Centre is an accredited Start Right – Eat Right

Centre. We provide safe, healthy and nutritious food for children in a positive environment. We aim to provide adequate nutrition and also to promote the

establishment of good food habits early in life. We offer regular meals and snacks recommended to provide a balanced diet and including culturally-diverse foods.

The weekly menu and Nutrition Checklist are displayed in the foyer.

Parents of children with special dietary needs are asked

to provide written details and medical confirmation of

their child’s requirements, to be updated regularly.

Birthday celebrations – The Centre will provide a birthday cake on children’s birthdays. Please let our Cook know the day before your child’s birthday.

Medications

Medications must be handed to a staff member and

dosage information written on the medication form in your child’s room. Unless written authority is given,

medication will not be administered. Do not leave any medication in your child’s bag or locker. Please refer to Medication Policy for details regarding prescribed and non-prescribed medications, and forms to be signed by parent and doctor for long term conditions such as Asthma.

Sunsmart Policy – No hat No outside play

Suitable hats are to be worn at all times outside and

should shade the face, back of the neck and ears.

Hats are available for $7-70 and can be billed to accounts. Baseball caps are not permitted.

Sunscreen (SPF30+) should be applied by parents

before or on arrival and is re-applied by staff as

required.

We encourage staff and parents to model sun smart

behaviour.

Literacy Packs

The Centre has literacy packs that are available for borrowing for children and parents in the Bronty Room as part of their program. Children and parents are welcome to borrow at any time. Staff will explain the borrowing system to interested parents who can then borrow whenever they wish.

Policies

Policies are written to ensure consistent good practice

by staff. Management committee, parents and staff

review the policies on a regular basis. Current policies

include:

Access to the centre

Equal opportunity

Referrals

Fees

Financial management

Management committee

Child protection

Children’s program

Confidentiality

Sun smart

Equipment

Excursions

Grievance handling

Guiding children’s behaviour

Health and hygiene

HIV/Aids and Hepatitis

Nutrition

Safety

Records

Volunteers

Occupational Health Safety and Welfare

- Procedure for safe water play

The Policy Folder can be viewed at the front desk and

parents are welcome to ask for copies of policies.