Child Care

The ABC of Child Care: U is for…

June 17, 2010

U is for Under 2′s There is no denying that babies and toddlers have their own unique outlook on the world, mostly thanks to the rapid development taking place in those first years of life. It is important therefore that child care centres have in place clear policies and practices developed to meet the specific [...]

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The ABC of Child Care: T is for…

June 10, 2010

T is for ….the Team! When choosing a child care centre be sure to enquire about the management structure of the centre, from an administration level right through to a classroom level. Consider; Who owns the centre? In Australia, most child care centres are owned and managed by local government, a community group (including not-for-profit [...]

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The ABC of Child Care: S is for…

June 3, 2010

S is for Supervision Child care centres have a duty of care to create a safe environment for children and their families. When it comes to young children, effective supervision is essential to maintaining a safe place to play and learn. Supervision, as it applies to safety within childcare, should encompass each of the following; [...]

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The ABC of Child Care: R is for…

May 28, 2010

R is for… Routine Routines are important to young children and I have written reasons why on a previous post, Finding Our Rhythm. Child care centres should maintain well defined, but flexible, routines which are adjusted according to the age, development and needs of children within the group being cared for. When considering a potential [...]

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The ABC of Child Care: Q is for…

May 20, 2010

Q is for Qualifications When you ask the Director of a child care centre, “Are the staff in the room qualified?” what do you expect ‘qualified’ to mean? A university degree? A TAFE diploma? A certificate from TAFE? All of these could be construed as ‘qualified,’ they are all a qualification, though the degree to [...]

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The ABC of Child Care: P is for…

May 13, 2010

P is for Playground The physical environment of a child care centre is more than just a place where children play. The popular early learning philosophy of Reggio Emilia describes the physical environment as the “third” teacher (the first two being the parents and educators). A child’s ability to learn is influenced by the environment [...]

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The ABC of Child Care: O is for…

May 6, 2010

O is for Orientation In choosing a child care centre it is good to discuss with staff their suggested strategies for best orientating your child into the new environment. Some children come to child care with very few experiences of being cared for by anyone other than a parent and so it is only reasonable [...]

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The ABC of Child Care: N is for …

April 29, 2010

N is for… Nappy changing, toilet training and a little bit of hygiene! Universal hygiene precautions are used primarily in medical and health-related professions but are also relevant to children’s services. They assist care professionals in minimising the risk of cross infection and providing a basic level of infection control. Some of these practices, which [...]

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