WHAT IS FAMILY DAY CARE?
Family Day Care is an education and care service provided in a home or in-venue environment. Educators are qualified and highly trained early childhood professionals, registered to provide education and care for a maximum of four non-school aged children.
Some Educators also offer before and after school care and vacation care for up to three school-aged children. This ratio also includes the Educator’s own children.
Family Day Care offers families flexible child care arrangements to suit their needs, including; full-time or part-time care, casual care, weekend care, overnight care, before and after school care, school vacation care, emergency care and occasional care.
The individual needs of each child are unique. The individual program for a child is one that has input from the child’s parents too. Children have the opportunity to mix with age groups of children through supervised play sessions and other special activities, from time to time. Educators and staff recognise that all children learn at individual rates through play, first hand experience, modelling and imitation.
Not all Family Day Care Services are the same. However at Clarence Family Day Care we are a local service employing local people with any profits staying in the community and going back into the community.
All of our educators are safe, secure and healthy environments for children and their families. Educators provide a smoke, drug and alcohol free child care environment, follow pet management plans, undergo regular Workplace Health and Safety training and meet all legislative requirements.
WHY CHOOSE CLARENCE family day care?
Clarence Family Day Care is a not-for-profit community-based quality accredited early childhood education and care service. We offer professional and supervised care for children in the homes of educators.
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We are an approved service for government child care subsidies.
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We have been established since the early 80s.
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We are for children not for profit.
Our educators are committed and passionate about early childhood education and care, they are not babysitters.
Children in Family Day Care have the advantage of learning and developing socially, educationally, and emotionally within the security of a small group. They will participate in activities that have been planned to suit each child’s individual needs, such as storytelling, singing, playing games, visiting the park or the library.
Benefits of Clarence Family Day Care:
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A professional, high quality child care service.
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Small group sizes with individual programs for children.
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Quality one-on-one time.
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Children can be involved in the community through excursions.
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Various events held throughout the year – free to families whose use educators that are registered with Clarence Family Day Care.
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Children’s interests can be followed spontaneously.
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Siblings can be in care together.
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Flexible hours.
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Overnight, weekend, occasional, vacation care, emergency care.
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Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate Approved.
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A safe, nurturing and holistic home environment.
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Valuing differences and advocating respectful inclusive practices.
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Registered Clarence Family Day Care educators are enthusiastic, supportive and inclusive.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Clarence Family Day Care Service philosophy reflects our values, beliefs and shared vision. It is the commitment that all educators and staff with our service adopts, implements and enacts.
Vision
Children have the right to a childhood filled with adventure, kindness, wonder and respect.
Foundation
Early Childhood Australia’s Code of Ethics guides us and lays the foundation for our commitment to respect the rights and dignity of children, families, colleagues and communities to always be valued.
Our commitments, beliefs and values
We are committed to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which CFDC operates on and pay respect to past, present and future elders. We welcome connections with First Nations cultures through sharing of yarns, art, histories and language.
We believe in children and value their childhood. Every child has the right to a childhood where they are free to be themselves – do their own art, make their own craft, where they are free to dig in the dirt, jump in puddles, explore, climb and create.
We believe that children benefit from environments that are unforced, unhurried, flexible and are about children, not about adults.
We believe all children are successful, competent learners and their input, as well as their family’s input, into the curriculum is invaluable.
We provide a total learning environment where children are free to observe, question, experiment and explore including adventurous play opportunities to challenge and stimulate their young minds and bodies.
We focus on providing a safe, happy, inclusive, caring, fun and creative environment for all children.
We encourage respect, honesty, tolerance, kindness, equality and appreciation of others.
We believe that all children have individual talents, personalities, interests, needs and abilities that must be nurtured and allowed to flourish.
We believe that play is not a luxury, but it is a necessity.
We value, respect and embrace the diversity and culture of all, and we encourage acceptance, tolerance, understanding and respect from all and for all children, families, staff and educators.
We encourage children to engage with the natural environment to stimulate brain development and encourage environmental responsibility.
We support children to make connections with their local community, through participating in community events, incursions and excursions, to enhance a child’s sense of belonging.
We are committed to continuous improvement and professional development to provide the best service to the children and families that are part of CFDC.
Clarence Family Day Care is a wonderful childcare option that values the development of children through flexible and unique learning environments that support children’s curiosity, exploration and fun.