Choosing the right care for your family

Did you know that children’s brains aren’t fully developed at birth? The cells are there, but the connections (synapses) aren’t.

Their little brains are developed and grown through use. Your child’s experiences, environments and relationships in the first 5 years of their life can determine how brain connections are formed. Connections that get used a lot are strengthened, and those that don’t are lost - this creates the foundation for their future health and learning.  

Research on child development shows that high quality education delivered before school starts is linked to higher education levels, employment and better income in later years.

That’s why the right choice of care is so important - when thinking about the right care consider the following:

• Location: close to home/work, accessible by public transport, close to other relatives or carers
• Hours: Do you want regular hours and days or more casual choice, do you have a stable and regular daily routine? do you require after hours care? Do you have before and after school needs for other children in your family
• Environment: Would your child prefer a chance to socialise and interact with a large group of children? Or a more intimate space with only a few children. Would you want an inclusive and supportive environment for any special needs your child may have
• Affiliations: Do you require your service provider to be exceeding standards within National Quality Framework, good reputation
• Have over 10 years experience in providing early childhood education and care?

Long Day Care

Operated in a childcare centre, long day care is best suited to children who thrive in a more social and busy environment and who may be more comfortable with lots of children and multiple educators. It is also usually most suitable for those families who work in a regular 9-5 Monday to Friday position.

For those families with 3 and 5 year-olds, long day care can be convenient as it can offer a (sometimes) funded kindergarten or preschool programs - this means you wont have to spend the day shuttling your child between care and pre-school as it can all be found in the one place.

Family Day Care

If you’re looking for a great alternative to centre-based care, our Family Day Care program offers flexibility in a ‘home away from home’ for your child.

Run during both regular and non regular hours (such as late nights and in some cases, weekends) Family Day Care can be a great option to families who may not work your typical 9-5 job.

The home based setting is best suited to children who respond well in a small group environment and thrive on one on one attention. This smaller group setting enables an educator to provide individual attention and a range of stimulating play-based learning experiences. Over time, this helps to build a strong connection between your child and their educator which is very important for some  children in benefiting all aspects of their development.

Some families also appreciate the ability to have their school aged siblings cared for together before or after school or during school holidays.

Backed by Windermere, you can be assured that if your educator is unwell or requires a period of leave or holidays, your child will still have access to suitable care.

In Home Care

For families unable to physically get their children to Family Day Care or the Early Learning Centre, having a qualified and approved early childhood educator come to their home is the only option.

The Commonwealth Government sets certain criteria for eligibility for In Home Care. If either a parent or child in your family has an illness or a disability, if one or both parents are employed in shift work, or you have three or more children under school age you could qualify.

If you are eligible for In Home Care, we offer a range of education and care services including all day, part time, weekend, overnight, 24-hour and school holiday.

As with our other services, the in home early childhood educator will provide your child with individual attention and stimulating play-based learning experiences.

Whichever type of early childhood education and care option you decide on, you can be assured that your child will get the very best care, delivered by dedicated early childhood educators, to help your child thrive now, and in the future.

For more information on care options visit the Care For Kids website.

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High quality care to suit every family

Finding the right environment for your child is a very personal decision. You know that high quality early childhood education and care can have a positive and long-lasting effect, but how can you be sure that you child is receiving the best care?

The Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET) have outlined their plan to improve outcomes for all Victorian children, including identifying those factors that define a high quality service.recommend you look for a provider that:

• Sets high expectations for every child
• Engages children in experiences and interactions that encourage and extend each child’s learning
• Has qualified, responsive educators with strong backgrounds in early childhood teaching and learning and the foundation concepts that build understanding of literacy, science and mathematics
• Focuses on the whole child – with each child actively involved in developing a positive sense of self, and guided to develop positive relationships and emotional self-regulation builds collaborative relationships with families, actively involving them in their children’s  learning, sharing knowledge and supporting parents
• Has effective leadership and service management, committed to continuous improvement.

All of our educators who work with us are fully qualified professionals licensed to provide highly personalised development for your children.

All of our qualified early childhood educators are:

• Highly experienced, qualified and knowledgeable people committed to ongoing professional development
• Able to continue the learning, nurturing and sense of security your child gets at home into their early learning environment
• Dedicated to providing your child with high quality education and care that meets their personal strengths, needs and learning styles
• Trained in proven play-based learning techniques that develop literacy and numeracy skills, preparing children for the transition to school.

Reduce your fees

No matter what care option you choose, as an accredited and authorised provider, Windermere gives you full access to eligible government payments including Childcare Care Rebate and Childcare Benefit. For more information visit mychild.gov.au.