Family Day Care FAQs

• Your child care requirements are matched to the appropriate educator.
• The home based setting provides a familiar, safe and secure learning environment.
• Current research confirms the importance of strong relationships with significant adults to a child’s early learning. Family day care’s small group environment facilitates strong bonds and promotes effective early learning and social development.
• Family day care can offer care during standard hours, evenings, before and/or after school, during school holidays and in some cases overnight and weekends.
• Family day care can provide education and care for children from babies to school age offering the possibility for siblings to be cared for together, all in one location.
• Family day care provides experiences which reflect the diversity of your community.

Absolutely. As the approved and registered family day care service provider it is our responsibility to recruit, train, support and manage our family day care educators. Together we must engage in the principles and practices of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and work within the requirements of the National Quality Framework (NQF).

This means educators must:

• Maintain a national police clearance for working with children and possess a Working with Children check.
• Hold or be actively working towards a Certificate III level education and care qualification.
• Meet national standards which include maintaining quality learning programs, safe and hygienic learning environments and record keeping.
• Maintain current first aid and CPR certificates and training in the emergency management of asthma and anaphylaxis.
• Participate in regular support and monitoring visits conducted by Windermere.
• Attend professional development training, network meetings and training workshops periodically to maintain currency of skills and knowledge.
• Maintain current public liability insurance coverage.

All of our educators undergo a number of home safety checks to ensure that their home meets the appropriate safety standards as set out in the governing regulations. Ongoing safety checks are also carried out during educator support visits.

If your Family Day Care educator (or someone in their house) becomes ill and your child cannot attend, we will endeavour to find you an alternative educator. If we cannot find an alternative educator, no fee is payable for the duration of the absence.

Where possible, our educators will always try to take leave at a time that is suitable to their families. We also provide a number of relief educators that may be available during this time.

Ensuring children eat a balanced and healthy diet (with plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and water) is very important for their learning and wellbeing.

• For those using Family Day Care it is up to families and educators to come to individual agreements as to who will supply meals for children in their direct care. Additional fees may apply but please refer to the separate Fee Schedule for a full outline

If meals or snacks are being provided please ensure you have advised the educator of any special dietary requirements.

A child’s behaviour is often the first and only way they know to communicate their needs. We know that providing children with positive early experiences really does give them a lifelong advantage so our educators are dedicated to:

• Helping children learn about getting along with others and manage their emotions through positive guidance
• Being good role models in the way we interact with children and each other
• Communicating with you if we identify any issues and supporting you to take care of your child’s developmental and behavioural needs.

Vaccination protects against infection, saves lives and protects those who are too young or too sick to be immunised. The risk of complications from childhood diseases like measles is much higher than the risks of vaccination.

If you haven't had your child immunised, we are unable to provide care for your child.

For more information visit health.vic.gov.au.

It's very important for your child's safety that we know when they arrive and leave, so please follow these simple steps. Let the staff/educator know:

• If your child will be absent
• If you have arranged for someone else to pick up your child - only a person authorised by you can collect your child
• If for any reason you or your nominated person is unable to pick up your child, please call us to make other arrangements.
• If you are running late to collect your child, please phone us as soon as possible. Late fees will apply and if we haven't heard from you after 30 minutes of the expected collection time, we will be required to call your emergency contact person to collect your child.

And for your own safety, please check with an educator about parking options whilst dropping off or picking up your child.

Depending on the age of your child you should consider packing the following:

For babies

• bottles with formula or expressed milk
• nappies (except for the Early Learning Centre where nappies are provided)
• dummy (sealed in a named container)

Older children

• a water bottle
• a sun-safe hat that protects the face, neck and ears
• sunscreen if you prefer an alternative to the one provided
• at least two changes of clothes and underwear (your child may experience a variety of indoor and outdoor learning experiences including water, sand, paint and collage play)
• any comfort items such as a toy or blanket that are important to your child
• any medication (these need to be given directly to your educator or centre staff).

Please make sure everything is labelled clearly.

Please let us know if your child will be absent from scheduled bookings for any reason. When your child returns you will need to sign the attendance record to confirm their absence. It can be helpful to provide documentation to support absence days such as:

• medical certificates
• shared care plans (which need to be signed by both parents)
• court orders
• rostered days off or rotating shifts.

Please note you will still need to pay for absent days of any kind (i.e. public holidays) unless:

• Your child attends Family Day Care and the educator (or their child) is ill. In this case we will endeavour to find you an alternative educator. If an alternate educator is sourced you would be required to pay the fees in line with their fee schedule.

Full details are available in the separate Fee Booklet.

When a child is not in care due to illness, this is classified as an allowable absence (of which each child is entitled to 42 per year) and the usual fees apply.

Talking about the upcoming change in your child’s routine and role-modelling positive feelings and expectations about the environment is important. So is taking things gradually. For example:

• With Family Day Care, you and your child are welcome to have one or two short sessions before commencing with booked hours.

Regardless of the service option you choose, you should feel welcome to telephone or drop in during the day to see how your child is settling.

You can visit their website for more information.

Yes we do. Excursions are planned in the best interests of the children and for educational purposes. Before any outing we need your written permission and to provide you with an excursion plan outlining where your child is going, times and transport information including the anticipated route. Families are encouraged to join excursions when available