Raising happy, healthy, engaged children is the goal for parents, carers and educators alike. But what does it take to make learning and education a lifelong joy? Can educational outcomes be personalised for each child, no matter what their ability? and when should learning begin?
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Find out how Windermere's holiday care program ensured young Eliza, who has type 1 diabetes, could safely attend the program.
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The 2023 leadership programs are underway. We spoke to Jenny Field, Program Coordinator Counselling, on her experience in the Transformational Leadership program.
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Educator Chris shares her tried and tested tips for running a successful a family day care business.
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Aimee started her own family day care business as it allows her to be her own boss, have more flexibility and provide better care.
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Chloe moved into Family Day Care because of the flexibility it offered her to be available for her own family after her daughter was born.
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Know what to do when your child has a tantrum in public and find ways to reduce tantrums occurring.
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The three session program provides parents and caregivers with tools to manage challenging behaviours and to proactively encourage positive behaviours.
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Stephanie became a family day care educator because she wanted to provide the best possible care to her own two children.
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“I tell everyone about Family Day Care, we love it,” she says. She says that her children have hugely benefitted because all their educators have really got to know her children and their personalities.
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"I really liked that Windermere uses a key worker approach. Being in a multi-disciplined team means you can draw on wider support and the expertise of the team if you need it,” she says.
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“I absolutely recommend doing a student placement with Windermere. I’ve already put into practice so many skills that I learnt and a large part of gaining employment was due to my experience at Windermere,”
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“I absolutely recommend doing a student placement with Windermere. I’ve already put into practice so many skills that I learnt and a large part of gaining employment was due to my experience at Windermere,”
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“I’d heard Windermere had a good reputation and was also local to my area. So I contacted them and within a week they had the paperwork organised and I had signed up under their Family Day Care,” she says.
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“Being a Family Day Care educator lets me get the best of both worlds. I can still work and support my family, but I can also care for my children while doing something that I have a passion for,”
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This was the first time the expo was held virtually.
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Moving the program online presents an opportunity to reach more vulnerable children, empowering them to build the foundations for a safer, more stable future.
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“I would never have considered Family Day Care as an option if it had not been offered to me, but I knew and trusted the Windermere management so I took a huge leap of faith. I am so glad that I did.”
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Reading with young children is often described as one of the most important things you can do as a parent or carer. This is because early reading (or reading to children when they are young) assists literacy development and also enriches life experience, both in childhood and adulthood.
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“Windermere went out of their way to treat all the educators fairly. Thanks to Windermere and JobKeeper I could still pay my bills as I normally did.”
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It is important to look after your mental health in tough times. Here are five simple things that you can start doing now.
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I love working closely with families and creating really meaningful professional relationships. I enjoy helping children achieve little and big goals.
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"If allied health professionals partner with us there is no need to go through the extensive NDIS registration process. In turn we would refer the appropriate consumers to their services."
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The children who are supported by Windermere’s group programs include pre-schoolers with extreme separation anxiety, young children who are having trouble adjusting to structured routines or social situations and those who need support to develop fine and gross motor skills.
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“I may be self employed and contracted to Windermere but I am paid consistently and regularly. I don't have the worry of feeling I need to chase up payments from clients at all,” says Danielle.
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Whether it is starting at kindergarten or childcare, there are some practical things you can do to assist your little ones to make the transition.
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We’ve listed some practical ways you can ensure that mealtimes are happier and healthier rather than feeling like you are a member of the “food police”.
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Once a week the kindergarten children visit Monash University facilities to practice skills under the guidance of their educators and students from the Monash Department of Occupational Therapy.
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We’ve developed a list of suggestions that you can do with your preschooler to help foster their emerging literacy (reading and writing skills).
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The outdoor classroom setting also allows the children to connect with nature, themselves and their community.
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Excursions are valuable because “children learn by being hands on and doing things for themselves.”
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The children have access to both the indoor and outside play areas during the day. There is a variety of toys provided which encourage imaginative play, fine and gross motor skills and problem solving.
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“We use professional development to identify problems and concerns and support our educators to find and use appropriate resources,” says Robyn.
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From a personal point of view Danielle says being a Family Day Care Educator allows her to combine earning an income while being available to her own children. “It is the best job on the planet for running your family and your own business,” she says.
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Poppy, William, Frankie, Maali, Allira, Heathcliff, Peta, Annabelle and Lorienne, who are now five and six years old, have all attended the centre since its first year of operation in 2013.
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The flexible hours mean that the Family Day Care option is particularly suited for working parents and carers who have non-standard work hours or school age children who require before and after school care.
Find out moreThe Abecedarian teaching approach is an evidence based teaching approach that prioritises language development in young children. Learn how we implemented the teaching approach here.
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Striking the right balance between work and family life can be tough, but that was never an issue for a Garfield mother who managed to roll both into one.
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The festive season is meant to be a time of joy, but for many it can be a time of stress, anxiety, disappointment and loneliness. Things don't always go to plan, so here are some steps you can take to help manage stress and anxiety during the holidays.
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The festive season is well and truly upon us and for most of us it's a precious and happy time spent with family and friends, but for some it can be a difficult and lonely time. Circumstances can mean families, like Cally's and Makrem's, find themselves needing the most basic of items - food, money to pay bills and gifts for children.
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Delving into topics including drug and alcohol awareness, cyber bullying and safety, anger management and anxiety and depression: this year alone Windermere's 8 week Kids on Track program has reached over 120 grade 5 and 6 students, giving them the skills to make better informed life choices.
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Two women are killed every week as a result of family violence - across our work with families, schools and community groups we strive to drive this number down. Our Building Respectful Relationships schools program creates and builds positive perspectives and behaviours in students around gender. This year alone we have reached over 170 year 9 students at Cranbourne Secondary College.
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Each industry has its own buzz words, phrases, and acronyms and as an Educator it’s easy to use these when communicating with a parent. However, it’s vitally important that parents and carers both understand what inclusive practice is and what it means for their child.
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'The beauty of this program, which engages students in a range of activities, is its simplicity. By coming together, they drop any preconceived ideas they may have held and realise just how much they have in common.'
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To help determine the best way to meet the needs of people with ASD, Windermere has developed a ASD kit to help case workers and carers.
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Eve was a premature baby and had a lot of health issues including trouble feeding resulting in delayed growth. This meant having a peg fitted into Eve's tummy to ensure she received the correct amount of nutrients and kilojoules everyday which was closely monitored by a dietician. When we first met Eve and her family, they where using a long day care service however, their GP referred them to Windermere.
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We are thrilled to say that our new Initiative Building Respectful Relationships has been a great success. Over 100 Year 8 students from Cranbourne Secondary College, underwent the program facilitated by two members of our Counselling team with specialist knowledge of family violence, relationships, sexual assault and gender-based violence.
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48 Webb Street
Boonwurrung Country
Narre Warren, VIC 3805
Phone: 1300 946 337
Fax: (03) 9796 7650
Email: info@windermere.org.au
Windermere is committed to equity, inclusion and belonging for consumers and employees, by building diverse and inclusive services and work environments, where all peoples from Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander, Culturally & Linguistically Diverse, LGBTIQ+ Communities and those living with disability will know and feel accepted, affirmed, safe and celebrated. Windermere is delivering this through the continued development and implementation of our Welcoming and Inclusion Strategy 2021-2024.
© Copyright 2023 by Windermere Child and Family Services.
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