In the Centre
Arrival & Departure
On arrival at the Centre, you must sign-in your child on the sign-in sheets provided in the reception area, apply sunscreen and take your child’s folder to their room where you will be greeted by staff. Please ensure that staff are aware of your child’s arrival prior to leaving the Centre.
At this time, advise staff of any information (verbally and by writing on the family communication sheet) they may need to know about your child for the day, for example, any events that have occurred since their last visit that may effect their day at Aero Kids.
When collecting your child from the Centre, you must sign-out your child on the sign-in sheets provided in the reception area. Please ensure that staff are aware that you are taking your child from the Centre. Feel free to discuss your child’s day with the staff, but don’t forget to talk to your child about it as well. Pick up your child’s folder and check it for any notes or forms that may require your signature before placing it back in the boxes provided in the foyer.
If your child is being picked up by someone else, the adult must be named on the enrolment form as an authorised person. Parents need to advise staff, in writing, if any person other than those recorded on the enrolment form will be picking up their child. On arrival, the nominated person must be able to show a photo identification (eg. driver’s licence) that staff will photocopy and keep in your child’s file for future reference. These procedures are in place to protect your child.
By law, we are not permitted to allow your child to leave the Centre with anyone under the age of 18 years.
What to Bring
Your children will get messy when they are engaging in learning experiences, so please send your child in play clothes. Children need to feel that they can participate without fear of ruining something new and 'getting into trouble'. It is best to pack a couple of sets of extra clothes that we can change your child into if they get extremely dirty or wet, from experiences such as painting or water play.
As we encourage the children to develop self-help skills, such as dressing themselves, it is important that the clothes they are wearing are the easy, pull on kind. This is particularly important if your child is at the toilet training stage. Types of clothing that have many buttons, straps and belts are difficult for children to manipulate.
If your child has a particular item that he/she likes to sleep with or for security e.g. dummy, teddy, blanket or pillow, please send it along, marked with his/her name. Older children are encouraged to bring interesting things to discuss or show, for example, photos or objects from a recent holiday or outing.
Contributions towards our supplies for creative arts are always gratefully accepted and encourage ties for your child between home and the centre. Such items would include boxes from groceries, old greeting cards, cardboard tubes from plastic wrap, etc.
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Curriculum Development
At Aero Kids we aim to provide the following;
- A life long process in which each child is engaged. It is expected that a child approaching five years of age will be further along in the process than a younger child, however, each stage is valuable and contributes to further development.
- Professionals as: learners, supporters, instructors, providers of encouragement, redirector, extender, enhancer, helper, gate-keeper, facilitator, translator, communicator, connector, initiator. Architects and designers of the environment and gate - keepers in order to determine what children have access to in order to construct meaning.
- An emergent curriculum that develops when exploring what is socially relevant, intellectually engaging and personally meaningful to children. The basic idea is that organic whole learning evolves from the interaction of the classroom participants, both children and adults (Jones and Nimmo 11994 page 3).
- A physical environment that is a major provider of opportunities and possibilities well as a literal depiction of the identity, traditions, priorities, history and vision of the service. The arrangement of the environment and what is in reflect the image of the child that professionals hold.
- Provisions as opposed to activities. The emphasis in current approach to Early Childhood curriculum is on investigations and projects that build on children's strengths and interests and that respond to children's questions rather then one off experiences based on what adults perceive children are interested in or know.
Planning and Documentation
- Planning is flexible and based on possibilities rather than rigid implementations of prepared experiences. This means there is often a greater focus on retrospective documentation that includes relations on children's responses to experiences and the interactions that have occurred rather than on pre-planning. Plans provide possible directions that can later be rethought by educators. Documentation occurs through observation topics logs, webbing, Daily Diary, Learning Stories, Children's Files, videos and mixed media, photographs, 2D and 3D work samples and Portfolios.
- Parents are able to discuss children's information, and staff are available to meet with parents at a mutually convenient time throughout the year to discuss their child's learning and development.
- Portfolio meetings are held annually.
Food & Nutrition
A full-time Cook, Athena, (who is qualified in “Following Basic Food and Safety Practices” and “Planning and Evaluating meals and menus to meet the recommended Dietary Guidelines”) is employed by the Centre to provide nutritious, balanced meals for the children. The menus are on a 4 weekly rotation for summer and winter. Meals provided are breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and late supper.
Children are encouraged to taste all foods, but are never forced. The Centre aims to provide food from various cultures. If you would like to provide suggestions of cultural meals that your child enjoys, please feel free to put these into the suggestion box or email them through to director@aerokids.com.au. Children are encouraged to become independent with their eating skills. Staff eat with the children to encourage good habits and a social, family atmosphere.
As ample food is provided during the day, parents are requested not to bring sweets, cakes, chips or any other foods. There are many children that have allergies to certain foods, so it is helpful if we can control the food that is in the Centre. Children on special diets or with allergies can be catered for. These needs should be discussed with the Director upon enrolment.
Babies on Formula/Breast Feeding
Please provide a clearly labeled bottle and formula powder in measured amounts (in a separate container from the formula tin). We will make up your child's bottle as needed, washing and sterilising the bottle in between feeds. The staff will write up your child’s routine from the day for you to check in the afternoon so that you will know what feeds, sleep, etc. they have had.
We follow your baby's individual routine. Mothers wishing to breastfeed their baby are welcome to do so at anytime.
Health & Safety
The Centre adheres to the Infection Control Policy and Health Policy which are based on Department of Health guidelines on infectious diseases and exclusion from schools. Copies of these policies are available from the Communication Station in the foyer, and can be printed upon request, are discussed during enrolment and are included n synopsis form in the Family Handbook.
Should your child become ill while at the Centre, you will be contacted by phone to come and collect him/her or arrange for someone else to collect your child as soon as possible. If parents cannot be contacted, then the next person on your emergency contact list from your enrolment form will be contacted.
These policies are designed to keep our children and staff healthy.
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Medication
If medication is to be given at the Centre, parents must complete a Medication Form which is located at the Communication Station in the foyer. In order for staff to give children medication, it must be;
- Stored in a container with the original pharmacy dispensed label.
- The label must be in the child's name with clear dosage instructions.
- Medication must be in date.
- The label must have the Doctor’s name clearly written.
As stated on our Enrolment form and our Medication Policy, your child will not be able to come to care if they are given Paracetamol in the 24 hours preceding commencement of care.
Immunisation
Immunisation records are started from your child’s Blue Book at enrolment. If your child has further immunisations during their time at Aero Kids, please bring in the Blue Book so that we can update your child’s information.
For more information visit:
Immunise Australia Program:
www.immunise.health.gov.au
Kidsafe - The Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia:
www.greenweb.com.au/kidsafe
A child who is not immunised or whose immunisations are not up to date may be excluded during an outbreak of a vaccine preventable disease.