The Family Day Care
Hatchling House Family Day Care is a privately owned, quality child care service, provided in the homes of approved educators. It is a unique and quality child care service, which relies on educators, coordinators and parents to work in partnership to ensure the best possible outcomes for the children.
Educators can care for 7 children in total with four children under school age and three children school aged including their own children.
The care environment in family day care offers children stimulating every day learning experiences and activities, with a daily routine that is flexible to cater for the needs of the individual child.
There are a number of Policies & Procedures that describe quality practice in Family Day Care.
Full copies of the policies can be obtained from the office or your educator.
Family Day Care provides flexible hours: full time, part time, before & after school, vacations, weekend, evening & overnight care, depending on the availability and family circumstances of each Educator.
Educators run their own small business and therefore each is individual and able to offer a varied service to families. Each Educator has their own fee schedule and this is an agreement and contract between the educator and the parent.
Hatchling House Family Day Care has no influence or input into each Educators fees as they set individual limitations and conditions for their business. The service administration levy is included in each educator’s fee schedule.
Hatchling House Family Day Care Philosophy
Hatchling House Family Day Care is a service who has achieved two Consecutive Exceeding Ratings – 2013 and 2019.
As a service that has been established since 2008, we the Children, Families, Educators and HQ Team embrace our Philosophy which is written for our future.
Educators recognise that families are children’s first and most influential teachers. Educators create a welcoming and culturally safe environment where all children and families are respected regardless of background, ethnicity, languages spoken, religion, family makeup or gender. IL8
Ethical partnerships are formed when information is shared responsibly, and educators take safety precautions to ensure children’s right to privacy and protection.
Educators know children engage with popular culture, media, and digital technologies so they build partnerships with families and others to keep children safe and families aware of e-safety information.
Educators adopt a holistic approach to teaching and learning focusing on enabling children to have a voice and agency. Educators document and monitor children’s learning.
Educators attend to all children’s wellbeing by developing warm, trusting relationships, and providing predictable and child safe environments, affirmation, and respect for all aspects of their physical, emotional, social, cognitive, linguistic, creative and spiritual being.
Educators create inclusive learning environments and adopt flexible and informed practices, including making reasonable adjustments to optimise access, participation, and engagement in learning which supports wellbeing and positive outcomes for children in all their diversities (disabilities and children experiencing barriers to their learning).
Educators view all children as competent and capable and hold high expectations for their learning. They strive to provide all children with equitable and participatory environments and experiences to promote their learning, development, and wellbeing.
Educators are attuned to children’s thoughts and feelings, support their learning, development, and wellbeing by providing them
with a secure base from which to explore the environment and build new relationships. Children experience positive caring relationships and interactions with others at care which plays a crucial role in healthy brain development.
Educators encourage children to develop appreciation of the natural world, understand our impact on the natural world, and the interdependence between people, animals, plants, lands, and waters. Sustainable practices are created with children who are supported to take an active role in caring for the environment – thinking about ways they can contribute to a sustainable future.IL 5 & 6
Educators encourage children’s learning about healthy lifestyles, including nutrition, sleep and rest, personal hygiene, physical fitness, emotions, safe and healthy digital technology use and social relationships, is integral to wellbeing and self-confidence. Physical wellbeing contributes to children’s ability to concentrate, cooperate, and learn.
Educators encourage and teach children about personal safety including strategies to support children’s and families’ awareness of boundaries and that it is ok to say not to touch.
Educators listen carefully and take seriously conversations when children talk
about things that bother them.
Educators are uniquely positioned to observe children’s development, interactions, and behaviour, to identify any issues of concern, and to take action to support all children’s safety and wellbeing.
Educators embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and diverse perspectives, enhancing all children’s experiences which assists in the authentic advancement of Reconciliation. Our commitment to children’s learning is about what has come before and working together for what is to come. It is a shared responsibility of all stakeholders working in early childhood educational settings, regardless of whether Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families are enrolled in that setting. IL 1 – 8
Reflection involves educators thinking intentionally about their own practices, with certain aims or goals in mind. Critical reflection is a process that involves a deeper level of thinking and evaluation. This approach supports educators to question established practices and to think about why they are working in particular ways. IL 6
To support the function of the Service, stakeholders review, evaluate and supervise our Policies & Procedures in conjunction with the National Quality Framework to maintain our Exceeding service to families.
Hatchling House Family Day Care Service endeavours to:
- Review, evaluate and supervise the Policies and procedures of the service and the National Quality Framework. Ensuring the implementation of these to maintain a high-quality setting.
- Provide access to current information relating to the Childcare sector and facilitate Professional Development.
- Recognize that each Educator is a professional and brings to the setting a variety of qualities and skills. Support, respect and foster all aspects of the Educator’s practices.
- Develop a widening network of secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships with Educator, children, families, the community and support professionals and maintain trusting relationships with each other.
- Encourage all children to succeed to their own capacity, regardless of diverse circumstances and abilities.
- Hold High Expectations for children’s achievements in learning to enable them to progress well.
- Provide ongoing support that involves engaging with questions of philosophy, ethics and practice: gather information and gain insights that support, inform and enrich decision-making about children’s learning.
Referenced from the Early Years Learning Framework 2009