2015 Children’s Programs Programs Introduction We are pleased to announce Bubup Womindjeka Family & Children Centre’s program of services for 2015. With almost one year of operations under our belt we have listened to the needs of our families and are excited to be able to offer a new and improved range of services in 2015. In addition to our existing long day care and sessional kindergarten programs, we will be offering before and after-kinder care for 3 and 4 year olds, and from January 2015 we will also be introducing a holiday program for 3 – 6 year olds that is jam packed with fun activities during the school holidays. All of our programs of education and care are run in line with the National Quality Standards (NQS) and Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and we pride ourselves on our approach of continuous improvement; always looking for new ways in which to nurture and educate our children, helping them to develop the foundations of lifetime learning through play. Our programs are staffed by a range of experienced educators with either Bachelor, Diploma or Certificate III qualifications in Early Childhood Education and we strive to attract highly experienced and committed educators to lead our programs. Our vision is to be a community centre for excellence in education and wellbeing for young children and their families. Long Day Care What is included in the program: With 85 licensed long day care places we are able to offer long day care to children from 3 months old up to 6 years of age. We operate 5 days a week from 7.30am to 6.00 pm. Our service includes breakfast and lunch, as well as morning and afternoon tea. Our menu provides healthy, nutritionally balanced meals and we are also able to cater for all types of dietary requirements and food intolerances. Our long day care rooms are staffed by Diploma qualified and Certificate III trained staff and we work within the educator to child ratios defined within the National Quality Standard (NQS). Each room has a Room Leader who is responsible for maintaining the appropriate quality standards within the room and for developing the educational component of the program in conjunction with the other staff. Our programs includes a full schedule of incursions, including music, sports, drama, yoga and health eating, and we encourage our older children to develop a spirit of independence through excursions and activities in the local community. Sessional Kindergarten 4-Year-Old Sessional Kindergarten For 2015 we will be offering sessional kindergarten programs for both 3 and 4 year olds. The programs are run across 3 days a week with the session times tailored to suit each age group. Our 4-year-old kindergarten program is subsidised through Federal and State Funding and contributes to the national goal of providing accessible kindergarten education for all children the year before entering school. Sessional kindergarten is run on a term basis and the term dates for 2015 are as outlined below: Kindergarten Term Dates 2015 Term 1 29th January - 27th March 2015 Term 2 13th April - 26th June 2015 Term 3 13th July - 18th September 2015 Term 4 5th October - 18th December 2015 The program runs for 15 hours per week and each program is led by a Bachelor Qualified Educator with the support of a Diploma Qualified Assistant. We will be running two streams of 4 year old kinder in 2015, accommodating up to 50 children with the session times as below: 4 Year Old Kindergarten Sessional kindergarten does not operate during school holidays but care can be provided during these times through our long day care or holiday program, subject to availability. 3-Year-Old Sessional Kindergarten For 2015 we will be running one stream of 3-yearold kindergarten with places for up to 25 children. Our 3-year-old program runs for 9 hours per week and is led by a Diploma Qualified Activity Group Leader with the support of a Certificate III trained assistant. For many children this will be their first experience of learning in a group setting and our program is designed to encourage independence and socialisation. The session times for 2015 are as follows: 3 Year Old Kindergarten Monday 8.30am – 11.30am Wednesday 1.00pm – 4.00pm Friday 8.30am – 11.30am Stream One Stream Two Mon 8.30am - 2.30pm Tues 8.30am - 2.30pm Weds 8.30am - 2.30pm Thurs 8.30am - 2.30pm Fri Fri: 9.00am - 12.00pm 1.00pm - 4.00pm The 4-year-old kinder program helps children prepare for school by learning to be respectful of educators, to listen to the views of others and to be more independent in looking after themselves and their belongings. What is included in the programs: Depending on the timing of the 3-year-old program, morning or afternoon tea will be provided. In our 4 year old program a lunch box will be provided for each child to help them get used to the daily routine in preparation for school. Our programs include incursions, such as music, sports, drama, yoga and health eating, and our 4year-old program will also include excursions and activities in the local community. Before and After-Kinder Care Holiday Programs As a new service for 2015 we will be introducing a before and after kinder care service. Feedback from our families in 2014 has highlighted a need for extended care to support working families who wish to use the sessional kindergarten programs. Commencing on January 6th we will be offering a holiday program for children aged 3 – 6 years who may need care until the commencement of the sessional kindergarten program (or the start of the school year for those leaving us to start school). From the start of Term 1 we will be offering before and after care from 7.30am until 6.00pm. This program will be led by a Diploma Qualified Room Leader with the support of a Certificate III assistant. This program will be staffed by a Diploma Qualified Room Leader with the support of a Certificate III assistant. The program will be run to the same standards as our long day care programs with meals, incursions and excursions included. This service will only be available to families whose children are enrolled in either a 3 or 4-year-old sessional kindergarten program. Places can be booked for the whole term or on a casual basis, however priority will be given to families with the need for a permanent booking. We will be offering a program packed full of activities every day such as arts & crafts, sports, cookery, movies and excursions. The program will run from Tuesday 6th January until Friday 23rd January and bookings can be made for the whole program or for individual days but these must be specified in advance. The program will also run in the Easter, Winter and Spring breaks. Schedule of Fees Schedule of Fees 2015 Terms & Conditions General Programs Annual Administration Fee Annual Administration Fee $150 per child Enrolment Deposit $100 per child Long Day Care $115 per day 3-Year-Old Sessional Kindergarten $550 per term 4-Year-Old Sessional Kindergarten $750 per term Holiday Program $90 per day Before and After-Kinder Care: 3-Year Old Kinder Before Kinder Care (M, F) $12 per day Before Kinder Care (W) $66 per day After Kinder Care (M, F) $78 per day After Kinder Care (W) $24 per day 4-Year Old Kinder The annual administration fee is required to be paid in advance of the commencement of care. Enrolment Deposit The enrolment deposit will go towards you first fee payment, but should you not go ahead with care this deposit is non refundable. Alteration/Cancellation of Enrolments Please advise BWFCC any changes required as soon as you are aware. In accordance with our fee policy we require 4 weeks notice of any alterations or cancellation of an enrolment. For sessional kindergarten, once term has commenced, your place is booked for the term and therefore fees paid are non-refundable. Business Trading Terms According to our fee policy, all fees are collected via direct debit. Where the fees remain unpaid, we refer this account to a collection agency and/or law firm. Please note that the costs of these external services will be added to the outstanding debt. Before Kinder Care (M, T, W, T) $12 per day Contact Details After Kinder Care (M, T, W, T) $42 per day Please ensure your contact details are up to date by emailing [email protected] if any changes occur. Friday - Stream 1 Relevant Legislation Before Kinder Care (F) $18 per day After Kinder Care (F) $72 per day Friday – Stream 2 Before Kinder Care (F) $66 per day After Kinder Care (F) $24 per day Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 • Part 6 Collection of children from the premises and excursions • Regulation 99 • Division 2 Policies and procedures • Regulation 168 (2) (f) National Quality Standards for Early Childhood Education and Care: • Quality Area 6 Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities • Element 6.1 Respectful supportive relationships with families are developed and maintained Frequently Asked Questions Q. A. Why are we charged an Annual Administration Fee? At the start of every year we are required to re-enter the enrolment details for every child into our Childcare Management System. This helps us to ensure that we have accurate information such as emergency contact details and CRN numbers so that your Centrelink entitlements can be calculated accurately. We are also required to provide information to the Department of Education to ensure Kindergarten Funding and other subsidies can be secured as appropriate. With more than 200 families involved in the centre this is a very significant task and the administration fee goes towards the resources and electronic systems required to complete these tasks. Q. A. Do we have to pay for Public Holidays? Yes, unfortunately there is still a charge for fees on Public Holidays if you have a permanent booking on the day that a public holiday falls as we are still required to pay our staff for these days. Q. A. When will my fees be charged? In 2015, fees will be charged weekly. This will allow us to ensure that Centrelink entitlements are calculated more accurately and will ensure your statements accurately reflect your current fee balance. We will be publishing a fee schedule for 2015 in due course which will outline the days when fees will be charged for all of our programs. Q. A. What is the notice period for changes to my enrolment? We require four weeks notice for any changes or cancellation of an enrolment. This is required to cover the time it may take us to fill a vacant position. Q. A. If my child leaves part way through the sessional kindergarten term is my fee refundable? Unfortunately a term fee cannot be refunded if you leave part way through the term as a spot has been reserved for your child and it is unlikely we will be able to fill the vacancy. Q. A. What are the criteria for undertaking the Funded 4-Year Old Kindergarten program? In order for your child to be eligible for a funded 4 year old kindergarten program they must turn 4 before the 30th April 2015 and they cannot be undertaking funded 4 year old kindergarten at another centre. Ideally a child should undertaken this program in the year prior to them starting school as it is generally only possible to secure a funded place for one year. If you have questions about your child’s readiness for kinder and school our kindergarten staff would be happy to discuss this with you. Q. Is there is a difference between the educational programs provided in Long Day Care and Sessional Kindergarten? There is no difference between the programs in Long Day Care and Sessional kindergarten, other than the structure of the days. The educational component of both programs is based on the Early Years Learning Framework and all of our children will have their own learning portfolio. A. Q. A. Can the Childcare Benefit and Childcare Rebate be applied to these programs? The Childcare Benefit and Childcare Rebate can be applied to the services in Long Day Care, Before and After Kinder Care and our Holiday Program, but unfortunately they do not apply to Sessional Kindergarten Fees. Q. A. Can I place my child into care for half a day and only pay for half a day? Unfortunately due to the high demand for childcare places we only offer full day fees. Q. Can my child attend some time in Long Day Care and some time in Sessional Kindergarten and qualify for the 15 hours of subsidised kinder? No, the 15 hours of kindergarten must be undertaken within the same program. A. Bubup Womindjeka Family and Children’s Centre 85 Liardet Street, Port Melbourne
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