SEPTEMBER 2024
We are very excited to welcome you to Spring!! The weather is warmer, and the flowers are finally blooming! In this month’s newsletter we have a lot of important updates and reminders to keep you in the loop, including details on Mandatory Reporting training, access to child enrolment documents, the long-awaited update to Staying Healthy in Childcare and the results of our recent Professional Development survey. There are also some exciting events coming up, like the International Fairy Tea Party, and a few farewells. Make sure you check out all the updates and thank you, as always, for your dedication and hard work!
Mandatory Reporting
There are just a few Educators left who have not yet completed or sent in their certificates for the Mandatory Reporting training. This is just a gentle reminder that the training has to be complete before the end of September to remain compliant. The online training takes around an hour and both Educators and Educator Assistants are required to complete the training which can be found here. * Please note this is NOT the same as the Protect Behaviours Training that was offered on the 3rd and 26th September.
Family Enrolment
Documents Did you know that you can access each child’s detailed enrolment form on Harmony? Open the child’s profile, click on the tab labeled “Docs” and you should see the Online Enrolment Form there. If this form is not visible, please contact the office so that the document can be changed to make it visible to the Educator.
Results of the Professional Development Survey
We would really like to thank the 22 Educators who took the time to complete the survey on professional development that we sent out a few months ago. We have been chatting about these results during our meetings and have found the feedback from these Educators invaluable. It’s always so insightful to hear what you’re interested in and how we can support your growth as Educators.
A big takeaway was that most of you are keen on focusing on Educational Program and Practice and Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities. Regarding specific training you’re looking for, there was a real mix of topics that caught your interest—from cultural competency, especially around Indigenous and neurodiverse experiences, to practical strategies for behavior management and supporting children with autism and ADHD. Programming came up quite a bit too, whether it’s about creating content or understanding how to be more intentional in your planning. It’s clear you’re looking for diverse and meaningful learning opportunities that can help you in all aspects of your work.
As for how you prefer to learn, many of you are leaning towards online courses or webinars—probably because they offer flexibility, which we know is key when you’re juggling so much. But there’s also a good number of you who enjoy workshops and seminars, or even peer learning circles where you can share and learn from each other. It’s great to see that there’s a variety of preferences, as it helps us plan a range of opportunities to suit different learning styles.
What really stood out in the survey was how much you value professional development for not just expanding your knowledge but also boosting your confidence and keeping that passion for education alive. Of course, we know it’s not always easy—time constraints, family commitments, and plain old fatigue can make it tough to fit in. But despite these challenges, your dedication to continuous improvement is inspiring.
We’re using all this feedback to shape our professional development calendar for next year. It’s important to us that you feel supported in your role, not just for your own growth but also for the children and families you care for every day. Thanks for your input—it’s going to help us create programs that are truly relevant and beneficial for you.
Farewell
We would like to say farewell to Nikki Bombak who operated her Family Day Care in Golden Bay for the last three years and a sudden farewell to Amy Donohue, who unfortunately had to close her business shortly after she opened it. Amy had to relocate from Kununurra, and we wish both her and Nikki good luck in their future endeavors.
Recording Educator Leave on Harmony
It would be greatly appreciated if all Educators could ensure that any leave they plan is submitted through Harmony as soon as possible. When we plan visits, we run these reports to see who will be on leave and then we schedule flights, accommodation and visits accordingly. We understand that last minute leave is inevitable, so a quick text to your ESO or email to Info will give us an opportunity to see what can be rescheduled. This is especially important for Educators with swimming pools and Educators who live in the regional areas.
Last Day Absences
This is just a reminder that any children ending care on an absence will have their CCS for that day cancelled and families will be required to pay full fee. Please keep this in mind as we head towards the end of the year. If a child is finishing care, ensure that their last day does not fall on a Public Holiday as CCS will be cancelled if they do not attend. CCS will only be paid for last day that the child physically attended.
RUOK Day
Every year this day comes and goes with the obligatory RUOK’s. Maybe this year we can mark this day to reflect and plan ahead for if or when those tough days arise. Considering these things ahead of challenges helps us to navigate the cloudy days. Some things to consider when those feelings overwhelm our range of tolerance could be:
1. What do your early warning signs look like when life’s challenges are overwhelming you?
2. Make a list of small changes to enhance your wellbeing. E.g. sleep, nutrition, movement
3. Who can I connect with when things are tough. (identify a few people)
4. Connect with support services or ask someone to help you to connect if the task feels overwhelming.
5. Share your story, it just may assist another person to feel normal and find hope.
Updated Staying Healthy in Child Care
The new Staying Healthy in Child Care 6th Edition has finally been released! Please find below the link to the new guidelines available to download and feel free to save to your laptop/device for easy access. Staying healthy guidelines | NHMRC
International Fairy Tea Party – 20th September 2024
Every child (and child at heart) loves the sense of wonder that fairies bring so taking part in a magical tea party that aims to unite global play is a perfect opportunity to celebrate International Fairy Tea Party day. Traditionally held on the Friday closest to the September Equinox but now spread over 3-4 days so everyone can be involved. Check out this blog for inspiration or provocations or you can connect on Facebook
Programming and Planning
ACECQA has developed a set of new information sheets to guide both educators and approved providers on streamlining educational program documentation while at the same time ensuring legislative and quality standards are met. The resources can be found here, under the heading of Quality Area 1.
Teachers Pay Teachers also has a handy free template to track your planning cycle and see if you have gaps in your cycle.
Child Care Subsidy (CCS) Explained
Services Australia provide a subsidy to families calculated by assessing each family’s income and assigning families a percentage of CCS they are eligible for and a set number of hours per fortnight they can receive the subsidy for. The Government subsidy is calculated using the parent’s percentage against $13.24, which is the Government’s capped rate for FDC and not against the Educator’s individual hourly rate. Services Australia also withhold an additional 5% which is balanced at the end of the financial year. You can find out more about this here.
Nature Alliance submit timesheets to Services Australia each Monday to have any subsidy applied however it is an enrolling guardian’s responsibility to ensure that their details are correct with Services Australia to be eligible for the subsidy.
Policies being Updated
The following Policies have been updated and will be distributed during October’s support visit. In the meantime, you can access them on our website.
• Policy 1.6 Child Protection
• Policy 4 Serious Incidents, Emergencies and Evacuation
• Policy 9 Legal and Insurance
• Policy 17 Anti Bias Equity and Inclusion
• Policy 22 Fit and Proper Persons Policy
• Policy 28 Employment of FDC Service Staff
• Policy 35 CCS Governance Policy
Hi from Greenbushes….
This month we shine the spotlight on Amanda Brownlie our dedicated Educator from Greenbushes – a charming timber and mining town in the Southwest. Amanda’s connection to community is truly inspiring. She is actively engaged in running the local playgroup and regularly participates in community events, such as the recent Medieval Festival, where she led the children’s activities with creativity and enthusiasm. Amanda’s Family Day Care environment is inspiring. Her play spaces are carefully crafted to spark curiosity, encouraging children to explore, learn, and play. Amanda has a natural talent for planning engaging, activities ensuring that the children in her care experience both joy and a deep connection to their world. Amanda has completed the Modern Attachment Theory Workshop, part of the Interplay Family Therapy which she has found valuable and successfully integrated into her service. We look forward to seeing the creative play spaces and activities you have planned for the children whenever we visit.
Word of the Day
Formative Assessment – This is an ongoing process where Educators regularly observe and monitor a child’s learning and development. The goal is to identify the child’s strengths and areas that might need extra support, then adjust activities and teaching approaches to help them grow. This type of assessment allows Educators to give immediate feedback and plan for the child’s future learning, ensuring they are on track in their development.
Office Hours
Our office hours are 8.30am to 4.30pm. If you have a query outside of these hours, please phone and leave a message. If you need to speak with someone in an emergency, please ring Jo Georgiou and if your call is not answered immediately, leave a message and your call will be returned.
Phone Numbers
Sandra / Mandy: 0431 449 567 (Mon – Fri); Joy: 0429 030 362 (Mon, Tues, Wed & Fri); Jo C: 0477 029 531 (Mon – Fri); Jo G: 0477 029 132 (Mon – Thurs); Lea: 0477 029 228 (Mon, Tue, Thurs & Fri).
To ensure that we respond to your emails promptly please send your queries to: info@naturealliancefdc.com.au
“You do not find the happy life. You make it!” Camilla Eyring Kimball