Bauer Street Newsletter June 2018

Assessment & rating

What a hectic few weeks we have had getting the centre ready for assessment and rating. A big thank you to all our wonderful staff that did an amazing job in continuing to provide quality care and education for the children in our care. This has enabled the centre to hold onto our Exceeding rating! How lucky Bauer Street is to have such a dedicated team who only want the best for your children.

Sick Children over winter

This is the season for flu’s and viruses and as you know we are very particular with health, wellbeing and hygiene in the centre so as to stop the spread of infection. I continue to have parents complain to me regarding sick children being brought into the centre. If your child is unwell PLEASE don’t bring them into the centre as they can infect other children and staff.

The aim of exclusion is to reduce the spread of infectious disease. Excluding ill children, educators and other staff is an effective way to limit the spread of infection in our service.  If your child is sick you need to have a plan in place to enable them to recover at home from their illness.

Please do not dose your child up with panadol etc hoping they will last the day. Please be aware that Panadol only masks an illness and while it stops temperatures from rising your child is possibly contagious and may be spreading an illness and germs to other children and staff.

I have attached an extract of our Exclusion policy below.

Goals

To protect the health and well-being of children, families and staff within the Centre.

To protect children, staff and families from the risk of cross-contamination and infection

during a period when there is an outbreak of an infectious disease.

To ensure that parents/guardians of non-immunised children are always notified when

there is an outbreak of an infectious disease.

Strategies

  • Children and staff with infectious diseases will be excluded from the Centre in accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines.

A medical certificate is required after contracting diphtheria, hepatitis A, polio, tuberculosis, typhoid and paratyphoid before the adult or child can be re-admitted to the Centre – refer Infectious Diseases Policy.

  • Families of non-immunised children are informed when an infectious disease is present in the Centre – it is then at the discretion of the parents/guardians as to whether or not they allow their child to continue in a care situation.
  • If a child is unwell at home parents/guardians are asked not to bring the child to the Centre.
  • If a staff member is unwell they should not report to work.
  • In the case of serious ill health or hospitilisation, the child or staff member will require a medical certificate from their medical practitioner or specialist, verifying that their recovery is sufficient to enable their return to the centre.
  • Request from the Public Health Unit a clearance to attend for children and staff who have had diphtheria, hepatitis A, tuberculosis, polio, typhoid or paratyphoid infection.
  • Advise families that when children have commenced treatment with a medication (including immunisation), the child should not attend care for at least 24 hours to ensure the child is recovering and is not having side effects to the medication.
  • Ensure all staff and persons normally working or visiting the centre conform to all infectious disease policies.
  • Keep up to date information in relevant community languages regarding infectious diseases and ensure this information is easily accessible to culturally and linguistically diverse families.

Management Committee

Management Committee meet once a month on the last Tuesday of the month. The agenda and minutes of the meeting are on the board opposite the Ipads. Should you wish to add any topics to the agenda or would like a copy of the minutes; policies etc please see the office staff. The review of centre policies is an ongoing process and it is important for all parties concerned to be involved. We welcome parent input.

Fees

All fees are to be kept 1 week in advance. As you know we are a community non profit centre working on a budget. We cannot afford to carry ANY BAD DEBTS. If you are behind in fees you need to catch up ASAP otherwise we will need to adjust your enrolment days until you catch up. Any families who have outstanding fees will need to be a week in advance by the end of Junes.

It was passed at the last management committee meeting that the centre fees will increase by $2.00 per day from July. We normally have a fee increase midyear. If you pay your account by direct debit please adjust the amount after your first July account.

Important Reminders

  • Sanitary hand wash is available for you and your child to use on arrival and departure from the centre. You will find it on the wall next to the front door of the centre.
  • Remember to pack a change of clothes for those ‘in case’ moments and especially underpants as ‘accidents’ are simply a part of growing up. The Centre has a limited supply of extra clothing, and if your child takes day care clothes home, we kindly ask you to please wash the clothes and bring them back to the centre.

Menus

The centre sent a survey out in April in regards to our menu and we received some healthy enjoyable recipes. Thank you for your input into our centre menu. If you have any healthy enjoyable recipes that your children enjoy please share them with us. Jo and Maz do a great job in our kitchen and would welcome any new recipes or suggestions to the menu.

Things to remember

  • It is important to keep offering healthy choices in a variety of ways, as children learn to eat what is familiar to them.
  • Encourage your child to sit and eat before heading out to play.
  • Include fruit and vegetables in your child’s lunch box.
  • Foods such as sandwiches can be prepared the night before or on the weekend, frozen, then taken for each day’s lunch box.

Childcare Subsidy

  • By now all families should have registered the new child care package. The centre will commence signing in on the Ipads on Monday 25th June 2018. Under the new Child Care Subsidy payments are made directly to the centre on behalf of families. If you have not completed your Child Care Subsidy Assessment, we will not receive payments so you will need to complete your assessment through myGov You can view a CCS checklist below to ensure you are ready to go:
  • FAMILIES CCS CHECKLIST – bit.ly/CCSFamiliesChecklist

This is a thorough, simply worded checklist that walks you through how to sign up for the new Child Care Subsidy.

Vacancies

We still have a few vacancies in our senior kindy room on Mondays and Tuesdays and also in our Preprep room, if you need extra days please see the office staff.

 

Outdoor play is a big part of healthy growth, learning, development and wellbeing for your child.

Why outdoor play is important

Playing outside gives your child the chance to explore the natural environment and have adventures. She can play favourite games, test her physical limits, express herself and build her self-confidence.

Outdoor play can also mean more mess – and more mess often means more fun!

When your child is outside, he probably has more space and freedom for big movements, like running, jumping, kicking and throwing. Physical activities like these are good for his health, fitness and physical development.

Spending time outdoors might lower your child’s chances of being short-sighted. And a bit of safe play in the sun can be good too – small amounts of sunlight exposure can help boost vitamin D levels.

Getting your child into outdoor play: ideas

It’s a good idea to encourage your child to play outside several times a day.

Outdoor play doesn’t have to be a big deal, particularly if you have an outdoor space at your home. Especially with older children, sometimes all you need to do is send them out the door and let them come up with their own games. When younger children are playing outside, though, they need your help to stay safe around outdoor hazards.

Many younger children love to ‘help’. This means that outdoor play can include working with your child on everyday tasks like weeding, sweeping the driveway, watering vegetables or hanging clothes on the line.

Making time to visit your local park, oval or playground is a low-cost and easy option, especially if you don’t have a yard. Your child will probably have even more room to run around there and might meet other children.

If you can walk to the park, you can also teach your child about road and pedestrian safety on the way. Even younger children can get out of the stroller and walk for a little while. Walking together shows that you value and enjoy outdoor activity too. Other outdoor, active transport activities include riding bikes or scooters.

As your child gets older, you could encourage her to try a structured outdoor activity like junior sport.

Outdoor play for different ages

Outdoor play helps your baby learn about different surroundings and can make him feel more comfortable with the world around him. Some ideas for outdoor play with your baby include:

  • having tummy timeon a blanket or towel
  • crawling on grass, under outdoor furniture or through old boxes
  • watching tree leaves and branches move and listening to birds
  • looking at different coloured cars, street signs or traffic light signals.

Toddlers are keen to explore the world around them and test out their growing physical skills. Outdoor play for your toddler might include:

  • throwing and chasing balls
  • wheeling, pushing or pulling different toys and objects
  • walking, running or jumping into puddles, around trees, over stones or cracks in the footpath, or towards favourite objects
  • blowing bubbles and chasing them as they float away
  • playing in sand, mud or small amounts of water – but always supervise water playto prevent drowning accidents.

Preschoolers are learning to play with other children. They also like make-believe. You can help your child make the most of this stage with outdoor play ideas like:

  • playing games of chasey, hide-and-seek or kick-to-kick
  • crawling through tunnels or climbing over fallen trees
  • moving in different ways with colourful leaves, flowers, scarves or streamers
  • going on a walk together and naming all of the different sounds you hear
  • building a castle out of boxes, clothes baskets or outdoor play equipment or furniture.

By Raising Children Network