Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
"The child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities and to participate freely in cultural and artistic life."
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The following booklet has been produced to provide information so that families feel happy and secure using the Centre.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to speak with the Coordinator or members of the Committee. Please note however that guidelines and policies are strictly adhered to.
If after reading through this booklet, you feel you might use the Centre at any time during the year please complete the attached enrolment form. That way if you unexpectedly need care, all the paper work has been completed.
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Introduction to Kent Road Care Centre
Kent Road Care Centre (KRCC) is an incorporated organisation formed in 1991 to provide before and after care to children attending Kent Road Public School and where possible, the wider community.
KRCC is a self supporting organisation managed by a voluntary parent committee comprising:
- President
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- A number of committee members
- Principal as an ex-officio member
- Coordinator as an ex-officio member
Funding
Funding for the Centre comes directly from fees and fundraising activities with some running costs met by the school. All money goes back into the Centre in the form of salaries for staff, nutritious meals, craft, sport, play activities, support for financial administration and maintenance of the Centre.
Staff
KRCC employs the following staff:
- Centre Coordinator (permanent part-time)
- Assistant Carers (permanent part-time)
- Assistant Carers (casual)
- Administrative Assistant/ Book Keeper (permanent part-time)
Centre and school links
The Centre enjoys the active support and advice of the Principal, the use of school's infrastructure including sharing of computer resources. Communication between teachers and Centre staff ensures the best support to children and their families in the way of educational assistance and behavioural management.
Accreditation
Our Centre is currently registered with the National Accreditation Program. At the beginning of 2006 it will undergo its first ever accreditation. CCB funding will be linked to successful accreditation and we will be asking families to help us meet the requirements. Our Centre is committed to child protection procedures which reflect justice and equity for all. In doing so the Centre: has policies regarding grievance resolutions, merit based appointment of staff, and adheres to voluntary national standards for outside of school hours centres. For further information see our policy folder.
Parent and Community Involvement
The fees alone do not allow us to provide the kind of quality children deserve. As a result families are asked to help in fundraising and working bees and are also invited to become members of the management committee. Not all committee positions require special skills, you just need to be interested in what the Centre offers families.
Although we recognise that everyone is busy these days, parents are encouraged to spend time at the Centre watching or joining in with their child's play. We have set up tea and coffee facilities for you to enjoy while you wait for your children to finish their activity.
Parents are also encouraged to volunteer their knowledge of the community, their skills and share their family's interests or concerns. We are always on the lookout for people who can help us keep our bills down and our fees focused on the children.
At least twice per year the Centre holds a simple social event where families can get together with each other and with the management committee.
Philosophy
Our Centre currently provides affordable care for about 60 families who are working, preparing for jobs, studying or are in need of casual care. That is approximately 30 children in the morning and up to 45 children in the afternoon.
Our Centre aims to create a safe, relaxed, respectful, trusting, atmosphere where
children are nurtured and encouraged to pursue interests and develop friendships in an inviting and exciting environment.
We provide a variety of activities including:
- art
- construction
- out-of-doors play
- sport
- cooking
- crafts
- celebrations
- quiet time with books and computers and
- time for children to do what they want for a while.
The program is developed both in response to children's interests and carers� own individual strengths. It is generally unstructured, which we believe is very important on either side of a highly structured school day. It is a guide to the choice of available activities and it is modified by the children's interests or abilities. We try to make these fun, focusing on the process rather than the end product. It parallels a regular, balanced choice of active and passive play whilst recognising the need for solitude.
Communication
We value healthy relationships between families and staff and encourage families to provide us with information that will help us to provide appropriate care for your child. We in turn will endeavour to give you informal feedback regarding your child�s day. Informal communication will be brief and discussed around activities, however for information of a more serious nature we ask that you call between 2.30 and 3.00pm or make an appointment. We have this system in place so that staff can continue to monitor and care for all children.
The whiteboard out the front lets everyone know what days staff are working, the weekly menu and program of activities. You should also check for messages regarding upcoming events or general information.
The Centre also provides information regarding upcoming events in the school newsletter and produces its own newsletter once per term. All contributions are welcome.
Breakfast
A light breakfast is served at around 8.15 each morning. Fruit, toast, cereal and milk are available. Please note if your child arrives after 8.40am we cannot offer toast as we are already beginning the pack up process.
Afternoon tea is served around 3.30pm and always consists of fruit and another light nutritious snack. A weekly menu is on the whiteboard for your perusal.
If your child has particular food needs due to allergies or religious practices please complete the �special dietary requirements� form. This is available on request.
Birthday cakes are a welcome treat and the Centre throws at least one party per term to cover all the birthdays during that period.
Homework
From 3.30 to 4.00pm inside is given over to a quiet homework space and a carer is present to provide appropriate assistance. All children are asked whether they have homework, however it is up to the individual child to be responsible to complete their tasks. Each family is requested to negotiate their own individual homework rules. Please don't leave this up to the carers, as it is an impossible and unenviable task.
Clothing
Although the Centre has a number of smocks children still get dirty and wet on hot days.
It is recommended (especially for younger children) that you pack a change of old clothes and always pack a hat. Alternatively label a larger old shirt with your child's name and leave this at the Centre specifically for your child's use.
Behaviour
The Centre has a policy regarding behaviour. The entire policy is in the policy folder however the following is a summary:
For the safety of all, children are expected to follow carers� instructions and not physically or verbally abuse children or carers. Behaviour that is inappropriate (including such things as hitting, failure to follow direction, and bullying) will be ranked according to the risk to both the individual child and others in the centre. The consequence that follows depends on the risk:
Yellow (or 1)
Minor incident with minor consequences to other children, staff and property.
- To be managed by making a record of the incident and informing parent/s/care givers. If a series of three incidents are recorded a formal meeting will be held with the child�s parent/s/care givers. If there is no resolution of the inappropriate behaviour then the child will be excluded from attending the Centre for one week
Orange (or 2)
More serious incident involving some damage, threat of violence or minor injury to another child or staff member
- To be managed by holding a meeting with child�s parent/s/care givers, informing the school and sending a warning letter that if there is no resolution of the inappropriate behaviour then the child will be excluded from attending the Centre for one week.
Red (or 3)
Serious incident involving violence and/or damage that have such a major impact as to warrant suspension from the Centre because of the level of risk to the child, other children and staff.
- Parent/s/care givers will be notified that day of the child�s mandatory suspension for one week.
Medication
Government regulations prevent carers from administering any medication unless written consent is provided. If your child requires any form of medication at any time please complete the �medication� form.
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We are open
in the morning between:
7.00am and 8.55am
in the afternoon
2.30pm and 6.00pm
Enrolment
If you would like your child/ren to attend our Centre you will need to complete an annual enrolment form and pay the annual registration.
In your first year you will be required to pay a bond of $ 75. This will be returned to you when you leave the Centre.
In order to care for your child appropriately the form must be completed before your child attends the Centre. This enables us to know about medical issues, contact information, who can pick up your child and gives the Centre medical consent in case of an emergency. Forms are available from the Centre or the school office.
Bookings
Permanent bookings
A permanent booking is one where your child will attend the Centre the same day every week. All permanent bookings will need to be paid for whether your child attends or not.
This policy will make sure that we can predict the Centre's cash flow and ensure the fees received are spent on the things your children like.
Permanent bookings can be transferred from one day to another within that same week. However you must notify the Coordinator the day before. You can only transfer one session.
To change a booking simply complete the booking form at the sign in table and hand it to one of the carers or ring or speak to the Coordinator directly.
To cancel a permanent booking 7 days written notification must be given. Fees will continue to be billed until appropriate notification is provided.
Casual bookings
If you have flexible hours, need to stay late, have an appointment, or your child wants to play with friends one afternoon etc, then you can make a casual booking. However we may not have casual places available on some days. This means you need to ring the Centre the day before and let us know you would like your child to attend for the day. To cancel a causal booking you need to give the Centre 24 hours notice. If your child does not attend and 24 hours notice was not given, you will still be required to pay the fee because arrangements to provide appropriate care are made and still need to be paid for.
Regular Pattern bookings
For families where care patterns change regularly weekly or monthly eg regular shift work or custody is shared between parents with different work patterns the Centre will endeavour to accommodate these families on a weekly basis. This however is dependent on demand for available places.
If your child will not attend for the day
To ensure all children's well being and safety the Centre needs to locate all children on the roll for the day. If your child for example has gone home with a friend for the afternoon it can take a lot of phone calls to work this out. To avoid the unnecessary stress it is important to notify the Centre if your child/ren will not be attending. If you fail to notify the Centre a charge of $10 will be incurred. We take the safety of your children very seriously and if they fail to turn up we start looking for them. As you can imagine it is both stressful and very inconvenient to be chasing someone who isn't lost.
Picking up your child
It is very important we release your child to the right person. You must fill in the section regarding anyone else that may pick up your child.
If you are not picking up your child you should let Centre staff know.
A person new to staff members will be asked their identification.
The Centre must also be informed of any custody orders relating to your child. A copy of the order must be provided and kept on record. If you do not have a court order, but do not wish your child to be picked up by the estranged parent the Centre has no legal authority to prevent the child going with this parent. In such an event, the Coordinator will immediately ring to let you know what is happening and release the child to the estranged parent.
Fees
All Australian resident families are entitled to a minimum rebate towards before and after school care fees. There is an increased rebate for second and subsequent children in care. For further information contact your local Family Assistance Office or see the Coordinator.
Registration
All families are required to pay an annual registration fee of $25 per family.
Permanent booking -Morning
Depending on your rebate, fees can start from as little as $0.50 child per day. The most you will pay is $6.00.
Permanent booking -Afternoon
Depending on your rebate, fees can start from as little as $3.30 per child per day. The most you will pay is $12.00 per child per day
Casual bookings
Add $1.00 to the price of the session.
Pupil Free days
Our Centre is open between 9.00am and 3.00pm on pupil free days. The fee for the day is: $15.00 per child. However families are entitled to the rebate for this day also.
Please note we also provide before and after school care on this day, and you will need to pay the regular fee in addition to the pupil free day.
Late pick up
We are aware of the problems of traffic jams and train delays. The Centre however also has commitments to staff, including penalty wages.
The Centre closes at 6.00pm. Any child collected after 6.00pm will incur a $10 charge for every 15 minutes or part there of.
If contact cannot be made with parent/s/care givers or emergency contacts by 7.00pm we have no other alternative but to contact the police
Failure to notify
If you fail to notify the Centre that your child will not attend an afternoon session a charge of $10 will be incurred.
Paying fees
The Centre employs an administrative assistant to manage the Centre's finances. Although the Coordinator (and at times other staff) will collect fees, it is not their responsibility to discuss payment concerns or account queries. The Committee is keen to separate the care of children from financial matters. Parents who approach the Coordinator about fee issues will be directed to Terry Jong or the Committee. Fees can be paid in advance, at the end of the week or fortnightly. As expected advance payments are favoured.
A record of payment will be entered into the payment book. To safeguard against error you should sign this book when making a payment. An invoice/receipt is provided by the administrative assistant and is placed in family folders at the sign in table at the front entrance every fortnight. Please check these folders regularly. Very little cash is kept at the Centre and as a result families are requested to have exact money available. All cheques should be made payable to Kent Road Care Centre and be marked 'not negotiable'.
In 2005 we will be trialling a credit card payment option. Please note that during busy times it may take time to process your payment and your patience in requested.
If fees are left unpaid for 4 weeks your child's permanent booking will lapse. All outstanding fees will need to be paid prior to the child returning for care. For further information please see the policy folder.