1.1 Enrolment
Enrolments are accepted with no discrimination of sex, race or religion. The Commonwealth Government regards children at risk of abuse or neglect as a priority group for access to quality child care. Other groups which have priority are families in crisis and families with work/training/studying related commitments.
Whilst Little Explorers wishes to offer care to all children, the centre must follow strict guidelines with regard to priority of access. Therefore, preference must be given to children within these priorities. These guidelines are set down by the government and are outlined in our Child Care Service Handbook 2018.
Children from diverse backgrounds and also children with differing and additional needs have access to our centre. Management and educators recognise that children and their development are best understood within the context of the family and culture. They understand that the quality of care and education provided to children depends on establishing close ties with parents and other family members. Quality early childhood programs are vital to families in their all important task of child rearing.
We encourage families to bring their children to the centre for an orientation process. This process is important for a successful introduction into care.
You may enrol your child at our centre by completing our Enrolment Forms and returning them, together with a bond. The bond is $150 for children enrolled in long day care and $50 for school age children. This bond is refunded when care for your child is no longer required.
1.2 Hours of Operation
Our centre operates during the hours of 6:30am and 6:30pm, Monday to Friday, except on Public Holidays. Sessional care is available between these hours. Families can choose between a 6, 9, 10 or 12 hour sessions. The centre closes for one week per year during the Christmas/New Year period.
1.3 Fee Payment
The Fee Schedule will be given to you prior to enrolment. Our office staff will be able to estimate your weekly fees if you know your Child Care subsidy percentage and hours of activity. How government subsidies are applied to the fees will be explained on enrolment. Information regarding your entitlement to child care subsidy and hours of activity are available from the Department of Human Services.
Methods of payment:
- Cash
- Eftpos
- Direct Credit
- Centerpay through Centerlink (please ask office staff for more details)
1.4 Absences
Under the Child Care Subsidy System a child eligible for CCS will receive subsidised payments for an initial 42 days of absences across all centres per financial year. Further information regarding absences can be found in the complete Parent Handbook. Please ask our Director to explain this further.
1.5 Arrival and Departure
As a matter of safety, children must be brought into the centre and collected from the centre by a responsible person. This person must sign the child in and out and notify the Director or authorised staff member that the child has arrived or is departing. These records are used for fire drills to check that all children are vacated from the building. Fire drills are carried out regularly so that children are familiar with the exercise.
No child is allowed to leave the centre with a person other than the parent or authorised person, unless other arrangements have been made with our Director.
1.6 Withdrawing the child from care
Should a parent wish to withdraw their child from the centre, notice of two weeks or more must be given.
