What are the standards?

Australia’s childcare regulator – the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority or ACECQA – oversees national quality standards for early childhood education and care.

Services are assessed and given a rating across seven areas including the staffing, children’s health and safety and the educational program. The ratings note whether services are “exceeding”, “meeting” or “working towards” the national standards. Check out Ignite Minds FDC Assessment and Rating here

Ignite Minds engages a wide range of educators from across our multicultural society.  All our educators demonstrate commitment and ongoing improvement towards these standards.

First impressions matter.  All educators should be warm and caring and get to know every child and their family.  If you do not have a warm and caring experience every interaction then trust your gut.  You can contact us and we can follow up anonymously on your behalf.

What to look for on the Family Day Care premise?

is there space to play outside, with natural materials? It is recommended toddlers and preschoolers are physically active for at least three hours per day. Fake grass and rubber surfaces can create extremely hot and dangerous surfaces that use potentially toxic chemicals.

are there plenty of different play options to appeal to different interests and different children? Or does nothing seem to be organised?

are toys and equipment in good condition? Are pencils sharpened and ready to use? Are there puzzle pieces missing?

Totally flat, artificial surfaces do not provide as many opportunities to develop motor skills as varied and natural surfaces do. Surfaces that include slopes and levels with materials such as tanbark, gravel, dirt and sand are better for balance, coordination, and development of autonomous movement.

Research has also shown outdoor areas dominated by equipment and artificial surfaces do not support children’s wellbeing or learning through play. Natural environments provide more challenge, variety and interesting resources for children to use in their creative play.

So, look for centres with trees, shrubs, rocks, mud and other natural features to complement artificial materials and equipment in their outdoor spaces.

What about the activities and educational program?

In Australia, centres need to provide play-based learning opportunities, which support children’s wellbeing, learning and development.

This is not about teaching children to read and do math before they start school. It is about supporting children to have positive play experiences, so the associated learning is fun and leaves children wanting to know (and do) more.

Services should provide children with lots of opportunities to explore in age-appropriate ways. For example, toddlers may have a sandpit with multiple tools and toys. Three- and four-year-olds may work on projects, such as building kites, or go on excursions in their local community.

Educators should be involved in this play. Sometimes they may act as a partner, helping to extend children’s imaginations. Other times, they may support from the sideline, encouraging a child to climb to a higher part of the climbing frame than yesterday.

They should not be telling children what to do all the time. It’s important for children to be given the time and space to test out their theories about how the world works.

Some things to look out for when assessing quality include:

is there “cookie cutter” art (where every piece of children’s art looks the same) on the wall? Or are children given the chance to express their creativity their way?

can toys be used in more than one way, in different areas (to encourage children’s agency)? Or are toys required to be kept in certain places?

can educators talk about the different things they are doing to stimulate and extend children’s play and interests?

Families should also receive clear, regular communication about their child’s development and progress via storypark.  If there are issues with behaviour, Ignite Minds staff and educators should provide evidence-based support that respects the rights and dignity of children (rather than punishing or shaming them).

Finally, does your child seem to have fun at Ignite Minds? Provided there are no other issues (such as separation anxiety), do they want to go and see their educators and friends? This is a good sign of a quality service that is building children’s sense of belonging.

 

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