Wingecarribee Family Day Care earns Federal Government praise

17 April, 2013Posted in: Community
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Wingecarribee Shire Council’s Family Day Care Service has been awarded a dual rating of ‘Exceeding’ Early Childhood Education in two quality standards as part of the Federal Government’s recently introduced National Quality Framework.

The service received the commendation in the two of seven auditable fields following an assessment by the Department of Education and Communities (DEC).

Wingecarribee Shire Mayor, Councillor Juliet Arkwright welcomed the news.

“The two commendations were received in the areas of Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities and also in Administration and Service Management,” she said. “This is particularly pleasing as these standards and regulations were only introduced early last year.”

The standards are part of the Federal Government’s Education and Care National Quality Reforms which seek to give all children the best possible start in life through increased access to high quality childhood education and care.

The results came after a two day assessment by a representative from the DEC of Wingecarribee Family Day Care’s Coordination Unit and the premises of three local educators in October of last year.

All national Early Childhood Services including; Family Day Care, Long Day Care, Preschooland Out of School Hours Care, will be assessed against seven quality areas of: Educational program and practice, Children’s health and safety, Physical environment, Staffing arrangements, Relationships with children, Collaborative partnerships with families and communities and Administration and Service Management.

As a commitment to the reforms the Federal Government has invested $20 billion over a four year period to support the delivery of world class early childhood education which supports individual child’s needs and development.

Wingecarribee Family Day Care received a rating of “Meeting the National Quality Standards” in the remaining five categories which earns an overall assessment of ‘Meeting the National Quality Standards’.

“Council is deservedly proud of the efforts of our locally-based Family Day Educators,” Councillor Arkwright said. “I’m sure these commendations in particular, will be further motivation for our Educators to continue to deliver early childhood care and education above the national average.”