There is a huge amount of compelling new research on how a child's first five years of development affect the rest of their lives. We are aware that a child's brain develops to 80% of its final size in the first five years. We also know that kids who start out ahead stay ahead and continue to outperform their peers. The gap between children who are excelling and those who are falling behind widens over time, making it more difficult to close. It is crucial to get it right from the start for this reason. We need to lay the groundwork early to ensure that our children have the best opportunities for the future.

From the moment they are born, children begin to learn. To develop the skills necessary for future success, they require a wide variety of experiential, play-based learning opportunities and intentional teaching. Therefore, it is essential that young children participate in early childhood education programmes of the highest calibre to build solid foundations for their success in the future.

We take pride in creating a service at First Choice EEC that will help every child reach their potential.

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) describes the principles, practices and outcomes essential to young children’s learning from birth to five years of age, as well as their transition to school. It's part of the Australian Government’s National Quality Framework for early childhood education and care. The framework has a strong emphasis on play-based learning, recognising the importance of communication and language (including early literacy and numeracy) and social and emotional development. There are five learning outcomes defined by the EYLF:

• Children have a strong sense of identity.

• Children are connected with and contribute to their world.

• Children have a strong sense of wellbeing.

• Children are confident and involved learners.

• Children are effective communicators.

Find out more about the EYLF

Yes, you can! Centre tours create an opportunity for you and your child to meet our team while also learning about the centre’s method to early learning. A tour provides an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have to ensure you are happy with the choice you’re making. You can book a tour by emailing our service firstchoiceeec@outlook.com

Fill out your details in our enrolment section and one of our team members will be in contact ASAP.

The Child Care Subsidy is the main way the Government assists families with their child care fees.

Some basic requirements must be satisfied for an individual to be eligible to receive Child Care Subsidy for a child. These include:

• the age of the child (must be aged 13 or under and not attending secondary school, except in certain circumstances where an individual may be eligible for a child who does not meet this criteria, such as children with a disability or medical condition in certain circumstances)

• the child meeting immunisation requirements

• the individual, or their partner, meeting the residency requirements listed in the legislation.

Child Care Subsidy entitlement will take in consideration the following:

• Combined annual family income

• Activity test – the activity level of both parents

• Service type – type of child care service and whether the child attends school

The Child Care Subsidy is generally paid directly to service providers to be passed on to families as a fee reduction. Families make a co-contribution to their child care fees and pay the provider the difference between the fee charged and the subsidy amount also known as the gap fee.

You can use the Payment and Service Finder to estimate how much Child Care Subsidy (CCS) you may get.

To work out how much CCS you’re eligible for, Centrelink will look at all of the following:

• your family’s income

• the hourly rate cap based on the type of approved child care you use and your child’s age

• the hours of activity you and your partner do

• the number of children in your care.

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You can begin your claim for CCS by following the below:

• Sign in to MyGov and make a claim in Centrelink

  • Sign in to MyGov and go to Centrelink.

  • Select Make a claim or view claim status from your homepage.

  • Select Get started from the Families menu.

  • Select Child Care Subsidy.

  • Answer the Eligibility check questions first.

  • Start your claim and answer the questions about your situation.

  • Review and confirm your claim.

For help, use the online guide to Claim Child Care Subsidy.

You can get your child’s Immunisation History Statement straight away using either:

• Your Medicare online account through myGov

• Express Plus Medicare mobile app.

If you can’t use Medicare online, your vaccination provider can print your immunisation history statement for you.

You can also call the Australian Immunisation Register and ask them to send your immunisation history statement to you. It can take up to 14 days to arrive in the post.

Please note that the ‘Blue Book’ is no longer accepted. Your child’s Immunisation History Statement must show ‘Immunisation history status: Up to date’ as at the date you enrolled.

If your child’s immunisation status is not up to date you must provide proof that your child is on a a catch up schedule. This will be shown up on your Immunisation History Statement once you have visited your General Practitioner to organise a catch up schedule.

Orientation visits are a free of charge transitional time that allows your child to settle in before they start care with us. They can explore the environments, get to know the routines, Educators and allow you to feel comfortable leaving your little ones with us. You are more than welcome to leave the room and enjoy a coffee, tea or water while your child gets to know their new surroundings. You must just stay on the premises.

There are no limit on how many orientation visits you can do, in fact we encourage as many as possible to ensure we are setting you and your child up for success when starting with us!

We will be open from 6:00am - 6:00pm Monday - Friday, closed on weekends and public holidays.

You do not need to use all 12 hours of care and you must take into consideration your allocated CCS hours.

We will be offering shorter session times (9 hrs and 10 hrs) to help families maximise their CCS hours.

The best option for your situation will be discussed with you during orientation when your CCS information has been finalised.

First Choice Early Education Centre along with many other providers in the sector, close for public holidays. If your scheduled booked day falls on public holidays, fees will still apply as team members and operating costs still need to be covered. The Australian Government's Child Care Subsidy (CCS) covers up to 42 absence days a year, which includes public holidays.

Here is a list of what to bring each day:

• Change of clothes

• Comfort items (if required) such as a toy or dummy

• Bottles (including formula or expressed milk)

Meals (morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea) will be provided along with nappies and wipes.

As a sun-safe organisation we provide child-friendly sunscreen, however if your child has sensitive skin please feel free to provide your preferred brand.

If your child has a health condition, you will be asked to supply a Medical Action Plan with your child’s enrolment. A Medical Action Plan is a document that has been prepared and signed by a doctor that describes symptoms, causes, clear instructions on action and treatment for the child’s specific medical condition, and includes the child’s name and a photograph of the child. An example of this is the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) Action Plan.

It’s very normal for children (and parents) to have feelings of anxiety when they first start childcare. It takes children time to get used to their new routine, build positive relationships with their educators and peers, and come to understand that their new environment is a fun, safe, and happy place. Supporting children with separation anxiety can be challenging; however, just remember that this stage will soon pass, and that most children are quite settled within a few minutes of their families leaving. If you are ever concerned, you are always welcome to call the centre to check in on your child, or book a meeting with the team to discuss additional support for settling your child.

Tips to Ease Separation Anxiety

• Bring your child on the initial centre tour so they develop a sense of familiarity

• Talk positively about the exciting things they will experience, play with, and learn at First Choice EEC

• Involve your child in choosing, organising, and labelling the items they will take with them to childcare

• Talk about their new routine and what to expect in the lead up to starting childcare

• Attend the orientation session with your child to help them settle into their new environment

• Talk about the emotions they may experience and how they can help manage their feelings

• Read stories about starting school

• Establish a quick goodbye ritual where you leave smiling, calm, and confident to build your child’s confidence and sense of security in their new environment

• Be consistent with drop off and pick up times so your child becomes familiar with their new routines and knows what to expect when

• Practice being apart by leaving your child with a trusted adult or family member for a few hours

• Tell them when you will pick them up in child-specific terms i.e. “I’ll pick you up after rest time before afternoon snack”