OUR PHILOSOPHY

At Cockatoo Family Day Care, we:

 

• Aim to provide the highest level of care and education for children in a warm, caring, nurturing and safe environment. We strive to create a feeling of acceptance and sense of belonging, which enables each child to feel safe, valued and cherished.

• Believe that all people should be treated equally and their cultural and linguistic diversity be embraced and accepted. We value each child as an individual and seek to cultivate their unique capabilities and interests, which encourage them to develop to their full potential in their own time.

• Provide an inclusive, emergent curriculum (child-interest based program), which enhances awareness of and respect for cultural differences and similarities, while following the Reggio Emilia approach.

• Aim to provide a diverse program that reflects both group and individual needs. Through ongoing observations, we seek to provide enriching experiences which assist in the development of the whole child, including their physical, social, emotional, cognitive, creative and moral growth.

• Provide a nurturing environment with educationally appropriate and stimulating programs that promote each child's learning and development, self-esteem, individuality, curiosity, imagination, respect for themselves and others, care for their environment and independence – all in a calm, nurturing and relaxed setting.

• Provide a haven for everyday discovery & learning. We believe that children learn as they explore, discover, make, create and imagine. We value constructive play as a tool for learning through our natural environments. We believe that learning environments should be welcoming spaces that are rich and varied.

• Have a deep commitment to health and wellbeing. We provide programs and meals that support and reinforce a healthy lifestyle, including informed food choices and a regular exercise routine. We also provide a safe and secure environment for all children, families, guests and educators.

• Care for our world and its future. We achieve this through everyday teaching about respect for our centre's environment and the natural world around us.

• Welcome and value each family and their contribution. We cater for the diverse needs of all our families. Embedded in our culture is the notion that families are a part of Cockatoo Family Day Care and are invited to make contributions to all aspects of its operation. We believe that working in partnerships with families is central to ensuring continuity and progression in learning and development.

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Cockatoo Family Day Care endeavours to create a "family-like" atmosphere and recognises the importance of creating a link between home and Day Care, where parents and educators work in partnership to care for children holistically, in a mutually supportive and caring environment.