PARENT HANDBOOK

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to our community,

Little Flyers Early Learning and Kids on Collins are initiatives of The Eltham College Foundation Ltd., an organisation with over 40 years’ experience in supporting children’s education and development.

The Foundation operates a group of high-quality, not-for-profit early learning centres, including Caroline Springs Child Care and Kindergarten, Eltham North Child Care, Laurimar Child Care and Early Learning, Laurimar Township Child Care and Kindergarten and Kids on Collins. Each centre is committed to providing nurturing, engaging, and safe environments where children can learn, grow, and thrive.

We believe that early childhood is a time for curiosity, discovery, and building confidence. Our programs support children to explore their interests, develop independence, form meaningful relationships, and build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

This handbook is designed to assist all new members of our community to become familiar with the service we offer, what to expect when enrolling your child in our care and the standard of care and education you should expect from your Centre, as well as processes and procedures for being best prepared for starting in Early Education!

We look forward to getting to know you, your family and your child, and welcoming you to our community.

Little Flyers Learning Centres staff believe that each child develops their own unique knowledge, beliefs, culture, learning style and values. We acknowledge that families are the child’s first teacher. They are central to their child’s learning. Our educational programs ensure each child is respected as an individual within a group and is encouraged to reach their full potential.

We believe that children should develop connections and relationships with their communities and that everyone has the right to belong. Children, families and staff in our Centre will develop cultural competence and, in the process, create a shared culture where everyone feels safe, included, respected and valued.

Our environments and learning experiences aspire to create positive and trustful relationships, courage, resilience, empowerment and wellbeing. Children are encouraged to be empathetic and caring. They will experience success, joy and celebration, by taking risks in their learning, accepting and embracing diversity, developing confidence in themselves and learning from their mistakes.

We know that children learn best when they are interested, curious and motivated. Educators will have high expectations of children and will work with them to co-construct knowledge through learning strategies such as play, inquiry, investigation and research. Educators will scaffold children’s learning, through a responsive curriculum and a commitment to assist children in their search for meaning.

We acknowledge the many ways that children express themselves and communicate. We afford children a hundred ways to express their ideas: imaginative, symbolic, cognitive and metaphorical. Educators listen, document and assess children’s theories and knowledge and share these through documentation to families and the community.

Our number one priority is the safety, health and well-being of children in our care. We champion and model a child-safe culture at all levels in our service.

We will not tolerate harm or the risk of harm to children or young people. We will not tolerate bullying or harassment. We act on any concerns about child safety and encourage a culture of reporting harm and risk of damage.

We listen to all children. We uphold their rights and empower them to know and exercise their rights. Children and families are involved in making decisions about matters that concern them. We are committed to equity and the inclusion of all children, regardless of their abilities, sex, gender, or socioeconomic or cultural background. We have an inclusive and welcoming environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and respect and value their diverse and unique identities and experiences.

Our educators play a vital role in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of every child in our care. All educators undertake annual training in child safety, including child protection and mandatory reporting, and are committed to ongoing professional learning aligned with the Child Safe Standards as well as mandated training requirements.

Eltham College Foundation maintains a strong whistleblower policy that supports a culture of transparency, accountability, and shared responsibility for child safety. All staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of conduct and to actively promote a safe environment for children.

We are committed to continuous reflection and improvement in our practices. Our educators regularly review and strengthen their approaches to ensure the wellbeing, mental, physical, and digital safety of every child.

We understand that starting child care can feel like a big step for both you and your child. Our team is here to support you every step of the way, helping to make the transition a positive and reassuring experience.

As a not-for-profit centre, everything we do is guided by our values, with your child’s wellbeing and best interests at the heart of every decision.

If you have any questions, concerns, or simply need some reassurance, please don’t hesitate to speak with us. We are here to listen, support, and work alongside your family.

During a personalised Centre tour, our Centre Director will introduce you to our values, policies and procedures, as well as our educators. This is a great opportunity to ask questions and learn more about our service before enrolment.

We also offer complimentary orientation sessions to help your child settle into care. A parent or family member is required to remain on-site during these visits. Orientation gives our educators the opportunity to get to know your child’s interests, routines and individual needs, helping to create a smooth and positive start.

It is completely normal for children and families to experience some separation anxiety when starting child care. Every child settles at their own pace, and our educators are here to provide comfort and support throughout the process.

A calm, positive and confident goodbye can help your child feel safe and secure. Remember, you are welcome to contact the Centre during the day to check on your child’s wellbeing. If your child is having difficulty settling, an educator will be in touch with you.

Strong partnerships with families are at the heart of what we do. We recognise families as a child’s first educators and believe that open, respectful communication supports the best outcomes for children.

Our Centre Director and administration team are available to discuss any questions, concerns, account matters, or support needs. Educators are also happy to chat during drop-off and pick-up times and families are welcome to contact the Centre by phone throughout the day.

Important Centre updates are shared via email, while educational updates, learning goals, observations, and newsletters are shared through the Storypark app.

Storypark provides ongoing access to your child’s learning portfolio, including observations, experiences, and developmental progress. Access will be provided on your child’s first day, and families are encouraged to engage with and contribute to their child’s learning journey.

To support privacy and digital safety, families remain the owners of their child’s online portfolio.

We provide a warm, engaging learning environment where children learn through play, exploration, and meaningful experiences. Guided by the National Quality Framework and Early Years Learning Framework, our curriculum supports children’s development across Identity, Community, Wellbeing, Learning, and Communication.

We recognise every child as a capable and confident learner. By encouraging children to make choices, share ideas, and follow their interests, we foster curiosity, independence, and a strong sense of belonging. We are committed to inclusive practices that celebrate the diversity of our children, families, and communities.

Our funded 3- and 4-year-old kindergarten programs support children to develop confidence, independence, social skills, and a love of learning. Literacy, numeracy, technology, and real-world learning experiences are embedded throughout the program.

We work closely with families to support a smooth transition to school through transition reports, parent-teacher meetings, and school readiness information sessions.

Technology is used within our program as a tool to enhance learning experiences, not replace them. Educators incorporate resources such as iPads, cameras, music players, projectors, light boxes, and interactive screens to support children’s creativity, exploration, and engagement.

Educators utilise service supplied technology within the program. Personal devices such as phones, cameras, laptops and smart watches have no place in the children’s spaces.

Excursions and incursions extend children’s learning beyond the classroom and help build strong connections with the wider community. Experiences may include visits from specialist presenters, local outings, and a special Term 4 excursion for our 4-year-old kindergarten children.

Our Bush Kinder or Beach Kinder programs provide opportunities for children to learn in natural environments. Through outdoor exploration, children develop confidence, resilience, creativity, problem-solving skills, and a deeper connection to the world around them.

For your child’s safety, it is a legal requirement to sign your child in and out of the Centre each day.

To ensure children’s safety, only authorised nominees listed on your child’s enrolment form are permitted to collect your child. If an unfamiliar person arrives, photo identification will be checked before a child is released to them.

Please note that late collection fees apply if your child is collected after closing time.

If your child will be absent or unwell, we ask that you notify the Centre as soon as possible.

Our educators promote and model good hygiene practices to help reduce the spread of illness. If your child is unwell, we ask that they remain at home to recover. If a child becomes ill while in our care, families will be contacted to collect them. A medical clearance may be required before returning to the Centre.

We support the health, wellbeing, and inclusion of all children, including those with specific medical needs. Families are required to provide up-to-date information about any medical conditions on enrolment, including relevant Medical Management Plans completed by a registered medical practitioner.

These plans outline the child’s condition, triggers, required treatment, and emergency response, and are kept with the child’s medication and taken on excursions. Where required, a Risk Minimisation Plan is developed in partnership with families to ensure children’s safety at all times.

Educators are informed of each child’s medical needs and the location of their medication, and all information is kept up to date. Families are responsible for providing current plans and medication.

Our Centre also supports families with information and resources for managing conditions such as asthma, allergies, anaphylaxis, and diabetes.

Your child’s safety is our priority. Educators actively supervise children and complete regular risk assessments to support safe play and learning experiences.

Our educators maintain current First Aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis training, along with annual CPR updates. In the event of a minor injury, families will be informed as soon as possible. For more serious incidents, families may be contacted immediately and advised of any medical attention required. All serious incidents and injuries are reported to

Children attending our services are provided with nutritious meals and snacks that contribute to their daily dietary needs. Menus are seasonally adjusted and endorsed by Nutrition Australia. We cater for allergies and dietary requirements and ask families not to bring food into the Centre to help maintain a safe, nut-aware environment. Current menus and nutritional information are displayed in each Centre foyer.

In line with the Education and Care Services National Law and the Victorian “No Jab, No Play” legislation, children enrolling at our services must be up to date with their immunisations in accordance with the Australian Government Department of Health immunisation schedule, unless an approved medical exemption certificate is provided.

Our team builds positive, respectful and supportive relationships with every child, helping them feel safe, secure and valued within the Centre environment.

We recognise and respect each child’s individual background, culture, abilities and stage of development, and work in partnership with families to support positive learning and wellbeing outcomes. Children are encouraged to express themselves, build confidence and develop independence in a safe and empowering environment.

Our educators guide children’s behaviour in a positive and supportive manner, using redirection and encouragement rather than negative verbal or physical discipline. Children are supported to develop respectful relationships, self-regulation and an understanding of appropriate boundaries and behaviours.

Where children display ongoing or challenging behaviours, educators will work closely with families to develop an individual behaviour support plan to help the child successfully participate in the program. We are committed to supporting all children’s inclusion and wellbeing within the Centre environment.

In circumstances where a child’s behaviour poses a significant risk to the safety or wellbeing of other children, educators or themselves, additional external support may be required. In some cases, temporary time away from the Centre may be necessary while appropriate support strategies are implemented.

We value open communication with families, and educators are always available to discuss any questions or concerns.

Our Families and Visitors Code of Conduct outline the expected behaviours of all families and visitors attending our service. It helps ensure a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for everyone.

Failure to comply with our Code of Conduct may result in a review and/or termination of your child’s enrollment.

We operate our staffing ratios in accordance with Department of Education and Training regulations:

Our staffing roster is designed to provide consistency and continuity of care, ensuring children are supported by the same familiar educators each day.

We limit the use of agency staff to maintain strong relationships and ensure all educators are familiar with our policies, routines, and families.

Each of our services is supported by a dedicated Leadership Team. Our Centre Leadership Team is on site each day and is available to assist families with billing enquiries, general information, and day-to-day support.

In addition to supporting families, our Leadership Teams are actively involved in the learning environments, working alongside educators and children to support the delivery of high-quality education and care across the service.

We are committed to ongoing professional learning. Educators participate in regular training covering areas such as child development, child protection, respectful relationships, communication, first aid, nutrition, and hygiene. This supports continuous improvement and high-quality care. Every person working with our services have completed their Mandated Child Safe training and EC PROTECT training.

We support early childhood training and host students from recognised education providers. Students and volunteers are always supervised and are not included in educator-to-child ratios.

Complaints are managed in line with regulatory requirements. We must notify the Department of Education and Training (DET) of any complaint involving a child’s safety, wellbeing, or a potential breach of regulations.

Families are encouraged to first raise concerns with Centre Management. If needed, concerns may also be directed to the Department of Education and Training.

Our Centres are supported by a dedicated Head Office team and a volunteer Board of Management. While your Centre Director is often the best first point of contact, families can take comfort in knowing that additional support, guidance, and oversight are always available. We are committed to working collaboratively with families and ensuring there is always someone available to listen, assist, and help resolve any concerns.

Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is a payment made by the Australian Government to assist families with the cost of child care. In order to apply for CCS, you will need to complete the Child Care Subsidy Assessment through your MyGov account. For more information on this, please visit the Services Australia website.

Once you have provided the Centre with your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN), and your child’s CRN, the Centre will be able to process your CCS Enrolment. Once this has occurred, you will need to confirm your child’s enrolment at the Centre through your MyGov account.

Cessation of care in the context of the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) refers to the end of a child’s enrolment. This rule implies the termination of government-subsidised fees, meaning a child’s absence on the very last booked day of attendance can result in full-fee charges. For this reason, when ceasing care, we require two weeks’ notice.

Families still get paid their CCS when their child is absent from a session of care they would normally attend for up to 42 days per child, per financial year. If your child exceeds these 42 days of absences, CCS will no longer be paid for absent days. Families may be able to get additional absences once they have used their allowable absence days, in certain circumstances – these additional absences may require you to supply the service with evidence.

Our services offer funded kinder programs through the Victorian Department of Education. The Kinder funding will offset your child’s eligible funded kinder hours, on top of your regular CCS payments – families pay for the additional hours of care. Our kinder rooms remain open, minus kinder funding, throughout school holiday periods.

Fees are required to be paid via direct debit, two weeks in advance. All booked days are charged, including public holidays, sick days, and holidays.

Once the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) has been successfully applied, families are only required to pay the gap fee. Please see our Terms and Conditions of Enrolment for full fee schedule details.

We recommend applying for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) as early as possible. You can complete Steps 1–4 before submitting your enrolment form, which may help avoid delays in receiving your subsidy entitlement.

As a not-for-profit organisation, we are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment for children, educators, families, and our wider community. Our values guide everything we do and are supported by a comprehensive range of policies and procedures that promote the health, safety, wellbeing, and development of every child in our care.

To learn more about our Centre’s policies and procedures, please follow the links below. These documents offer detailed information about our practices, responsibilities, and commitment to providing high-quality early childhood education and care.

If you would like to view additional policies and procedures not included here, please speak with the Centre Director, who will be happy to provide access and answer any questions you may have.

Storypark allows you to follow your child’s learning, development, routines, and daily experiences while they are in our care.

Storypark is free and easy to use.

• iOS (Apple): https://apps.apple.com/app/storypark-for-families/id1133029596
• Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.storypark.families.android

Once your child has been enrolled, the account holder will receive an email invitation to join Storypark. After setting up your account, you can also invite family members and friends to share in your child’s learning journey.

Need help inviting family members? Follow this guide: https://help.storypark.com/en/articles/2067469-inviting-family-in-storypark-for-families

We recommend turning on Storypark notifications so you can receive real-time updates about your child’s:

• Learning and development
• Daily routines
• Activities and experiences
• Special moments throughout the day

We encourage families to actively engage with Storypark by commenting on posts, sharing feedback and suggestions, and celebrating your child’s learning alongside our educators. Together, we can create a meaningful record of your child’s early learning journey.