Stories - May 18, 2020
Singing the praises of Family Day Care
In a world without Coronavirus, this week there would be multiple activities and events to celebrate National Families Week (May 15-21).
Unfortunately, they have been put on hold due to the pandemic, but it is still an appropriate time to celebrate the contribution Family Day Care makes to our community as the theme of National Families Week this year is ‘stronger families, stronger communities.’
In Berrigan, the Wilesmith family are happy to take this opportunity to sing the praises of the local Family Day Care service, which is provided through Intereach. With both parents working, they need quality care that supports the developmental needs of their children, Stiles and Malia.
This year Stiles has attended Family Day Care five days each week and is settled and happy. He is eager to interact with his peers, engages in activities and experiences, and happily participates in his speech and OT sessions.
Malia attends Family Day Care during her school holidays, where she also engages cooperatively and actively participates, while also continuing to undertake her therapy sessions.
Intereach supported the transition to FDC earlier this year for the family with effective communication throughout the enrolment process, making it smooth and hassle-free, while ensuring the children could start as soon as placements were available.
Their Family Day Care educator, Delicia, maintains relationships with the family while providing quality education and care on the days and times required. She has been able to embed the children’s speech and OT programs within her curriculum to support their learning and development.
The family is delighted with Stiles’ development under Delicia’s care. He is safe, happy and making outstanding progress with his speech and OT, as well as all other learning areas. Within the first month of care starting at FDC, both Stiles’ health professionals were impressed, saying he was “smashing goals in FDC and perhaps just needed a smaller and quieter environment to flourish in”.
“We couldn’t be happier,” his parents added.
National Families Week is about celebrating and recognising the vital role that families play in Australian society.
Annually, over 130,000 people are registered to attend events around Australia from Thursday Island to southern Tasmania.
Part of Intereach’s contribution this year is recognising and promoting the important role Family Day Care educators and services play in the development and wellbeing of more than 112,000 children across Australia. It is integral in raising the image and profile of Family Day Care and highlighting the many unique benefits it provides as a high quality, flexible early childhood education and care option for Australian families.
During the challenges of COVID-19, Family Day Care educators in Barooga, Berrigan, Deniliquin, Echuca, Finley, Jerilderie, Moama, Rochester, Swan Hill and Tocumwal have been working tirelessly to ensure the needs of families and children are being met.
Educators have continued not only to provide high-quality education and care to children of essential workers but have ensured that all enrolled children have had the opportunity to continue to learn through play at home with their families during self-isolation.
Educators have also been engaging in innovative ways to create opportunities for connection and learning through providing families with home learning packs, recorded news and song, opportunities to participate in FaceTime and Zoom to ensure connections are maintained between all children that would normally attend, and the children and educator.
Like most industries, services are currently being provided in a different and sometimes challenging way.
However, Family Day Care educators are meeting the challenge as they provide their vital community service.
For more information about Intereach Family Day Care phone 1300 488 226 or visit www.intereach.com.au/service/fdc
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