Registered Family Day Care and Child Care Benefit Approved;
My name is Kristy Lunney. I am an accredited, licensed and registered family day carer with Sutherland Shire Council. I live with my husband and two daughters in our home in Miranda, (which is between Westfield's and the hospital, walking distance from both Caringbah and Miranda Stations).
I have been involved in working with children for the past 17 years, at Burraneer Bay Public School in the before and after school care section, vacation care for Sutherland Shire Council and I have taken on various nanny positions minding children from six weeks to thirteen years old.
I have also taught children drama, speech, movement and singing and I owned and operated Giggle and Gossip at the Play Café, a children's activity centre and café, later operating home based childcare at the rear of the shop where I lived until buying this house and starting FDC. So clearly, I love children and I am destined to work amongst them.
Giggle & Gossip is privately owned but it is bound by the regulations set out for the Family Day Care Scheme by the Department of Community Services.
Hours Of Operation
Childcare is available Mondays-Wednesday from 6.30am-5.00pm for children 6 months and over, 48 weeks per year (excluding Public holidays). Occasional care for after hours, overnight stays and weekends may also be booked on request, depending on availability. I take 4 weeks off per year to have a break, and will organise alternate care for your child if required during these times.
Qualifications and Training
Certificate III
The Essential EYLF for FDC Carers
Programming and Documentation Course
Accredited by DOCS
Certificate by National Child Care Accreditation Council
Senior First Aid
Public Liability Insurance
Working with children check
Daily Routines 0-18mths
Daily Routines 18-36mths
Toilet Training
Managing Behaviors
Identify and respond to children and young people at risk of harm
Australian Nursing and Training Services 10 week course
I specialise in pre-school programming and school readiness.
Please feel free to contact me to discuss your child care needs. I look forward to hearing from you.
Children in Family Day Care feel more comfortable approaching the carer, whether it is for personal reasons or just to ask questions during learning time, as they receive more one on one interaction time with the same adult than they would in a large centre. A bond is usually formed with both the child and the parents with the carer, especially if started when young. FDC is a much more stable and secure environment for children as staff won't constantly be coming and going.
Children don't realise it, but they are actually exercising and working on their gross and fine motor skills whilst playing in my fun, safe environment, or that they are learning essential skills when they are singing songs and listening to stories. (If they don't know it's good for them, they will have fun and enjoy coming here.) Strong friendships are formed between the children being in such a small group, which will help them with their social skills later in life. As Giggle & Gossip will be your child's home away from home, parental involvement is important and therefore encouraged, so please feel free to participate and to make any suggestions.
Provide a fun environment for the children so that they enjoy their time spent with me and look forward to their next visit, making it easier for parents to leave.
To keep Giggle & Gossip safe, maintained and well supervised.
Make sure children feel comfortable with me, and with the other children.
Make learning time as fun as possible and repeat activities on a regular basis to help children remember what they've learnt, whilst also encouraging children to interact, take on roles and develop relationships with other children.
To encourage manners and hygiene when ever possible, e.g. washing hands before and after eating and going to the toilet, saying please/thank you/bless you when someone sneezes, covering mouths when sneezing or coughing etc.
Provide opportunities for children to explore language, music and movement, science and the arts, to help them make sense of their world.
Encourage children to be respectful to each other and to their environment.
Example of Daily Routine
8am - Indoor Play - with toys and activities that have been left out for the children to play with or do, whilst children arrive, parents sign time sheets, put bags in lockers, settle children in for their day of care and say their goodbyes.
8.30am - School Time - drop Akayla at Laguna Street, she walks herself in. (Currently only every 2nd Monday and every Tuesday/Wednesday mornings)
9am - Art -workbooks/drawing - more parents arriving, set up morning tea
9.30am - Morning Tea - wash hands, then have fruit and snacks inside at tables (sometimes outside on picnic blanket).Then we wash hands/faces, and check if anyone needs to go to the toilet/potty/have nappy changed.
10am - Outdoor Activity - (weather permitting or we have group time) with parachute, ball play, jumping sacks, water table and harbour set etc.
10.45am - Music Time - A music c.d. is put on, percussion instruments and microphones are given and we dance, do actions and sing along.
11.15am - Group Time - Rhymes and Songs are enjoyed and a book is read to the children. Good listeners are rewarded with a stamp or treat.
11.45am - Lunchtime - Have lunch, toilet time, wash hands & faces etc.
12.15pm - Rest Time - children go to their cot or bed, for a sleep or rest. This is when I have lunch, do paperwork, clean up and try to re-coop.
2.30pm - Free Play - dolls/prams, toy cars/trucks, dress ups, ball pool etc
3.00pm - Afternoon Tea - first we put all shoes/socks back on, then have afternoon tea, go to toilet, wash hands/faces
3.30pm - Art & Craft - now that all food has been eaten for the day, I clear the table and pack bags whilst a painting or gluing activity is set up for the children
4pm - Outdoor Play - sandpit/cubby/hoops/balls/cars/sea-saws/tunnels
4.30 - Indoor Activity and Clean Up Time - children in care help me pack away any toys still out, then they can do colouring/drawing/jigsaws/beading etc. whilst waiting for parents to pick them up, so that I can continue cleaning.
FREE PLAY IS ENJOYED BEFORE 8AM AND AFTER 5PM IF ANY CHILDREN ARE STILL REQUIRING CARE AT THOSE TIMES (avail. 6.30am - 5.30pm)
Waitlist Form
Please use the link above to open the waitlist form.
MIRANDA NSW 2228
Phone: 02 9540 5919
Please feel free to call me on the number/s above or enter your details in the form below and I will contact you as soon as possible.
