Capacity for Care: Maximum of five children per day
Registration: I am a trained Family Day Care Educator registered with Approved Service Provider "Sutherland Shire Family Day Care Scheme” - Provider Number CSSF3000010. The Scheme is fully guided by the National Quality Framework overseen by The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). Being part of an Approved Service Provider qualifies families using the service to Child Care Benefit (CCB) and Child Care Rebate (CCR).
As a Family Day Care Educator, my practices are in compliant with the Education and Care Services Regulation 2011. I have a First Aid Certification for seniors and it is refreshed every 2nd year compulsorily. My Day Care business has comprehensive Public Liability Insurance renewed every year and the business is subject to monthly ad hoc visit from the Coordination Unit and the renewal of the Educator Registration is subject to Annual Safety Inspection of my premises.
Training: Currently I am near completion of my Certificate III qualification in Children Services and I attend regular training courses offered by the Scheme to be abreast with the changing requirements of the childcare industry and I undertake Child Protection training every 2nd year which is compulsory as stipulated in the Education and Care Services Regulation 2011.
About Me: I am originally from Fiji and have spent a substantial amount of time living and studying for my Tertiary qualification in Australia. After pursuing a commercial lifestyle for over a decade, in 2002 I discovered the childcare industry providing me the opportunity to have a more challenging and embracing life and since then I have never looked back. My days caring, nurturing and educating the children in care are very fulfilling and rewarding.
Set Up: My Day Care business on my premises is 100% separated from my living area. The entire downstairs area of my home is dedicated to Family Day Care. Children have the benefit of plenty of space and exclusive rights to the day care toys and amenities. I have a separate play room and a quiet activity room, three sleeping areas that suits the sleeping arrangements between younger and older children, plenty of storage facility for nappies, wipes and other necessities, a change room and toilet and washing facility, and facilities for food preparation including cooling and warming food. Well ventilated and well facilitated with heating and cooling.
My Philosophy: Please click on the “Philosophy” tab above to see this.
Education Program: At Kiran’s Family Day Care children’s education and learning program is supported through the set up of the environment with designated learning centres that allows the children to follow their interest freely and also gives them equal opportunity to partake in planned special activities through the day. Each learning centre in my service supports the growth and development across all areas of Social, Emotional, Cognitive and Physical
Development Records: Every 6 months your child’s development milestones are assessed and recorded and are accessible to you and is open for discussion and review.
Routine and Activities:
7.30am
Arrival
Structured Activities: preschool activity, painting, pasting, drawing, stamping, stickers, play dough, threading, cutting; dramatic play, sorting colors and patterns, cutting, punching shapes and paper press, outdoor play, dress ups etc.
Musical activities: singing rhymes, dance and music, playing musical instruments and toys, recommended children’s DVD.
Outdoor activities: bikes, cars, balls, games, dance and music, water & sand play, balancing toys, walk to the park and sometimes little picnic outdoors, basketball, push pull toys, .
*We sometimes watch the ABC program on TV however; TV is not part of the main activities.
* We attend Playgroup at 9.45am-midday at Gymea Resource Centre on a 3 weekly basis on a Thursday.
* The routine is varied accordingly to age, preference and development needs of the child present in care in any particular day and each child’s individual meal and sleep times are respected and catered for at all times.
7.30 – 9.00
Quiet/free activities
9.00 – 9.30
Morning tea
9.30 – 10.00
Group Time
10.00 – 11.00
Outdoor Play
11.00 – 11.45
Structured play
11.45 – 12.45
Lunch
12.45 – 3.30
Rest/sleep
3.30-4.00
Afternoon tea
4.00 – 5.45
Structured/Free Play
6.00pm
Departure
Communication: Daily communication via e-mail, verbally or a communication book is provided to parents that will contain important and entertaining details about your child’s day. Parents are encouraged to give feedback and suggestions for their child’s day and play either verbally or in writing.
The whiteboard at the entrance hall will notify families of reminders, coming attractions, special messages, and messages from the coordination unit. The Scheme’s Guidelines for best practice and the Education and Care Services Regulation and National Laws are available readily to families on site.
What to Bring Into My Care: Sun Hat and Sun Screen, Drink Bottle, Meals- morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, Milk for bottle fed babies, Nappies, wipes, nappy cream, teething gel, Bibs if necessary, complete set of clothes, extra pants if toilet training, jacket/jumper, suitable play shoes – no thongs, a bedtime toy (optional) If toys are brought into care, it is recommended that your child be encouraged to share with other children. I provide appropriate clean bedding for each child suiting the weather.
Please contact me either by phone or via e-mail (outlined above) to discuss your child care needs and if you click on the waitlist tab above, this will take you directly to the Scheme’s “Application for Child Care form” which you can complete online. Or I will arrange to have all necessary paperwork supplied to you. I look forward to hearing from you.
Kiran Bhagat
Philosophy
Please use the link above to view my philosophy.
After the birth of my first child, my husband and I put a lot of thought into what child care options we wanted to explore for the future. In the end we decided to opt for family day care and we have not regretted our decision. To us, family day care offers a personal approach because of the consistency of carer and the small number of children accessing care. Carers have a maximum of five children per day so they are able to provide individual care and attention to each child. Parents also get know the other children and their parents which helps to build a feeling of 'community'.
Kiran knows my children extremely well and has worked hand in hand with us on various issues including food allergies, behaviour management, sleeping and daytime routines and toilet training. It makes our lives a lot easier knowing that things we do at home are also carried through in care. From an educational perspective, Kiran works on individual developmental milestones with our kids such as fine and gross motor skills, social skills and language skills. She also manages to somehow find the time to help the kids work on puzzles, make interesting crafts and teach them songs and rhymes (which my son in particular loves). Most of all Kiran has fun with the kids and she truly loves them. I personally believe that family day care provides all the benefits of other day care options eg the opportunity to develop social and educational skills, but it provides it in a way that is individualised and personal to each child. The bond between Kiran and my two kids is precious!
What I like about family day care the ease of communication. You know that the person you speak to in the morning and afternoon is the person that will care for your child all day. There is no confusion regarding messages not getting passed on or conversations being misunderstood. Kiran not only gives us a verbal run down on how the day has been, she also sends an e-mail with lots of anecdotes on how the day has gone and what the children did. It makes us feel like we are not missing as much of our children's day.
My husband and I wanted a small, home-like care environment for our son, Logan, where he was guaranteed continuity of care by the same carer. We were thrilled when a spot became available with Kiran. Kiran has been fantastic from the start, not only welcoming us with our many questions on our initial meeting, but has gone out of her way to help us help Logan settle into care. Logan was an especially clingy 11 month old baby when Kiran started looking after him and with her patience, nurturing and ever ready cuddles and kisses for Logan he has blossomed into a very happy toddler who runs off into the playroom when Mum or Dad drop him off. In the early days, when we left a crying Logan with Kiran, she would call us to let us know that Logan had settled in fine and had stopped crying the minute we reached the top of the driveway. Very important phone call for guilt-ridden mummy and daddy. Kiran has a fantastic set up for the children, with a daily routine in place that ensures enough play, learning, eating and rest takes place. She always has an interesting and new activity planned for the children every few weeks and takes note of what interests each child. Kiran is very good at observing each child's response and behaviour during different activities and recording it in a daily email. I forward Kiran's daily emails to my parents and in-laws who look forward to these at the end of each day to know what their grandson has been up too!
