At My Cubby House we believe that by creating and providing a sustainable environment where our children will learn to care and appreciate their world. We embed sustainable practices every day in all relevant learning areas. Sustainability education can be fun, engaging and empowering for children. It allows them to take responsibility for their actions and to contribute their vision for a sustainable future. In our centre some of the practices the educators and children follow: • Turning off all lights and air-conditioners when no one is in the rooms • Turning taps off • Using the half flush on the toilets • Recycle • Used recycled materials in play and learning • Reduce food wastage • Purchase locally • Grow our own vegetables • and much more!!! • Sustainability is more than gardening and turning off taps. All life on Earth depends on the environment. Sustainability is the idea that humans must interact with the environment in a way that ensures there will be enough resources left for future generations. In addition to our daily practices we provide fun monthly sustainability themes that the rooms incorporate into their teaching. We are currently having a look at pollution for the month of May. The children have enjoyed sensory play in the water seeing how our local waterways all are interconnected and if one gets polluted, so do the neighbouring waterways. Another pollutant is landfill which we begin learning what we can recycle instead. The children have thoroughly enjoyed this theme. Check out your rooms daily stories and the Sustainability monthly newsletter on Storypark and have a look at the cool pictures! For the month of June we go into the “Under the Sea” theme. Educators are excited and have some wonderful learning opportunities for the children. My Cubby House collaborates with some incredible community programs to provide a wider range of learning opportunities for our children. We have the wonderful Nikki from the Kids in the Garden program on Monday’s in the tractor yard. Nikki has a world of knowledge and also helped teach us how to use a worm farm to provide quality fertilizer for our gardens. On the 2nd of June we were delighted to bring the RecycleMan Show to the centre where we get to learn about the importance of recycling. We LOVE our families involvement and support! Thank you to all the families who support our big ideas. Our families have been helping us create the new boatyard garden beds and donating all of the Woolworths Discovery Garden seeds! The children had a blast growing them. We appreciate any recycled donations from families as we use many materials in our rooms for creative learning. Items like bread clips, bottle lids, jars, alfoil and cling wraps rolls all have open possibilities of fun! Please talk to your child’s teacher if you would like to donate. “No job is too big, and no job is too small. The care of our Earth is a job for all of us”. Kirsten Webber – MCH Sustainability Champion. If you have any questions about our approach to sustainability, or would like to be involved in some way, please contact our office on 07 5527 1679 Don’t forget to share this via Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Buffer, Digg, Tumblr, Reddit, StumbleUpon, Delicious, WhatsApp, Line and Naver.
Outdoor play in an early years setting provides great opportunities for children to play where they can learn to handle new situations and assess risk for themselves. Children that are energetic in their early years usually continue to be more active as they grow up. By encouraging younger children to spend more time outside and less with digital devices, you’re not only supporting your child’s physical health, but you’re supporting them to develop their intellectual and emotional well-being. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), places a strong emphasis on the importance of everyday outdoor practices for children’s learning and growth. There is so much for them to see, discover and learn. Children who play in green spaces feel more focused, less tense and happier. There are numerous health benefits to playing outside. Here we mention the Top 6 benefits of outdoor play 1. Brain Development Outdoor play is essential to a child’s healthy brain development. When they are playing outside, they are designing games, exploring the world around them and coming into contact with feelings of independence. As children play, they learn more about the importance of making and following rules. The outdoor environment is particularly important to those children who learn best through active movement. Through their sensory and physical experiences, young children learn predominantly which supports brain development and the formation of neural networks. 2. Encourage a physically healthier lifestyle. Outdoor play maintains the growth of a healthy and active way of life by offering children opportunities for physical activity, freedom and movement. Through challenges and physical activity, outdoors play supporting children to sleep, eat, and live more healthily. This encourages them to form healthy living habits.. Children playing outside get aerobic exercise and develop skills, for example pushing and pulling outdoor play tools. Playing in the sun helps to develop vitamin D in the body, which means stronger bones and less likelihood of chronic diseases. The feeling of having physical space in which to move often results in a child being more ready to open up and talk about things with their parent or caregiver. Playing and learning outside also supports children to know and respect nature, the surroundings and the interdependence of animals, humans, plants, and life cycles. 3. Developing Motor Skills Young children need the opportunity to use their full body and grow their gross motor skills. Children who play outside are more likely to enjoy activities like running, walking and cycling. When children are outside, they have the space to run, walk, jump, swing and experience involvement through all their senses, which in turn strengthens their physical and ‘mental’ muscles. Children need an outdoor environment that can provide space, places to explore, experiment, discover, be active and healthy, and develop their physical abilities. 4. Improve sensory skills Outdoor play offers children a variety of sensory experiences which then helps to process them as they continue to develop and grow. The varying nature of the outdoors makes it an amazingly stimulating and multi-sensory place to play. 5. Social development Children must learn how to work together and make new friends, how to share and collaborate and how to treat other people. Organised settings, for example school or sports teams, do not always provide the environment for children to develop social skills independently. Outdoor play can help children to develop social skills and how to cooperate with other children away from adult control. 6. Independence and emotional resilience of a child The outdoor space in which children play can also provide opportunities for the child to develop independence, even when playing in groups. They can often attempt tasks and activities they wouldn’t be able to do indoors and apply problem-resolving strategies. The confidence that results from this will help them to develop their self identity and independence as they continue to develop. If you have any questions or would like to find out more about the outdoor play opportunities at our centre, please call our office on 07 5527 1679. Don’t forget to share this via Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Buffer, Digg, Tumblr, Reddit, StumbleUpon, Delicious, WhatsApp, Line and Naver.
Staying healthy in childcare At My Cubby House, we take the health and wellbeing of children in our care very seriously. As such, all of our staff and educators are trained in, and follow strict health and safety procedures, as outlined in the National Health and Medical Research Council’s publication: Staying Healthy – Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services. Staying Healthy provides educators and other staff working in education and care services with simple and effective methods for minimising the spread of disease. It contains more ‘how to’ advice on procedures and discussing exclusion periods with parents. The advice is presented in six parts: concepts of infection control monitoring illness in children procedures issues for employers, educators and other staff fact sheets on diseases common to education and care services forms, useful contacts and websites. For ease of access, below are links to a number of useful resources that you may like to download: Breaking the chain of infection – Information for families What causes infections – Information for families Exclusion periods explained – Information for families Part 5 Fact sheet – Croup Part 5 Fact sheet – Warts For more information, you may like to download the entire document: Staying Healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services (5th Edition) If you have any questions or would like to find out more about how we care for the health of children in our care, please call our office on 07 5527 1679. Don’t forget to share this via Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Buffer, Digg, Tumblr, Reddit, StumbleUpon, Delicious, WhatsApp, Line and Naver.
We recognise that Cultural Diversity in childcare is essential if we want to live in a society that values equality and justice for all. The first five years of life are considered a period of rapid and radical changes in child development. During this period, a child’s brain develops quickly and radically – more than a million neural connections are created every second during the first five years of life. New experiences help children learn and form a sense of identity. In other words, children from very young ages learn about the world around them and their place in it. They internalise social messages from their parents, caregivers, early childhood educators, and other caring adults. These agents of socialisation often send messages about what is and what is not acceptable and valued. Young children from the earliest age internalise lessons about privilege and power, ethnicity, race, language, and sexual orientation. Such messages can have long-lasting consequences not only for a child but also for a whole society. Cultural Diversity in Childcare Centres In a society that strives for cultural diversity and social justice, respect for diversity in childcare is a foundation for raising generations who highly value equality and fairness. A lot of families in our centre come from different cultural and often multi-lingual backgrounds. For many families, immigration and a struggle to assimilate in a new culture can often disrupt family dynamics and often, they may feel torn between cultures. Cultural diversity in childcare provides opportunities to understand, respect, and celebrate diverse cultures among families, children, teachers, and Australia’s indigenous culture.[i] We recognise that our educators and staff need to address injustice and show their respect for diversity by celebrating differences in age, gender, disabilities, race, ethnicity, social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. [ii] Social Justice in Childcare As defined by the United Nations, “Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political, and social rights and opportunities.” Social justice in childcare settings means that every child has equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal treatment. It means that children who are traditionally disadvantaged have the same educational and social opportunities.[iii] How to Promote Respect for Diversity in Childcare We recognise that our early childhood educators have a social and moral responsibility to promote social justice and support equity for children of different gender, abilities, diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, and sexual orientations.[iv] To nurture cultural diversity in our classrooms, our centre and educators strive to adopt the following guidelines: Keep in mind that each family is unique Get to know each family Develop relationships with families that promote trust Encourage families to participate in cultural activities Encourage families to discuss cultural diversity at home Nurture and model inclusive behaviour Express interest in diverse cultures Ask questions to avoid misunderstanding or offending our families Choose themes for our classroom that celebrate diversity and inclusion Celebrate diversity through children’s artwork Keep a calendar of Cultural and Religious Dates across our centre and classrooms Help children and families socialise with others in our community Our educators strive to show respect for diversity and celebrate differences to strengthen each child’s self-identity and confidence while promoting inclusive practice in childcare and the community. If you would like to know more about how we approach cultural diversity in our centre, please call us on (07) 5527 1679 Sources: [i] https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp0809/09rp29 [ii] https://child.unl.edu/cultural-diversity [iii] https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/documents/ifsd/SocialJustice.pdf [iv] http://www.resourcingparents.nsw.gov.au/ContentFiles/Files/diversity-in-practice-tipsheet-2.pdf Don’t forget to share this via Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Buffer, Digg, Tumblr, Reddit, StumbleUpon, Delicious, WhatsApp, Line and Naver.
School readiness is sometimes misunderstood as being able to read, write and do basic maths before starting school. But this isn’t the case! School readiness includes the development of the whole child’s skills that develop over time from a child’s birth through school admission age. School readiness comprises the areas of social-emotional, communication skills, basic health, fine motor skills cognitive, language, literacy, and physical development. Kids cannot feel comfortable at school if they haven’t developed the skills to manage things like getting along with other kids, following instructions, and communicating their needs. Remember, every child develops at their own pace and has his own strengths, interests, nature and attitude to learning so don’t worry if your child doesn’t establish all of the ‘school readiness’ skills and behaviours defined above. Domains of school readiness An additional feature of how the idea of school readiness has broadened relates to the developmental domains considered related to a child’s school readiness. These are now understood to involve all aspects of early childhood development. The domains include: Physical health and well-being Social information and competence Emotional maturity Language and intellectual development General knowledge and communication skills Our aim at My Cubby House Early Learning is to motivate children and promote a teaching method that fits each child rather than trying to fit the child into the program. We aim at building children’s confidence-level and encourage a love of learning. To ensure that children have the best head start and have learned all the skills essential for BIG SCHOOL. Starting primary school is an important time in the lives of kids and their families. It’s about the little steps, the small accomplishments that boost kids to strive, learn and challenge themselves. A teaching program that is flexible and accommodates all children and learning styles. ‘School readiness’ in children includes many different skills and behaviours and how we can help our little one get ready for starting school. Social skills Social skills mean getting along with other kids, to demonstrate basic manners, assert themselves, and support them to be able to play independently as well as with other kids. The specific social skills for your child to learn before starting school to share and take turns. It is important for your child to learn to eat with other people. Little kids learn best through play! This gives your little one the chance to develop their social skills. Emotional and social maturity Being able to manage their emotions, cope with minimal adult contact in large groups, focus on tasks, follow directions and instructions from teachers, cope with the stress of the new school environment, and understand the rules. Developing self-control, building problem-solving skills, forming relationships with others and recognising feelings in yourself and others. When children are better able to form and maintain friendships when they develop strong social-emotional skills, and better able to focus attention on learning. Language skills Language skills mean that the child can talk and listen to adults and other children, speak clearly, communicate needs, understand stories, and begin to identify some letters and sounds. Read with your child as often as possible. If a child has some reading skills already, that’s great! And if he is having some difficulty or has delayed reading skills, they will be taught how to read at school. Read books, stories and sight words with your little one, talk to them about the story, point out new words, and ask questions as this will help with their comprehension, vocabulary and language skills. Cognitive Skills Cognitive skills mean to have simple number concept, basic thinking skills, being able to wait and take turns. Help your child develop a basic awareness of numbers by helping out around the home. They could set the table, count plates or glasses, match socks from the washing line or measure the ingredients for some baking. Basic health, fine motor skills, the grasping skills like gripping a pencil and turning pages in a book, physical coordination (being able to run, jump, climb, and play ball). Plan outdoor play: jumping, swinging, running and playing on climbing apparatus. Let your child practice drawing with a range of different materials, such as pencils and colours to help develop their fine motor skills and remember to admire their efforts! School Readiness Checklist There are many different versions of the school readiness checklist to indicate if your child is ready for the classroom. There are many ways we can assess our kids are as ready as they can be for school, and the sooner you start training them, the better. Your child doesn’t need to master these areas but you should be working towards developing the skills and abilities on our school readiness checklist. You will be preparing your child and see if her or she: Manages routines, like going to the toilet, brushing teeth, and dress self Chooses what activities to learn and play, Takes turns and shares with others, Expresses feelings and why they feel a certain way, Solves problems, like finishing a puzzle, Shares their learning ideas and discoveries with others, Can tend to their own needs, Recognises their own belongings, Has developed positive peer relationship, Can accept guidance or direction from an adult. If you would like further information on how we approach school readiness for your child, please call us on 07 5527 1679. Don’t forget to share this via Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Buffer, Digg, Tumblr, Reddit, StumbleUpon, Delicious, WhatsApp, Line and Naver.
While there is no strict definition of what makes a child a fussy eater, it’s something educators and parents should know how to tackle – and in rare cases it might be a sign of an underlying condition, Dr Jennifer Cohen a paediatric clinical dietitian at UNSW Medicine has said. Dr Cohen has been working in childhood nutrition for more than 15 years, specialising in paediatric oncology nutrition – children’s diets during cancer treatment. As the mother of a six -year-old and eight-year-old, Dr Cohen also acknowledges that fussy eating can be part of regular childhood development. “It’s actually normal for a child to go through a fussy eating stage; up to 50 per cent of kids between one to two years old will be fussy eaters at some stage. We call that behavioural fussy eating and the theory behind why it happens is at that age is that their growth has slowed down,” Dr Cohen said. “A child’s body is focusing on more mental development – talking, walking, becoming physically active. The theory is kids don’t need as much food – they’re not as hungry because they’re not growing as much” she explained. A related theory is that while so much brain development is happening, the sensory system “almost shuts down” and because eating is such a sensory experience – involving taste, touch, smell, sound – “if your brain is occupied with other tasks rather than the senses, food just doesn’t taste as good or is not as enjoyable as it used to be” Dr Cohen noted. For educators, this means that when they are working with the one to two-year-old age group, they are also working with the “perfect storm” of factors leading to behavioural fussy eating. “To add to the changes going on in their body, we also have a toddler’s assertiveness to consider: it’s like trying to get your child dressed and to put their shoes on – the more you want them to do it, the less likely they’re going to comply,” she said. On the basis of these factors, Dr Cohen said, it’s not unusual for a child who used to eat everything – textured and solid foods – to suddenly become a fussy eater at one to two years of age. What’s considered fussy? Although there’s no formal definition of fussy eating, a generally accepted understanding is that if a child is eating a low variety of foods (fewer than 20 different foods) or if they are removing entire food groups such as vegetables and meat, they are considered to be a fussy eater. In addition, there is a difference between children who were fussy eaters from the moment they started on solid foods, including those who tended to remove foods but never went back to eating them, and children who changed their eating habits in line with the conditions outlined above. “A child starts eating solid foods from four to six months old and they might take pureed food, but some can never take more than puree. Potentially, that’s because they haven’t learnt how to chew and swallow. If a child hasn’t learnt that, they will be unable to take more solid foods,” she said. “There are multiple reasons why a child has not learnt how to chew and swallow; for example, some kids are highly sensitive to smells or touch and because food is such a sensory experience, eating certain foods might be unpleasant to them.” While there are many reasons for fussy eating, for children who are fussy from day one, there are more likely to be other factors at play, she added. Health implications of fussy eating Dr Cohen said about 10 per cent of children never grew out of fussy eating and remained picky eaters into adulthood. “It’s an unfortunate number, but fussy eating can persist and it can become a problem if it turns into food aversion and that leads to food phobia. If someone has food phobia they are scared of food and to reverse that is very difficult. Sensory issues are also a challenge to rectify,” she said. It is rare for fussy eating to hinder a child’s growth or develop into a condition as serious as scurvy, for example, which is a disease caused by nutritional deficiency of vitamin C from not eating fruit or vegetables. “Generally, fussy eaters will still consume enough calories – they’re just not getting it from a good variety of food. So, the more common scenario in fussy eaters is to see things like nutrient deficiencies; for example, iron or zinc deficiencies can be a big problem or, if a child is not eating meat or dairy, they could become deficient in vitamin B12,” Dr Cohen said. Paediatricians or dieticians usually detected such nutrient deficiencies before they developed into a bigger problem, she continued, however, and they advised at-risk children to take multivitamin supplements. Tips to prevent fussy eating While fussy eating is part of normal childhood development, there are some suggestions to try to ensure it does not become a habit. Pureed food is optional: Introduce textured and finger foods to children when they start eating solids – for example, bite-size pieces of soft fruit and vegetables. Or, skip pureed food altogether – omitting or quickly moving on from it will help a child’s development. Never mask flavours: Introduce children to a good variety of flavours and don’t combine flavours. For example, avoid making a savoury, spicy or aromatic food more appealing by adding sweetness because then a child will prefer sweet flavours. Avoid negativity: Never force children to eat food they reject because negative reinforcement and “just take one more bite” messaging about food could potentially lead to food aversion. The same tip applies to describing food as “healthy/unhealthy” or “good/bad” and using food as a reward – for example, saying: “if you eat your vegetables you can have dessert” – because this demonises one food while it puts another food on a pedestal. Placing too much
No one would deny that 2020 has been a very tough year. While the instances of COVID-19 have thankfully decreased in Queensland, the mental, emotional and financial toll it has taken on many in our community will continue to be felt for some time. With World Mental Health day happening on the 10th of October, we thought that we would share some useful resources for those in our community seeking mental health support for either yourself, your child or a loved one during this time. Of course, if you need immediate support, please do reach out to us. We are always here to lend an ear and can point you in the right direction to get the support you may require. Black Dog Institute Black Dog Institute is a medical research institute in Australia that investigates mental health across the lifespan, with the aim of creating a mentally healthier world for everyone. They do this through ‘translational’ research. Integrating their research studies, education programs, digital tools and apps, clinical services, and public resources to discover new solutions, foster connections and create real-world change. Below are a few links that we felt might be useful: Working from home: A checklist to support your mental health Coronavirus – Reassuring your child about the unknown The Blackdog Institute Online Free Mental Health Assessment Tool MCH staff are participating in the One Foot Forward fundraising initiative created by Black Dog Institute. If you would like to support our team and help to raise money for this worthy cause, please click here. eMHprac – E Mental Health in Practice eMHPrac has compiled a directory of Australian, evidence-based, free (or low-cost), publicly funded digital mental health programs and resources, ranging from apps, to crisis helplines, to self-guided online programs. Browse their online support directory Managing your mental health online during COVID-19 Beyond Blue – Healthy Families Healthy Families is all about giving you the information, knowledge and confidence to support the young people in your life – whether you’re a parent, guardian, grandparent, a favourite uncle or an awesome auntie. We’re also here to help you take care of your own mental health and wellbeing, especially if you’re a new parent or about to become one. Mental Health – what to look for in children 1 – 5 Dad Stress Test World Health Organisation Below are links to a number of resources provided by the World Health Organisation to help you manage your mental health during the pandemic. Looking after our mental health Free e-Book for children about COVID – My Hero is You Don’t forget to share this via Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Buffer, Digg, Tumblr, Reddit, StumbleUpon, Delicious, WhatsApp, Line and Naver.
This year as part of Child Protection Week, My Cubby House is participating in online safety lessons for our pre-prep children to raise protective behaviours & awareness. This important information has been developed by the Daniel Morcombe Foundation – ‘Australia’s Biggest Child Safety Lesson’ – and will be linked to our school readiness program. For information about these lessons, including information about what you can do at home and the conversations you can have with your children, download this Parent / Carer Guide. If you have any questions at all, please call the office on 07 5527 1679. Don’t forget to share this via Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Buffer, Digg, Tumblr, Reddit, StumbleUpon, Delicious, WhatsApp, Line and Naver.
With Book Week starting on the 24th of August, we thought we would share a great article from https://raisingchildren.net.au/ about the importance of reading books to your children. Why reading books is important for kids Sharing stories, talking and singing every day helps your child’s development in lots of ways. Reading and sharing stories can: help your child get to know sounds, words and language, and develop early literacy skills learn to value books and stories spark your child’s imagination and stimulate curiosity help your child’s brain, social skills and communication skills develop help your child learn the difference between ‘real’ and ‘make-believe’ help your child understand change and new or frightening events, and also the strong emotions that can go along with them. Sharing stories with your child doesn’t mean you have to read. Just by looking at books with your child, you can be a great storyteller and a good model for using language and books. Your child will learn by watching you hold a book the right way and seeing how you move through the book by gently turning the pages. Reading stories with children has benefits for grown-ups too. The special time you spend reading together promotes bonding and helps to build your relationship. Storytelling and songs Reading isn’t the only way to help with your child’s language and literacy development. Telling stories, singing songs and saying rhymes together are also great activities for early literacy skills – and your child will probably have a lot of fun at the same time. Sometimes your child might enjoy these activities more than reading. You might like to make up your own stories or share family stories. Your child will learn words and develop language skills from the songs, stories and conversations you share together. Reading to your child in other languages You can read, sing and tell stories with your child in whatever language you feel most comfortable speaking. Using a language you’re comfortable with helps you to communicate more easily and helps to make reading, singing and storytelling more fun for you both. Your child will still learn that words are made up of different letters, syllables and sounds, and that words usually link to the pictures on the page. Don’t worry if English isn’t your child’s first language. Being bilingual actually helps your child learn English when she starts playgroup, kindergarten or school. Dual-language books are a great resource, and many children’s books are published in two languages. If you speak a language other than English at home, reading dual-language books with your child might also help you become more familiar with English. Another option is to read a book aloud in English or listen to an audio book in English and then talk about the story with your child in whatever language feels most comfortable. When to read, sing and tell stories with your child Bedtime, bath time, potty time, on the train, on the bus, in the car, in the park, in the pram, in the cot, when you’re in the GP’s waiting room … any time is a good time for a story! You can make books part of your daily routine – take them with you to share and enjoy everywhere. Knowing when to stop can be just as important as finding the time to share a story in the first place. Pay attention to your child’s reaction to the story, and stop if he isn’t enjoying it this time. You can always try a book, song or story at another time. If you don’t have a book or can’t make up a story on the spot, don’t worry. There are many other ways you and your child can share letters, words and pictures. For example, you can look at: packages at home or in the supermarket, especially food packaging clothing – what does it say on the t-shirt? What colour is it? letters and notes – what do they say? Who sent them? signs or posters in shops, or on buses and trains – point out signs that have the same letters as your child’s name menus – it can be fun for older children to look at menus and work out what they want to eat. Tips for sharing books with babies and young children Make a routine and try to share at least one book every day. A reading chair where you’re both comfortable can become part of your reading routine. Turn off the TV or radio, and find a quiet place to read so your child can hear your voice. Hold your child close or on your knee while you read, so she can see your face and the book. Try out funny noises and sounds – play and have fun! Involve your child by encouraging talk about the pictures, and by repeating familiar words and phrases. Let your toddler choose the books when he’s old enough to start asking – and be prepared to read his favourite books over and over again! If you have older children, they can share books with your younger children, or you can all read together. Taking turns, asking questions and listening to the answers are all important skills that will help your child when she starts learning to read. What sort of books to read with your child There are so many books to choose from that it can be hard to know where to start. As a broad rule, young children often enjoy books, songs and stories that have good rhyme, rhythm and repetition. In fact, one of the ways that children learn is through repetition and rhyme. Choose books that are the right length for your child and that match your child’s changing interests. For a guide to what might suit your child, you might like to look at the following articles: Reading with babies from birth Reading with babies from 12 months Reading with toddlers Reading with preschoolers. You can also vary the books and printed materials you read. Picture
Dear Families, As you may have seen in the media, the arrangements under this Relief Package are now scheduled to conclude at midnight 12 July 2020. We are therefore getting ready for the return of the Child Care Subsidy (CCS). Over the past few months, we have experienced numerous changes in terms of child attendance. We may have changed the timing of care sessions for your child or perhaps your child has not attended our service since the health crisis began to unfold. To help us move beyond the current arrangements, we are asking all families to get in touch with us to discuss your ongoing attendance needs (ie. number of days, hours, etc). We will then be able to confirm bookings and enrolments and calculate an estimation of the gap fees payable each fortnight – this will include the latest CPI increase to the Child Care Subsidy (CCS). In some cases, you may need to confirm this new enrolment through your MyGov account. Below is a statement to families from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, which we urge you to act upon, in order to ensure that you continue to receive the CCS beyond 13 July. If you received Child Care Subsidy (CCS) for 2018-2019 you are required to confirm your income with Centrelink. This includes CCS paid directly to you and CCS paid on your behalf to your childcare provider. Most parents have already confirmed their income, but if you haven’t, do it now. If you don’t confirm your income by 30 June 2020, your CCS will stop on 13 July 2020. To confirm your income with Centrelink, you and your partner need to either: lodge your tax returns with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) complete an ‘Advise non-lodgement of tax return’ in your Centrelink online account through myGov or your Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. If you’ve already confirmed your family income for 2018-2019, there’s nothing else you need to do. From 13 July onwards, our service will reintroduce fees. As per our Payment of Fees Policy, fees are payable in advance of your child’s attendance. Invoices will therefore be sent out from 29/7/2020. To ensure a smooth transition back to CCS, please do not hesitate to speak with management personally to discuss any of the above. We appreciate that the employment and income of some families has changed, and we encourage you to speak with our team to ensure that you are receiving all of the subsidies to which you are entitled, taking into considerations options such as the ‘relaxed’ Activity Test, as well as the Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) for Temporary Financial Hardship. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support during the past few difficult months. We are excited to return to the ‘new normal’ and look forward to focussing our attention on educating and caring for your children. Kind regards, Catherine Morato Centre Manager Don’t forget to share this via Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Buffer, Digg, Tumblr, Reddit, StumbleUpon, Delicious, WhatsApp, Line and Naver.
Facebook
2023 Fee Schedule 
download
Calendar of Events 
Menu 
35 Nind Street Southport QLD 4215
07 5527 1679
info@mycubbyhouseearlylearning.com.au
Monday - Friday : 6:30 am to 6:30 pm