Our Philosophy
The focus of Eltham Woods Childcare Cooperative (EWCC) is to create a respectful, inclusive, home like environment that enhances all aspects of children’s development whilst remaining warm and welcoming.
We believe that children, families and educators are all integral parts of the Eltham Woods community and that each has a unique contribution to make to the centre. We believe children are capable individuals who can make their own choices, therefore we foster their sense of agency throughout their play and routine. We believe our approach helps children to feel safe and secure at EWCC whilst giving them support and respect to increase their development in the five key areas of the National Early Years Learning Framework (NEYLF). EWCC stands against racism and recognises the traditional owners of the land upon which EWCC stands, we incorporate learning of Indigenous culture into our program.
Respect for diversity
Equity, inclusion and diversity are embedded in our practice. We hope this commitment will contribute to an inclusive and accepting society.
Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are acknowledged, respected and valued. We are committed to teaching children about what has come before and working together on what is to come.
Children are given every opportunity to succeed, and their diverse circumstances, cultural background and abilities are respected and valued.
We are committed to ensuring that all stakeholders, regardless of their identity, have access to equal opportunities and are treated with dignity, respect and fairness.
We create inclusive learning environments and adopt flexible and informed practices to optimise access, participation and engagement of learning to support wellbeing and positive outcomes for children in all their diversities.
Partnerships
Strong partnerships between educators, children, families, other professionals and community members support children’s learning, development and wellbeing and contribute to quality outcomes for all children.
Educators listen to, value and respect each child. Trusting, supportive relationships and collaborative partnerships are developed and maintained with each child.
The child in the context of their family is valued. We prioritise building strong relationships with families and involving parents in all aspects of our practice as we acknowledge that each child’s parents are their most influential educators. Families are encouraged to share their beliefs, culture, language and home experiences with us so we can incorporate these into our program and foster each child’s sense of identity.
We actively maintain strong relationships with professionals in the early years field to enhance the learning and development of educators and children.
We value connections to our local community and utilise these connections to enhance the children’s program and learning opportunities.
Child safety and wellbeing
The rights and best interests of all children underpin all of our practices. We are committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of all children, staff and families and aim to provide an environment which fosters this.
We have zero tolerance for child abuse and are committed to raising awareness about the importance of child safety in our service and the community. All allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously and consistently with our robust policies and procedures.
We value and support all areas of children’s wellbeing and support children in the development of their emotions, self-regulation, social development and mental health.
We are committed to establishing policies, procedures, systems and processes to create a culturally safe and inclusive environment and meet the needs of Aboriginal children, young people and their families.
Educational Program
Our program is based on the NEYLF, the children’s interests are the focus and educators use these to facilitate their program and enhance each child’s development.
We believe that all children are confident and involved learners. We provide children with a range of play based experiences to ensure children are given the opportunity to learn and develop in their own way and in their own time.
We utilise our indoor and outdoor play spaces to create a stimulating environment for the children to explore and develop their knowledge. Children are viewed as successful, competent and capable learners who are given opportunities to construct their own understandings and contribute to the learning of others.
Educators are responsive to each child’s needs as children are provided with the opportunity to learn alongside their educators through shared decision making, trust and respect.
Educators engage in an ongoing cycle to assess and evaluate children’s learning. Educators consistently reflect on their practice to enhance their skills and work to achieve quality outcomes for all children.
Sustainable future
We believe it’s important to educate children about their environment and the impact they can have on it. Sustainable practices are embedded in our program and everyday practices at every opportunity.
Children are supported to become environmentally responsible which is embedded in our practice, programs and policies.
Educators encourage children to develop an appreciation of the natural world and the interdependence between people, animals, plants, lands and waters.
Our unique outdoor environment provides children with consistent opportunities to take an active role in caring for the environment and to think about ways they can contribute to a sustainable future.
Continuous improvement
Continuous improvement, best practice and quality outcomes underpin our practice. We are committed to communicating and sharing ideas as a team about improving practice to optimise children’s learning, development and wellbeing.
Educators are committed to lifelong learning and seek opportunities to strengthen their professional skills to support continuous quality improvement in practice. New knowledge and skills are shared with the team to create a team of highly skilled educators.
Our quality improvement plan is a living document that guides continual improvement. It is consistently updated to reflect the ideas, views and knowledge of all stakeholders.
