Preparing for Childcare

Pam Maclean M.Ed.

Starting childcare can be a challenging time for parents and children. What do we need to share with families before they commence in care with us?

This article addresses some of the main issues you may need to consider for your families. Use this as inspiration for your interactions with families prior to enrolment. We put this article in the parent pack so all families receive it before commencing in care.

Going back to work when you have little ones can be daunting. How can we work together to make this change less stressful for you and your child? Preparation is key in this area. If we take some time to prepare them before they begin in care, children will find the change in routine less difficult to manage. This reduces anxiety levels in our children and on us as parents. We know it is difficult for a parent to focus on work when worrying about how their child is going in care. So, help them manage a new routine with confidence before they begin in care and reduce both your anxiety levels. What can we do as parents to support our little ones during these times of change? Depending on their age, we can do a few simple but important things to assist.

First steps

• Organise your Childcare Subsidy several weeks before you begin in care. It can take quite a few weeks for this to process at Centrelink.

Go to your Centrelink App, online account or your MyGov App. If you are stuck, call 13 6150 for assistance.

• It is also important to select the right service for you and your child.

So, visit 2 or 3 services, ask what they offer and tour the facility.

Ask questions and trust your instincts about the knowledge and experience of the people and the appeal of the play spaces, so you feel confident in your choice of care.

Preparing baby for care

The following simple tips can help them settle into care; • Feeding: expressing milk for your child, visiting a couple of times per day to feed them; formula feeding, or weaning them off milk? Decide this well ahead so you have time to work towards this and settle baby with their feeding routines before they start in care. Babies may not like the feel of the plastic teat as it is so different from the breast, so allow time for this change to occur and settle.

• Ensure your baby can sit and play (if old enough to sit) for 5-15 minutes with toys around them, rather than always be carried or played with by you. It is important to practice this at home and help them learn they can engage with toys without your presence. This also frees up your time to attend to other tasks around the home. In a group care setting, other children need cuddles too, so it is not possible to carry each baby for extended periods during the day. • Teach your baby to settle to sleep without being rocked and held or breast fed to sleep. We are unable to feed children to sleep and it means that your child doesn’t know how to fall asleep any other way.

Again, in a group care setting, each child cannot be held and rocked for long periods. A short time is manageable, but long settling times mean other babies who also need our attention and cuddles at sleep time miss out on much needed affection and nurturing. • If you are introducing first foods for your baby, prepare them the night before so you reduce your morning rush. For additional information about first foods, search the Solid Starts and Nutrition Australia web sites for helpful fact sheets and ideas. The points listed here do not mean that babies will not be loved, nurtured, and cuddled when they need it. It means they are more likely to settle better and feel more secure. Our educators always offer lots of affection and cuddles throughout the day but need to spread the love around between all babies in their care.

Preparing toddlers for care

• Ensure toddlers can walk steadily during play so they can confidently be active with other children, without falling over and being upset. This takes practice like any other skill so let them run and play at home to refine this skill and build their confidence.

• Toddlers are most likely to be having one sleep a day, just after their lunch, so they can happily enjoy the morning of play with new friends. In a group setting, it would be difficult for a toddler to have a settled sleep in the morning, then another in the afternoon when other toddlers are playing near them. So, get their routines ready to go before they start in care to reduce the impact on them.

• Encourage some first words for your little one so they can communicate with educators as to what they would like. E.g. simple key words like, drink, food, sleep, bed, nappy, cuddle and so on. This also applies if your child has a language other than

English. Our educators like to learn these simple words to offer comfort to your child in the new setting in a language they feel comfortable with. • Starting your toddler off with self-feeding using finger foods or spoons also helps them manage their day. Educators will still help them with spoons, but children feel so much more confident if they can self-manage these things to some degree. • Have toddlers practice wearing a hat when outdoors, as they will certainly have to do so when in care as part of the sun safe program. • Encourage your child to have their own sippy cup with a secure lid and have them always use it, even at home, when they are thirsty.

Children will use this in care too, so it is another little skill they can already manage, boosting their confidence each day they attend. • From around 18 months to 2 years of age, children may start being able to recognise the need to urinate and start their early toilet training journey. During the 2–3year period, they will complete this process, including managing soiling and staying dry during rest time and often through the night. This is the usual age for this to occur, so it is important that families and

educators work together to ensure this occurs smoothly. Toddlers are busy little people who are learning and growing in many ways. They are learning to walk, talk, manage toys and play, starting to learn about sharing and feeding themselves, with mixed results usually, and growing in their understanding of the world around them. It is a full-on time for them.

If your child is 3 or older

Children who are 3 or older, are often already terrific at playing with others, but some will need assistance with this. Playing with other young children in playgroup settings can help them enormously so they have already practiced those necessary skills before they enter childcare.

• Children in this age group should already be fully toilet trained before they begin in care, just as expected in any Kindy age setting. Being fully toilet trained by 3 years is an age-appropriate expectation. This is also a safety issue as the ratio between adults and children is 1 adult to 11 children. If a few children have wetting accidents during the day, it becomes difficult to manage this safely, as an adult will need to clean up the floor, keep children away from the area, get it dried and ensure no other child slips etc. This is very disruptive to the learning program, creates a safety hazard, and causes delays in the education program each time it happens. • Managing turn taking, sharing and being part of the group is challenging for young children, so it is important to help them acquire some of these skills. They will need these skills all through their formal schooling too, so the more natural they are, the easier it is for children to positively manage their day. Three-year old’s often need gentle reminders when playing with others, so they learn to manage social situations.

• Children who are three or older, need to walk in and out of care, carry their own bags and put them away, taking their water bottles to the correct place and putting their hats away etc. These are organisational skills they need to manage their day well, and certainly to feel confident and capable. They know where to go for their belongings and where they should be put. Taking responsibility for their own belongings is an important element in confidence and resilience building. Parents carrying their bags and belongings makes children feel like you don’t think they can manage well, sending the exact opposite message you wish to as a loving parent.

We want our children to blossom into lovely human beings who manage their days well and achieve success. As parents, we can help them start this process by preparing them well for the challenges of being away from us for extended periods of time and showing them we have confidence in their ability to navigate their way through each day with confidence and skill.

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Con’grad’ulates

CAECE is delighted to present recent graduates who have completed their Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care.

Over the last quarter we have had the opportunity to congratulate CAECE graduates from both our Diploma and Certificate III qualifications. With the ongoing support from our lovely CAECE trainers, students have been guided to achieve their goals in becoming fully qualified educators. If you, or someone you know, are interested in studying and working towards your qualifications in early childhood education and care, our friendly staff and trainers are willing to guide and support your early learning journey! For more information please contact our team on 07 3299 5784 or email admin@caece.com.au.

CAECE would like to congratulate the following graduates and wish them all the best for their future as an early learning educator!

CAECE graduates for the last quarter:

Aarti: Educating Kids Childrens Centre Townsville - Diploma (Trainer Lainie Randell) Alison: Edge Early Learning - Ferny Grove - Diploma (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Amy: Imagine Early Learning Centre - West End (TSV) - Diploma (Trainer Lainie Randell) Amy-Lee: Green Leaves Early Learning Griffin - Diploma (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Amy-Lee: Green Leaves Early Learning Griffin - Diploma (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Ashleigh B: Kinder Cottage Childcare Centre - Certificate III (Trainer Sonja Hartley) Ashleigh K: Story House Early Learning Deception Bay - Diploma (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Ashley N: Little Scholars School of Early Learning Deception Bay Certificate III (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Ashley P: Scotts Road Child Care Centre - Diploma (Trainer Meaghan Westwood) Belinda: Early Education Service - Brookwater - Diploma (Trainer Meaghan Westwood) Bethany: Okeedokee Early Learning Centre Norman Park - Diploma (Trainer Arielle Waples) Bianca: World of Learning - Diploma (Trainer Lainie Randell) Billie: Little Scholars School of Early Learning Burleigh Diploma (Trainer Sonja Hartley) Breannah: Early Birds Childcare Jimboomba - Diploma (Trainer Arielle Waples) Brittany: Lockyer Valley Early Education Centre & Pre-School - Diploma (Trainer Meaghan Westwood) Brooke: St Mary MacKillop Early Learning Centre Rasmussen - Certificate III (Trainer Lainie Randell) Candias: A Country Garden Early Childhood Centre Jacaranda House - Diploma (Trainer Kellie Saville) Chang: Play and Learn - Upper Coomera - Diploma (Trainer Sonja Hartley) Chelsea: Caboolture Christian Children’s Centre - Certificate III (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Chelsea R: The Montessori Farm Willowvale - Diploma (Trainer Meaghan Westwood) Cody: Free Range Kids - Gatton - Certificate III (Trainer Kellie Saville) Cortney: Regents Park Child Care Centre - Diploma (Trainer Meaghan Westwood) Courtney G: Treasure Island Child Care Centre Clifton - Certificate III (Trainer Melissa-Ann Cooper) Courtney W: Free Range Kids - Laidley 2 - Diploma (Trainer Kellie Saville) Dana: Kindamindi Development and Learning Centre - Certificate III (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Eileen: Cleveland Early Learning Centre - Certificate III (Trainer Brooke Kirkham)

BRITTANY CODY

JADE

Elizabeth: Goodstart Early Learning Riverside Gardens - Diploma (Trainer Lainie Randell) Ella: Caboolture Christian Children’s Centre - Diploma (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Elona: Kenmore Hills Early Learning - Certificate III (Trainer Melissa-Ann Cooper) Emma: Educating Kids Childrens Centre Domain - Diploma (Trainer Lainie Randell) Eryn: Superheroes Early Learning Caboolture - Certificate III (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Esme: Play and Learn Upper Coomera - Diploma (Trainer Sonja Hartley) Felicity: Little Scholars School of Early Learning Burleigh - Diploma (Trainer Sonja Hartley) Isabela: Kindermarlee - Certificate III (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Isabella: Tiny Tots Early Learning Centre Carrara - Certificate III (Trainer Sonja Hartley) Jade: Goodstart Early Learning Gatton - Diploma (Trainer Kellie Saville) Jailani: Little Scholars School of Early Learning Nerang - Certificate III (Trainer Sonja Hartley) Jamie-Lee: Calvary Early Learning Centre - Diploma (Trainer Lainie Randell) Jasmin: Barefoot Early Childhood - Certificate III (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Jessica Ma: St Mary MacKillop Early Learning Centre Rasmussen - Diploma (Trainer Lainie Randell) Jessica Mc: Greenslopes Early Learning Centre - Diploma (Trainer Arielle Waples) Jessy: Avenues Early Learning Centre Jindalee - Diploma (Trainer Meaghan Westwood) Jodie D: Little Scholars School of Early Learning Burleigh - Certificate III (Trainer Sonja Hartley) Jodie O: Little Scholars School of Early Learning Deception Bay - Diploma (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Kamryn: Perfect Beginnings Child Care Centre Holmead Road - EMP 2 Certificate III (Trainer Melissa-Ann Cooper) Kandina: Goodstart Riverside Gardens - Certificate III (Trainer Lainie Randell) Kathy: Free Range Kids Gatton - Diploma (Trainer Kellie Saville) Katie: Charley’s Place Springwood - Certificate III (Trainer Melissa-Ann Cooper) Kayla: Lady Gowrie Kennedy Place Early Childhood Centre - Diploma (Trainer Lainie Randell) Kiara: Imagine Early Learning Centre West End (TSV) - Certificate III (Trainer Lainie Randell) Kimberley: Mosaic Christian Early Learning Centre Mudgeeraba - Diploma (Trainer Sonja Hartley) Kirsty: Barefoot Early Childhood - Certificate III (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Kylie: Educating Kids Childrens Centre Kirwan - Certificate III (Trainer Lainie Randell) Lady: Seedlings Early Learning Newmarket - Diploma (Trainer Brooke Kirkham) Larissa: Goodstart Early Learning Centre Kirwan Burnda Street - Diploma (Trainer Lainie Randell) Leah C: Little Scholars School of Early Learning Redland Bay - Certificate III (Trainer Brooke Kirkham) Leah M: Rosie’s Early Learning Pty Ltd - Diploma (Trainer Brooke Kirkham) Madeline: Sparrow Early Learning Eagleby - Diploma (Trainer Melissa-Ann Cooper) Madelyn: Living Faith Early Learning Centre Petrie - Certificate III (Trainer Lauren Turrell) Margaret: Goodstart Riverside Gardens - Diploma (Trainer Lainie Randell) Marisa: KidCademy Early Learning Centre - Diploma (Trainer Arielle Waples) Mary: Educating Kids Childrens Centre Domain - Diploma (Trainer Lainie Randell) Michelle C: Tugun Tiny Tots Early Learning Centre - Certificate III (Trainer Sonja Hartley) Michelle G: Little Oak Early Learning Centre - Diploma (Trainer Meaghan Westwood) Mikjelah Bahrs: Scrub Early Learning Centre - Certificate III (Trainer MelissaAnn Cooper) Mkarla: A Country Garden Early Childhood Centre Willow House- Diploma (Trainer Kellie Saville)