Extended days (including Vacation Care)

Community need

Mountainview Preschool operates their community preschool service three days per week. Many of the service’s existing families have requested for the preschool to operate a fourth day per week to support their varying schedules. They have also expressed an interest in the service being open during school holidays for Vacation Care. The preschool has surveyed existing families and determined the need for the extra day per week and for operating a Vacation Care service for 4 days per week for 6 weeks of the school holidays.

The proposal

The Mountainview Preschool team plans to use a Flexible Initiatives Trial grant to expand their operating days and offer families an additional day of care per week and to operate Vacation Care for 4 days per week for 6 weeks of the year. The preschool has determined the initiative will be sustainable beyond the 12 months funded period.

The plan

The plan involves extending the operating days of the service to 4 days per week and to operate Vacation Care for 6 weeks. Grant funding will be sought to extend staff hours to cover the additional operating days. Funds will also be used to pay additional rent, procure additional resources and for other expenses such as cleaner’s wages.

The budget

Grant application

The Mountainview Preschool team submits a grant application with the above information. The application is assessed and is successful. They sign a funding agreement.

Implementation

With a focus on building their team of ECEC educators and administrators, Mountainview Preschool attracts new staff driven by a commitment to quality education and care and supporting diverse family needs. To ensure families are aware of the new flexible options, they promote their extension of days and vacation care program through school newsletters, social media and word of mouth, including clear information about the tailored sessions and the benefits they offer. They use ongoing data collection to record feedback, understand patterns, and demonstrate outcomes. Data-driven insights result in continuous evolution, helping to steer program enhancements and inform future requests for funding.

Outcomes

Mountainview Preschools initiative addresses the community’s needs, creating a blueprint for adaptable education and care. With ongoing review and evaluation, they ensure evolving family needs are met.

Family Day Care to operate in local community centre

Community need

Crookwell Springs is a small regional town where no family day care services are available. The local council’s ECEC team identifies a need for more quality, accessible early childhood education and care in the form of family day care for local families.

The proposal

Crookwell Springs Council has identified a Diploma educator who is willing to operate a new family day care service in the area, however their home is not suitable for the FDC service. The council has a plan to utilise a local community centre to operate the FDC service from. The community centre is considered safe for children with appropriate outdoor space, equipment and fencing; however, the space will require some internal work to ensure the space is comfortable, welcoming and home-like for the children.

The plan

The Crookwell Springs Council ECEC team, as the approved provider, puts together a plan that includes securing the community centre space, engaging with the diploma educator, arranging quotes for the capital works upgrades, regulatory applications and fees, an investment in training and upskilling the diploma educator; and some minor capital works to complete essential repairs for safety and compliance, equipment purchases, and to improve accessibility of the family day care facility for the purpose of the program.

Budget

Grant application

The Crookwell Springs Council ECEC team submits a grant application outlining the above information. The application is assessed and is successful. They sign a funding agreement.

Implementation

The Crookwell Springs Council ECEC team, with the Diploma educator, is successful in setting up the new family day care service to operate out of the community centre. To ensure families are aware of the new preschool program, the new FDC services is actively promoted through local newsletters, social media and by connecting with local groups who support children and families. Their new FDC service is opened with many families utilising the service.

The Crookwell Springs Council ECEC team keeps track of the utilisation rates of the service and gather family and community feedback. This information allows The Crookwell Springs Council ECEC team to refine their program and evaluate its impact.

Outcomes

Crookwell Springs Family Day Care provides a nurturing, home-like environment that supports children's development and learning while bridging gaps in access to quality early childhood education.

Long Day Care service partner with the local public preschool within a short distance

Community need

Glowing Early Childhood Education Centre is a Long Day Care service that is located within 200 metres of the local public preschool – Bluebay Preschool – situated on Bluebay Public School. Bluebay Preschool has reached out to the LDC as they have had many parents asking about extended care options for their preschool children. Surveys and feedback from families reveal that many parents require a convenient and community focused solution for their children’s extended hours care.

The proposal

Bluebay Preschool and Glowing ECEC are working together on a plan to provide extended care for Bluebay Preschool children at the Glowing ECEC site. This is an innovative solution – to offer wrap around, extended hours education and care for the preschool children, provided by the LDC service. The proposal incorporates a plan to ‘transport’ the children to and from the preschool via ‘walking bus’, providing a secure and organised way for preschool children to transition from the preschool facility to the LDC facility, which is within 200 metres of the preschool.

The plan

The plan for the proposed program includes recruiting new educators to ensure continuity of care; delivery of training programs for staff focused on safety, supervision and effective communication; developing a schedule and route for transportation; collaborating with local authorities to ensure adherence to safety and transportation regulations; and investment in communication tools to facilitate effective communication between families and services.

Budget

Grant application

Glowing Early Childhood Education Centre submits a grant application as the primary applicant as they will be providing the additional ‘wraparound’ care outside the preschool children’s regular care arrangements. The application is assessed and is successful. Glowing ECEC Childhood Education Centre signs a funding agreement.

Implementation

Glowing Early Childhood Education Centre and Bluebay Preschool collaborate effectively and implement a new program that enhances the education and care experience with wraparound, extended hours care, educators dedicated to the children participating in the program, and a secure and organised transition between the two facilities – providing families with a reliable and safe education and care solution. The partner services establish clear communication channels, collect feedback from parents and children, and continually refine the program to meet the evolving needs of the community.

Outcomes

The result is an enhanced education and care experience. Children benefit from the convenience and safety of the program, and families gain access to extended hours education and care services that offer choice, control and continuity in their education and care arrangements.

Family Day Care service partner with nearby public preschool

Community need

Highlights Family Day Care is an approved provider of a family day care scheme. Harry is a FDC educator who operates two doors down from the local public preschool. Harry’s FDC and Daybreak Preschool, which is located on the grounds of Daybreak Public School, have discussed the increasing demand for extended education and care services in their local community. Feedback from families reveal that many parents require a range of convenient and community focused solutions for their children’s extended hours care.

The proposal

Harry’s FDC and Daybreak Preschool have explored an innovative solution to provide extended hours of education and care for preschool children, with care to be delivered by Harry’s FDC. Harry presents a proposal to Highlights Family Day Care and the public school Principal, outlining a plan to transport children to and from the preschool using a ‘walking bus’—a secure and organised way for children to transition between the preschool and Harry’s FDC, located just two doors down

The plan

The plan is approved by Highlights Family Day Care and the Daybreak Public School principal. The plan is further developed between all parties for the proposed program which includes an additional educator to assist with Harry’s FDC for the afternoon sessions; developing a schedule and route for transportation; collaborating with local authorities to ensure adherence to safety and transportation regulations; delivery of training programs for staff focused on safety, supervision and effective communication; and investment in communication tools to facilitate effective communication between families and both services.

Budget

Grant application

Highlights Family Day Care submits a grant application with Harry’s FDC as the primary applicant as they will be providing the additional ‘wrap-around’ care outside the preschool children’s regular care arrangements and includes the option for existing children and families to have continuity of care and for children to remain with younger siblings. The application is assessed and is successful. Highlights Family Day Care signs a funding agreement.

Implementation

Highlights Family Day Care supports Harry’s Family Day Care and Daybreak Preschool in working together to successfully implement a new program that enriches the education and care experience and provides further options for families. This initiative offers wraparound, extended-hours care, with dedicated educators guiding children through a well-organised and secure transition between the two services—providing families with a dependable and nurturing care solution. The partner services maintain clear communication, actively gather feedback from families and children, and continuously adapt the program to meet the changing needs of their community.

Outcomes

The result is an enhanced education and care experience. Children benefit from the convenience and safety of the program, and families gain access to extended hours education and care services that offer choice, control and continuity in their education and care arrangements.

Public preschool – another provider obtains a service approval to operate from public preschool room

Community need

Western Valley ECEC, an approved provider of several long day care services, was approached by families expressing a need for after-hours care on their children's preschool days at Valley Public Preschool. In response, Western Valley ECEC initiated discussions with Valley Public Preschool about the growing demand for extended hours care. A survey of preschool families revealed that many parents are seeking a convenient, community-focused solution for their children’s care needs.

The proposal

Western Valley ECEC and Western Valley Public Preschool have collborated on an innovative solution to offer wrap around, extended hours education and care for the preschool children. The extended hours care will be provided by Western Valley ECEC on the public preschool site, using existing facilities. Western Valley ECEC proposes that they will seek a service approval for an OOSH operating on the preschool site and rent the public preschool site for the after preschool hours periods. Educators will be employed through Western Valley ECEC for the 3 hour afternoon shifts. Western Valley ECEC and Western Valley Public Preschool approach the Western Valley Public School principal to discuss their proposal and gain support and written confirmation of approval.

The plan

The plan is further developed between all parties for the proposed program which includes the employment of 3 staff members to facilitate the after preschool sessions; staff training; purchase of educational resources; delivery of training programs for staff focused on safety, supervision and effective communication; and investment in communication tools to facilitate effective communication between families and both services.

The budget

Grant application

Western Valley ECEC submits a grant application as the primary applicant as they will be providing the additional ‘wrap-around’ care outside the preschool children’s regular care arrangements. They include the approval from the Western Valley Public School principal as a part of their evidence. The application is assessed and is successful. Western Valley ECEC signs a funding agreement.

Implementation

Western Valley ECEC seeks approval from the NSW Regulatory Authority for the OOSH service approval for the site. They then work with Western Valley Public Preschool to successfully implement a new program that enriches the education and care experience. This initiative offers wraparound, extended-hours care, with dedicated educators guiding children. As the services is on the same site, there is no change of venue and no disruption to the children offering continuity of care. This provides families with a dependable and nurturing care solution. The partner services maintain clear communication, actively gather feedback from families and children, and continuously adapt the program to meet the changing needs of their community.

Outcomes

The result is an enhanced education and care experience. Children benefit from the convenience and familiarity of the program, and families gain access to extended hours education and care services that offer choice, control and continuity in their education and care arrangements.