ECEC Provider in Focus: Betty Spears Child Care Centre

Betty Spears Child Care Centre is a well respected, community based, not for profit, Long Day Care Centre operating in Tempe, inner west Sydney, since 1986.

 

The service, which educates and cares for 57 children from six weeks to six years of age, was last assessed and rated in 2023 as Meeting the National Quality Standard. 

 

What is the history of Betty Spears Child Care Centre?

 

The service is named in honour of the late Betty Spears (1926 – 2012) who acknowledged and advocated for the needs of the working families, especially women, at the State Transit Authority doing shift work day and night and requiring care for their children. 

 

Along with June deLorenzo she worked tirelessly and passionately to secure a grant from State and Federal governments during the 1980’s that ensured the centre was set up and consequently the centre was named in her honour.

 

Betty Spears Child Care Centre is believed to be one of the first, if not the first, 24 hour early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in Sydney, although it no longer offers this as an enrolment option. 

 

What is the Betty Spears Child Care Centre vision and approach to learning?

 

The Educational Program offered at Betty Spears is play based, and builds on the children’s interests, following their lead and extending on their learning as they experiment and explore experiences across all curriculum areas. 

 

Children are viewed as investigators and collaborators in their learning, with educators seen as co contributors and facilitators of learning. 

 

This philosophy, the service notes on its website, “is based on many years of research and practice that supports what many of us as parents and Educators have always known, that is: we all learn better when we are involved and interested.”

 

Are there any unique aspects to the Betty Spears Child Care offer? 

 

The service philosophy centres around the acronym CHILDREN, which stands for: 

 

C Community and a sense of Belonging
H Health and Wellbeing
I Inclusion
L Learning from interest and exploration
D Development in terms of Being and Becoming
R Relationships and Rights
E Environment
N Nature

 

What is Betty Spears’ Child Care approach to educators’ identity and development?

 

Professional development and further education is supported and encouraged. There is minimal staff turnover at the service, with the longest serving team members having been there over 20 years, and many of the staff working at Betty’s for ten years or more. 

 

To learn more about Betty Spears Child Care Centre please visit the website, here.