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ECEC Provider in Focus: Inner City Care
Freya Lucas
Oct 04, 2024
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Inner City Care (ICC) is a community-based, not-for-profit, long day care centre located in Ultimo which has been established for over 30 years.
The 44 place centre is currently rated as Meeting the National Quality Standard.What is the history of Inner City Care?
ICC began operation as a child care service in May 1982, after extensive lobbying (since 1978) by a group of parents, all of whom worked for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
In a four year period the parents organised funding, community support and patronage and a general framework for a stable and viable service.
The original premises for the service were donated by the ABC staff association in Bourke Street, Darlinghurst. The building continued to be leased to ICC for nominal rent until the move to Ultimo in 1991. The service originally operated 24 hours per day, opening 6am Monday morning and closing 6am the following Saturday morning.
At the time the centre was licensed for 25 children during the day and a further 10 children for night care. The overnight service was immensely popular. In some cases it was genuinely the last possibility for shift workers as ICC was receiving many calls for refuge and intervention care.
Regrettably, in 1986 the overnight care service was not being used to a level to make it economically viable and so the hours were reduced to a closing time at midnight.
In 1987 a campaign was begun to gain funds to enable ICC to relocate from Darlinghurst to larger premises. It was believed, quite rightly, that this would enable the service to expand thereby meeting the demand and also improve financial viability by enjoying some economies of scale.
The premises in Bourke St had also become increasingly unworkable for the provision of care (due to heavy maintenance requirements, and restrictive licensing demands of a 1:5 child ratio at all times for all age groups).
In January 1988 approval was granted and funding of $562,000.00 guaranteed by the Federal Government of Health, Housing and Community Services. Inner City Care went shopping for premises. Sites were found and joint venues were considered with OTC, the Darling Harbour Authority and the State Library among others. Common to all there was a commitment to providing childcare in the CBD or fringes of the same area.
In November 1989 the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) issued requests for tenders for the provision of childcare in the corporations’ new premises in Ultimo. In 1990 ICC won that tender.
Although ICC had a relationship with a number of working parents in its time we had never before had any formal relations with the Corporation. However, the service won the tender by demonstrating a successful ongoing commitment to high quality education and care and effective management of all aspects of childcare operation.
On 15th July 1991 ICC opened at the ABC building in Ultimo as a 39 place (10 places at night) service, operating Monday to Friday; 7am to midnight. In this new location there was a high demand for day care (particularly 0-3 year olds) and a moderate demand for night care.
Usage of the night service slowly declined, and with the high cost of care and the impending loss of the Federal Government Operational Subsidy ($54,000.00) in July 1997, the Committee made the difficult decision to close the night time service. Its operation officially ceased at the end of June 1997.
What is the ICC vision and approach to learning?
ICC focuses its programming in line with the following objectives:
- Create an environment that acknowledges and values the individual needs of all children attending the Centre
- Implement the National Quality Framework for programming for children’s education and care, by using the Early Years Learning Framework to program, plan and document children’s learning.
- Provide a meaningful educational program, based on early childhood development and learning through play.
- Ensure that experiences and presentation are developmentally appropriate.
- Build a partnership between families and educators in order to establish continuity in the program and to help support families and educators achieve their own goals.
- Develop a high level of self-esteem and independence in children so they are able to explore, understand and function confidently in the world around them.
- Foster each child’s critical thinking about bias; developing the cognitive skills to identify, and the emotional empathy to know that bias hurts.
- Be aware of and use of the environment – indoor and out – as a second facilitator.
- To help children develop a love and respect for our natural world.
Are there any unique aspects to the ICC offer?
ICC is operated and managed by a parent run Management Committee. Parents are elected each year in October during an Annual General Meeting and parents are responsible for the overall operations and decision making of the service.
The Centre is managed daily by a non-teaching Director who meets with the Management Committee every month to ensure the Centre continues to operate smoothly.
ICC’s relationship with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, being located within the ABC building site in Ultimo, is very much like that of a landlord. The ABC gives ICC a Salary and Cleaning grant each year in order to reserve half of its spaces for the children of ABC staff.
When an ABC child leaves, space is offered to the next ABC child found on the Waiting List that is the suitable age.
The ABC is responsible for ensuring the building facilities are safe and well maintained. The service uses the cleaning grant in order to contract a professional cleaning company that maintains the facilities daily.
The inner city location of the service supports the development of rich and dynamic programs by being within walking access to a range of interesting and meaningful learning experiences including the Powerhouse Museum, The Aquarium, The Australian Museum, Paddy’s Fruit and Vege market, Ultimo Library and local parklands.
What is the ICC approach to educators’ identity and development?
Staff enjoy above award conditions and salary, and many are longstanding members of the team, having worked with the service for ten years or more.
ICC employs above ratio, and ‘well beyond’ the qualification requirements. For 44 children the service currently has four early childhood teachers (ECTs), and six Diploma qualified staff, with all other staff holding a minimum of a Certificate III in Children’s Services.
Staff are offered ongoing access to professional development and training opportunities to ensure they remain up to date with current research and best practice. Learn more about ICC here.
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