ECEC Provider in Focus: Our Village Family Childcare

Our Village Family Childcare is a home-based childcare service (family day care service) operating in Sunbury, the Macedon Ranges, Hume, Brimbank and Moonee Valley regions of Victoria. 

 

The scheme offers education and care for children from 0–12 years of age, in the homes of qualified Early Childhood Educators.

 

What is the history of Our Village Family Childcare? 

 

The service began in Sunbury in 1978 after Community Health Nurse, Frances Carstairs, identified the need for an alternative childcare choice in the district.  She visited, and was very impressed with, the Fitzroy Family Day Care Scheme, subsequently convincing the then Sunbury Community Health Committee of Management and Executive Officer, Jim Weatherill, to apply for a grant to establish a scheme.

 

From this humble start the scheme grew until it had carers in Sunbury, Craigieburn, Gisborne and Macedon. Eventually, due to growing demand and regional boundaries put in place by the Australian Government where only one family day care scheme could operate in specified areas, a new scheme was established in Craigieburn, supported by Craigieburn Community Health Centre and later the Brotherhood of St Laurence.  Another new scheme was established in Gisborne.

 

For approximately the next 20 years there were up to 100 not for profit schemes operating in Victoria.

 

In 2002, the first round of accreditation of family day care services commenced. It was also around this time that the Australian Government removed the regional boundaries and granted approval for private family day care services.

 

Today, there are approximately 400 family day care schemes operating in Victoria. Some of the changes for family day care schemes in recent years have been:

 

• Regulated by Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
• Accredited under the National Quality Framework
• Education and care for children is planned using the Early Years Frameworks

 

Sunbury Family Day care expanded in 2012 to provide education and care in townships across the Macedon Ranges. This brought on a change in name to Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Family Day Care. 

 

In 2015, the scheme expanded to other areas in Hume including Craigieburn and Tullamarine, after the Brotherhood of St Lawrence concluded its family day care scheme.

 

Currently there are 29 educators working with the service and four coordination unit staff.  Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health continues to provide a high level of support to the program.

 

In December 2016, Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Family Day Care relaunched as Our Village Family Childcare and has since expanded across the Hume, Brimbank and Moonee Valley Local Government Areas.  

 

The renaming of the service reflects the broad geographical coverage of the service and one of  its core values – ‘It takes a village to belong and grow’.

 

What is the Our Village Family Childcare vision and approach to learning? 

 

Our Village Family Childcare is committed to enhancing children’s learning and development through pedagogical practices and creating a positive learning environment. This is promoted across Learning Outcomes within the Early Years Learning Frameworks. 

 

Educators spend the time gathering and interpreting information on the children both individually and as part of a group. Using this information, educators prepare an engaging environment and can implement experiences that are meaningful and holistic. 

 

Each educator holds responsibility in the development and promotion of children’s health and wellbeing within the service. 

 

The set up of environments is thoughtful and planned in order to offer a focused, creative, flexible, peaceful, and collaborative environment for each child. All educational environments provide learning experiences which include physical active play opportunities as a part of their daily program with children. Physical activity is particularly vital for children’s health. 

 

Are there any unique aspects to the Our Village Family Childcare approach?

 

Educators within the scheme do not have responsibility for collecting fees, which allows them to avoid awkward conversations with families about the accrual of debt. 

 

Facilitated playgroup sessions, including an intergenerational playgroup, are offered to educators within the scheme. 

 

What is the Our Village Family Childcare approach to educator professional development? 

 

Free professional development training is offered throughout the year, along with an annual mini conference. 

 

Educators are supported through a mentoring program, and have the opportunity to be a part of the leadership group within the scheme, supported by a highly experienced coordination unit all who have been in the education and care sector for over 20 years.

 

Program planning support is provided, and educators also receive support from the broader organisation of Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health.

 

Learn more about Our Village Family Childcare here.