Staff Handbook

Centre Information

Our Mission | Our Vision | Philosophy Statement | Code of Practice

Our Mission

"To strive passionately for excellence and quality outcomes for all.”

Our Vision

To be dynamic, innovative and successful in all our endeavours
To provide service excellence at all levels
To be responsive, flexible and customer focused
To offer to our customers professional early childhood services that reflect current thinking and are models of best practice
To found all our practices on ethically sound principles and values
To implement policies, practices and programs that recognise our responsibility to the environment

Philosophy Statement

At the One World Children’s Centre our philosophy is to support children to develop to their maximum potential in their social, emotional, personal, moral, cognitive and physical growth. We are committed to enhancing children’s self-esteem through daily interactions, developmentally appropriate experiences, and relationships based on mutual trust and respect. Further, we honour the child’s right to play, in acknowledgement of the major contribution of play to development, in a safe and stimulating environment.
At the Centre we strive to develop positive, supportive relationships with families, based on open communication and sharing of knowledge and skills. We consider each family unique in its structure, culture and values and respect the special relationship between children and their families, incorporating this perspective in all interactions with children.
We recognise staff as our most precious resource and aim to provide them with a satisfying, stimulating and safe working environment. We believe that together the staff and the parents create a partnership that provides for the best interests of young children and families.
The Centre aims to equip the children with life skills that will enable them to experience fulfilling and rewarding participation within their community, through providing opportunities to work together co-operatively, to explore human relationships and to practice non-violent conflict resolution strategies.
The Centre aims to develop and implement environmentally sound practices that recognise our responsibility to protect and preserve the environment, and to foster in children an ongoing commitment to caring for the world in which they live.
We aim to provide a high quality service to children, their families and the community.

Code Of Practice

The development and implementation of an environmentally sound code of practice underpinned by the principles of conservation and environment protection, was a charter of the Environmental Work Team. The following Code of Practice has been developed to this end which, for the healthy growth and well-being of both the children and adults, for the protection and care of the environment, and in order to maintain consistency and ongoing reinforcement of environmentally responsible behaviours and attitudes, we ask all parents, staff, students and visitors to recognise and practice the following at all given opportunities.
At the Children’s Centre we always endeavour to...

• take care to ensure plants and animals are not harmed when playing outdoors,
• plant predominantly native trees and shrubs in the garden,
• kitchen staff to take home food scraps for animals,
• empty water troughs onto garden beds,
• sweep rather than hose down paths,
• water gardens only in the early morning or late afternoon,
• provide water containers at the sandpit rather than allow a running hose,
• ensure that all staff and children respect our ‘no hat, no outdoor play’ policy at all times,
• soak paintbrushes and other activity utensils before washing them, and discourage water wastage by running taps for extended periods,
• provide half-flush toilets,
• use both dishwasher and washing machine only when it is environmentally responsible to do so,
• not use drains as a means of disposing unwanted materials,
• conserve energy by using natural light as much as possible and by turning off unnecessary lights when leaving rooms,
• use natural gas rather then electricity for heating, cooking and hot water,
• buy products in bulk or recyclable containers and avoid products with excess packaging,
• use utensils etc at functions which are not disposable,
• provide bins for recycling - indoors and outdoors, and arrange for collection of waste, paper, plastics, aluminium, steel and glass,
• use unbleached, not white or coloured toilet paper,
• provide handkerchiefs rather than tissues, and hand towels rather than disposable paper towels for hand drying,
• use recycled paper for painting, drawing, collage and office notes,
• avoid the use of throwaway plastic wrappings by using containers with lids, and tea towels,
• purchase paints in powder rather than liquid form,
• not use food as a play material,
• use only recycled materials for all art activities such as collage and threading,
• provide and use only environmentally sound cleaning materials such as bi-carb, vinegar and spirits of orange,
• give due consideration to the potential of any item in regard to repair, reuse or recycling before disposing,
• use the garden and outdoor environment as a learning environment and a natural resource,
• involve children in all activities in regard to gardening, recycling, composting and care of the animals,
• ensure that all things borrowed from the garden for play purposes are replaced in the garden after use,
• avoid overuse of plastic and manufactured play materials and use whenever possible natural or recycled alternatives,
• be alert to potential learning opportunities as they arise and extend these experiences by providing books and other resources whenever appropriate,
• have a vegetable garden using the principles of organic planting,
• encourage parent involvement in environmentally responsible practices by collecting waste materials for collage,
• make double-side photocopies and/or use the reverse side for written notes,
• recycle all envelopes and avoid using envelopes whenever possible ie by fastening newsletters and addressing the blank side and providing material pouches for fee payments,

and above all

at all times be a good model for children by modelling attitudes, values and behaviours that demonstrate respect and care for ourselves, each other and our environment.

Continue

Top of page