Our QA4 Strengths
All of our permanent and relief staff are qualified with either a Certificate lll or Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care. or are working towards a qualification. A number of our Team have 10 plus years experience in the sector, and are strong role models for those on our Team who are just starting out in their careers.
Our Owner Natassja is a registered Teacher with degrees in Primary and Education Support and a Diploma. Having taught since 1995, she has considerable experience in the sector and is proud to have been part of our Small Friends village since 2013. Her pride extends to our Team and she ensures that families are aware of our qualifications to enable parents to feel confident in the skills and acquired knowledge of all Educators that have the privilege of spending time with their child/ren.
Being a small centre that operates in a free flow environment, all of our Team are always working together throughout their work day, which allows for a clear line of communication at all times.
Practice Is Embedded In Service Operations
Our Management Team Department of Education WA staffing ratios are maintained at all times 1:5 for children up to the age of 3 years, and 1:10 for children 3-5 years old. Across the week our permanent staff team consists of :
Owner and Teacher …qualifications include Bachelor of Arts, Primary School, Bachelor of Education Special Needs (Multiple and Severe Disabilities), and Diploma Early Childhood Education and Care.
Diploma Qualified Educators, or those working towards the qualification work in the role of Assistant Director or 2IC to Assistant Director.
Diploma and Certificate lll Educators work the floor in our house.
Our causal staff include Diploma and Cert lll qualified Educators.
Each day of operation two Assistant Directors, or an AD and 2IC are rostered on to manage our house, liaise with families and oversee our Team. Natassja in the role of ECT and Director is the only Team member who works to a full time roster, and is rostered onsite for the required ECT hours and the remaining hours in her week are committed to either working onsite or remotely.
Our Team Working alongside each other throughout our work day helps for us ensure we have a positive and cohesive Team environment across our week.
Timetables are always on display and adapted when required to suit the needs of our space. Our daily timetable clearly outlines break times, planning and observations time for all, and daily and weekly job allocations. We utilise Xplor rostering to manage relief shifts throughout our week for both casual and permanent staff.
Relevant documents and policies are accessible to all of our Team in hardcopy in the foyer, on our website and/or on the office PC. A documented procedure is in place for any grievances.
We are fortunate to be able to operate as a small Team and have experienced continuity when it comes to the majority of staff that are working in our house at any one time. Several of our Team, including our Owner Natassja have worked in our house for over 10 years, and our younger staff have plans to be part of Small Friends as they continue on their own career paths.
All of our Team have a strong understanding for their roles and responsibilities with regard to their work day, conducting themselves in a professional manner and working honourably with our Small Friends and families.
Team culture is one of authentic collaboration, as we endeavour to work cohesively and professionally as a Team both when working with children and dealing with family and administration matters. They are flexible and responsive in their support of each other, our Small Friends and families.
Administrative time for our Team is planned for and depending on staff restrictions, will occur either towards the end of a working day or outside of operating hours, and is conducted onsite unless for some reason we need to organise a Zoom meeting.
Those Small Friends who require additional support and need a WANSLEA Inclusion Support Plan, will be supported by all Team members, and when booked in for a a day in our house 2 Educators will be rostered on for either the morning or the afternoon as the Inclusion Support Educator ISE to assist the child throughout their day. All of our Team will have an understanding of the child’s individual learning ability, interests, and needs for their day so that anyone can step into the role of ISE. If at any time an Educator is not feeling confident in their own abilities as an ISE they will be supported with training and assistance to work on their knowledge base and skills.
The Owner guides professional learning for all staff; gives clear expectations regarding our processes and policies; coordinates Team meetings and creates clear lines of roles and professional responsibilities. Updated information is communicated to our Team via emails, our Messenger threads, postings on our Gaggle Zone Facebook wall, handouts, and professional discussions.
Matters relating to NQF are discussed in Team meetings and individual conversations. New Team members are mentored by an experienced Educator so as to develop a sound understanding of our house and related regulations we are governed by.
We work as a Team when it comes to professional development, committing to online learning in pairs, small groups or all together.
Practice Is Informed By Critical Reflection
Our Team work their full shift and have breaks together through the day which gives us time in a work day to discuss and reflect on all aspects of our world.
Team Meetings are run to bring everyone together to share knowledge and information about our Small Friends, families and community matters.
Additional staffing to support those Small Friends with additional needs is timetabled to suit the needs of the children and regular check ins with our ISE’s is part of our weekly reflection to ensure our Small Friend is confident within our program, and ISE’s are feeling confident in their abilities and the level of support they are giving our Small Friend.
Our Team recognise and acknowledge each other’s strengths and utilise these in our house. We are encouraged to learn from one another so as to improve on skills that we personally wish to develop.
New Team members are asked to complete an online induction form within 2 to 4 weeks of their first day in our house. This form gives Management feedback on how the assigned Mentor supported them; their view of their induction period was, and an option to give feedback on what we could improve on when it comes to the way new Team members are mentored in our house.
Practice Is Shaped By Meaningful Engagement With Families, And/Or Community
We pride ourselves on portraying a professional and nurturing Team, and love to hear from Families, Community members and Educators wishing to work with us that have a wonderful reputation in our local community.
All Team members are accepting of all cultural and religious backgrounds and are ready to get to know all of our families and children to develop strong relationships, supports with communications, and develop their cultural understanding.
We are always open to working alongside external agencies such as WANSLEA and health professionals to ensure our program and space works for each of our Small Friends.
We support students from tertiary settings who are wishing to engage in Certificate lll or Diploma work placements or traineeships as part of course practicum commitments for TAFE or local RTO’s. We also pride ourselves on our support of secondary students from our local high schools, offering a learning space to those wishing to engage in work experience through school based internships for Year 9 - 12; work placements to students committed to Certificate ll Community Services or Certificate lll ECE studies; and paid traineeships to Year 11 and 12 students studying a Certificate lll. We commit to this level of engagement as a Team in the hope each students time in our house encourages them to continue studies in the education sector.