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Download the brochures here
For all general enquiries please click here For all Children's Services enquiries please click here
For all Vacation Care enquiries please click here
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As part of our commitment to customer service, facilities are available to participants attending any of our various classes that are on offer at the YMCA. We also provide to the wider community an occasional care service. Children are welcome from birth to pre-school age in both the crèche and occasional care. Our aim is to provide safe, high quality care and developmental opportunities for the children in our care. Supervised by dedicated, experienced and qualified staff our crèche provides a safe environment where your child’s growth is enhanced within a warm and friendly atmosphere.
HOURS OF OPERATION
MONDAY to FRIDAY 9.00AM to 12.30 PM
An enrolment form must be completed prior to your child / children's first visit, or entry into crèche will not be permitted. The information on this form authorizes childcare staff to act in case of an emergency and gives the centre important information regarding medical issues, allergies or custody details. Please notify us of any changes, immunisation or medical details. Your child / children's safety is our highest concern.
Bookings It is necessary to sign your child in / out upon each visit. Government Regulations state that you must collect your child prior to physically signing them out. A person collecting your child other than yourself, MUST be registered on your enrolment form. Where the pick up person is not registered formally in writing by the child's parent or guardian, the child will not be released.
Cancellations
For example:
Special Needs Policy
Playorama is an activity where children meet new friends, find self–confidence and expression through stimulating activities. The classes are a combination of playgroup and educational gymnastics and include songs, art and craft, games, music, painting and a gymnastics circuit. Playorama develops children’s social skills so they are able to co-operatively interact with other children. Our aim is to create an environment in which parents and children can participate in a wide range of activities.
Parent participation and supervision are essential to maintain a safe and pleasurable environment for all participants. Young children work best with individual help. Parents can help their child participate in group activities by recognizing their efforts and achievements in the lesson. An adult must accompany each child, as supervision is essential in order to maintain a safe and pleasurable environment. It is suggested that children wear comfortable clothing to the class.
An experienced pre-school instructor conducts all classes.
PLAYGROUP SESSIONS 2008
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This information is designed to provide parents/guardians and guardians with important information about how the Vacation Care Program operates and what is required of parents or guardians who use the service.
We hope that this information assists in providing a positive school holiday experience for you and your child. It should be read in its entirety and if you have any questions please feel free to contact the Vacation Care Coordinator
Ph: 9404 4811
The programs offer supervised, secure and enjoyable activities, designed to meet the care and recreational needs of primary school aged children during the school holiday periods.
The programs use qualified staff and met the National Standards for Outside School Hours Services relating to: staff ratios, facilities, administration, programming and health and safety.
In addition, parents using the Vacation Care Program are eligible to receive a fee subsidy for having their child/ren on the program under the Commonwealth Governments Child Care Benefits Scheme.
Further information on families entitlements under the Child Care Benefit Scheme can be obtained by contacting your nearest Centrelink office or visiting the following website www.facs.gov.au.
Our Philosophy is to provide a quality Vacation Care Program, which is clean, safe, stimulating and develops the “whole” child.
An environment that provides children with choices.
To foster the social, emotional, physical, intellectual development of each child.
For the children to develop respect for others, equipment and their environment.
To provide high quality care which meets the standards of the National Out of School Hours Care Guidelines
To involve parents and staff with appropriate and continuing interaction
To provide continuing training of staff
To foster the YMCA philosophy—we build strong families, communities and people.
To provide the children with a healthy, happy, loving, caring and trusting environment, where each child develops a strong sense of independence and belonging.
To provide each child the opportunity to develop the following areas:
Social and emotional skills, physical skills, fine motor, gross motor and Intellectual/cognitive skills
For children to develop independence and self discipline
For the children to develop effective communication and problem solving skills
For all children to have equal access to the program regardless of race, ability, age or physical abilities.
To offer families a positive alternative to caring for children in the home or leaving them in informal care arrangements
To increase recreational and social access for children with additional needs
The YMCA requires information from families using the School Holiday Program to provide the best possible care for your child/ren and to administer Child Care Benefit. The information collected by the YMCA is kept in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2000 and the Health Records Act 2001. All of the information collected is stored securely, remains confidential, and only accessed by the appropriate staff members.
For further information or questions on what happens to your information or if you would like to gain access to your records please contact the coordinator on9404 4811.
Mill Park Leisure & Services Centre
Morang Drive, Mill Park
FAO venue CRN 555 011 096X
Telephone – 9404 4811
Riverside Community & Activity Centre
Doreen Rogen Way, South Morang
FAO venue CRN 407 005 735X
Telephone – 0408 404 990
Thomastown Recreation & Aquatic Centre
Main St, Thomastown
FAO venue CRN 555 011 096X
Telephone – 9465 4822
Laurimar Community Centre
Hazel Glen Drive, Doreen
FAO venue CRN 407 005 735X
Telephone – 0409 970 028
The Whittlesea YMCA Vacation Care Program operates at four venues. The FAO venue CRN numbers must be quoted when registering for Child Care Benefit at the Family Assistance Office on 13 61 50.
The telephone numbers provided operate during school holiday times only. Please
contact the coordinator on 9404 4811 for all program related enquires.
To enable the YMCA to provide the best possible service to parents and guardians using the Vacation Care Program and for the YMCA to meet the requirements associated with offering the Child Care Benefit Scheme, we rely on the cooperation of parents and guardians to complete several tasks.
For parents/guardians to receive reduced fees using Child Care Benefit Scheme (CCB) or to claim CCB as a lump sum at the end of the financial year, you are required to:
Contact the Family Assistance Office (FAO) to advise of your intention to use the Whittlesea YMCA Vacation Care Program (Phone: 13 61 50).
Register your child/ren for all of the venues that you intend to use by quoting the FAO venue CRN numbers, listed above. Please register for your two preferred venues whether you think you will use them or not.
Sign your child/ren in and out of the program each day
Parents are required to notify Whittlesea YMCA Vacation Care Program if the following occurs:
You have used allowable absence days in other approved child care services during the school term or other School Holiday Program during the current financial year.
You have other children in approved care services when you have a child/ren attending the School Holiday Program.
Your contact details have changed or are incorrect.
Your children will not be attending any future Whittlesea YMCA Vacation Care programs
The CCB guidelines states that “ The Outside School Hours Care and vacation care program are funded mainly for primary school aged children, but can assist children outside this range in special or emergency situations.” (Department of Family and Community Services OSHC handbook).
The program is open to all children of parents who are eligible under the Commonwealth Governments Child Care Benefit Scheme and or priority of access guidelines. Due to the high demand for places and State Government requirements, the YMCA is unable to accept children who have not yet started school. (except for the January program where children are 5 years of age and will be attending school the following year)
Alternatively if your child has finished grade 6 in December they can only access the January Program in the following year and not any subsequent programs.
Children with additional needs are welcome to attend the School Holiday Program. Whittlesea YMCA Vacation Care is committed to providing care to children from diverse backgrounds, which includes children with additional needs and those with a physical or intellectual disability.
Please contact the Vacation Care coordinator, if you are planning to enrol a child with additional needs in to the program.
Parents/guardians over the age of 18 years must sign their child/ren in and out of the program each day. This is a legal requirement for Child Care Benefit purposes and is part of the YMCA’s funding agreement in offering Child Care Benefit.
Children must not be dropped at the Centre prior to opening times and will not be accepted until the official opening time. The YMCA will not accept responsibility for children arriving or leaving unaccompanied outside operating hours.
Brochures and application forms are sent out to families who have used the program within the last twelve months. Brochures can also be collected from the centres, and council
The following timetable will apply for all programs except for the January programs where the date YMCA will work back from will be 23rd December. Please refer to each specific holiday program brochure for extract payment and closing dates.
5 weeks prior to program - Brochure mailed out and available
Drop in the enrolment form as soon as possible for it to be proceeded
2 weeks prior to program - Attend on of the confirmation sessions to pay and confirm booking
2 days prior to commencement - Any bookings not cancelled in writing by this time will still have to pay for, even if the child /ren will not be attending
3 working days prior to program - Second round payments due
The YMCA makes every effort to place your child in the program of your choice however all places are subjected to availability and priority of access guidelines
Completing and submitting an application does not guarantee a place on the program
Enrolment Process - How Places are allocated
Places will be allocated to families who wish to use the School Holiday Program in the
following order:
Families with a child at risk.
Families who are working, studying or looking for work. (50 hrs approval from Family Assistance Office)
Families who are applying for respite. (20 hr approval from Family Assistance Office)
Other.
Providing families
Have no outstanding fees from previous programs.
Have submitted the application form by the official closing date.
All applications received by the official closing date are stamped and dated as they a received at Mill Park Leisure Centre and put into the above respective priority of access groups. Places are then allocated in order of the date received on the application forms providing they meet with the priority of access guidelines and enrolment schedule.
Families and children not registered with the FAO to the program they intend to use.
If children are not registered with the FAO for the program they intend to use the following will apply:
Families will be required to pay the full daily fee for the child/ren until the YMCA receives the assessment notice from the FAO.
No refund will be given
A credit may be given to a parent for the following program
Refunds will only be given to cancellations before the program commences if payment has been made, is in writing and received to the YMCA 5 days before the program commences. If no cancellation is received payment must be made.
Once the program has commenced refunds for booked and paid places will not be issued under any circumstance. This includes, non attendance due to sickness or other reasons or if your child/ren has been suspended from the program for any reason.
For Child Care Benefit purposes, cancellations and absences will be marked as an allowable absence unless a medical certificate is presented, in which case, they will be marked as an approved absence.
Children are allocated 30 allowable absences a year for all approved child care centres. Parents/guardians are not eligible to claim Child Care Benefit once they have exceeded the 30 allowable absence days.
It is the parents responsibility to inform the YMCA of the number of allowable absence days their children have used at other approved child care centres.
Parents/ guardians are required to sign to confirm their child’s absence from the program to be eligible to claim Child Care Benefit as a reduced fee.
Parents/guardians who pick up their child/ren after the program’s operational closing
hour of 6.00pm will be charged $1.00 per minute. This charge is to cover the additional staff wages and the extra expense of keeping the venue open.
