Is Television Childcare or Lazy Babysitting
There was a very interesting article about childcare centres not adhering to their duty of care in last Saturday’s Courier Mail newspaper.
We know some centre operators are better at their job than others for a variety of reasons, and those centres that are not caring for children properly should be pulled up and made to comply with the regulations.
Courier Mail Saturday 14th Nov 2009
Even at Fridays child we have had the odd small compliance notice over the years, always to do with the premises (peeling paint maybe, a cracked tile or two), plant life (you may have noticed some shrubs missing) or surrounds. We don’t mind, because it keeps us on the lookout and your children are the ones who benefit. And it proves the system works, up to a point.
But what struck me most about the article was the photo that accompanied it.
Looking at the 5 children who are staring at the television, you have to wonder what those parents are really paying for?
“Unsupervised children, poorly qualified staff, unacceptable child-to-staff ratios and unresponsive carers were also discovered during recent compliance visits …” is the lead paragraph of the article.
At Fridays Child Montessori Preschool we don’t have a television (here is why) - children have to be under the care of multiple staff members at all times and staff have to interact with the children. Staff are not allowed to stand in a corner and gossip whilst looking after children from the “corner of their eye”.
Staff at Fridays Child are also well qualified - we have two with a Degree in Early Childhood, real Montessori qualifications from London, and the rest have certificate III as a minimum, and working towards a certificate IV or diploma.
When you consider we have 4 full time staff looking after a maximum of 24 (and usually 21 children), then you can see that the ratio is pretty good. Some other centres would only have 2 staff to look after the same number of children. And our staff work hard too.
This means lots of individual and loving attention for your child so they can learn and grow at their own pace.
Just as an aside, three out of four staff are mothers who have a lot of life and teaching experience, so you know that your children will be properly nurtured and kept in a safe environment.
Please contact Laurena and she will be happy to explain why Fridays Child Montessori on the Gold Coast is an ideal option for the care of your two and half year old to preschool aged child.
