Plenty to celebrate at Family Day Care open day

There will be plenty of laughter, colour and playing at the Botanic Gardens play session hall tomorrow as the Wagga Wagga Regional Family Day Care hosts an open day to mark National Family Day Care Week.

Manager Family Day Care, Kym Stewart, says anyone is welcome to come along between 10am-12pm to see how it works and find out why more than 250 local children attend Family Day Care every week.

“This week is a celebration of the unique education and care Family Day Care provides through small groups in the home of a registered and qualified Educator.

“Children receive individual personalised care and develop long lasting relationships with their Educator, but also get the benefits of playing with lots of kids in our group play sessions,” she said.

There are 42 registered Educators in the region with long serving Educators to be recognised at a morning tea later this week.

“Some of our educators have being doing this job for a quarter of a century but all receive regular training and are constantly updating their skills,” Mrs Stewart added.

“We’re also very lucky to have a number of fresh faces joining the ranks with plenty of interest in this type of care from dedicated Educators.”

About Wagga Wagga Regional Family Day Care (WWFRDC)

• WWRFDC today has 4.06 full time equivalent Co-ordination Unit staff, 42 self- employed education and care business operators in the region, covering west to Lockhart and north to Coolamon. It caters for 250 children per week.
• WWRFDC caters for working families who need 24-hour care, weekends, and overnight care.
• Care is provided in in small ratios of one Educator to four children under school age, with a maximum of seven children under the age of 13. Educators provide individualised development programs for children, especially catering for children with special needs.
• Family Day Care operates a play session from the Botanic Gardens site three days per week. It also has a mobile play session for rural villages, with an artist in residence providing a diverse program for children.
• WWRFDC also provides in home care in association with NSW In Home Care. This service caters for families with multiple birth, special needs, rural and remote areas where an educator operates out of the family’s home.
• Mary Kidson is the patron of WWRFDC and still maintains an active role in the promotion of the service today.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY

WHAT: Family Day Care Week - open day and presentation to Educators
WHEN: Tuesday 2 May, 10.30am
WHERE: Botanic Gardens play session hall (parking in southern car park off MacLeay Street)
WHO: Manager Family Day Care Kym Stewart, Educators Antoinette Balding, Yvonne Campbell and Amanda McLennan