Chelle's House Family Day Care

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About me

I’m Michelle, a mum of three wonderful adult children and a proud nanny to five gorgeous little ones. I’m also lucky to share life with my supportive husband, who listens to all my ideas and happily goes along with them!

Since 2011, I’ve been living my dream as a Family Day Care educator. I’ve always loved being around children, watching their spark of imagination, their creativity, and the joy they find in discovering new things.

When my own children grew up, I missed those precious early years. Family Day Care has given me the opportunity to once again be surrounded by children, watching them grow, learn, and experience the world through their eyes each day. It truly is magical and very special.

A gentle, nature-inspired space where little hearts feel safe, calm and free to explore.

Amazing skills

Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
Working with Children Card
Child Protection Certificate
Mandatory Reporter Training
Foundations of Child Safety Training
Food Safety Supervision
Food Safety Training
Safe Infant Sleeping Certificate
Sun Smart Certificate
Supervision Training
First aid and CPR certificate

Philosophy

Koolanga is an inclusive, boutique service that engages families, children, and educators regardless of culture. Building and maintaining respectful relationships while providing an alternative childcare option is paramount to us.

Our approach is guided by the EYLF principles of Belonging, Being, and Becoming. We recognise the importance of secure relationships, the present moment in children’s lives, and their ongoing growth as active societal participation.

We recognise that play-based learning engages each child’s interests and natural sense of discovery through hands-on exploration of the world around them. They are the drivers of their learning journey.

Koolanga acknowledges our diverse community and embraces the richness that diversity brings to our learning environment, fostering a sense of belonging for all.

Cultural diversity will be celebrated and the benefits of it for each individual child and enable them to understand and acknowledge differences.

At Ms. Brett’s house we gather on the land of the Noongar people. I like to knowledge aboriginal and Torres straight Islander peoples as the traditional considerations of this land and their connection to the land, water and the community in which we operate. I Pay respect to their culture, customs, both past and present.

I believe the environment plays a major role in the success of an early childhood program. It should enhance the children’s interests in all developmental domains. I believe learning in an early childhood environment is done most successfully through the outdoors within nature, exploring, in a safe, clean home like space, time and space to create and revisited again and again. The environment should take into consideration the social skills, communication skills, physical abilities or challenges, and learning styles of the children being served.

I have high expectations for every child, I’m always there to guide them to next level but always amazed at what children CAN do. The early years of a child’s life are busy. Learning is happening all the time and is interwoven through all developmental domains simply with nature and creative space. These include: physical, social/emotional, cognitive and communication. Therefore, the goal of my program is to make this ongoing learning experience safe, positive, and fun, nurturing the whole child as I strive to guide them into the next stage of development with confidence in themselves and an excitement for continued learning.

Families are a vital aspect of my program. Parents who are able to spend time with us occasionally are more aware of the details of their child’s day. Observing what goes on first-hand helps a parent know what to ask the child at the end of the day. My home is always (within reason) open for a cuppa and chat. In family day care, I care about each family member as much as the child in care. We are a team and I always care about each of you.

Children need the assurance of being loved and cared for while they are enjoying an “educational” environment. Teaching children is my passion. Security and trust are very important components as well, of my relationship with each child.

In planning my program I would strive for a developmentally appropriate, child-centred atmosphere where children have the opportunity to master new challenges through activities and topics that are meaningful to them, thus building their self-esteem as they develop and learn. Children should be given choices, responsibilities, and opportunities to initiate their own learning. I believe observations and assessments are excellent tools to use when planning a curriculum. Observations, not only aid in creating the curriculum but also give insight into the development, knowledge and skill levels of each individual child.

Last, but maybe most important, I give children the ability to just BE. BE children, BE happy, BE still, BE emotional, BE messy, BE dangerous, BE silly, BE loud, BE quiet, Be whatever they need.