Home Away From Home Childcare

Simone O'Brien - 23 Apr 19

Everyone’s home is different, so what do we mean when we say a childcare centre is ‘home from home’?  Can they be everything to everyone?

Home is where we are most comfortable.   It’s a place we feel safe, secure, protected and understood. Home is a familiar sanctuary where our voice is heard.  It’s a place where our idiosyncrasies are accepted and our needs met.

We can be true to ourselves at home but it’s also a place where we learn to understand and respect others – and where we learn how to moderate our behaviour and respond appropriately when opinions and attitudes differ from ours.  We learn about responsibility, we learn about boundaries and we learn to be empathetic.

Home is also fun.  It’s where we feel relaxed, surrounded by familiar faces and spaces, where we can just ‘be’.

But most importantly, home is where we feel loved.  And if you’re looking for a childcare centre that is a home from home for both your child and for the family unit, you need to look for love.

Quality childcare requires trained, energetic, caring, well-prepared and enthusiastic educators.  It requires spaces, materials and resources that offer an enticing canvas for children to explore, discover and learn about the world around them.  Interpersonal relationships will be warm and sensitive and the child will feel secure, happy and stimulated.

The facility should be designed and maintained in such a way that it safeguards the child’s health and safety.  Babies and toddlers learn and grow by constantly interacting with their environment and a quality childcare centre will ensure that the setting and the activities are age-appropriate from a both a physical and an emotional perspective.

Early childhood development is also linked to strong one-on-one relationships.  At a quality childcare centre, you’ll find educators who understand the importance of embracing a child’s individual personality and meeting their unique needs.  They’ll be a constant and positive presence, building trust among their young charges and giving them the confidence to explore their world and develop vital skills.

Educators at childcare centres aren’t surrogate parents.  No-one can replace you but quality child care will offer your child a safe, stimulating, nurturing environment which will help prepare him or her for formal school and set them up for a lifelong love of learning.

But most importantly, a quality child care centre will be a place where the child feels loved.  And that’s what ‘home from home’ really means.

When your drop off your child at their early learning centre, both you and the child should feel 100% at ease, excited for the new day and completely happy, secure and settled.   As a parent, you should be totally confident that your child is getting excellent care in a safe, stimulating and loving environment where they will thrive.

You want the best for your child, so when it comes to making decisions about their educational future, it should be about finding a ‘home from home’.  Childcare centres are definitely not all the same and it is worth doing your research, spending time visiting service providers and gathering information about their services and their approach to early childhood education and development.

A good place to start if you’re looking for a child care centre in Fremantle, Mandurah or Bibra Lake is Treasured Tots.  These privately owned centres are renowned for their premium offering and if you pay them a visit, you’ll see exactly why they call themselves a loving ‘home from home’.  Find out more at www.treasuredtots.com.au or give their friendly team a call to arrange a tour of one of their child care centres in Fremantle, Bibra Lake or Mandurah at a time that suits you.

Simone O'Brien

Simone is the founder of the Treasured Tots Child Care network in Perth, WA. After first starting a day care in Melville, she couldn't help notice the constant enquiries, interest and rapid growth of the waiting list for quality education and care in the area. With the support of her husband, she has grown Treasured Tots into a quality early education child care network, with centres in Fremantle, Mandurah and Bibra Lake.

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