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Context Statement

1. General information

Centre name: Kangaroo Island Childrens Services 5625

Director: Sue Morris
50 Buller Street, Kingcote 5223
Ph: 08 85532436
Fax: 08:85532483
kics.staff@kangaroocsc.sa.edu.au

DECS District: Southern Sea and Vines

Geographical location: Kangaroo Island is situated approx 180 kms south of Adelaide across Backstairs Passage. Kangaroo Island Childrens Services is an integrated service. Our main site is in Kingscote and we have 3 outreach childcare services based at Penneshaw Kindergarten, Kingscote campus and Parndana campus. Additionally we have an Early Learning Program based at Kingscote, a Parenting program funded through FaCSIA and a visiting Family Daycare Fieldworker.

Pre-school numbers usually fluctuate between 30 to 45; childcare at our main site of Kingscote average FTE of 30; Penneshaw long daycare outreach has an average FTE of 10; OSHC services vary with up to 20 places.

We offer pre-entry, sessional pre-school with lunch time care, pre-school support program, long daycare, Before School care, OSHC and Vacation care and playgroup. Our parenting program supports playgroup, offers a family support program through volunteers and provides a training program for parents.

2. Centre Philosophy

Our services take pride in providing high quality programs and aim for continual improvement. Our children and their families are always our top priority. Developing and maintaining strong relationships with all involved in our services is a priority. Staff and parents were involved in the review of our Vision Statement in early 2008.

Our key values of: trust- respect- inclusivity- nurture underpin everything we do

Children: *To promote the emotional wellbeing of all children through providing a nurturing, caring, friendly and secure environment * To provide an educational play based, child centred curriculum that is stimulating, challenging and engaging * To advocate and promote childrens right to have access to a high quality education and care service

Staff: *To be professional in their endeavour to provide quality care and education * To be empathetic and approachable to all families. * To advocate for children and their needs * To demonstrate flexibility and enthusiasm in all our interactions in our daily work.

Families: * To provide a welcoming, friendly, accepting environment * To build respectful relationships and strong partnerships with families

Community: * To collaborate with other service providers to share resources and continue to develop strong supportive networks * To promote and respond to the changing needs of the community

3. Curriculum

All programs across services use the SACSA Framework as the basis for their programming.We offer a play based curriculum, building on children’s interests and strengths.

Our programs reflect our learning priorities for the year.

Our learning priorities and goals for 2008:

Our learning priorioties and targets for 2008:
Learning Priorities: Literacy,Numeracy and Science; Supporting children’s well-being and High quality care and education.
Targets:
1. Staff use multiliteracies map to ensure good coverage of literacy experiences for the children
2. Children have a broad understanding of language and different genres
3. Children use more digital technologies
4. Our aboriginal children are exposed to relevant, varied literacy program
5. Collect effective data as evidence of learning – Scales of Engagement and Learning stories
6. Provide info to community of importance of early literacy &what this looks like
8. Networks in community are developed to support children’s literacy
9. Children understand sustainable environmental practices in the community
10. Children have ongoing easy access to math’s resources 
11.  Parents are involved in the service – managing and participating in the program
12.  Parents are informed about their child’s development

4. Centre Based Staff

Staff Profile:

Director 1.0;  Pre-school teacher .7; pre-school teacher .2 ECW – student support for children with special needs. Administration staff 1.00 fulltime + 2 part-time

Childcare:

p-t Assistant Director; 3 full-time Team Leaders; 2 p-t Team Leaders; 2 Upskilling traineeships; 1 ppt; 10 casual employees across services;
ELP Fieldworker- on site and part of staff team; Parenting KI- p-t on site co-ordinator; visiting FDC Fieldworker
We work closely with a range of services on the island (eg Community health) and the mainland (eg Inclusive Directions and DECS Student support) and have a strong relationship with the local school.
We support a number of staff studying. There is an emphasis on collegiality, team work and support for all.

Performance Management Program:

Regular, formal meetings with goal setting that reflects staff’s individual needs and the priorities of our service occur. Working to provide high quality services is expected of all staff.

Staff are required to attend regular staff meetings and training. They are paid for their attendance at staff meetings and team training and are financially supported to attend off –island training.

5. Centre Facilities

Our main site at Kingscote is a purpose built early years education centre owned by DECS that is 10 years old. It is a light, airy and open plan area with no walls to divide the babies from the overs or the kindy children. Staff and children work well together across all areas and support and use the space efficiently. Kingscote is a 60 place centre with chidren from 6 months to 5 years. We have up to 27 pre-school children and 33 childcare places available. When pre-school is not operating we can have up to 60 child care children. Our outdoor area is a big, well designed and spacious area, with a separate babys yard.

Our Pennshaw LDC operates from the kindergarten when kindy does not operate. There is strong support for the childcare service from the Penneshaw Kindergaten Governing Council who recognises the need for this service in the community.

Our 2 OSHC Services operate out of the Kingscote campus and Parndana campus. We have joint use agreements for the space and have ongoing support from the Kangaroo Island Community Education Governing Council.

Kangaroo Island Childrens Services (KICS) is run by a parent body, called the Governing Council. This parent body is elected yearly and is made up of parents who have children in childcare or kindy. They work under 2 Constitutions. This is a requirement as the employing body for all staff employed under the Child care Award, the Clerk Award and the SACS Award. Additionally, KICS, is affiliated with the Kangaroo Island Community Education with a parent and staff rep and the Director on this group.

Parents are invited and encouraged to be a part of the program or contribute voluntarily. We have a committed team of parents for our Governing Council and a number of parents who participate when able. Very close relationships have been established with all families who use our services and we work hard to maintain these.

6. Local Community

Kingscote is the main town on the island. As well as a school campus, it has a medical clinic, hospital, a range of other services and shopping facilites. The island has a number of other smaller towns with a campus of the Kangaroo Island Community Education based at Parndana and Penneshaw.

The main industries are agriculture and tourism. KI is well recognised for having a unique environment that has pockets of untouched flora and fauna. The National Parks on the island are considered tourist attractions and are a drawcard to many tourists throughout the year.

The island has a reliable ferry service that leaves from Cape Jervis and arrives in Penneshaw. There is also reliable air service that operates from the Adelaide Airport to the Kingscote Airport, which is 10 minutes from Kingscote.

Sport is an important part of many people’s life on the island. Football and netball during winter and tennis, cricket and basketball during the summer are the main sports. However, there are also other clubs including bowls, squash, go-carts, table tennis, 8-ball; walking, gardening and Flora and Fauna.

The Kangaroo Island Council is responsible for governance across the whole island. Their contact number is 85532015

7. Further Comments

Our FaCSIA funded Parenting KI program will expire in August 2009. Other funding sources will need to be investigated to keep this vital program operating.

KICS endeavours to keep a high profile in the community and enjoys having a solid reputation as being a provider of high quality education and care in all services across the island.