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Family Day Care Coordination Unit Relocate to New Council Administration Centre
Last modified: October 8, 2009 - 10:32 AM
The opening of the new Upper Hunter Shire Council Administration Centre this week also saw the relocation of an important business unit of Council into the Centre. The Upper Hunter Family Day Care coordination unit has relocated from the Scone Senior Citizens Centre building in Oxford Road into the new premises at 135 Liverpool Street, Scone.
Upper Hunter Family Day Care provides quality care for children from birth to twelve (12) years of age in both the Upper Hunter and Muswellbrook Shire areas. Care is provided by experienced, skilled Carers in a nurturing home-based environment for small groups of children. The service offers flexibility for families needing a wide variety of care including long day care, before and after school care, vacation care, part-time care, overnight care and weekend care. The service is licensed through the Department of Community Services, accredited at High Quality level through the National Childcare Accreditation Council and an approved service provider for Child Care Benefit. Child Care Benefit provides fee subsidies to families as assessed by Family Assistance Office, to help reduce their childcare costs.
The Coordination Unit assists parents and Carers with the placement of children, monitors children's development and provides training and resources to Carers and information to parents who use the service.
The inclusion of Family Day Care into the new Administration Centre creates opportunities for increased efficiencies for staff, carers and families of the service. Council staff can now provide greater assistance to Family Day Care staff assisting with routine enquiries as well as collection and distribution of relevant forms.
The move has seen a reduction in costs including the saving on costs of the rental of premises assisting to maintain current staffing levels and the ongoing sustainability of the Coordination Unit.
Council's General Manager and Licensee of Upper Hunter Family Day Care, Mr Daryl Dutton, welcomes the inclusion of the service into the new building, saying, "Whilst the Family Day Care Scheme has always been a part of Council, it is now part of Council in physical presence as well." Mr Dutton said, "The new administration centre has been designed keeping the service of Family Day Care in mind. It includes a seated counter with access to a children's corner within full supervision, access to child friendly interview rooms for privacy and public amenities with baby change facilities. Located in an accessible venue and in the CBD, the service is also better placed for easy access during work hours for families wishing to utilise the service.
Children's Services Coordinator, Jenny Wade, said the service's move into Council's new administration building is "a step forward for Family Day Care providing improved access to council's resources and an opportunity to provide greater consistency of service to parents and carers through a one stop contact point. Council's new facilities provide Family Day Care staff with a secure, user friendly and effective work environment to better support carers, parents and children in care."
For more information about Family Day Care, to register your interest in becoming a Carer, or if you are looking for child care in a home environment, please contact the service on 6540 1151.
Contact details
Upper Hunter Shire Council
Tel: 02 6540 1100
Fax: 02 6545 2671
council@upperhunter.nsw.gov.au
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