Two Wells Community Children’s Centre

11th May 2009

• The Children’s centre has a new director, Sarah Donovan. Sandy left last year.

This is what parents and kids can see as soon as they walk through the door. Information available immediately in front of them. The white board shows that information is currently being updated and changed. There is a sense of communication between families and staff

evident in the birth notice and conjunctivitis report.

Accreditation is due in June 2009

These posters seem to be an obligatory addition to the wall space as they are provided by the NCAC.

A mum from Lewiston came in to book her family for the portrait. She said that she didn’t even know that the Children’s

Centre existed. She saw this poster on the high street that directed her here.

The receptionist, Helen, said she should have received a flyer about the Children’s Centre last year. The mum said she had

only been living in Lewiston for the last 6 months. She also didn’t know about the playgroup based here. She had instead

enrolled and paid for attending a playgroup in Angle Vale. Lewiston is

located half way between Angle Vale and Two Wells.

This mum also said she would like to return to work. She has a TAFE certificate in child care work. However, she said that the cost of child care would not be worth

her while because she wouldn’t “break even”. Helen explained to her that this

shouldn’t be the case and that she should get approximately 50% of fees back.

PEGS aren’t kept with the other pamphlets in the pamphlet holder. They are kept in this folder in a shelf. This suggests that staff might be more likely to hand the PEGS to families.

In 2007 Sandy, the former director told me that this file was put together by a

student. Each of these photos represents a section of the folder followed by lots of

information in the form of pamphlets, print outs and photocopies.

I found this DVD in shelf tucked away with the parent resources folders.

A parent has takentaken the time to write their comments for the accreditation evidence. These comments are written on the pages attached to the wall located opposite to the front desk.

A box of Adelaide’s Child magazine (May and April issues) and literacy booklets were available in this box. There didn’t

seem to be much room to display them anywhere else.

Flyers available in the pamphlet holder advertising websites for parents.

Posters advertising local events, seminars and programs.

CYWHS pamphlet gives the 3 of the 4 locations in the area (that we know about) where a CYWHS nurse can be seen. I believe that there is a CYWHS office on Morialta Dr, Smithfield but the nurse visits the chemist in Munno Para Shopping City.

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Local schools advertised in the centre.

This brochure was available on the front desk. Next to it was a scholastics catalogue.

The playgroup held here on Mondays is affiliated with Playgroup SA. We visited this Playgroup and recruited mums from it in 2007. This notice was attached to a board that held other info about the centre (Occ. Health & Safety, Minutes, Certificates

etc).

While I was here a father was attending the playgroup. He came into the foyer and offered his assistance to help out at the melodrama for 2 of the

dates.

A flyer in the pamphlet holder with information about learning needs produced by DECS

Material about indigenous Australia

This collection of books and goodies (right) was displayed on the table below the accreditation display. I found the form (above) tucked into the books.

Floor plan of the centre.

Some pamphlets and newsletters available in the pamphlet holder. There was only 1 pamphlet available in a language other than English.

The centre philosophy is provided in 2 different formats: one that is very formal and another that combines the formality with a more accessible and readable format.

Article from a newspaper about the Centre’s award. The director talks about this award giving parents confidence in

the Centre.

TAFE Elizabeth Campus students doing their placement for a Diploma in Children’s Services.

This poster prepared by a Gawler High school student shows a link outside Two Wells to the closest public high school.

These signs were pointed out to a staff member who dropped by the office so one or more of them must be a recent addition. The Public Education sign is

unique to this centre in Two Wells as it is a government run centre.

Sign on the front door advertising CYWHS nurse who visits regularly.

Here is another link to Munno Para library and Shopping Centre where the library is located. We found this poster and the pamphlet also at the Munno Para library. It is interesting that the City of Playford is advertising its services to residents located in the District Council of Mallala.

This sign on the door lists all of the services that this centre has to offer. It differs from Two Wells Stepping Stones which only offers child care.