About Carinya

Blue Mountains Welcome by Karen Maber
Carinya Neighbourhood Children’s Centre Inc. aims to provide a homelike atmosphere within a caring and stimulating environment, focusing on each child’s individual needs, with particular consideration for the interest and aptitudes of each child, one that supports families to achieve their expectations of high quality care and education.  In 2019 the National Quality Standard rated the centre with an overall Rating of Meeting which shows how we are meeting the high expectations in all Quality Areas. We were also proud to receive Exceeding in Quality Area 6 – Partnerships with Communities and Families.

Carinya provides an environment that is safe, where children are valued and cared for, one that encourages them to have fun by exploring, discovering and experiencing their world and recognizing each child as a unique individual, with a right to grow with a positive self image.

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Food


Food at Carinya

Meals and snacks are an important part of the Carinya day. The children eat healthy and tasty food and drinks to fuel their play, learning and physical growth.

All meals are prepared onsite by our qualified Cook and follow the current Australian Dietary Guidelines published by the National Health and Medical Research Council. This means we

  • eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruit;
  • keep sugar and salt to minimal levels;
  • choose mostly wholegrain breads and cereals;
  • enjoy low fat cheese and yogurt and drink whole fresh milk (calcium fortified soy for those who cannot tolerate dairy);
  • eat lean meats, poultry, fish and legumes.

In addition to these guidelines we choose to avoid all artificial colours and flavours as well as MSG.

We serve filtered water with lunch. On vegetarian meal days we serve other iron rich foods (eg milo, dried fruit or wholemeal breads/cereals). We drink milk at snack times.

We cater for food allergies and intolerances and work together with families to produce an Allergy Management Plan that includes foods to be avoided/included. In order to protect those children in our care with anaphylactic food allergies we ask that families send no food with their children to Carinya and that only water be sent in their drink bottles.

We respect all religious, cultural and family traditions, including those that influence how or what we eat.


Mealtimes


Mealtimes at Carinya

IMG_8880When the children sit together at tables with friends and educators there are opportunities for fabulous conversations and for learning age appropriate table manners. Children are encouraged to try new foods, and are often more adventurous at Carinya than at home. Children are never pressured into eating something they dislike and alternatives are always offered in cases of food refusal.

All ages of children participate in cooking and food related activities. These activities may include making play dough, preparing mini pizzas, making breads, cakes and muffins, blending smoothies, making salads, using fruits and veges in artwork and the old favourite, setting up shops! We save boxes and jars so the children can set up realistic shops and let them use the green shopping bags.

As part of our whole centre commitment to sustainable practices we save kitchen scraps for both our compost and worm farm. We use recyclable shopping bags, choose products with minimal packaging where possible and opt for earth friendly detergents and cleaners.

We choose products that support Australian farmers and manufacturers wherever possible. We use only free range eggs.


Birthdays


Birthdays at Carinya

birthdayTo celebrate each child’s birthday our Cook makes a cupcake for the birthday person which is decorated with candles to blow while everyone sings. We use party hats/birthday crowns and the older children share a bag of natural lollies with their friends. This usually happens at afternoon tea time and staff photograph and document the special event for your child’s portfolio.

Please remember to tell us about your family’s special birthday traditions or let us know if you would prefer that we celebrate in a different way.

Philosophy

Centre Philosophy – Our Mission

At Carinya Neighbourhood Children’s Centre Inc., we value early childhood education as a crucial foundation towards lifelong learning. Through partnerships with our families and input from our children, we strive to provide education and care with a broad scope of learning opportunities and extend upon valuable skills that will support them throughout their lives.

Carinya means ‘happy place’ and we pride ourselves on providing just that, a welcoming, supportive homelike environment that nurtures young learners to become their best. Carinya provides an environment that is safe, where children are valued and encouraged to have fun by exploring, discovering, and experiencing their world.

We recognise each child as a unique individual, with the right to grow a positive self-image. Each child at Carinya is given the same opportunities as every other child, regardless of gender, race, religion, physical ability, or aptitude. Carinya is committed to enhancing the knowledge and understanding of the history, heritage, and culture of Aboriginal Australia. We also take into consideration cultural, socioeconomic, disabilities or any other differences of individuals that come into contact with the centre.

Our Values

Children

We pride ourselves on our positive, trusting, and respectful relationships. Our ability to build a rapport with the children allows us to confidently develop collaborative learning and socialisation, which we believe is an important lifelong skill. We believe that children should experience continuity of educators to foster their learning in a safe and secure environment where they feel supported and confident within themselves.

Each child in our care is a unique individual and through our communal programs, we aim to enhance the children’s current skills and development as well as extend upon new skills. Each room observes, reflects, plans/programs and implements provisions targeting learning and growth. Our programs focus on strengthening children’s interests, ideas, culture and abilities as well as challenge their thinking by allowing them to take part in the decision-making process about their day and the things that influence their world.

We provide a supported learning environment and play based curriculum where the routines and curriculum are flexible and encourage children’s autonomy.

Educators

Carinya Neighbourhood Children’s Centre Inc. recognises the vital role that its staff members play in the well-being and nurturing of children.  All staff and educators are respected, valued, supported which highlights the importance of their well-being is the work environment.  Educators are encouraged to develop and enhance their knowledge and skills through training, further becoming competent and professional. Educators’ individual strengths are supported and recognised which brings individualism to our team.

Our Staff are ultimately what makes Carinya what it is today. We value the voices of all our educators and feel that to make a cohesive team, everyone needs to feel seen and heard. Our educators work closely with management to ensure the smooth running of our service and are active participants in future planning to ensure we cohesively align in our philosophies and values.

In the words of our families, our educators are encouraging, caring, supportive, nurturing, and welcoming.

Families and Community

Carinya is an inclusive environment where families are respected for their own opinions, beliefs, culture and lifestyles. Families are the extension of a child, and they hold valuable information that makes the child who they are which is why family involvement is a key component to us here at Carinya. Together with families, we respectfully value children as confident and capable learners.

We continually develop positive partnerships with our families to collaborate and share in the decision making that best supports learning and well-being for their child. Building this effective partnership allow us to offer support to assist families, which in turn enhances children’s inclusion, education, and well-being.

Carinya has strong community links which enables the service to provide your child with invaluable opportunities and learning experiences. We often visit local amenities such as the library which fosters the children’s sense of belonging to a community where they experience social interactions, engagement in self-discovery.

Our Environment

Carinya is situated in the beautiful Blue Mountains. We encourage the children to honour the environment where we live by offering nature-based learning where they can openly explore and learn to care for their world. This also fosters interdependence between people, plants, animal, and the land which is taught by us through an understanding of Aboriginal culture and sense of place. In our day-to-day practices, we foster opportunities for children to practice being environmentally responsible and to extend these important practices into the wider community, allowing for learning to be holistic and meaningful, embedding a sustainable mindset for life.

Our learning environment also promotes risky play, where children can reach their own limits in a safe and supportive space.

At Springwood Foundation Day, marching as the Very Hungry Caterpillar!

At Foundation Day 2014, marching as the Very Hungry Caterpill