Lilydale - Swinburne Children’s Centre
 Children
Staffing
Food and Nutrition
Family Involvement
Children Our Centre aims to provide a safe, secure and comfortable environment, where children are respected for their individuality. All of our children deserve and have the right to consistent high levels of quality care and education.
Lilydale aims to allow all children the opportunity to develop to their full potential. This is achieved through a planned program of learning experiences based on individual interests and developmental needs. Such information is obtained through observation of your children and information sourced from you the family. The fortnightly program aims to foster skills in the following areas; Social
Emotional
Cognitive
Gross and Fine Motor
Language
All of our programs provide a balance between active and passive play, indoors and outdoor play, individual and group experiences. The children are given the autonomy to make choices, resolve conflicts and foster friendships with their peers. The children are encouraged to develop self-help skills, which will ultimately prepare them for their place in the wider community 
Staffing Swinburne Lilydale provides quality early childhood care for up to 50 children daily.
The Centre is staffed by a professional, dedicated team, who strive for excellence in the delivery of early childhood care and education. Staff members are warm, caring and enthusiastic and constantly strive for creative ways to enrich the lives of children in their care. The centre has a combination of qualified and very experienced staff, who are able to work confidently with all age groups. A qualified staff member who has completed a diploma of early childhood studies, as well as an experienced assistant, staff the rooms at the Centre. As part of the Centre’s funded Kindergarten program, Lilydale also has a qualified Kindergarten teacher. Trainee staff members who are involved in work place training also formulate part of the staff team. All staff members participate enthusiastically in professional development courses throughout the year. In addition, the Centre often hosts students completing their practical placements as part of their early childhood studies. Staff/Child ratios are 1 –5 in the under 3-age group and 1-15 in the over 3 age group.
Food and Nutrition All children’s meals are supplied as part of the service offered here at Swinburne Lilydale. The Centre serves breakfast until 8.00am daily, offers morning tea at 9.30am, a 2-course lunch is served from 11.45am and the children have an afternoon snack at 3.15pm. Milk is offered throughout the day and water is always available. Meals are catered by Ballarat Health Services, who deliver twice weekly including all the Centre’s dairy and fruit requirements. Menus are designed by the Centre to reflect cultural diversity and seasons.
Meals are stored and heated in accordance with food safety standards at all times and staff receive yearly training in food safety and hygiene practices. Swinburne Lilydale has a registered kitchen and an annual food safety audit is conducted. As well as this, The Shire of Yarra Ranges also audits the kitchen once a year. Individual dietary needs are always catered for. The Centre has a no nut policy and due to individual dietary restrictions and allergies, children can bring no food products into the Centre. View a sample of our Menu!
Family Involvement Swinburne Lilydale is proud of the relationship we have established with our families. In all aspects of the Centre’s operations, families are encouraged to participate. We believe caring for children is a partnership between staff and families and therefore value any input received.
Swinburne Lilydale has a real family focus and families are encouraged to participate in many different ways; - Parent Committee
- Family Social Nights
- Fundraising
- Working Bees
- Participation in programming
- Christmas Parties
- Theme days
The Centre has an open door policy and we encourage families to actively participate in their children’s early childhood education.
| 