Powlett Reserve Children's Centre

Powlett Reserve Children's Centre offers quality learning in a nurturing environment.

The centre is part of the East Melbourne Childcare Co-operative, which acknowledges the importance of providing children with high quality education in the early years as this lays the foundation for the future development, health and wellbeing of children.

They believe in -

Building strong, warm, enduring, respectful and reciprocal relationships with the children, their families and each other - this is fundamental to the learning and development of children.

Respecting children as individuals, acknowledging and supporting their independence and enabling them to become successful learners and confident and creative individuals.

Play based learning as children learn most effectively when they actively engage in their surrounding environment and are having fun. Therefore they value and support a program which facilitates meaningful and stimulating experiences where children can thrive, make their own decisions, use their imagination and enhance their interests.

Creating an inclusive environment where children, families and educators feel they belong, irrespective of their culture, values, abilities, beliefs, background or gender. They also respect, recognise and incorporate the diversity of cultures, languages, values, beliefs, interests and strengths of everyone within their environment, striving to show sensitivity to families, educators, children and community members from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds so that they have a strong sense of belonging within the Centre and pride in their culture. They respect, value and embrace their involvement within the centre.

The critical role of the family in the life of the child and the importance of the collaboration and effective partnerships between families and educators.

Providing a supportive and stimulating environment for our educators. They recognise and value the expertise and commitment of their educators and encourage them to employ reflective teaching practices. They believe it is vital for educators to openly communicate with one another about their ideas, opinions and feelings as this assists in establishing a shared vision. To ensure educators are providing the highest quality and most current practices of education, they support their continuing professional development through further study and training within the community.

East Melbourne Childcare Co-operative incorporates the guiding principles of the National Quality Framework. The Framework entails the Education and Care Services National Law, Education and Care Services National Regulations, National Quality Standard and the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).

The National EYLF and the Victorian VEYLDF support educators in enhancing young children's learning and development through the early years by building on their interests and knowledge as well as that of the wider community. The framework contains principles, practices and learning outcomes which assist in fostering the development of the whole child.

What Powlett Reserve Children's Centre provides - 

For Families, Children & Community - The EMCC recognises that the well-being of the children depends on the well-being, confidence, skills and high level of communication between the staff and parents by:

Running a flexible play based programme, which can accommodate parent’s and individual child needs for care.

Encouraging parents to be involved in all aspects of the management, daily life and programming of the centres.

Encouraging and promoting the transfer of skills and information between staff and parents, and between parents and parents.

Doing all they can to ensure the Co-operative is a community centre that acts a focal point for families, providing information and co-ordination of family needs and services for East Melbourne, and for parents who work in the CBD and neighbouring municipalities.