Mussel-Care Before & After School Club

Mussel- Care is CYFS approved. Is your family eligible for WINZ OSCAR subsidies?

Contact us today.

Mussel-Care Mornings: Monday - Friday

$6 per hour
includes breakfast

 

Mussel- Care After School

$5 first hour
then $2.50 per half hour

What you need to know...

• Mussel-Care is our CYFS approved after school care programme.
• There are three programmes available: before school, after school and holiday care.
• Enrolments from non-Musselburgh families welcome.
• Working families can receive WINZ OSCAR subsidies of up to $3.71 per child-care hour.
• 3 hours per week child care could entitle you to receive the subsidy.
• WINZ staff will help you get registered.
• Visit any WINZ office or arrange to have them come to you. Its easy!
• Pick up a form from any WINZ centre or from the School Office.

For Parent's Perspective phone Michelle on 455 6195

After School Care

• Children are cared for by experienced supervisors
• The programme operates daily:
  Monday to Friday 3.00 pm to 5.30 pm
  (2 ½hours) based in Room 6
• A snack is provided
• A computer is available
• Exciting and interesting activities are provided
• Parents may use the facility on a weekly, hourly or casual basis

Charges

Regular:

$5:00 per hour per child (first hour daily)

$2.50 per half hour per child

Casual:

$6.00 per hour per child

$3.00 per half hour per child

 

Mussel-Care School After Programme is governed by Musselburgh School policies and procedures at all times.

Many of our parents use this service because:

• · As working parents, they have the advantage of knowing that their children will need not to be transported off-site and will be cared for in a familiar environment.
  Some may need the service one or two days a week
  
  OR
  
  
• Sometimes there is only a need for an hourly or part-of-an-hour service, as sometimes parents find that they have an appointment, or are held up in town. In this instance, a phone call to school gives them reassurance that their child / ren will be looked after. School phone: 455 - 4586

The following are the highlights the School's protocol covering the operation of this service:

Programme Philosophy

The programme aims to provide a safe and stimulating programme, which caters for the children's different ages, gender and cultural backgrounds while attempting to encompass individual needs and interests.

The safety of the children is the paramount consideration during programme provision.

1. Operation

This programme provides a well-managed service that meets the needs of the local community.

Programme hours

The before school programme operates from 7.30 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. during the school term time Monday to Friday. The programme will not operate on public holidays.

The after school programme operates from 3.00 p.m. to 5.30 pm during the school term time Monday to Friday. The programme will not operate on public holidays.

The holiday programme operates from 8.3.0 a.m. to 5.30 pm during the school holidays Monday to Friday.

Fees

The fee structure is announced prior to commencement of the programme and will be clearly shown and described on all programme promotional flyers.

Fees are paid on fortnightly invoices to the school Office, with payment expected within 7 days of issue of the invoice. Invoices are prepared by the school secretary based upon the registers kept by the Mussel-Care Supervisor

The services will be removed from parents with fees over one month in arrears.

The system of accounts will be reviewed as time goes on and your comments are welcome. You will receive information about intended changes.

Enrolment procedures

A family must complete an enrolment form and sign a parent contract before their child(ren) can participate in the programme. It is the parent's responsibility to inform the supervisor of any changes.

Enrolment forms must include the following information:

• Child's name, address and home phone number
• Parent/guardian's names and work phone numbers
• Emergency contact information
• Names of adults authorized to pick up child(ren)
• Special instructions regarding access
• Health problems, allergies
• Any other information necessary to provide proper care

Drop off and pick up

• · Parents must sign their children out of the after school programme.
• · Parents must contact the school's secretary before 2pm if their child will not be attending. Late Collection Penalty Notice
• · All children must be collected from Mussel-Care no later than 5.30pm.
• · A late charge of $15 per quarter hour will apply.

The following steps are taken if a child does not arrive at the programme:

1. Parents will be telephoned
2. If parents are unavailable, emergency contacts will be telephoned
3. If it is after school and no contacts are available, the school will be contacted for absence information
4. Local police will be contacted.

If a child is not collected at the end of a programme, the following procedures are followed:

1. A staff member remains with the child
2. Parents and emergency contacts are contacted
3. If there has been no contact with the parents or emergency family contacts within one hour of the programme closing, the principal will be called and the child may be taken to the nearest police station. A note will be left at the centre indicating where the child is.
4. Parents must inform staff in writing if a person who is not listed on the child's enrolment form will be collecting the child.

Staff will not release a child to a person who is not identified on the enrolment form. If an unauthorized person comes to collect the child, parents will be contacted for authorization.

Written permission must be given for children to leave the programme unaccompanied.

Complaints

Parents will be informed on enrolment that there is a complaints procedure. This will be included in information given to parents at enrolment and clearly displayed at the centre. This information will include the contact details of Child, Youth and Family, should parents wish to report a serious concern.

In general, if any parents have complaints about the programme or staff members, they should:

1. Approach the supervisor who will attempt to rectify the situation. (The school's secretary may be approached initially if preferred
2. If the parent is still unhappy they should then contact the school principal
3. Further complaints must be made in writing and must contain details of the grievance and desired outcomes. Concerns and complaints are to follow the procedures outlined in Musselburgh School's policy. The principal will respond to the complaint within 14 days. Where possible, a mutually agreeable outcome is sought.

The supervisor keeps the school secretary informed of any verbal complaints received.

Wherever possible the requests of parents are incorporated in programme planning and design.

Children with Special Needs

Children with special needs will not be excluded from the programme, providing that the supervisor is confident that the child's needs are able to be catered for without negatively affecting the other children and also to ensure that the child will benefit from being at the programme.

Full information about the child's requirements including medication, diet and supervision, are obtained from the parents and included with the child's enrolment form. It is the supervisor's responsibility to ensure that all staff and volunteers are fully aware of the child's requirements and that they feel confident to provide the necessary care.

If the child requires further special aids, for example modified facilities, extra staff or staff training, the supervisor will consult with the co-ordinator who will make the final decision. Each case is considered individually and every effort will be made to include the child within the limits of the resources of the programme.

2. Programme Content

The service provides a safe, varied and stimulating programme that meets the developmental, emotional, intellectual and physical needs of the children.

The following activities are offered on a regular basis:

• A planned arts and crafts project
• Child-directed use of arts and crafts material
• An organised sport or active group game
• An organised group quiet game or activity
• Free use of games and equipment
• Free outdoor play

Children are encouraged to participate in planned activities; individuals may choose not to, as long as they are not bored or disruptive. Whenever possible, alternative activities are provided.

Equipment will be well maintained and age appropriate.

Review of programmes is ongoing.

Food

Children are provided with afternoon tea. Where possible the preparation of afternoon tea is incorporated in the daily programme, for example cooking.

On rare occasions staff may give children sweet treats as part of an activity, such as sweets for prizes.

Parents are expected to brief staff fully on any food allergies or nutritional requirements that their children have as well as providing this information on enrolment forms.

3. Health and Safety

The programme takes place in a safe and healthy environment, suitable for the care of children and for the needs of the staff and volunteers. At all times the well-being and safety of the children is foremost. All relevant legislation is adhered to.

Programme supervision

The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that all children are supervised at all times. Children are expected to be in view of staff at all times when appropriate. Children are informed of the boundaries they are expected to stay within at all times and must inform an adult when they are going to leave the area (to go to the toilet, etc)

Excursions

There are no excursions involving leaving the school grounds unless arranged in advance and with consent from all parents and the Principal.

Smoke-free Policy

Musselburgh School is a totally smoke free environment.

Accidents/Emergency Procedures

The school first aid kits are available for staff use.

In the event of any accident to either children or staff, the following procedure is followed:

1. Appropriate first aide will be administered
2. If a child needs medical attention, parents are contacted to ascertain if they would prefer to take the child themselves or would they prefer staff to take them to the medical centre of their choice. If parents or alternative contacts are unavailable, the child is taken to the nearest available medical facility.
3. If serious injury occurs, parents are notified and an ambulance called. If it is not possible to call an ambulance, children may be transported in a private vehicle.

Accidents and incidents are recorded by staff in an incident book and parents notified at the end of the day.

Illness and Medication

If a child becomes ill they are made comfortable, put into a quiet area and the parents notified.

Medicine will not be administered unless parents have signed a consent form. This form must include dosage and be signed by the staff member when they administer the medicine. Parents must check this form daily. All medicine must be labelled showing the child's name and dosage and must be stored out of reach of all children.

4. Behaviour Management

Programmes are designed to ensure that children and families experience an environment where they are safe, secure, respected and their dignity is protected.

Programme rules are based on respect for each other's staff and equipment. Staff encourage children by outlining what is expected of them and explaining the consequences of disobeying. Positive reinforcement is used at all times and a stimulating and varied programme is provided to ensure against boredom.

A staff member supervises children at all times.

When a child misbehaves or ignores programme rules staff will:

1. Remind the child in an assertive but not aggressive manner what is expected and the consequences of disobeying
2. If the behaviour continues the child is reminded again and warned of the consequence that will result
3. If the child continues to misbehave after two warnings the consequence will be enforced.

Consequences must be appropriate and may include:

• Being removed from the activity and put into time-out - that is, the child is required to sit away from the group in a clearly visible spot for a period determined by the supervisor (usually about five minutes). Before the child returns to the group the staff member reviews with them the behaviour that is expected.

Issues are expected to be solved in a constructive problem solving manner check wording from mission statement.

• Having physical play boundaries reduced (for example, when a child continually leaves the defined boundaries).
• Not being allowed to play with a certain piece of equipment (for example, when a child continually misuses that piece of equipment).
• If a child continually misbehaves, parents are notified when they pick up the child and will be asked to support the staff in their attempts to encourage the child to behave. If disruptive behaviour continues, parents will be asked to meet with the supervisor and the principal to develop a plan of action.
• If a child continually behaves in a manner that endangers him/her self or other children, despite the above measures, parents are notified by the principal and asked to remove their child.

At no time is punitive discipline be used. This includes punishing children by physically hitting, withholding food and drink, isolation from the group, abusive, demeaning or condescending comments

At all times, staff maintain a firm, fair, consistent and positive approach to children's behaviour.

When children are in conflict with each other, staff encourage the children to resolve the situation themselves and aid them by making suggestions on how to do so. If children cannot resolve the conflict they are removed from the situation, for example they will not be allowed to play with the toy/equipment in question or each other.

5. Programme Management

The programme is run in a manner which keeps control of day-do-day finances and shows accountability to the Board of Trustees.

It is the responsibility of the After School Management Committee and the school Office Manager to:

• Keep clear and accurate financial records
• Ensure government funding is accounted for separately from other income

6. Staff and Volunteers

This programme ensures quality care is provided through fair and consistent recruitment procedures, and the supervision and training of all staff including relievers and volunteers. All relevant legislation is adhered to.

Recruitment

The selection and recruitment of staff is the responsibility of the Principal.