We at Dorothy Waide are blessed to have today’s children becoming our future. Through the Early Years. Learning Framework (EYLF), our philosophy and program acknowledge that the Early Years, are such an important time in children’s lives. We believe children are successful, competent and capable learners who are given opportunities to construct, understand, contribute and reflect on their own learning and to the learning of others. We as educators see ourselves as co-learners, as children learn, so do we. We aim to give children a voice by encouraging them to work collaboratively and participate in decisions that affect them, their families, our centre and the wider community.

We believe it takes a village to raise a child. We deeply value our families and acknowledge that they are our most valuable source of information. As professionals in our field we acknowledge we each have unique strengths and skills to offer and endeavour to work in partnership with families and extended family members to best support all stakeholders. We also acknowledge the significance of the wider community as a wealth of knowledge which is welcomed at our centre. Our Centre provides a child safe culture by supporting children, their parents’, guardian’s, families, and communities and ensures all employees are committed to safeguarding children.

We are one, but we are many. We are a united service which is accepting of all. Of significance is our acknowledgment and respect for the traditional owners of the land in which our centre is located. Respect comes from understanding, and it is our aim to ensure our practices acknowledge and reflect the unique cultures, values, and beliefs of all people within our community. We aim to ensure that no one is disadvantaged while accessing our service. Celebrating diversity, differences and connections with the community are most important and are reflected within our program.

We reflect a belief that all children are capable and have the capacity to succeed, regardless of diverse circumstance and abilities. We believe all children have a right to feel safe, happy, and loved, and it is these rights that underpin our practice. We acknowledge the individuality and uniqueness of children in our care. We strive to extend children’s voices, and for these voices to be heard. Through this we recognise and value children’s interests, skills, capabilities and ideas and work with individual children to allow these to shine. As a service, we have zero tolerance for child abuse. We create an environment that provides a sense of safety and security that allows the children to feel supported and safe. We empower children in voicing their concerns and making decisions affecting themselves. We assist children by providing them with the tools to confidently communicate their wellbeing needs. We Support children of diverse backgrounds, ensuring that their voices are heard, supported and actions are taken to create safety and maintain the child’s innocence. 

At Dorothy Waide we value our environment and strive to connect to both the children and the environment in meaningful ways. We recognise the children of today as global citizens of the future. We encourage a love, respect, and appreciation of our environment where we learn and play. The land welcomes all our children and offers its natural beauty as a provision. It is a place where we provide safe, risky play opportunities for children to become resilient, confident learners. Our outdoor space is thought of as the third teacher, a space which nurtures concentration, creativity, and motivation to independently learn and explore (McKellar, 1957). We provide welcoming spaces that enrich and encourage children to explore and connect to the natural world through gardening, recycling, and water management, while enticing them to explore nature. We strongly value natural food choices as a tool for learning and believe that a healthy body equals a healthy mind. The children are given the opportunity to care for our chickens and collect their eggs. The children are also involved in nurturing a sustainable garden and harvest the products- such as picking mulberries and seasonal vegetables – these are used in a variety of cooking experiences with the children. We believe the environment of tomorrow, is dependent on how we manage the environmental footprint of today.

As educators, through maintaining, guiding, building, and strengthening our own personal development we can place the children’s personal and developmental needs at the forefront of our centre. We do this by providing an environment that supports and allows children to face risks, explore, engage and to learn in an unrushed space – at their own pace. We support all children by listening, observing, and building close relationships with them and their families. As professionals in our field, we acknowledge that, as educators, we each have unique strengths and skills to offer and support children in being active participants in their own learning. We provide them with opportunities to explore, engage and extend on their thoughts, ideas, and knowledge. We strive for every child to be the best version of themselves.