ABOUT OUR SERVICE
SERVICE PHILOSOPHY
At Little Gumnuts, relationships are the foundation of our practice. We believe children thrive when they feel safe, known and valued within a community built on trust, respect and genuine care. Through consistent, responsive and emotionally attuned interactions, we create secure environments where every child develops a strong sense of belonging.
The safety, wellbeing and rights of every child are at the heart of all that we do. We are committed to providing a child-safe environment where children feel secure, valued, respected and empowered. We uphold the principles of the Child Safe Standards and actively promote a culture where children are listened to, believed and supported.
We view children as capable, confident and curious learners who develop knowledge through play, exploration and meaningful engagement with their world. Our educators intentionally balance child-led inquiry with purposeful teaching, ensuring learning experiences are both responsive and thoughtfully designed to build strong foundations.
Our place on the Far South Coast shapes who we are, with connections to the beach, bushland and natural environments embedded in our daily practice. We value the knowledge, culture and continuing influence of local Aboriginal communities, and recognise the deep relationships between people, land and Country that guide respectful and sustainable ways of living and learning.
Nature play, sustainable practices, risk-taking, problem-solving and environmental stewardship are embedded in our daily practice, supporting children to develop resilience, wellbeing and a strong sense of connection to place.
Guided by inclusion, equity and cultural respect, we acknowledge the diverse identities, experiences and strengths within our community and actively create learning environments that promote empathy, fairness and a strong sense of identity.
Partnerships with families are central to our practice. Through ongoing collaboration and open dialogue, families help shape our decision-making, program design and continuous improvement. We value transparent and consistent communication that builds trust and keeps families connected to their child’s learning journey.
A commitment to continuous improvement underpins our culture, through reflective practice, professional growth and community engagement, we critically evaluate and strengthen our systems, environments and pedagogy.
Little Gumnuts philosophy is a living and evolving statement, shaped by the voices of children, families, educators and our community. It reflects our shared commitment to creating a safe, nurturing and inspiring environment where every child can thrive.
We learn through play
Children are capable, curious learners who explore, discover and grow through play.
We build strong relationships
Children feel safe, loved and a true sense of belonging.
We keep children safe
Their wellbeing, rights and voices are at the heart of everything we do.
We partner with families
We value open communication and strong partnerships with our families.
We connect with nature
We learn from the beach, bush and our local environment every day.
We respect everyone
We celebrate diversity, culture and each child’s unique identity.
We create a safe, nurturing and inspiring place where every child can thrive.
We are always improving
We reflect, learn and grow together as a community.
OUR COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY
Our Service is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children is maintained at all times whilst being educated and cared for by educators and staff at Little Gumnuts. We promote a child safe environment that minimises the risk to all children in our care from all types of abuse, harm and neglect. We understand our responsibilities and statutory duty of care to adopt and comply with the National Principles of Child Safe Organisations and the Reportable Conduct Scheme to build our capacity as an organisation to prevent and respond to allegations of child abuse.
Our staff carry out their responsibilities as mandatory reporters as required by law under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection Act 1998) (NSW) and maintain up to date with knowledge of child protection law and child protection training.
We have a zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour towards children and any breach of child protection law. Any allegation or concern will be responded to promptly by management. We request that you contact our nominated supervisor if you have any concerns lauren@littlegumnutschildcare.com.au.
We aim to ensure our education and care Service is a tobacco, drug and alcohol-free environment at all times in accordance with Education and Care National Law and Regulations. Smoking or vaping is not permitted in or on surrounding areas of the Service by educators, staff, parents or visitors. Our staff are recruited through an extensive screening process to ensure they display the right personal qualities and experiences to provide high quality supervision and care to child in addition to holding a validated Working with Children Check
CODE OF CONDUCT
The Code of Conduct establishes the standards for all employees of our Service. Employees are committed to adhere to the ethical responsibilities of early childhood professionals outlined in the Early Childhood Australia’s Code of Ethics. The values that underpin our work ethic include equality, respect, integrity and responsibility.
OUR EDUCATORS AND STAFF
Our Service is made up of a team of high-quality professional educators who are committed to and passionate about early childhood education and care. Our staff promote the human rights, safety and wellbeing of all children and consider and respect the diverse backgrounds and needs of children. We create an environment that promotes and enables children’s participation and is welcoming, culturally safe and inclusive for all children and their families.
Our educators are continually evaluating how our curriculum meets the educational and wellbeing needs of our children and reflect on ways to improve children’s learning and development and are supported by a team of highly qualified professionals. Our educational leader and early childhood teachers guide our educators in providing quality, research based educational programs.
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Our educators take into account children’s learning styles, abilities, interests, linguistic and cultural diversity and family circumstances when planning and implementing learning programs. We support and respect the history and backgrounds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and aim to foster each child’s sense of identity.
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All staff are encouraged and supported to attend professional training and development to further their knowledge and skills.
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All staff hold valid Working with Children Checks/Cards and all responsible persons (placed in charge of the day-to-day running of the Service) have current ACECQA approved First Aid, Emergency Asthma and Anaphylaxis qualifications.
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For further details on the qualifications of the educators, please see our nominated supervisor.
NATIONAL QUALITY FRAMEWORK
Our Service complies with the Australian Government’s National Quality Framework (NQF) which consists of the legislative framework of the Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations, the National Quality Standard and a rigorous assessment and rating system. Our educational program and curriculum are based on the Australian Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).
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We regularly self-assess our practices against the National Quality Standard and strive for continuous improvement through our Quality Improvement Plan (QIP). The QIP assists our Service to identify quality aspects of care we are already providing and assists in developing future goals for further improvement. Families are welcome to provide feedback and suggestions for improvement. Additional information about the NQF can be found at ACECQA/NQF/about.
REGULATORY AUTHORITY
Our Service is regulated by the national body for early education and care – the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) as well as the state licensing department in our State. To contact our regulatory authority, please refer to the contact details below:
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New South Wales Early Childhood Education Directorate
NSW Department of Education phone: 1800 619 113 | Locked Bag 5107 PARRAMATTA NSW 2124
Website: www.education.nsw.gov.au | Email: ececd@det.nsw.edu.au
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Educator to Child Ratios
We comply with the National Regulations for educator to child ratios across our Service to ensure adequate supervision is provided for all children. Ratios are calculated across the Service (not by individual rooms). This provides us with flexibility to respond to children’s interests and needs at different times during the day.
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Birth to 24 months - 1:4
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Over 24 months and less than 36 months - 1:5
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36 months up to and including preschool age - 1:10
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