Open everyday, Mon-Friday 7am – 6pm, closed Public Holidays, closed for Easter Friday and Monday, closed from the 24th Dec to the 3rd Jan.

The fees are $160 per day, paid one week in advance via direct debit, credit card or eftpos.

If you are claiming the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) – you will be entitled to 42 days GAP free. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/child-care-subsidy-if-your-child-absent-from-child-care?context=41186

If they aren’t eligible for the CCS, if they give us notice in writing 1 month prior, we can waive their fees for absent periods of up to 10 days consecutively.

Nappies, sunscreen.

1 x fitted sheet, back pack, water bottle, lunchbox with morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, bottle and formula if needed, hat.

At Little Bush Village we follow guidelines of best practice from Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA), in which they do not promote food bans in schools and Child Education and Care (CEC) services. Instead, A&AA promotes an Allergy Aware approach as recommended in the Best Practice Guidelines for preventing and managing anaphylaxis in schools and CEC services.

What is Allergy Aware?

Allergy Aware means having many things in place to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction and to recognise and treat an allergic reaction well when it occurs.

Ways for schools and CEC services to be Allergy Aware:

Know who is at risk of anaphylaxis and what they are allergic to

• Train staff
• Have anaphylaxis policies and documentation
• Good communication about allergies
• Have emergency response plans and practise them
• Age-appropriate education about allergies and helping friends
• Reduce risk with measures such as handwashing and not sharing food. Further information can be found below.

Why not food bans?

Allergies which can cause anaphylaxis can develop to any food including staple foods like cow’s milk, wheat, and eggs. Staple foods are in most lunch boxes and in many canteen menu items so are difficult to ban. Some people are allergic to many foods.

If one type of food is banned, it sends a message that that some food allergy is more serious than other food allergy which is not true. Banning one type of food does not help protect students with allergies to other foods.

Other reasons why A&AA doesn’t promote food bans:

• Claiming to be ‘nut free’, gives people a false sense of security. They may not then focus on other parts of anaphylaxis prevention and management such as staff training.
• It is too hard to check if the ’banned‘ food is being brought into the school or CEC service, it most likely is. For example, a muffin made with almond meal.
• Some families may not realise what ingredients are in packaged food.
• It is important for students with food allergy to learn how to manage their food allergies as they get older by:

We gather allergy and intolerance information at enrolment and brief all staff on children with allergies. A Medical Action Plan and GP/specialist diagnosis is required for allergies; a GP letter is required for intolerances.

At mealtimes, children with food allergies wash their hands before eating, sit with their friends under close supervision, and are prevented from sharing food or drinks. Staff hold up-to-date training in the recognition, management and emergency treatment of anaphylaxis.

Supporting Healthy And Social Eating
We support healthy and social eating at Little Bush Village. Autonomy is also very important in a child’s development. To put it simply, autonomy in this context refers to the freedom to have choice and control one’s actions. Supporting young children’s autonomy has been found to have far-reaching positive effects on the child’s development, including benefits to executive function, mastery-related behaviours and general socialisation.
Supporting Children’s Autonomy
Failing to support children’s autonomy, on the other hand, or actively thwarting it by being controlling has been associated with increased levels of anxiety in children.

And it is that crucial age, between two and three, where autonomy support can make a difference in the way children develops a healthy sense of self, and, ultimately, self-regulation.

It can be seen in children as young as 18 months and it is mostly fully developed by age three.
Why Families Provide Lunchboxes
We know so many child care do provide meals, making it easier for parents to not have to pack lunches. But, we believe that The association between healthy eating practices and child dietary intake in childcare centres where parents pack foods from home has received little attention.

As early childhood is a crucial period for the development of healthy eating behaviours, which are known to track into adulthood [2], improving the dietary behaviours of young children is recommended to reduce the burden of disease from obesity and non-communicable diseases [3]. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) is an attractive setting to deliver interventions to improve children’s dietary behaviours.

When Parents are sending food from home, it’s important that they understand they need to bring snacks and pack a lunch that is healthy and nutritious for their child. For some parents, who may be busy, it may be challenging to pack the right foods so it’s vital that we and families collaborate to promote healthy eating
How do we manage allergies, with lunchboxes?
We gather the following information at enrolment, brief all staff on children with allergies.

Allergies: Medical action plan + diagnosis from a GP or specialist

Intolerances: Medical confirmation or GP letter

Feeding on demand, especially in children under 3, which centre based meal provision doesn’t account for. hunger can create emotional distress, which often translates into behavioral issues. Our teachers note that kids who are hungry are more likely to be irritable, less attentive, and less engaged. Addressing these needs not only improves individual education results but also creates a more conducive learning environment for everyone.

Knowing exactly how much your child is eating at childcare, by the leftover if any in the lunchbox.

• Students with food allergies will wash their hands before eating.
• Young children with food allergies will sit at a table with their friends and be carefully supervised.
• All Young children will be supervised when eating.
• Students will be prevented to share food or drinks, by close careful supervision.
• Children should wash their hands after eating. If an allergy is present.

• A&AA recommends that children with allergies are not pointed out or made to feel different.
• LBV staff have up-to-date training in the recognition, management and emergency treatment of anaphylaxis.
• Educators supervising groups are made aware of the children with severe allergies.
• Some families may choose for their child to wear a medical identification bracelet.