To provide a professional service that strives to meet the varying needs of families through positive partnerships that develop the child in a safe community.
The Sometime Centre, Friend Park is a Council sponsored occasional child care centre, catering for 16 children aged 6 weeks to 5 years and is non-profit.The Centre is a neighbourhood model occasional care centre and is funded by the State Department of Family and Community Services.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
9.00am-3.00pm
9.00am-3.00pm
9.00am-3.00pm
9.00am-3.00pm
9.00am-3.00pm
A preschooler programme is offered at both Centres on Mondays and Tuesdays, 9.am - 3.00pm for children aged 3 - 5 years.
We program for children’s learning and development based on the approved curriculum, Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).
The Early Years Learning Framework principles are considered throughout our service and program. Educators reflect on their practices and children's learning to facilitate a stimulating environment for the children. The program is child centred and challenges children to become confident and independant learners. The educators offer a range of opporunities to nurture and enhance all areas of a childs development and wellbeing and take time to celebrate their achievements.
Our educators thrives on involvement from families and community members, supporting cultures and the acceptance of diversity. Children’s routines are individualised and flexible, allowing time for learning with programs focusing on the growth of the individual child’s overall wellbeing.
A form is distributed in the month of October which allows parents to inform the centres of their desire for their child to attend the preschool programme in the following year. This form does not guarantee child/ren a placement. A letter of notification is sent out in early November to you if your child has been placed in the programme for the following year. Places do become available for children in the preschool program throughout the year so it is always best to fill out the form so our Educators are aware of your interest.
We have both qualified and experienced educators. Our educators use a friendly and professional approach with the families and children who use our service and are very helpful. Our educators believe in providing good role models for the children within the service and hold current First Aid Certificates and child protection training.
Our valued Services provides the community with a flexible learning environment where families and staff are working together to meet the ongoing individual needs of our children.Our expert staff are supportive, nuturing and approachable.
Please use the link above to open our waitlist form or go to www.holroyd.nsw.gov.au to complete the online form
OCCASIONAL CARE: $7.50 hour
Fees must be paid each visit, if fee payments fall in arrears - two weeks after last payment received, then your child/ren's position within the service will be cancelled without notice and paperwork sent to debt recovery.
Enrolment fees: $35.00 per child.
Enrolment fees are applicable on a per child or per family basis and are non-refundable; they are paid annually on anniversary date to cover the cost of administration.
Holding Fee: Although there is no formal Holding Fee, regular bookings need to be maintained two weeks in advance. Failure to Notify Fee/Cancellation fee: 50% of booked fee
Families who fail to notify the service that their child/ren will be absent from care prior to the session of booked care commencing shall be charged a failure to notify fee.Families who cancel their booking shall be charged a cancellation fee.
My daughter Rhiannon attends the Sometime Centre, Wentworthville on Mondays & Tuesdays every week. Yesterday on invitation my wife and I attended the Parents Information Evening held at the Sometime Centre at Merrylands.
The presentation by Gaye and all the staff was good and also very informative. The visual presentation made by one of the staff was done very well, capturing on movie the day in the life of a child at Pre-school. There was also a brief talk by Gaye as well as different staff members from both the centres on the activities of the learning centre, about the children's Journal and healthy nutrition for children. The staff took a lot of trouble to research the material on nutrition and enhanced the presentation by showing with sampled what a good Lunch Box should have included and what the foods that not are. Inter spread with this was information and tips on how to help a child change from fussy eaters to eating healthy foods.
All in all the presentation was very well done, very informative and as parents we went away with a very warm feeling that our children are very well cared for and will be ready for school. There was also a lot of food and hot and cold drinks for the attendees which was very thoughtful, considering some parents as well as staff may have come to the evening straight after work.
This e-mail is to say on behalf of all the parents and our children a big "THANK YOU" to Gaye and the staff of both the centres for a lovely evening.
I would also like to take this opportunity to let you know that my daughter Rhiannon just loves to go to the centre at Wentworthville. Lesley and Rhonda warmly welcome Rhiannon as soon as she arrives as they do to other children too. Gordana and Lorena patiently listen to her requests and then help her out should she need it. They also encourage the children to foster friendship amongst each other as children sometimes find that difficult. At 2:45 pm when I go to pick up Rhiannon, she often wants to continue to stay there for the enjoyable time she has had during the day. Lesley needs a special mention too for her tireless efforts in conducting the children games as well as running the centre as efficiently as possible. Well done to all of them.
Please convey our sincere thanks and appreciation to Lesley, Rhonda, Gordana and Lorena for the good work they do for Rhiannon. Aubrey Athaide
Holroyd City Council actively supports the Early Integration Program (EIP) operating from the Sometime Centre. The EIP aims to meet the childcare needs of families with children who have additional needs.
The Sometime Centre caters for children's additional needs that include; speech and language delays, behaviour issues, physical and intellectual disabilities. All educators work with these children to provide quality programs to meet their individual needs. The service works in partnership with resource and support agencies of the children to provide a fully inclusive program for the children
We also provide an Outreach service into the other Holroyd City Council Children's services; Long Day Care, Family Day Care, OOSH and Vacation care, that provides support to include children with additional needs into their services.
Aims of the Early Integration Program
To plan and implement individual programs for children with additional needs
To provide children and families with access to qualified and trained educators specialising in additional needs
To integrate children with additional needs into mainstream services.
To provide support and advice to families of children with additional needs
To benefit all children and families using the service through a positive learning environment and providing opportunities to interact with children with additional needs. This develops acceptance of all people regardless of their abilities.
To provide a link with other services in the community.
We have both qualified and experienced staff.The staff use a friendly and professional approach with the families and children who use our service and are very helpful.Our staff believe in providing good role models for the children within the service.
An enrolment form must be completed and your child's immunisation records copied by the Centre before you can leave your child.
Please ensure that you fill out your child's enrolment form correctly and update the form as soon as any change occurs.
Please consider carefully who is permitted to collect your child from the Centre when completing the enrolment form as persons not listed will not be permitted to collect your child. You may add or change this list throughout the year.
Until the educators get to know the people collecting your child, the authorised people listed will be asked to provide photo identification. This is to ensure maximum safety, so please inform the people who you designate to collect your child that they will need identification.
Booking are made for a month at a time.For example, mid January is timely to book for all of February, mid February is timely to book for all of March.
Parents are reminded to drop and pick their children up at the booked time.If you cannot keep your booking, you must ring before your child's due arrival time to let the centre know.
If you do not cancel your child's occasional booking, you will be charged a "Failure to Notify Fee" - half of your child's booked visit time.If you have a regular booking, you will be charged half the fee regardless if you cancel.
We believe that all meal times children should feel relaxed and enjoy their time socialising with their peers and educators . Educators will sit with children at meal times providing appropriate role models and pleasant conversation.
To help your child feel secure, and enjoy their food, send along foods they like, ie their favourite sandwich filling and fruit. Water will be provided by the Centre if the child does not have their own. Please ensure all food items are clearly labelled with your child's full name and do not send glass containers.
If children are hungry or thirsty outside of the set meal times, food and drink shall be offered to the children from their lunch boxes. Water is available at all times
MORNING TEA
Morning Tea is at 10.00am. For this meal time you need to provide a piece of fruit and a drink for them to have.
LUNCH
We offer a progressive lunch for children between 11.30 - 12 noon. For this meal you need to provide a nutritious meal - see listing below for suggestions:
Acceptable Food List
Not Acceptable Food List
cheese sticks / slices
nuts (inhalation & choking), peanut butter
sultanas and dried fruits
roll-ups, popcorn or doughnuts
plain muesli bars, k-time twist fruit muesli bars
red cordials, flavoured milks or fizzy drinks
fresh fruit or vegetables (eg carrots, cherry tomatoes etc)
chips, cheezils, twisties, pretzels etc
cracker bread/biscuits, rice crackers
chips, cheezils, twisties, pretzels etc
plain sweet biscuits
fried or frozen foods
fruit juices, plain milk, yoghurts
dessert yoghurts eg milo, yogos
vegemite/cheese spread biscuits
sweet dips eg Nutella
healthy home cooked meals
chocolate chip/coated biscuits or muesli bars
homemade sandwiches
hundred & thousand sandwiches
AFTERNOON TEA
Afternoon tea is 2.00pm. You must provide a piece of fruit and a drink.
LATE AFTERNOON TEA
Late afternoon tea of toast or lebanese bread is offered at around 3.30pm.
3A McKern Street WENTWORTHVILLE NSW 2145
Ph: 02 9631 6066 Fax: 02 9631 0717
Please feel free to call us on the number/s above or enter your details in the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible.
