Child Care and Education Centres
Located Throughout Melbourne's Eastern Suburbs
Our Childcare and Kindergartens
We have three centres available, and aim to provide services for as many children as possible in the Melbourne area.
- The Little Raskals Kindergarten and Childcare Centre
is based in Nunawading
- The Tinkabell Early Learning Centre
is in Mitcham
- The Minikins Kindergarten and Childcare Centre
is in Doncaster East
Learn through play
We've been offering kindergarten, full-time and part-time long day care to families in the Melbourne community since 1993. We're a family-owned business, and we place emphasis on helping children learn through play, so that education becomes a fun and fulfilling experience.
We also focus on all aspects of a child's development to ensure that they mature emotionally, spiritually, personally, physically and socially, as well as cognitively.
Personal development portfolios for every child
As part of our educational programme, we provide a personal development portfolio for each and every child. This documents the child’s learning journey and contains examples of their work, such as paintings and other such crafts.
Portfolios are delivered to parents at the end of every year, so you can have a complete idea of your child’s learning and development pathway.
Register your interest
One of our educators will get back to you shortly.
Caring and experienced Staff
Our educators have a range of different qualifications and experience, which we believe contributes to providing an enriched environment in which your child can learn.
We also encourage ongoing training and reflective practices for all of our staff, and are continually looking for new ideas to improve our service.
Our centres
Our centres provide high quality care and educational programs. Our kitchens are registered commercially with the local councils, and have been awarded excellence in food and hygiene. We are a member of the Childcare Centres Association of Victoria.
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-quality-standards
https://childcarealliance.org.au/
The centres are registered and approved by the federal government to provide childcare benefits as reduced fees, and to transfer data electronically via the Childcare Management System for the Childcare Cash Rebate.
We are also registered with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Children & Youth Services, who provide kindergarten funding, in addition to the regulation and monitoring of the national law, regulations, legislative framework, standards and guidelines.
The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQ) provides national oversight of the National Quality Framework. They also publish guides and resources for the sector, parents, and the community.
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/
Our Philosophy
Our Philosophy
Our childcare centres' vision emphasises the family, the homeliness of our centres, and the richness of our environment and natural surroundings. Our centres play an important role in nurturing and educating the children through the development of trust, security and loving relationships.
Our childcare philosophy is founded on our knowledge that children are part of a family and a community. Children bring “funds of knowledge” with them into the early childhood setting, which is a part of who they are and how they learn. Our philosophy has been influenced by staff, children, and families who utilise the service, as well as current practices in the childcare field.
The following are principles and practices that support our vision and meet the needs of our families:
- To provide a safe, happy, secure, and stimulating environment for the children to encourage a positive attitude towards learning through play.
- All children are unique individuals with their own needs, interests and strengths.
- We value play as a medium of development and learning.
- Learning is promoted through experimental investigation and role-play.
- We provide an environment that gives children choices, allows for their interests, and caters to their needs.
- To foster the social, emotional, physical, intellectual, and language development of each individual child.
- Valuing daily routines such as eating, using the toilet, dressing, and resting as opportunities for learning and social development, therefore ensuring that these times are engaging and stimulating.
- To teach children to develop respect for others’ equipment and their environment.
- To ensure that the childcare programme responds to cultural beliefs and socio-economic backgrounds, and that all children are given equal opportunities, regardless of gender.
- To facilitate and respond to children with additional needs.
- Educators will ensure that children are given meaningful praise for efforts and success by offering positive reinforcement. Staff will consult with parents in regard to behaviour management.
- To provide high quality childcare this embraces both the National and Victorian Early Years Learning Frameworks and the National Quality Standards.
- To establish links with our local community, resource people and organisations, and children’s specialist services.
- Make parents feel welcome and encourage them to become involved in whatever way they feel comfortable.
- We believe that together, the staff and the parents create a partnership which provides for the best interests of young children and families.
- We encourage feedback, suggestions, and opinions regarding the centre’s procedures, policies, and the general running of the centre.
- A satisfying and safe working environment.
- Staff will work as a team by motivating, supporting, and respecting each other.
- Our childcare centres aim to develop and implement environmentally sound practices, which recognise our responsibility to protect and preserve the environment, and to foster children in an ongoing commitment to caring for the world in which they live.
- Valuing and supporting staff in their work with children, and families and in their own professional development.
- To provide a sociable and educational preschool programme within our centres.
- To provide a realistic and natural environment, similar to a very large family of brothers and sisters all growing up to help and understand each other.