The Prince Charles Hospital Early Education Centre

Name: Narelle Hellmuth

Tell us about your career in Early Childhood. How long have you been working in the industry? 
I have been working in the Early Childhood industry since 2008. I finished Year 12 with my certificate 3 and started my career in the industry as soon as I graduated high school. I then moved to The Prince Charles Hospital Early Education Centre in 2009 starting as an assistant. I then decided to study my Diploma and stepped up as Lead Educator in 2010. It was in 2012 the opportunity of Assistant Director role become available. Over the last 12 years, I was able to gain the skills and knowledge to move into the Directors role in 2022. 

Tell us about the relevant qualifications you hold that assists you in your position?
I currently hold my Advanced Diploma in community sector management, Blue Card, Senior First Aid, CPR, Asthma and Anaphylaxis Certificates. 

When did you first join the QCCS team? 
I joined QCCS team in 2009. 

What do you find most rewarding about your career in Early Childhood? 
The most rewarding part of my career is caring and educating children for the next generation, giving children the education, same care, and attention that every child deserves by creating a fun, safe and caring environment. I love that I have the privilege of sharing milestones with families and watching children grow and develop. I believe that early education is very important for every child’s future, I believe early education provides the steppingstones to a child’s future. 

Why should families choose The Prince Charles Hospital Early Education Centre? 
Families should choose The Prince Charles Hospital Early Education Centre as the centre is passionate about nature play and has embedded Bush and Beach Kindy into our centres program. The centre has recently had playground upgrades, promoting further physical development in all age groups. We also have an established Grand friends’ program which offers a unique opportunity for the young and young at heart, to come together and play.  

Why do you choose to work for QCCS? 
Working for QCCS has been the best decision I have made; the company has been very supportive in career development and providing me with the  skills and professional development opportunities to be able to provide the best quality care for all children. 

Name: Trudi Franks

Tell us about your career in Early Childhood. How long have you been working in the industry?
I have been working in Early Childhood since 2002.  I completed a few years as a Teacher in a small school 2003-2005 but quickly discovered that early childhood was where my passion was and returned to the Early Childhood sector in 2006. I look forward to taking on my new role as Co Director here at TPCH. 

Tell us about the relevant qualifications you hold that assists you in your position?
I completed my Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) graduating in 2002, but once working in Early Childhood, I also completed my Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management in 2018.

When did you first join the QCCS team?
I started working with QCCS as a teacher in Chermside Early Education Centre in July 2006, then moved across to The Woods Early Education Centre at Ashgrove in May 2008 as the Assistant Director, and then became the Director there from 2010.  I then transferred over to The Prince Charles Hospital Early Education Centre in 2018.

What do you find most rewarding about your career in Early Childhood?
It is so rewarding seeing young families start at the service with their little children and watch them learn and grow throughout the rooms at the service and then watching them graduate from our Kindergarten programs and move on to school.  Seeing children grow and learn from the programs that we provide them makes me smile.

Why should families choose The Prince Charles Hospital Education Centre?
At TPCH we provide a variety of different programs that the children are able to experience and learn from.  Our Bush and Beach Kindy is a wonderful program that the children are able to visit the bush and beach to play and discover things for themselves.  We have our beautiful Grandfriends and Intergenerational play where the children are able to make connections with the elderly, play with them and learn from them.  We are passionate about teaching the children about eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle so we provide healthy nutritious meals prepared by Healthy Cooking Company and have an embedded perceptual motor program to encourage the children to remain active.  Our lovely natural playgrounds encourage children to take healthy risks which supports growth and awareness of their own capabilities.

Why do you choose to work for QCCS?
I chose to work for QCCS because I could see there was potential for growth within the company, and this has certainly been the case in my years of service.

Welcome to The Prince Charles Hospital Early Education Centre and Preschool. We are located on the grounds of The Prince Charles Hospital, off Hamilton Rd, Chermside.

We have been rated as an Exceeding Centre by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)!

Our aim is to provide the highest standard of care to you, the families, as well as to the children who are within our care. Our Centre celebrates diversity, welcoming families with different cultures and backgrounds.

Our hours of operation are from 6am to 6pm. We are open Monday through to Friday, 52 weeks a year (excluding public holidays). Our Centre opened in April 2007 and caters for 180 children aged from birth to school age. We provide before and after school care to school age children as well as vacation care in the school holidays.

We offer a free courtesy bus service which transports children to and from the local schools in the area. We also have the option to transport children to and from home for families who have no access to transport or in emergency situations (conditions apply).

As security is one of our priorities, our Centre has a security door access system which only allows authorised parents/guardians to drop off and collect their child/ren from the Centre via a personal pin code.

At QCCS we understand the importance of building relationships with the Aboriginal Communities by valuing their histories, cultures and their people to help build a more respecting and understanding future for all Australians. Acknowledging Country is a common practice in our services where we respect the continuing connection of Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owners and Custodians to the land on which our services stands.

Our Team:
Our team are qualified, friendly and caring staff who are committed to continually improving their skills and knowledge by frequently attending in-service training and seminars. All staff are required to have an up to date First Aid, CPR and Blue Card. All new employees of QCCS attend an Induction Session prior to commencing at any of our Child Care Centres; thus, ensuring they will be well equipped to step into their new role. In addition, we provide regular professional opportunities as well as monthly Centre Director and staff meetings to ensure that all our employees are up to date with industry developments.

Our Centre aims to be at the forefront of industry developments and trends. Therefore, at QCCS your child will benefit from an array of experiences:

• Interactive smart boards
• Dynamic Emergent Curriculum based on the Early Years Learning Framework and Kindergarten Guidelines
• Individual child portfolios. QCCS realises how important it is to be kept informed on your child’s progress and daily activities.
• Healthy nutritious meals including breakfast, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. We also have a fridge and freezer in the foyer so families can purchase family meals, children’s meals, milk and yoghurt. All supplied by Healthy Cooking Company.
• Sun Safety is a priority with a large percentage of the playgrounds covered with artificial and natural shade. Each Centre aims to avoid sun exposure between 9am-3pm to give the children that added level of sun protection.
• Transition to school programs along with transition statements
• Optional nappy service for children 2 years and under

Sustainability Focus:
Our Centres are passionate about teaching sustainable behaviours, instilling the knowledge and values that help support sustainable environments. Just some of the sustainable practices that you can expect to see in our services include:

• Educating our children in the use of compost systems within their rooms
• Child tended vegetable and herb gardens, sharing our harvest with families and children
• Appointment of our children to monitor the electricity and water use within our Centre
• Use of recycled materials in our art and craft activities
• Use of donated items by our local communities and businesses
• Use of equipment made from recycled materials
• Worm farm 
• We use banana peels to make banana water to fertilise our plants
• We have an appointed Sustainability officer, Jodie.

Our Centre have our own pet Chickens which enable the children to learn about the environment and how to live an eco-friendly way. The children get involved by collecting the eggs and taking out the scraps. Chickens are a fantastic learning experience that our teachers incorporate into their programs daily.

We are committed to the implementation of the National Early Years Learning Framework and operate an Emergent Curriculum. Our program is based on the individual needs of the children in our care. Our program is balanced and developmentally appropriate. It has variations, providing for a wide range of individual experiences. These experiences give the children the opportunity to make choices and take on new challenges. Our centre programs are based on the individual child, thus ensuring it does not exclude any one child. Our goal is to inspire delight, curiosity, and inquiry in the classroom. We are very proud to offer the below to all our families at no additional costs:

Kindergarten Program
Our Centre is pleased to be operating a Queensland Government approved Kindergarten Program with a qualified Early Childhood Teacher. This program is aimed at preparing our pre-prep children for primary school. Our Centre implements the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline and focuses on building upon children’s learning and development including literacy and numeracy skills as well as exploring the foundations of mathematics and science. We are committed to developing and building on community partnerships with local schools, Teachers and families to ensure children are being well prepared for their school years.

Families with eligible children attending an approved Kindergarten Program may be entitled to a QKFS Plus Kindy Support Subsidy to assist with the out of pocket expenses of attending the program. To be eligible, families must either:

• Hold a current Health Care Card, Veterans Affairs Card or Australian Government Pension Concession Card 
• Identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander 
• Have three or more children enrolled in the same year (must be the same age)

Your Centre Director can provide you with further information regarding this subsidy.

Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA)
Our Centre also boasts a second language program (French), we are proud participants in the Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) initiative. ELLA is an Australian Government initiative aimed at reviving the teaching of foreign languages in Australian schools, with the aim of significantly increasing the number of Year 12 students studying a language other than English within a decade.

Little Scientists
Our Centre is proud to be a Certified Little Scientists House. This program is run daily by demonstrating our commitment to hands-on, inquiry-based learning in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. It is designed to recognise services and schools that promote an active learning environment, incorporating best practice elements such as inquiry-based learning, metacognition and co-construction.

Barefoot Nursery
Our Centre runs a ‘Barefoot Nursery’. Upon entry to the Nursery all Educators, guardians and visitors are required to remove their shoes or place a covering over them. Our babies are sensory explorers; therefore, it is important to us to keep our nursery room floors and environment clean and hygienic. The exceptional cleanliness of the ‘Barefoot Nursery’ concept allows our infants to freely investigate their surroundings without being exposed to unnecessary germs and bacteria.

Veggie Fun Program
Veggie Fun for Everyone is a 12-week food literacy program run in our Kindergarten Room, created by our very own Healthy Cooking Company designed to develop a positive attitude toward vegetables in children. The Kindergarten children will be encouraged to explore vegetables, leading to positive experiences and self-directed tasting.

Perceptual Motor Program
Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) activities form a part of our daily routine as your child’s Educators aim to help them become physically active and promote healthy growth as well as development of bones, muscles, flexibility, balance, posture and cardiovascular fitness. It can also help establish connections between different parts of the brain that develop memory and language.

Bush Kindy Program
Our children eagerly anticipate their fortnightly Bush Kindy sessions. Each session runs for approximately two hours and begins with a short walk to  to the Beneke’s Reserve on the hospital grounds. Annually, we participate in Bush Kindy at Bunyaville National Park. 

As part of our Bush Kindy Program we learn all about the world around us and connect with nature whilst always acknowledging the traditional landowners – the Turrbal people. Children are given the chance to explore and learn new things, climbing, running and inadvertently expanding upon their gross motor skills. Exploring the plants, trees, rocks and water creates spontaneous conversation, interactions and valuable risk-taking opportunities. The sessions are unstructured and initiated by the children, to inspire problem solving and promote self-confidence.

Observing insects/animals in their natural habitat is often a highlight for the children, their excitement and intrigue is always evident in their laughter and smiles. The Educators encourage their inquisitive instincts and questions.

There are many known physical and social benefits to exploring nature and evidence shows that exposure to nature can reduce stress and increase academic performance. This is especially important in the technology driven world we live in where screen time is ever increasing for adults and children alike.

Beach Kindy Program
The centre has incorporated a beach kindy program that provides up to 3 hours of uninterrupted play, using what nature has provided them with as well as fundamental real-life tools and resources.

Nature play is intrinsically inviting and motivating which promotes engagement in play from diverse learning opportunities, which are essential for healthy physical, social, and psychological experience, growth, and development. As part of their beach kindy program, they learn all about the world around them and connect with nature.  Children are given the chance to explore and learn new things while climbing, running, and inadvertently expanding upon their gross motor skills. Exploring the beach and water creating spontaneous conversation, interactions, and valuable risk-taking opportunities. The sessions are unstructured and initiated by the children, to inspire problem solving and promote self-confidence.

Intergenerational Program
The Intergenerational Program helps to bridge generational gaps by fostering understanding and building respect between generations. The Prince Charles Hospital Early Education Centre is proudly partnered with Tricare Stafford Lakes and The Old People’s Mental Health Fellowship Group. Every couple of months the children visit residents at the nursing home and visa-versa, where they participate in a range of activities including singing, arts and crafts and gardening.

We are delighted that the service is a qualified ‘Bush Kindergarten’ Education provider! We are recognised as a Nature Play QLD Education Provider.

We believe food ingredients should come from the kitchen, not from a lab. From this belief came the inspiration to open our own production kitchen, the Healthy Cooking Company. We aim to create and promote natural and wholesome food with a number of health benefits:

• Organic baby food
• Preservative Free
• No artificial flavours
• Low in sodium & refined sugar
• Naturally sweetened with honey

We promise that our nutrition labels will be free of numbers, so there will be no need to decipher nasty food additives. We are dedicated to providing delicious food that your children will love. Parents can rest assured that their little ones are being provided with a good start with healthy, nutritious morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea meals provided.

As Educators, we believe in teaching children that physical activity can be fun as well as good for our bodies and minds. As a result we coordinate exciting exercise programs within our centres that have been developed by our Sports Dietitian in consultation with Primary School Physical Education Teachers. We want the children in our care to experience the numerous health benefits that regular physical activity can provide such as:

• Stronger muscles and bones
• Long term positive attitude towards exercise
• Reduction in the likelihood of becoming overweight
• Reduction in the likelihood of developing illnesses and diseases

Through this we aim to incorporate at least three hours of physical activity each day into our room routines and programs with:

• Morning physical activity routine
• General indoor physical activity
• Outdoor experiences