Our Core Values
Philosophy Statement We strive towards a nurturing, welcoming environment in which all children can develop and enhance their existing skills. We believe children learn through play as well as child-initiated and teacher-supported activities and experiences. Our programs are created to support all areas of development. Through reflective practice educators will continually evaluate and make adaptations based on children’s responses, interactions and interests.
Mission Statement My World of Learning Child Care Association is a non-profit child care centre whose staff and Board of Directors are committed to providing quality inclusive child care for all children between the ages of eighteen months and twelve years.
Image of The Child Statement We believe children are happy and kind and thrive through supportive relationships. By creating inviting, enriched environments we can enhance a child’s natural curiosity. When we provide a variety of nurturing and challenging experiences we can foster confidence and resilience.
Vision Statement of Inclusive Child Care The staff and Board of Directors of My World of Learning Child Care Association believe that all children have the right to attend our centre. We strongly believe an inclusive environment helps children develop empathy and to accept each other as individuals. We offer quality child care that offers a developmentally and individually appropriate learning environment.
COVID-19 Policy Parents/guardians are required to monitor their children’s health by using the COVID-19 Daily Checklist before coming to day care each day. If your child is ill/showing symptoms please keep them home and follow the advice given on www.nshealth.ca/coronavirus and www.novascotia.ca/coronavirus. We ask you take your children to use the washroom and wash their hands before they enter their classroom to help stop the spread of illnesses. Please continue to follow your scheduled drop-off and pick-up times as staffing is based on anticipated numbers. While we encourage masking, staff and families may choose to stop or continue to wear masks.
Inclusion Policy My World of Learning Child Care Association provides an inclusive environment for all children by including children with special needs at the naturally occurring rate of approximately 10% of the population. All children have the right to attend our centre, on their registered days, during the centre’s regular operating hours.
We believe in working as a team with families through verbal and written daily updates about the children’s time at the centre. Progress reports that summarize a child’s skills as observed at the day care are provided twice annually. We welcome family involvement by encouraging families to participate by attending family meetings, joining the family committee, becoming volunteers to assist in the classroom and on field trips and applying to be on the Board of Directors.
Children’s needs are identified and met through a process beginning with observation as outlined in the routine-based plans. Routine-based plans are created using a team approach with the child’s family, educators, speech-language pathologists, early interventionists, physiotherapists and other professionals working together. The team identifies goals and sets strategies to allow the child to participate in all activities. These goals are implemented during children’s play experiences, and assessed and re-evaluated regularly, as the child develops.
Educators are required to attend professional development opportunities each year. They are encouraged to attend workshops on the subject of inclusion. Resource materials are available to assist educators to be effective in providing inclusive care.
The centre applies annually for the Inclusion Support Grant through the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. This grant provides funding to assist the day care in having an extra, non-ratio teacher on staff to assist in meeting the needs of all the children.
Family Communications Plan My World of Learning believes in open communication between families and day care staff. We use a number of ways to exchange information with parents. This includes face to face conversations, phone calls, app, emails, social media accounts, website and paper documents. We also support and encourage further family involvement through volunteering or our parent committee.
The Director or Director Designate offers tours of the centre and an opportunity to discuss the individual needs and expectations of the family as part of the registration process. Registration packages which include a family handbook are available as an electronic or paper document. The family handbook outlining what My World of Learning offers and how it operates and is available for viewing in the red information binder on top of the children’s cubbies. When filling out the registration forms, parents and guardians are asked how they would like to receive regular written communication from the day care. Information such as special events, resources, inspections and regulatory requirements are shared with families through the option of their choice.
My World of Learning provides parents and families information about their children’s experiences at day care through verbal and written communication. Families are encouraged to speak to their children’s educators at drop off and pick up times. Through daily reports, notes and photographs using the app, educators will keep families updated on their children’s daily activities including play experiences, snacks and meals, sleep, and toileting. If parents prefer, paper records can be provided instead of using the app. Children’s progress reports, completed twice a year, provide parents with information about the children’s skills and interests. Educators use these reports to create activities and environments that meet the children’s needs and matches their curiosities.
Notable situation reports are filled out for parents and guardians to sign if an accident, illness or other incident affects a child attending the day care. When parents and educators observe concerns regarding a child’s development we create routine-based plans, using a team approach to identify goals and sets strategies to allow the child to participate in all activities.
Families have the opportunity to contribute to the program and connect with other families through volunteering and participating in the family committee meetings. Parents, families and staff are invited to provide their opinions through surveys and program assessments which are then used to develop our quality improvement plans, a component of the Quality Matters Program.
