Judging Panel

The judging panel has been announced.

• Dr John Irvine - Family and child psychologist
• Kym Groth - President, Family Day Care Australia
• Frank Cusmano - CEO, Childcare Associations of Victoria
• Monique Webber - General Manager of Family Day Care Australia
• Paul Clancy - Managing Director, Australian Family

Judging Criteria

The Judging Panel will select finalists and winners based on their ability to demonstrate overall “excellence in care”.

In thinking about excellence in care, judges will specifically be looking for the following skills and qualities in nominees, which make up the three main judging criteria:

• Outstanding ability in the area of Relationships with Children.  This includes devotion to children, care of children, compassion and communication with children.

• Outstanding knowledge in Child Development.

• Outstanding Interpersonal and Communication Skills in relation to parents and/or other staff.

Each of these criteria relate to the Quality Areas put in place by the National Childcare Accreditation Council and the National Family Day Care Council of Australia.  These Quality Areas have been used as the basis for developing our own set of quality areas for each category in the Fisher-Price Child Care Awards. The judging panel will use these quality areas as a basis for judging each nominee.

Quality Areas - Child Care Worker of the Year

Relationships with Children
How well the carer communicates with and fosters individual relationships with children

• Maintains warm, respectful and friendly interaction with children
• Creates a happy, engaging atmosphere
• Guides children’s behaviour in a positive way
• Initiates and maintains communication with children, and their communication conveys respect and promotes equity
• Respect for the diverse abilities and the social and cultural backgrounds of all children and accommodate the individual needs of each child
• Treats children equitably

Children’s Experiences, Learning and Development
The means by which the carer engages children in learning and development.  This encompasses establishing a climate where learning is valued and fostered, creating safe and supportive learning environments and stimulating learning opportunities and outcomes.

• Encourages children to make choices and take on new challenges
• Fosters children’s physical, language and literacy, personal and interpersonal development
• Fosters children’s curiosity, logical inquiry and mathematical thinking
• Fosters creative and aesthetic development using movement, music and visual-spatial forms of expression
• Responsive to the interests and abilities of all children in ways that support learning
• Promote resilience and social competence in all children
• Encourages children to initiate and participate in play and recreational experiences

Partnerships with Families
Effective communication with parents that supports the child’s placement in care

• Effective spoken and written communication with families to exchange information about individual children and about the centre
• Families encouraged to participate
• Supports the family and the child in settling in to care (orientation)

Staff Interactions and Relationships
Relationships within the scheme/centre (with peers) value diversity, team work, mutual respect, understanding and professionalism

• Effective communication with other staff
• Displays professionalism, teamwork and mutual respect

Quality Areas - Child Care Director of the Year

Relationships with Children
How well the director communicates with and fosters individual relationships with children

• Maintains warm, respectful and friendly interaction with children
• Creates a happy, engaging atmosphere
• Guides children’s behaviour in a positive way
• Initiates and maintains communication with children, and their communication conveys respect and promotes equity
• Respect for the diverse abilities and the social and cultural backgrounds of all children and accommodate the individual needs of each child
• Treats children equitably

Planning and Evaluation

• Programs reflect a clear statement of centre/scheme philosophy and a related set of broad centre/scheme goals
• Records of children’s learning and well-being are maintained and used to plan programs that include experiences appropriate for each child
• Programs cater for the needs, interests and abilities of all children in ways that assist children to be successful learners
• Programs are evaluated regularly

Children’s Experiences, Learning and Development
The effectiveness of the programs that are developed by the director in engaging children in learning and development.  This encompasses establishing a climate where learning is valued and fostered, creating safe and supportive learning environments and stimulating learning opportunities and outcomes.

• Programs encourage children to make choices and take on new challenges
• Programs foster children’s physical, language and literacy, personal and interpersonal development
• Programs foster children’s curiosity, logical inquiry and mathematical thinking
• Programs foster creative and aesthetic development using movement, music and visual-spatial forms of expression
• Programs are responsive to the interests and abilities of all children in ways that support learning
• Programs promote resilience and social competence in all children
• Programs encourage children to initiate and participate in play and recreational experiences

Partnerships with Families
Effective communication with parents that supports the child’s placement in care

• The centre/scheme uses effective spoken and written communication with families to exchange information about individual children and about the centre
• Families encouraged to participate in the centre’s/scheme’s planning, programs and operations
• The centre/scheme has an orientation process for all new children and their families.

Staff Interactions and Relationships
Relationships within the scheme/centre (with peers) value diversity, team work, mutual respect, understanding and professionalism

• The director and staff support each other and communicate effectively
• The director displays professionalism, teamwork and mutual respect

Management

• The director consults appropriately with families and staff and written information about the centre’s management is readily available to families and staff
• Staffing policies and practices facilitate continuity of care for each child
• An orientation program is provided for new staff
• Regular professional development opportunities are provided for staff
• The centre/scheme has simple and transparent grievance and complaints handling procedures, and the director ensures these are adhered to