Monash Community Family Co-operative

Information about the Centre's operation and management

Opening Hours

7.30am - 6.30pm Monday to Friday
MCFC is open 51 weeks in the year, on all days that Monash University is open including Labour Day, Queen’s Birthday and Cup Day.
We are closed on Good Friday, Easter Monday and a period between Christmas and New Year, and one Professional Staff Development Day during the year. Fees are not payable on any public holidays that the Centre is closed.

Management

MCFC is controlled by a voluntary Committee of Management elected by parents, so there is direct input by parents in centre policies.
Users of MCFC must become members of the Co-op in order to access care.
MCFC is an ideal service for those who want a say in policies that will directly benefit their children. As members of a not-for-profit organisation parents can have confidence that all income is directed to maintaining a high quality program.
There are up to three working bees a year in which the parents are expected to contribute.
Various fundraising activities are also organised in which the parents are encouraged to participate.
The Management Committee welcomes involvement from all members.

Program

MCFC provides care and educational programs based on individual development and the needs of children aged from 12 weeks to school age.
Our program is accredited by the National Childcare Accreditation Council as a high quality program. It is carried out by experienced qualified staff, and supported by child care assistants.
The 4-5 year Kinder is a funded Preschool program.
An extensive natural outdoor playing area complements the program.
MCFC supports inclusion of the children from diverse backgrounds e.g. with English as a second language, and those with additional needs/disability. We can assist parents access support services to ensure an inclusive environment for their child.
Each child's program planning includes:
- Setting up of individual communication books. These contain all the child's daily routine information and can be taken home each night.
- Clearly displaying individual children's folders are clearly on display in each room.
- Seeking feedback from parents on a regular basis.
- Organising staff interview nights to discuss each child's program with their parents.

Food Provision

Fees include nutritious hot lunches and snacks prepared daily in our kitchen from fresh produce.
The weekly menu is on display in each room with feedback forms available. Staff provide the cook with feedback about quantities, children's likes and dislikes. Click here to see an example of a typical weekly menu.
Our Centre has been awarded by the Government's "Eat Right, Start Right" program, which aims to increase the health of children by promoting healthy eating and healthy weight from an early age within the long day care settings.
Parents' comments are also welcome and help to improve the quality and variety of food served to the children.
Food offered to the children is based on the pyramid food guide: Full cream dairy products are used.
No canned baby food is offered.
No sugar or salt is used in cooking.
Desserts are based on milk and fruit.
Alternative foods are prepared for children with individual dietary needs, e.g. infants' educational diet, allergies, vegetarian, cultural.
Milk, soy milk and water are the only drinks offered.
All meat is from a Halal Butcher.
If you would like to bring food from home for your child for some reason, you need to speak to the room staff in advance and follow our strict procedure.

Birthdays & Celebrations

We encourage parents to share family celebrations with their child’s group.

Sweets, snack food, party favours or bags, balloons etc cannot be distributed at MCFCo or by MCFCo staff. See Food at MCFC procedure.

From January 2011 we have stopped the practice of parents bringing in food from home for birthdays and other celebrations. The number of children with serious food allergies has increased and food labelling can be misleading (for example, when egg is used in food products it can be called on the ingredient panel "binder", "protein", or "emulsifier". For an example of more hidden food allergens click here).

Please don't bring any food to the Centre, including cakes, small party sweets or chips.

Parents can purchase cakes for special occasions from the Centre. Please make arrangements with our cook a week before the event. You can also contact our cook via email at cook@mcfco.org.au. The cake ordering form can be downloaded from our "Forms" section.

Non-food alternatives could be: coming in and sharing an activity with the group, making birthday hats, singing some songs, playing a game or listening to special music and dancing.

Sunsmart Policy (MCFC is a Sunsmart accredited centre)

Australia has a very high incidence of skin cancer due to exposure to the sun. Hence, during the peak period of October to April children must wear hats that protect the face, neck and ears when playing outside.
If children do not have a hat they will be encouraged to play in a shaded area. The centre has a number of spare broad rimmed or legionnaire type hats available for children to use, should they forget their hats.
Staff will apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF30 on children's skin according to product instructions before children go outside.
Staff will also set up play areas with adequate shade for all children to play in a protected area.