1Place Childcare helps centres manage their operational processes and compliance obligations for licensing and best practice. Move your forms and checklists online, for improved visibility and greater productivity for your staff.

Hear from Aretha Kitson of Kidz, Ink Academy of Early Academics, who shares the different ways she uses 1Place Childcare, how exciting maintenance tickets can be – and how using 1Place has saved her centres up to $1000 per month!

What is the difference between Risk Mitigation and Risk Management? 

Risk Mitigation is eliminating or taking steps to reduce the likelihood of an incident occurring. Alternatively it is aimed at reducing either the severity or number of people effected by the incident thereby reducing the loss to your business. Either financially or to your reputation.

The reality is that if you mitigated or eliminated every risk to the children in your care, your staff and your business then you would probably need to close the doors and give up. None of us want that so the need to reduce the likelihood of incidents occurring is paramount to business survival.

Undertaking regular risk assessments and having up to date policy and procedure documentation is a big step towards this.

Risk Management is the process of planning a response to risks previously identified and assessed risks.

There are five basic steps businesses can take to assess and mitigate risk:

1. Identify the risks that might affect your business;
2. Analyse and understand the impact to your business;
3. Evaluate and rank the risks according to the potential impact, determined by likelihood and the effect on your business;
4. Treatment: businesses should review the highest ranking risks to develop a treatment plan to achieve acceptable risk levels. This can be done using risk management strategies and matrixes:
5. Review: all risks identified should be monitored and reviewed regularly both in consultation with your staff and independently for an objective opinion.

A Risk Management Policy can protect a business allowing risks to be dealt with appropriately to ensure business continuity.

Does your business have a plan in place to deal with risk in your workplace?

For further information and any assistance Contact Matthew at AFS Group on (02) 9531 7839.

What is National Tree Day?

National Tree Day is a large community tree planting and nature protection event participated by many Australians. It is a call to action for all Australians to put their hands in the earth and give back to their community. Each year, hundreds of thousands people volunteer their time to engage in environmental activities that educate individuals about the world around them.

When is National Tree Day?

Sunday, 6 August

Activities:

• Refer to School Tree Day Activities - https://nsw.childcarealliance.org.au/blog/826-schools-tree-day
• Encourage families to plant a tree at home and bring in a picture capturning moment for the children to share with peers and create a family tree with the images.
• Encourage families to bring in recycle materials to save trees.
• Reading books about the importance of trees and the life cycle of trees - https://www.hellowonderful.co/post/10-CHILDREN----S-BOOKS-ABOUT-PLANTS-AND-FLOWERS/ 
• Exploring seeds in foods that we eat.
• Discussing and creating a diagram of what happens to trees and leaves in different seasons; this could also be turned into a identifying different types of trees in nature magazines and creating a collage. 

See this link for lots of fun activity sheets that can be used for young learners: https://treeday.planetark.org/toolkit/#activity-sheets 

Or click throught to these links that provide toolkits for early learning: 

• https://www.coolaustralia.org/unit/schools-tree-day-early-learning/
• https://www.dirtgirlworld.com/

What is Bastille Day? 

Bastille Day celebrates the storming of the Bastille in Paris, France which is the beginning of the French Revolution. It is the French National day and is called La Fete Nationale in France. Bastille Day is celebrated throughout France. It is also celebrated by other countries and especially French speaking peoples and communities in other countries.

When is Bastille Day? 

Friday, 14 July

Activities: 

• Intentional Teaching - Teaching about Bastille Day involves a combination of teaching history and honoring culture and tradition.
• Make a French Flag - Make French flags as a fun craft to be used as a place mat on Bastille Day or even just as a decoration.
• French flag necklace - Red, white and blue French flag necklaces are easy to make; all you have to do is to put beads in their Red, white and blue arrangement to be able to create them.
• Firework Paintings
  Aim of Activity: To bring some French celebrations to the children and help them understanding other cultures and traditions worldwide.
  Resources: 
  • Black Construction Paper
  • Fluro Paint
  • Glitter
  • Straws

    Activity Instructions:

1. 1. Issue each child participating with a black piece of construction paper.
   2. Put blobs of fluro paint on the page and use the straws to blow the paint in various directions.
   3. Sprinkle glitter over the firework paintings and let dry.

*For younger children not yet developmentally able to use straws, you can use their hands painted with paint to create the fireworks.

• Yoghurt Parfait (https://www.kidspot.com.au/kitchen/recipes/yoghurt-parfait-454?ref=collection_view%2Cfrench-recipes)
  Aim of activity: For children to experience a cooking experience that is nutritionally balanced, fun to make and delicious.
  Resources:
  • Sliced fruit that are red, white or blue e.g., strawberries, blueberries and bananas enough for class
  • Vanilla yoghurt
  • Clear cups

    Activity Instructions:

1. 1. Layer fruit and yoghurt in glass.
   2. Continue layering until cup is full enough for child to eat.
   3. Eat and enjoy.