Philosophy
Child Care Services’ Mission
We serve the Camosun community by providing quality child care for children of students, staff and faculty. Remaining spaces are filled by community members. We provide a “learn through play” environment that cherishes children for who they are and who they will become. The environment:
- is safe and nurturing
- values and respects diversity
- fosters optimal developmental growth
- models personal and professional integrity
- is open-ended, freely chosen, and developmentally appropriate
- creates and maintains partnerships with families
Our Values
All children are individuals. They have different rates and styles of growing and learning, they have different family and cultural backgrounds, and possess unique abilities, interests and experiences.
We believe that each child deserves to receive the support necessary to participate regardless of ability, gender, or cultural background and that these diverse needs should be reflected in the program and the environment. We are also committed to assisting the children in our care to understand and value diversity.
We believe that all young children have the right to high quality early care and education that recognizes and promotes development according to each child’s individual needs.
Our early childhood care and education settings embrace a wide array of caring and educational strategies to foster each child’s optimal developmental growth needs in the physical, intellectual, language, social and emotional domains.
We believe that the educational needs of young children are best met by a variety of open ended, freely chosen and developmentally appropriate play experiences within a safe and nurturing environment. This environment has physical aspects (space, materials, equipment), practical aspects (schedules, routines) and psychological aspects (warmth, trust, reciprocity).
We recognize and respect that throughout childhood children are integrally connected with their families. We endeavour to create and maintain partnerships with families in order to be sensitive to and supportive of individual culture, language, child rearing preferences and values.
As early childhood educators we are committed to modeling personal and professional integrity by practicing open and respectful communication and maintaining collaborative working relationships with fellow staff members, parents and other college or community representatives.
We understand that the beliefs reflected in this philosophy have emerged from the interplay of theory and best practice in the field of early childhood education. Above all else these beliefs commit us to respect children, enjoy their company and cherish them for who they are, as well as who they may become.
Guidance
At Camosun College Child Care Services we value and respect each child as a unique individual. Our goal for guidance is to assist children in developing self-control, self-confidence, inner discipline and sensitivity to others. Positive guidance is based on realistic expectations of a child’s needs and abilities.
In each centre, the following guidance strategies are used:
- observation and anticipation of children’s play
- creating a positive environment that reflects the level of development of the children
- providing clear limits through consistent messages about expectations and safe, appropriate behaviour
- modeling positive behaviour and demonstrating respect, understanding and caring for other people and things
- teaching children appropriate expression of their feelings
- teaching children problem-solving and conflict resolution skills
Families will be consulted if a child has persistent behavioural problems in the centre that require a systematic approach. Extra support can be accessed for children with emotional and behavioural challenges if families and/or staff determine a need for it.
For more in-depth information on guidance strategies that are used in our centres, please go to the Community Care Facilities’ website and read through the online booklet entitled “Guiding Children’s Behaviours”.
