Quality Area 6 – Collaborative partnerships with families and communities

Standard 6.1 Supportive relationships with families - Respectful relationships with families are developed and maintained and families are supported in their parenting role.

Case study 1

Respectful relationships with children, families and communities are at the core of the philosophy of this regionally located before and after school care and vacation care service. This philosophy acknowledges families as children’s first and most influential teachers. It is also informed by and consistent with the principles and practices of My Time Our Place. This includes the value of collaborative partnerships with families to contribute to decision-making processes. It also includes appreciation and respect for diversity and difference.

Case study 2

This family day care service is situated in a regional agricultural town where the main crops grown in the surrounding area are wheat, barley and canola. The town is home to children and families from a range of diverse cultural backgrounds, including Aboriginal families who are descendants of the Traditional Custodians of the local land and Anglo-Australian families, who have lived in the community for many years. The town’s residents also include families who are new to the community, having immigrated to Australia and moved to the town to seek work.

Case study 3

This long day care service is situated in a regional town. The service is one of several early childhood education and care services across the state operated by the same approved provider. The service values and prioritises respectful relationships and collaborative partnerships with families in all its endeavours. This includes partnerships with families that use the service and also families within its local community, and those engaged with the broader organisation.

Standard 6.2 Collaborative partnerships - Collaborative partnerships enhance children’s inclusion, learning and wellbeing.

Case study 1

Educators from a family day care service in a small rural town have set up a number of strategies to support each other in their educator role. Given the difficulty in meeting up during the week due to the distance educators needed to travel, some educators meet at a local café on a Saturday morning once per month to share information and ideas.

Case study 2

This kindergarten/preschool, situated in an outer suburb of a major Victorian city, is committed to actively seeking out partnerships in response to the needs of the community. Their vision and approach to developing and sustaining collaborative partnerships with the community is informed by their service philosophy as well as the principles and practices of the Early Year Learning Framework (EYLF) and the practice principles of the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF), Victoria’s approved learning framework.