Welcome to existing and new families into our Geelong Childrens Centre community, this is our Termly newsletter, we all hope that you have settled well into the Babies room. We will be providing our newsletter at the end of each term, this will be shared onto Educa, the centre website and also sent via email. We welcome any feedback regarding the room, transitions and care for your family and children. We continue to provide and advocate for all children in the room, with respect and care at the for front of our curriculum, experiences and written journeys. Feedback regarding the program is welcomed via email or when Weekly reflections and individual learning stories are shared via Educa. 

What a start to the year it has been for us, we had a slow start to the year which was positive for the children who had just begun. This allowed educators to bond with their primary care children and families, we quickly established routines. Before long we were navigating Covid in the centre, we had families and educators absent, but we got there in the end. We supported families and educators from other rooms supported us to get through our days. 

 Over our first term we work closely with Theorist Abraham Maslow, Maslow believes that for children to learn, they need to move through the 'Hierarchy of needs' breaking these down into five stages of growth. 

- Physiological needs: Air, water and food for survival, as well as clothing and shelter for protection from the elements. 

- Safety needs: Being able to trust your environment including adults and peers, protection, stability and order. 

- Love and belonging needs: Family affection, relationships, and peer connections. 

- Esteem needs: Self-esteem, confidence, achievement, responsibility, mastery, independence, respect of others and respect by others. 

- Self-actualization needs: Realizing personal potential, creativity, spontaneity, self-fulfilment, lack of prejudice, morality and acceptance of facts, seeking personal growth and problem-solving. 

 Over January children and educators begun their journeys, some continuing from last year and some brand new to the centre and the idea of Child care. We learnt names, cues, routines, bottle and meal times, we swapped changed and explored a new space to help support children while in care. We worked closely with 

families to establish a routine that mimicked the same as the one at home. And most importantly the children and families explored, settled and showed belonging in a new and safe space for them. Offering safe spaces for children, Educators provided safety needs, we developed routines, we encouraged Esteem within the children and supported children with their own self- actualization as per our Curriculum of intent.