In The Community Archives - Acacia Hill Childcare

Empowering Our Team Through Volunteering: A Heartfelt Experience at Our Childcare Centres

Aug 6, 2024

At our Perth-based childcare centres, we believe in fostering a nurturing environment not only for the children but also for our dedicated staff. One of the ways we do this is through our robust volunteering program, which allows our team to engage with their favourite charities and make a difference in the community. The experiences shared by our staff highlight the enriching impact of this program.

Connie, one of our passionate educators, shared her excitement about volunteering at a local school and with Care Bags. “I loved the opportunity to volunteer at the school and with Care Bags,” she said. “It gave me an insight into what happens behind the scenes and the great work that gets done.” Connie’s experience underscores the value of understanding and supporting community initiatives from the ground up.

For Paramjit, the experience was both novel and fulfilling. “It was a good experience for me to serve food to other people in the community. I have never had this opportunity before, and it was great to do.” Volunteering gave Paramjit a chance to connect with the community in a meaningful way, fostering a sense of empathy and service.

Amy’s time with animals was a dream come true. “I loved having the animal cuddles and it gave me the opportunity to know what is involved in being a Veterinarian.” Amy’s volunteering stint not only satisfied her love for animals but also provided a glimpse into a profession she admires, enriching her personal and professional aspirations.

Hadeel, who has a passion for teaching, found joy in sharing her skills. “I felt so good to volunteer and help teach, being able to do what I love the most.” Her experience reaffirms our commitment to supporting our staff’s passions and professional growth.

These heartfelt stories are just a glimpse of the positive impact our volunteering program has on our team. By providing opportunities for our staff to engage with the community and pursue their passions, we create a supportive and fulfilling work environment. This, in turn, attracts passionate and dedicated individuals who share our commitment to nurturing the next generation.

If you’re looking for a workplace that values your passions and supports your growth, our childcare centres in Perth could be the perfect fit for you. Join us in making a difference, both in the lives of children and in the broader community. Together, we can achieve great things!

Acacia Hill turns 30 – Hip, Hip Hooray

Nov 6, 2022

It has been a wonderful milestone to achieve. Our little family business that started out with 2 migrant sisters settling in Perth, Western Australia taking on a small yet quaint 23 place childcare centre in the Western suburbs to the well-known, respected and experienced, business Acacia Hill is today.

In the early days, Jean and Catherine (along with their husbands Hugh and Robert) put all their blood, sweat and tears into creating a home away from home for many children whose families wanted that personal touch when it came to the care and education of their young. Humpty Dumpty (the first centre they opened in 1992) set a standard in the industry that the business still thrives on today. With the core values of Learning, Caring and Sharing although only coming to fruition in words in the last 5 years, have been the underlying values Jean and Catherine implemented back at the beginning.

In 2002, Jean and Hugh’s son Martin and his wife Fiona became directors in the family business.

Over the last 30 years the family have owned 13 childcare centres with the sale of many of the centres in 2018 when Jean and Catherine decided retirement was calling. Martin and Fiona continue to grow the business today with their passion for education, specializing in the areas of life skill development and resilience.

Over the years at Acacia Hill, we have embraced the educational philosophy from Reggio Emilia as we believe their child centred, play based approach to be best practice for young minds and bodies. Delving deep into this approach has allowed us the opportunity to combine theory with practice in our Australian context and develop our own curriculum we implement and are proud to provide children in Perth.

Looking forward to the next 30 years……. we will continue to build resilience by providing each child that walks through our doors the opportunity to experience risk in a very safe environment, gain age-appropriate life skills, learn and understand their Australian/Indigenous culture and understand why sustainability is important today.

As we have always done in celebrating each child, each of their cultures and what is important, today we celebrate Acacia Hill. The culture it has set up and provided for the children, families, educators and wider community over the past 30 years.

Happy Birthday Acacia Hill.

5 Tips to choose the right childcare centre for you

Jul 28, 2017

Selecting the right childcare centre for you and your family can be a difficult and scary challenge. As a mum myself, I know how it felt leaving my children with the educators, and that was in a centre I owned, where I knew the staff.

To help you on your journey in searching for what suits your family best, I have come up with 5 suggestions to make your starting point a little easier.

1. Look for childcare close to home – the last thing you want at the end of a work day is to be stuck in peak hour traffic with a tired child. Google childcare in your area and have the names of 3 or 4 centres to contact.

2. Have a list of questions important to you to have answered for example
– What will my child do throughout the day?
– What are the centre opening and closing times?
– What is the daily cost to me?

3. Make initial contact with the centres – Give all centres a call. 1st impressions in childcare are generally made within 3 seconds according to ‘Care for Kids’ 2011. If the centre representative is willing and able to answer all your questions the centre is probably worth pursuing with a visit.

4. Follow your gut feeling when viewing the centres – If it feels right, it probably is. Ensure you are given the time and attention to view the centre and have all your questions answered. The way the physical centre presents itself and the engagement you receive from staff gives you an initial impression of trust.

5. Stop – Evaluate – Decide – Once you have visited the centres, compare the pros and cons and decide on the centre that best suits your family’s individual needs and circumstances.

Indoor Influences

Jul 29, 2015

“We value space, to create a handsome environment and its potential to inspire social, affective and cognitive learning. The space is an aquarium that mirrors the ideas and values of the people who live in it” – Loris Malaguzzi

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