Ballarat’s Girrabanya Children’s Centre has achieved the highest ranking possible following its recent accreditation process.

Girrabanya, which is run by Ballarat City Council and provides childcare and kindergarten places for 60 children, attained six ‘High Quality’ standards and one ‘Good to High Quality’ standard from the National Childcare Accreditation Council.  This is the highest level of recognition within the current quality framework.

All Australian childcare centres are required by law to undergo accreditation every two and a half years, with centres assessed on:

• Relationships with children
• Partnerships with families
• Planning and Evaluation
• Children’s experiences and learning
• Protective care and safety
• Health, nutrition and wellbeing
• Managing to support quality

Cr Mark Harris, People and Communities Portfolio Councillor said the high ranking Girrabanya had received during the accreditation process was a testament to the excellent care that is consistently provided across all City of Ballarat children’s centres.

“This is the benchmark that we continuously strive to achieve.  It is very satisfying that Girrabanya can join Wendouree Children’s centre in being recognised for best practice”, Cr Harris said.

“Accreditation is an extremely thorough process with the validator, or assessor, spending two full days at each centre, assessing performance and service delivery across seven areas.

“Parents have been involved in the accreditation process and have joined staff in welcoming this great result.  What it does is officially recognise and endorse what we already know is achieved everyday in our childcare centres”.

In 2012 the accreditation process will change to become the National Quality Standards, meaning that all children’s services in Australia will be required to undertake the same process.