About Us

Elder Street ECHC is a 39-place long day care centre, catering for children between the ages of 6 weeks and 6 years. Elder Street ECHC is a privately owned service established in January 2005. Dr. Melissa Duffy-Fagan is the Approved Provider and works with the leadership team of the centre as the Research and Curriculum Mentor. Kate Hewat is our Nominated Supervisor and co-Director along with Paula Guy. Our directors Kate and Paula also share the role of Educational Leader alongside our Early Childhood Teacher, Bree Creighton. 

In 2018 Elder Street Early Childhood Centre received an Exceeding rating against the National Quality Standard.

Our Commitment to Reconciliation

The Awabakal and Worimi peoples are acknowledged by Elder St ECHC as the traditional custodians of the land and waters of Newcastle. Aboriginal people lived a very rich and vibrant existence in and around Muloobinba (Newcastle) and the Coquon (Hunter River). 

Food was abundant in marine life and bush tucker. Ceremonies and feasting were generally times for sharing of resources and trading of implements with inland clans. Shell middens at Meekarlba (Honeysuckle) and a tool-making site at Pillapay Kullaitaran (Glenrock Lagoon) are remnants of those communal gatherings. As a part of Elder Street ECHC’s, ongoing commitment to reconciliation in June 2024 our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was approved by Narragunnawali which allowed us to publish our official RAP document and statement of reconciliation. A RAP is a formal commitment to reconciliation. It documents how our early childhood service will strengthen relationships, respect, and provide opportunities in the classroom, around the centre and within the community in support of Reconciliation.

 Our History

Elder Street Early Childhood Centre was opened in August 2002 as Blinky Bill Child Care. Melissa and her husband Tony purchased the business in December 2004, and it was from then known as Elder Street Early Childhood Centre. The centre’s building although not a purpose-built centre has been fully renovated to meet the needs of all children, parents, and staff. Some of the many features of the centre are 3 playrooms, 2 playground areas, a separate atelier space, an extensive selection of resources, books, age-appropriate equipment, and a fully ducted reverse cycle air conditioning system. All playroom floors are either floor boards or lino with mats for comfort and toilet/nappy change facilities are provided. We also have two lovely outdoor play areas with ample shade and space for the children to explore and engage in outdoor fun.

How are the Child Safe Standards supported at Elder Street Early Childhood Centre? 

At Elder Street ECHC we are committed to protecting all children who attend our service. We are committed to continual engagement in relevant training and information provided by our regulatory bodies, the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian and the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). 

Child Safe Culture

We understand that the CSS need to exist within a strong culture of child safety. A child safe culture is a set of values and practices that guide the attitudes and behaviour of all staff. Elder Street ECHC has developed our own way of operationalising a culture of safety through the development of 5 Pillars of Child Safe Culture. These are:

1. Professional Development 

2. Child safe curriculum 

3. Family and community education 

4. Online safety practices 

5. Staffing and supervision

Online safety practices

We would like to highlight here the issue of online safety practices. On enrolment families will be given a Digital Image Permission Form to read and sign. This form explains our commitment to a child safe culture and Child Safe arrangements under the advice of the eSafety Commissioner and the National Quality Framework in relation to online environments. The permission form explains our daily practices, use and storage of children’s images within the service and online to help families make decisions about giving permission for the use of their child’s images.