John Mewburn Child Care Centre

The John Mewburn Child Care Centre is located in the Eastern Sydney suburb of Malabar and is managed by Gowrie on behalf of the NSW Department of Corrective Services. This spacious centre offers long day care facilities with an excellent early childhood education program for 55 children ranging from 6 weeks to school age.

Staff members are aware of, and committed to, supporting the inclusion of vulnerable children and families. Curricula and activity programs are geared towards ensuring a smooth transition from the centre by creating links with the local school and other support services in the area. The children and their families also participate in many other aspects of the service, from regular parent meetings to social nights and working bees.

Encouraging meaningful engagement with the wider community has been shown to improve family life outcomes and is vital to the centre’s operational values. To further facilitate this process, staff members undertake additional training in the area of understanding culturally relevant practice, particularly in regards to indigenous culture.

For the past few years, the John Mewburn Child Care Centre worked with the Benevolent Society in participating in its Partnerships in Early Childhood Program (PIEC). Through staff development and support for parents, PIEC aims to improve the quality of early education and care and enhance children’s social and emotional development. The focus is on building nurturing and supportive relationships between children and the adults who care for them within the early education and childcare setting and at home.

An independent evaluation of the program by the University of NSW in 2010 found that the social and emotional development of children attending participating centres improved; peer problems decrease and children’s pro-social behaviour such as helping and sharing increased. The centre staff and families have benefited greatly from the new opportunities and skills that the program has provided.

The growth and development of the John Mewburn Child Care Centre continues with the strong support of the Department of Corrective Service’s funded renovations to the building and redevelopment of the service environment.

Visits to the centre are always welcome and can be arranged by calling the Director to make an appointment on (02)93114895 or email mewburn@gowrie-sydney.com.au

John Mewburn Child Care Centre Picture Gallery