Welcome
The Kath Dickson Family Centre is dedicated to the care and education of children. Our founder, Miss Dickson was a strong and consistent advocate for children throughout her career as a pioneer educator. During the last 30 years we have established a reputation as ‘leaders of excellence’ in the field of young children, child care, family support and child care training for tomorrow’s leaders. We are a not-for-profit community based organisation that continues to grow and expand to meet the needs of children, families and communities.
QLD HEALTH (SWINE FLU UPDATES)
Please click on the link below for any information or updates on the outbreak of Swine Flu in Queensland's
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/swineflu/
Research
Please click on the link below for research articles
http://www.springerlink.com/home/main.mpx
Services
KATH DICKSON INSTITUTE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDIES - (KDIECS) |
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The Kath Dickson Institute of Early Childhood Studies is a registered training organisation delivering competency based training to child-care students at all levels. Childcare training for service types - Nannies, Family Day Care, Long Day Care, Out of School Hours Care. |
FAMILY DAY CARE - (FDC) |
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Kath Dickson Family Day care is a professional home-based service operating in Toowoomba and surrounding districts for over 30 years. Interested in a career in childcare? Would you like to stay at home and care for your own children and earn an income? Then ask us about becoming a Home-Based Educator. |
KATH DICKSON OCCASIONAL CARE CENTRE |
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Do you require care for just a couple of hours for that doctor’s appointment or maybe the hairdressers? Kath Dickson Occasional Care can help, because you will not have to pay for a whole’s day care-you will only have to pay for care on an hourly basis or occasionally as you use care. |
KATH DICKSON PARENTING SUPPORT PROGRAM |
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The Parenting Support Program is funded through The Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.The program provides a range of social support services in parenting to parents living in the Toowoomba and surrounding areas. The program is free and offered to parents with children up to 5 years of age. READ MORE... |
KATH DICKSON TOY LIBRARY |
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Tired of paying the high costs for toys and resources for your children only to find that they have quickly grown out of them? For a small membership fee you can borrow developmentally appropriate toys and resources from our extensive toy library for a fraction of the cost. The library also hosts activity mornings twice a week and these groups are free for members or a gold coin donation per child for non- members. Not sure how to keep your school age children entertained over the school holiday periods? Join our vacation care social group. Keep the children busy and meet other families within our community. |
REMOTE AREA ADVISORY SERVICE |
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Over the past decade we have witnessed a rising interest in child care issues and a pressing demand for better care for our young children. The key to better care focuses on professional development for all caregivers. Recent research indicates that high quality care leads to positive outcomes for children, and that caregiver education and training are keys to providing quality care. |
SPECIAL PROJECTS - RAINBOW PLAY CENTRES |
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The Resilient Children in drought affected communities in the Darling Downs project will boost family and community protective factors that promote resilience. Strategies aim to ensure that children experience supportive and enriching early life experiences. Strategies also build and maintain social connectedness. |
BICULTURAL SUPPORT SERVICES |
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Assisting with the co-ordination of the Bicultural Support Service, Kath Dickson helps in providing this free service to assist children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. |
It wasn’t long ago that early childhood education in Australia was the realm of the Kindergarten movement. In fact the graduating students of the Kindergarten Teachers College were warned against the detrimental effects of non maternal care of children.....called in those days maternal deprivation!
Childcare was seen in Australia only as a strategy to prevent the effects of poverty and neglect of children but that was soon to change......
