About Us
Chaya’s Creche is a licensed Jewish long day care centre which has been assessed as ‘Exceeding’ in 2016 relation to all aspects of our service. Located in the heart of Elsternwick Victoria, we are a nurturing, friendly and family orientated child care facility providing high quality care and education for children between 10 months and kindergarten age.
Chaya’s Creche is situated in Melbourne’s south, close to kindergartens, schools, public transport and local stores. Chaya’s Creche is a warm, spacious and bright purpose built facility providing a secure, nurturing and educationally aspiring environment for children in the Jewish community.
Special aspects about our program:
- Warm and Loving Environment
- Small Centre with Individualized
- Attention to Each Child
- Generous Staff to Child Ratio
- Experienced Staff
- Half-Day Program Available
- Early Morning & Late Afternoon Care
- Program Infused with Chassidic Values
- Music and Movement Sessions
- Interactive Mat Sessions
- Puppet Shows
- Incursions (Animal Farm, etc.)
- Family Days
- Parent Sessions
Staff
Chaya Raskin
Director
Chaya Raskin holds a Diploma of Community Services (Children’s Services) and has been directing the crèche since 1987. She is closely involved in educating the children in the centre.
She is adored by the children, educators and parents, with a golden heart for the children’s care, learning and development.
She is passionate about leading the educators in delivering a high-quality program and care.
Chaya and her educators are driven to provide the best possible education and care for your child through Chassidus, nurture, love and care.
Chaya Mushka brings a wealth of admin experience to Chaya’s Creche. Chaya Mushka enjoys working with the educators, and parents to ensure smooth running of the administrator duties, and to accommodate parents requests as much as possible.
Chaya Mushka Brings a happy energy to the centre, ensuring families and staff are feeling comfortable and creating a warm and loving environment at our centre.
Chaya Mushka Sziewicz
Administrator
Devora Raskin
Room Leader
With many years of Child care experience, and a diploma in childcare, Devora brings love and calmness to the room. Devora loves to come up with different and exciting activities for the children each week. Devora is always looking out for ways to advance the centre to ensure the highest quality of care.
Chanie’s warmth and care for every child is shone through her smile as she welcomes each child to creche. Chanie loves to develop and initiate idea’s from children’s imagination and make them a reality! Chanie’s positive energy, and bubbly personality, along with her creativity and amazing leadership skills are some of her virtues that make her an outstanding room leader.
Chanie Raskin
Room Leader
Our Program
Chaya’s Creche provides a stimulating, innovative and secure program based on the Judaic culture, children’s interests, family input and the world we live in. Children are treasured for their uniqueness and individuality and are encouraged in self-expression.
Our programming is directed by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) – Belonging, Being and Becoming.
Belonging – to my family, friends, community and Jewish roots
Being – to be, to seek and create and draw meaning from the world through play
Becoming – a productive, dynamic and unique member of society and the Jewish community; to fulfil my potential
Guided by the EYLF – five learning outcomes, our qualified educators will closely observe children and set goals to capture our children’s learning and developmental journey:
- Children have a strong sense of identity
- Children are connected with and contribute to their world
- Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
- Children are confident and involved learners
- Children are effective communicators
Our Philosophy
At Chayas Creche, we are passionate about nurturing the children according to the teachings of the Torah and Judaism to deepen their sense of belonging to the Jewish faith and their place in the wider community.
Given that the centre is constantly progressing and improving its service, we are committed to an ongoing evaluation, reviewing of our written procedures and policies, including the philosophy of the crèche.
1. Chaya’s Creche aims to provide the children with an understanding and an appreciation of who they are and their heritage. We use the teachings of Chabad Chassidus and Torah to give them a greater sense of belonging to the Jewish faith and their place in the wider community. Chabad Chassidus is characterized by a commitment to transmit the Jewish heritage to the next generation.
2. . In order to foster children’s’ understanding, awareness, and appreciation of who they are and their heritage we will provide stimulating programs based on Jewish values. These values include belief in G-d, love of fellow man, and respect for parents, study of Torah and observance and appreciation of Mitzvos. We aim to develop the ‘whole’ person.
3. Each child is encouraged to recognize their own self worth, talents and abilities that G-d has bestowed upon them in order for them to have a secure and positive self esteem and want to be a contributing member in the wider community. Staff promotes children’s awareness of differences in other people; their abilities and individuality, and show respect for them.
4. We provide a warm, caring and stimulating environment which children from diverse backgrounds can grow and develop. Fostering a nurturing environment is fundamental in promoting a positive self image. We are sensitive to the cultural values of families and aim to promote cultural diversity to support and celebrate our individual families and blend them into a unique crèche family that respects all.
5. Our program has a holistic approach to the child’s development which encompasses a blend of social, religious and educational activities. All the children are encouraged to participate in the program. We provide a service based on the latest National Framework developed by the Australian Government called the Early Years Learning Framework, which emphasizes the importance of Being, Belonging and Becoming. It has specific emphasis on play-based learning and recognizes the importance of communication and language (including early literacy and numeracy) and social and emotional development. We also constantly look to encourage and stimulate the children’s five specific areas of development (physical – fine and gross motor, intellectual, emotional, social and language).
6. We, as early childhood professional know that children learn through play therefore we provide sensory experiences, opportunities to make choices and resources to promote children’s’ learning. Every aspect of the child’s daily life is utilized as, learning opportunity in an enjoyable way.
7. We have a child-centered approach, where programs are planned to suit the needs, abilities and interests of each individual child
8. The centre invites members of the wider community to participate in our program; this broadens the children’s understanding and appreciation of various community members and services.
9. Whilst our program looks to nurture and challenge each child, the welfare, safety and wellbeing of the children is of utmost importance.
10. Our centre promotes non-stereotypical roles and expectations, and encourages equal recognition of ages, genders, and abilities, independent of social status, family structure and culture.
11. The centre values parental involvement, all input is absolutely essential to our planning process, programming, and creation of policies.
12. This philosophy serves as a basis for our centre’s policies, operations, and goals.
Mitzvah Room
12 Months to 2 Years
Our centre offers a nurturing and stimulating environment that tends to each individual child’s needs. There are various age appropriate and fun activities offered by our experienced educators. Our programs are created to stimulate and encourage your child to explore, develop and relate.
Some of our activities include:
- Movement to music and songs
- Art and craft
- Water/sand play
- Emotional expression and language development
- Good hygiene practices
- Outdoor play
- Sensory activities
- A range of cognitive-building toys
- Bright picture books
- Davening
- Shabbos parties
- Jewish mat sessions
- Jewish holiday celebrations
Torah Room
2 Years to Kindergarten Age
Our experienced educators in the Torah room offer activities which extend on children’s individuality and independence. These experiences help to foster each child’s uniqueness as well as sharpen their social and language skills. The educators instil a passion and joy in each child for Yiddishkeit and for the practise of Mitzvahs and learning of Torah. Our crèche program is designed to prepare children for their transition to kindergarten. Self-help skills as well as confidence are among other aspects which children learn in our program.
Activities include:
- Role play
- Books and puzzles
- Creative exploration through art
- Cooking activities
- Music and Movement
- Early numeracy and literacy
- Self-help and development of independence
- Respectful relationships and responsive engagement
- Davening
- Puppetry
- Visual story telling
- Sensory activities
- Midos Tovos (good character traits)
- Jewish mat sessions
- Jewish holiday celebrations
Testimonials
We are so happy with what is being taught at the creche! Chayale came home showing us all her beautiful art work and was very proud of her work. We were so happy to see she knew and was able to point out who were the Rebbeim. Thank you very much for having such a wonderful staff that’s very devoted and caring! We appreciate all you do for Chayale to make her feel happy, comfortable, and safe.
We are very happy with our experience at Chaya’s Creche. Our child comes home with more vocabulary daily, and is always excited to share in new things he’s learnt and done. He’s constantly stimulated and entertained, which is all us parents could possibly ask for. We are extremely satisfied with our experiences at Chaya’s Crèche, and are ready to enrol our 7 month old for next year!
Aiden loves coming to Chaya’s Creche. As soon as we arrive, we are greeted by his Morahs with warm smiles and cuddles. Aiden runs along to play with whatever is out for the day. When I pick him up, I am always told about Aiden’s day and what he loved doing. I am amazed by the exciting educational activities the kids do and the warmth and care of the Morahs. We are so lucky that we discovered Chaya’s Creche. It truly has exceeded all our expectations.
Our son joined Chaya’s Creche this year and it has been a smooth adjustment thanks to his incredible Morahs. He enjoys Creche daily and it is the best feeling knowing that I can leave and he will be well taken care of. I look forward to the daily photos and love seeing him smiling with his friends. I am glad that I have chosen this high quality care Creche for our son, and I he will definitely be attending Chaya’s Crèche next year.
With its warm and friendly environment our daughter didn’t have any dificulty transitioning to a creche setting, and they made it her home away from home. We get daily updates and photos from the teachers so we know our baby is in good hands.
Our family has been involved with Chaya’s Creche for the past 15 years. We love the warm, caring teachers and Chassidishe nurturing environment. Our children have loved their creche experiences. What more can a parent ask for?
Contact Us
Phone: 03 9505 3352
Email: admin@chayascreche.com.au
Address: 278 Glen Eira Rd, Elsternwick