Phone: (03) 5481 0640
Berrimba Childcare Centre provides care and education in a safe, stimulating and enriching environment which strengthens their Aboriginal identity.
Berrimba operates from 8.30am to 5.oopm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 4.00pm on a Friday.
If you arrive early you will be asked to wait with your child until 8.30 and if you are running late you need to notify Berrimba staff as we have to have two staff stay at the premises and wait for you.
All children must be at the service by 10am on the day of your booking.
Babies Room – 6 months to 2 years old
Toddlers Room – 2 years old to 3 years old
3-5 year old Room – 3 Years old to 5 Years old
Afterschool/Holiday Program – 6 Years old to 12 Years old
8.30am – 5.00pm
Working Families
10.00am – 3.30pm
Non Working Families
8.30am - 5pm school holidays
Strengthening our Children’s connection to Culture, Community & Country.
Days and Times organized annually according to enrolments.
There are no fees for Kindergarten and if your child turns 3 or 4 prior to April of that year they are eligible for Kinder.
Current staff at Berrimba are:
Can parents please keep your personal details up to date, such as phone numbers, home address and emergency contacts.
If staff need to contact parents in an emergency then contact details must be up to date.
Link to Family Information Form
Berrimba means “forever learning”
In 1983 a group of young Aboriginal mums and Aunty Melva Johnson along with Aunty Val Mitchell got together and decided to form their own playgroup. This playgroup was run once a week in the Church of Christ hall. One mum cooked lunch for the children and the other mums set up and participated in activities with the children. Resources for the playgroup came from the Op Shop.
The playgroup then moved to the co-op in High Street because it became too expensive to use the hall. In 1985 the Uniting Church donated the current facility to the Aboriginal community for our child care centre.
In order to better improve the children’s service, Aunty Melva and the late Kerry Johnson attended a meeting in Swan Hill and fought for funding from Canberra to set up a Multifunctional Aboriginal Child Care Centre, which includes an after school program and holiday program. This is termed a MACS centre.
In April 1990 Berrimba Child Care Centre was officially opened as a 25 place facility which operates under the regulations of the Department of Human Services and the DEEWR.
That all Aboriginal children have the opportunity to access a high quality child care service that:-
Provides care and education in a safe, stimulating and enriching environment which strengthens their Aboriginal identity.
The main aim of Berrimba is to promote a positive self concept in all Aboriginal children. Children need to experience success and positive reinforcement in all areas of their learning, while being encouraged to do their best.
Children learn through actively being involved in the environment and participating in experiences that provide balanced opportunities for all aspects of the child to grow and develop.
Staff create an environment of learning which is relevant to the concept, skills and interest appropriate to the age and stage development of the child, allowing children to develop their own individual pace. Co-operation and respect for the rights and feelings of others is also encouraged, with disagreements being resolved through discussion rather than aggressive behaviour.
Berrimba aims to develop and extend children culturally, socially, emotionally, physically, intellectually and creatively.
Link to Njernda Information Booklet
Best Start Outcomes we are aiming to achieve are to ensure all Aboriginal Children engage and participate in early childhood education and Aboriginal Children and Families actively engage with Maternal and Child Health Services, attending all key ages and stages visits.
Contact:
Emma Taylor, Best Start Facilitator – 0407 462 711 Email: emmat@njernda.com.au
Colleen Day Muhr, Assistant Best Start Facilitator – 0438 788 654 Email: colleend@njernda.com.au
Berrimba’s Wayipungitj (KPSA) provides support to Aboriginal Families whose children attend 3 Year Old Early Start or 4 Year old Kindergarten. Our KPSA can help you with enrolling your children in kindergarten or school either at Berrimba Bush Kinder; or through Central Enrolments to attend Echuca South, Echuca East or Echuca Central. Our KPSA also attends all Kindergartens in Echuca to support educators in implementing Aboriginal Culture in their programs and supporting the children and families who attend their service.
Contact:
Skye Cemino 0459 854 332 or Email: skyec@njernda.com.au
FOREVER LEARNING – A Digital Story from Berrimba Child Care Centre
IHHP – Echuca/Moama – “3 Rivers Flow”