Lutheran Ethos
Early childhood education and care
Lutheran early childhood education and care refers to those services which provide for children from birth to eight years of age in a variety of settings. They are conducted under the auspices of the LCA and include education, nurture and care.
Partnership with families
Lutheran Early Childhood Education and Care services operate on the basis that:
- a child's primary relationships are with members of his/her family
- families can be made up in many different ways
- the family has primary responsibility for a child's education but may seek support in fulfilling that responsibility
- families seeking to enroll their children in Lutheran Early Childhood Education and Care commit to supporting the stated aims and purposes of a particular service
- families with children so enrolled are encouraged to participate in the work of the service in a variety of ways
Partnerships with community
The nature of Lutheran early childhood education and care requires a high level of cooperation among its community. To enrich and enhance the education, nurture and care offered, it is necessary for a service to interact closely with its community, which will include all or some of the following:
- service staff
- families
- congregation and pastor
- governing body
- neighbouring education and care facilities
- community services
Principles for best practice early childhood education and care
Lutheran early childhood education and care seeks to:
- model Christian beliefs and practices in daily operations
- build a sense of community
- maintain an early childhood identity through philosophy and principles
- view early childhood education and care as part of a holistic approach to a child's development and learning
- provide Christian ministry and service to children and their families
- empower individuals to reach their full potential
- pursue excellence in all aspects of education and care
