The Mother Teresa Children’s Centre is a first of its kind in Malawi; set in the beautiful and peaceful township of Chilomoni, just outside of the largest city- Blantyre, it will help to transform the lives of hundreds of families and help children to have the best possible start in life.
The centre is unique in Malawi as it is the first to be based on the UK SureStart model.
• There will be day care for up to 250 children, with UK staffing and space ratios
• Staff will have completed a full year of training delivered by UK volunteers who are experienced early years trainers
• We aim for a comprehensive outreach and family support service, bringing preventative child protection to the community for the first time
• Early years healthcare provision
• The centre is situated on a newly developed “campus” of enterprise and learning: along with the primary school, an IT Training Academy and small social-enterprise units, parents will be able to train and work supported by access to subsidised childcare places and knowing their children are safe.
To support the opening of the centre and to join our existing team of experienced volunteers already living in Malawi we urgently seek:
Childcare Manager
Start date: January 2011
Duration: 6 months minimum
Terms: Expenses paid- flights, medical vaccinations, insurance. Full board and private accommodation provided in our beautiful volunteers’ village, non-salaried voluntary.
The Childcare Manager will be expected to provide high quality, flexible childcare for families from the local community of Chilomoni. The Childcare Manager will oversee the operation of the day nursery to the highest standards, ensuring that the best possible environment and care are provided for young children.
Main Responsibilities
• To be responsible for and to oversee the day to day management, staffing, organisation and smooth running of the childcare setting.
• To develop the ethos of the nursery and to create a welcoming and family friendly environment.
• To be a member of the management team and to contribute to the strategic planning, monitoring, evaluation and development of the childcare setting.
• To be responsible at all times for high standards of care and education of children between 0 to six years in accordance with statutory requirements and local expectation.
• To ensure the trainee staff are working effectively and that the training they have received is implemented, promoted and delivered within the setting and the principles adhered to.
• Working within the confines of a developing world situation, ensure that the childcare setting is adequately resourced, liaising with the team in the UK to secure resources where necessary, but adapting resources from locally available materials as a priority.
• To be accountable and responsible for day to day financial systems directly relating to the Childcare provision. This includes ensuring financial sustainability of subsidised or free at the point of use care for orphans and vulnerable children.
• To be responsible for admissions in line with the admissions policy agreed by the management team.
• To keep a register and up to date records of all children using the Childcare provision and to give regular feedback to parents about their child’s development and progress.
• To work alongside volunteer Childcare trainers to ensure that trainee Caregivers are completely agreed assessment tasks.
• To build on early policy formulation and ensure that all staff are working within Centre procedures, paying special attention to security, hygiene and child protection
• To plan all meals and liaise with the catering staff so that children receive nutritious snacks and meals.
• To market the Childcare setting within the local area to ensure uptake of places
• To promote the sponsoring of childcare places for orphans and vulnerable children
Person Specification
You will be an independent, self-managing early years expert with at least 5 years experience of running a nursery or early years childcare setting. With a good head for numbers as well as a caring and compassionate nature, you will keep the needs of children at the forefront, whilst ensuring that the centre works effectively and to budget. You will need to be a real ‘people person’ able to empathise and understand local culture and also skillfully manage a team of newly trained enthusiastic Care Givers.
All applicants must be available for interview in our Staffordshire based UK office.
george.furnival@krizevac.org
For information call 0845 0036004
