Our Christian Identity
Exceptional learning and care
Our Christian Identity
Exceptional learning and care through a faith-based foundation
Looking for a Christ-centred early learning centre near you? View our locations to find a place where care, learning and community grow together.
Our History
Since our inception in 1882, we have remained true to the original vision of our founder, the Rev George Ardill. Rev Ardill started the noble work of serving the needs of the marginalised and vulnerable members of society as a practical expression of his Christian faith.
Today, we carry on his vision by operating early education and care services designed to meet the needs of children and their families. At Integricare, faith is not an addition — it is the foundation. Learn more about our mission and values and how they shape every child’s experience.
Integricare’s Charity Status
Integricare is a ‘for-purpose’ community-based organisation dedicated to serving children, families and local communities. We are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
Our Strategic Direction
Our purpose and beliefs define how we operate as a Christian organisation. It reflects our vision, mission and core values, and aims to give Integricare staff and families clarity.
Our Purpose
To enable children, families and communities to experience the love of Jesus.
Our Vision
Leaders in providing holistic, innovative and integrated services for children and families that achieve transformation in the communities we serve.
Our Mission
We express Jesus’ love in action through:
- Excellence in early learning
- Equipping and caring for families
- Engaging local communities
Our Values
Compassion: that includes justice for the vulnerable
Holistic care: that meets spiritual, physical and emotional needs
Respect: that extends to diverse cultures and backgrounds
Innovation: that ensures excellence in all we do
Support: that loves and cares for staff and families
Trust: through creating safe environments
Explore how we bring these values to life in our Christian Learning devotional series, written by our community and leaders of faith.
Our Core Beliefs
Our Christian identity is defined by our beliefs and the practical outworking of these beliefs in our day-to-day operation, attitudes and actions. The basis of our identity is consistent with the mission of Jesus and the teaching of mainstream Christian churches and denominations. As such:
We Believe Children Are a Precious Gift from God
Children are gifted with diverse capabilities and interests and have the potential to think, investigate, create, problem solve and discover. We believe each child is on a journey to belong to a family, group and culture.
We believe they need to be respected and acknowledged for who they are at this point in time and allowed the time to become their unique and best self. It is the aim of Integricare staff to facilitate and scaffold your child’s belonging, being and becoming.
We Believe the Bible Is the Inspired Word of God
The Bible is given to us to help us understand who God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are and to explain to us how and why they work in our lives. To this end, we will respectfully introduce the three persons of the Godhead to your child through Bible stories, songs and prayer.
We Believe God Is the Creator and Sustainer of Our Planet
Through our nature curriculum, we scaffold children’s exploration and care of nature and seek to develop in them a commitment to supporting the sustainability of His creation.
We Believe God Is Loving and Just, and Longs to Show Mercy to All
We aim to reflect the attitude of Jesus not only toward children but also toward people, preferring to act and respond in a merciful manner.
We believe in the rights of all to be treated compassionately, fairly and equitably and to have their culturally diverse ways of knowing and being respected.
We do this because Jesus said that we should love our neighbour as ourselves (Mark 12:31).
Faith-Informed Early Education
We believe the purpose of Christian early childhood education and care is to serve children, families and communities by meeting their education and care needs and enhancing their wellbeing.
It is our purpose that through our service to you and your family, you come to experience the love of Jesus. Want to see how our faith informs everyday practices? Visit a location near you or read our latest devotions and reflections. Our Christian orientation is also embedded in our policies and procedures, which inform our daily practices and underpin our educational practice.
What this means is that your children will participate in or observe a number of practices that would be considered Christian in their orientation. These Christian practices will vary from centre to centre but could look like:
- Giving thanks (to God) for good things
- Communication sent to families that is spiritual in nature
- Singing Christian songs for children
- Sharing of Bible verses
- Use of and references to Christian symbols
- The giving of Christian gifts
We see the role of the curriculum as facilitating and supporting children’s learning, development and dispositions for learning through all of the experiences they encounter during their time at our service.
