With more than one million Australian children in childcare and more women joining their male counterparts in the workforce, finding new ways for working parents to keep in touch with their kids is becoming increasingly important.
Entrepreneur Mark Woodland (pictured), owner of Woodland Education, consisting of two large childcare centres in Melbourne city, strives to improve childcare by integrating education with progressive technology.
The Xplor app was created by Mark, who spent five years developing the ideal ecosystem to assist both educators and parents. Launched this July, Xplor has rolled out across 200 centres nationally.
The platform has revolutionised the day to day operations of childcare centres and saves valuable time with its digital reporting and management software.
Xplor creates new opportunities for childcare centres as they can save time and resources however anyone can download the app to use within the home by nannies and babysitter.
Parents can look at photos and video of their children at any time of the day and it’s also ideal for any parent who wants a secure network to share their child’s photos and videos with family and friends.
How exactly does Xplor work?
Xplor provides a platform for parents to connect with their children in real time.
Each child has their own profile which is updated by staff throughout the day with photos, videos, meal times and other observations as well as sleep tracking.
Milestones such as first words and steps are be recorded and added to the child’s timeline, allowing the parent to watch live and share securely with others.
Xplor is also one of the first apps to integrate iBeacon technology into its design.
This means parents automatically sign their children in and out of the centre just by walking their smart phone past the beacons instead of fussing around with sign in and out sheets.
Parents are also able to pay childcare bills directly through the app for no extra cost and send messages to the educators instantly. Gone are the days of printed journals, clunky e-portfolios or scribbling on a whiteboard.
How does Xplor help childcare centres?
Childcare centres are required to compile extensive paperwork each day and report to the Department of Social Services, documenting each child in their care. Any childcare centre, regardless of size, can utilise Xplor’s CCMS software for free, and access 24/7 support.
Xplor’s powerful practice management software allows for a live and transparent view of what’s happening in the centre. The software is secure, ensuring all sensitive information is protected.
Centres will save time by eliminating lots of paperwork, which means they’ll have the opportunity to improve their service offering or in some cases reduce costs. The app comes at no cost to the child care centre. It is paid by the parents for $2.50 per week.
The app also automatically updates inventory, making the purchase of nappies, toilet paper and other items seamless and automates rostering and meal plans for the centre.
