Figuring out what to look for in childcare can make life a whole lot easier. Our Childcare Checklist for parents can keep you grounded on what matters most.
Have you been searching for "childcare centres near me"? Those red points of interest on Google Maps can be overwhelming. Narrowing down the services for your child's care and learning is no simple feat.
We all want children to have the best start in life. The best childcare centre should make them feel:
- Safe, secure and supported
- Nurtured and happy
- Confident and inspired to act
- That their voices are heard
- Connected to culture and community
- A strong sense of identity and wellbeing
- Respected
Children also have a right to engage in ample child-led opportunities for meaningful, hands-on learning experiences, where they can develop their interests.
But how can we be certain that our shortlist of care and education services meets these requirements?
Apollo Villages’ free childcare centre list considers what to look for in an early learning service. It includes questions to discover if you're a good fit. Some are for you to answer, while others are for the childcare tour.
Preparing for your childcare centre tour
Before you head out for your childcare centre tour, there are a few things to consider. You’ll want to ensure the centre is easy to get to and within close proximity to work, home or on the way.
Then, you’ll want to check whether the centre has vacanices on the days and times you need. While places like the Australian government’s Starting Blocks display vacancies, you can confirm the details with a quick call the centre.
First, a quick look at the official side of things
The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) sets the National Quality Standards (NQS) for how early childhood education supports children's learning from birth to five years of age.
The NQS is a core element of the National Quality Framework (NQF). It covers seven quality areas in early education and care.
When looking for a great childcare centre, you can view a registered service's quality ratings at Starting Blocks. Ratings range from 'Excellent' to 'Significant Improvement required'.
One thing to note, the rating system is not a simple pass or fail. The 'Working Towards NQS' rating means a service was identified as needing improvement in one or more of the seven quality areas.
Services awaiting their first review are assigned 'Provisional—Not yet assessed under the National Quality Framework'.
A good place to start looking into a quality childcare service is by learning more about its rating. When touring, you could ask the centre questions about the areas they are working towards and whether they have an active quality improvement plan.
Ratings can help, but they don't always capture the full picture, such as a child's experience, how a community feels or the context of a service. These are areas you can explore with our childcare checklist made for parents.
Second, review social media for comments and parent reviews
Before heading out to tour your selected centres, be sure to look them up on social media. Many centres have their own Facebook and Instagram pages.
Social pages share the raw, day-to-day adventures and show how children and educator teams connect with their community. Besides reading comments and reviews, you can observe:
- How centres recognise and celebrate their children and educators
- The types of experiences children participate in
- How they welcome families and communities
- How they communicate with families
You can turn these observations into questions when touring. For example, 'I noticed on your Facebook page that the children stayed inside when it rained last Tuesday. How often can they splash about in puddles?'
Then, check out their website and blog
A quality childcare centre's website should also provide you with information about the service's context. Every centre has a distinct character. Factors like the local community and the physical environment naturally shape how a service operates.
For example, at Apollo Villages, we're dedicated to balancing the indoor-outdoor flow. We're big believers in letting children be children, which usually means getting a bit of dirt under the fingernails.
We inspire children to spend time in open green spaces, so they can run about, explore, climb trees and get all dirty and muddy.
We don't just have a playground; we have nature with shady trees, gardens, sand, dirt and water to play in.
You can learn about a childcare centre's philosophy and what they care about by reading their policies, blog articles and webpages, such as the About page and Parent hub.
If reading their website leaves you uncertain of any of the details, add these as questions to your childcare checklist.
Your childcare centre list: what to ask on a tour
When it comes to looking for the best childcare centre for your child, the more questions you ask, the more you can be certain that a service is right for you.
Our childcare checklist for parents includes frequently asked questions, such as:
- Child ratios
- Fees and what’s included
- Educator qualifications, training and background
- Safety
- Nutrition and meals
- Programming and play-based learning experiences
- Incursions and excursions
- Policies, procedures and philosophies
- Health, wellness and sun protection
- Cultural and community connections
- Facilities and maintenance
- Family involvement
Travel time and proximity
When returning to work or study, parents want to know the logistics of travelling to a centre. Is it on your way to work? Is it far from where your studying? Can you get there easily by bus or train?
Child and educator interactions
How do children and educators interact? Are the educators standing back and observing, or are they getting down to the child's level to create a more personal connection?
Educator consistency and turnover
Do children always have the same group leaders? What's the turnover rate of educators? Do they have full-time employees? For an early learning startup like Apollo Villages, you could enquire about employee programs that promote stability and a positive culture, such as:
- Career development and training
- Leadership programs
- Inclusivity and belonging
- A healthy work-life balance
Outdoor and indoor spaces
The outdoor environment should be an inviting space for risky play and adventure. You might notice it is divided into different areas depending on a child's development, while still inviting siblings to play together.
A quality service will feature trees, grass and other natural elements, such as water features, for sensory play.
Are indoor spaces balanced with nooks and crannies for quiet play? While nurseries are more likely to have open areas for tummy time, rolling over and crawling, rooms for older children should invite group play, supporting social, emotional and cognitive development.
Other questions and observations could include:
- Are the nappy change rooms and toiletry areas well-stocked and clean?
- Do you see resources and materials, displayed at a child’s level, inviting them to play?
- Does the centre make children's learning visible by displaying their discoveries, photos or drawings around their rooms?
- Where are the books, and how many are there?
- How do you help children with seperation anxiety?
Centre tours
Are centre tours during the service's quiet moments when children are asleep? Or are they flexible, inviting you in during busy times so you can see those authentic, messy moments of childhood?
First impressions always count. The best childcare centres will welcome you with a genuine, neighbourly smile. They will be happy to answer your questions and will ask several of their own to get to know your family.
Take our childcare centre list on your next adventure
It helps you keep track of all these questions and more, so you get the most out of your centre tour. Download it now to your tablet or phone and start sorting out your shortlist.