Most Australian families seek childcare services when they need to return to work or continue their education. When choosing a childcare centre, think of your child’s needs and your family’s situation first.
Some families begin their search before their baby's birth. They begin searching anywhere from six months out to a year or more before they need it. It's this childcare waitlist that drives parents to start choosing a childcare provider sooner rather than later.
With limited places making enrolments a top priority, it is not unusual for parents to apply to more than one local centre.
Knowing how to find a childcare centre that's right for you and your family is another matter. We provide a simple guide about the steps to take in choosing the right childcare centre.
- Listen to your child’s needs and interests (and your own).
- What type of early learning service suits you best?
- Understanding your options with Apollo Villages.
- Where to start your search.
- Use a checklist to make your search easier.
- Walk through the services you like.
- Grab an information pack.
- Chat about your shortlist with family and friends.
- Trials, orientations and open days.
- Trust your gut and decide.
Steps to find the childcare centre right for you
Choosing childcare is a big decision. While you may feel pressured by the rush for places, getting on that waiting list is one of the last steps in the journey.
1. Listen to your child’s needs and interests (and your own).
First, what’s your child’s age? Most infants' (0-12 months) needs are basic, with their interests focused mainly on you. Their needs include:
- A safe sleep space.
- Secure, trusting and nurturing relationships with educators.
- Access to regular nutrition.
- Bright, roomy spaces for physical activity and play.
Toddlers (1-3 years) are becoming busy explorers as they develop their independence and language. Their needs include:
- Help with big emotions.
- Opportunities for playing with friends.
- Play-based learning and outdoor play.
- Developing self-help skills.
Preschoolers or Kindergarten children (3-5 years) will soon be transitioning to school. Their needs include:
- Help with routines.
- Support with building warm relationships.
- Access to Kindergarten and play-based learning.
- Preparing for Prep.
Every child develops on their own schedule. You know best what support your child needs to thrive.
Family needs generally centre around home, school, work or leisure. Is the centre you’re looking at nearby home or work? If you’re breastfeeding, ask if the centre has comfy nursery chairs for lactating parents.
You’ll find these questions and more in our downloadable checklist on finding the right childcare.
2. What type of service suits you best?
The Queensland government shares a few different early childhood services available to families.
- Long Day Care: Full or part-time care with long hours for children from birth to 12 years.
- Family Day Care: Learning and care in small groups within a home-like setting.
- Kindergarten: An early childhood education program, either part of a childcare centre or independent, that helps children transition to Prep.
- Nannies and babysitters: A private home-based service, usually booked through an agency.
- Occasional and casual care: Regulated, flexible care offered by some centres or unregulated care at resorts, health and sports clubs.
Choosing childcare depends on your family’s rhythm, the type of support you prefer and nearby availability.
3. Understanding your options with Apollo Villages.
Apollo Villages aims to create a warm welcoming long day care community with onsite Kindergarten programs. Our first village at Redcliffe in north Brisbane is underway with further villages planned for the Moreton Bay Region.
We follow the Early Years Learning Framework and verify our educators' experience and qualifications through thorough checks to support a child safe zone.
4. Where to start your search.
The Starting Blocks website is one of the first places parents visit. We recommend using their search function to scout for regulated services near your home or on the way to work or study.
Some unregulated services, such as creches and occasional care, won’t appear on the government websites. For those, it’s worth looking on Google Maps for nearby services that interest you.
For quality rated centres, you can also search the National Register. The National Register provides additional information on where early learning services sit with the seven quality standards.
5. Use a checklist to make your search easier.
Choosing childcare can be overwhelming as no two centres are the same; curriculums vary and the local community influences each service. Matching your child's needs and interests as well as your own can feel like you’re spinning around in circles.
That's why we developed a checklist for you to take on your centre tours. Use our questions and add several of your own.
6. Walk through the services you like.
Once you've narrowed down your choices, you will want to visit the shortlisted centres for a personal and sensory experience. The best way to do this is to call first and then book a tour.
Some centres make appointment times during rest time, so there are fewer interruptions. Others will work with your needs and embrace the chaos.
We recommend booking a time when children are active, as you have a better chance of observing how they and educators interact.
Use our checklist above to reduce your shortlist, jot down your thoughts and the centre’s responses.
7. Grab an information pack.
Every childcare centre provides access to the guidelines that frame your child’s day. You might find their policies and procedures on a centre’s website. Alternatively, when you visit, ask for an information pack.
You can download Apollo Villages' Family Book with all the essentials from our Parent Hub.
8. Chat about your shortlist with family and friends.
Where better to seek support for your decision than with family and friends? You may have relatives, friends or neighbours with children who have previously attended the centres you're assessing.
9. Trials, orientations and open days.
Some early childhood services in Queensland encourage "trials", where you and your child can get a feel for the place, orient and help them transition from home care to early learning.
Open days, while not a substitute for a trial, can be illuminating. These fun, free weekend events offer parents the chance to chat about care and learning with a larger group of educators.
You can discover more about the service by talking to parents and watch the flow between educators and children as they participate in activities.
10. Trust your gut and decide.
In the end, go with your gut feeling when choosing a childcare centre. Does the service feel right for you and your child? Having a checklist to help with your decision can make finding a childcare centre easier.
Once you’ve applied, keep in touch with your chosen childcare centre. Give them a call if your life shifts or you simply change your mind.
Ready to find the right fit?
Choosing a childcare centre is a big step, but you don't have to walk this path alone. Did you know we have new centres opening soon? Start your journey and be the first to discover how we sculpt our days at Apollo Villages.