How to: Childcare

Its hard to start sending your child to childcare, which centre do you go to? How do I settle my child in to care? I’m Nikki I’ve worked in the early childhood education and care sector for ten years and whilst I don’t have all the answers, lets debunk some industry terms.

All childcare centres have to go though an assessment and rating process so lets start there. Centres are rated from ‘Excellent’ to ‘Significant Improvement Required’ across seven areas as specified in the NQS (National Quality Standards) (https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/acecqa/files/National-Quality-Framework-Resources-Kit/NQF-Resource-03-Guide-to-NQS.pdf). The rating should be displayed prominently in the foyer of the centre in full view of parents once received or can be found at StartingBlocks (https://startingblocks.gov.au/find-child-care) though a quick search of your suburb. Typically speaking, any centre that has a rating of ‘Meeting the NQS’ or higher is a good centre but have a look at when the centre was rated. These dates  are publicly available on the StartingBlocks site and a good provider will be honest about when they where last rated. The sector is still recovering from the pandemic so some centres are overdue for an assessment and rating The centre that I work at hasn’t been rated since 2019. Overdue inspections are reasonably common. You also should be aware that centres rated ‘Excellent’ have to first be rated ‘Exceeding the NQS’ and pay a fee for an additional assessment process.

Like schools, `Childcare Centres and Outside School Hours Care organisations operate on ‘curriculums’. Instead of the state’s Education Department saying what is required to be taught, we operate under the guidance of the national Quality Framework (NQF)[https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-03/Guide-to-the-NQF-web.pdf]. The NQF has two parts, the National Quality Standards (NQS) an the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)[https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-02/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf] for childcare centres or the MY Time, Our Place (MTOP)[https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/MTOP-V2.0.pdf] for OSHC. Childcare Centres and OSHC organisations have to show how they are continually improving to retain the same rating. While Childcare Centres an OSHC organisations have to have a documented philosophy, essentially the staff at childcare centres/OSHC organisations are there to ensure your child has fun but doesn’t cause or suffer major injuries.

Look, when enrolling your child in care you should be offered a tour of the centre and an opportunity to allow your child to get used to the environment at the centre prior to the commitment of care. This time in the room is called a stay and play and it allows babies and children to start forming connections to the educators that, most of the time, are going to be working with your child. This is your time to ask the centre any questions regarding the care of your child. Ask to read the policies related to any concerns you have they should be available to you to read at your will if there not its a huge red flag.  Remember, things might get a little harder at the start of the year. If your looking to enrol your child starting in January there will be a lot of child movement thought out the centre. The staff and children who are in that room may not be the staff and children that are in that room at the start of the new school year so keep that in mind and it might be easier to start in February if possible. All parents in my experience want there child to be as comfortable in care as possible so to ease there child into care will start them off one day a week in my experience this is harder on the child in terms of getting them settled though. I recommend that a child start off at two short days, say 9:00 to 2:00, a week where possible as the child will settle into care faster and will be less stressed that way and less stress on the child makes it easier for everyone. Most of all, I recommend that you engage in the care of your child both in and outside your home, try to be flexible and understanding toward the educators in your Childs room. There going to get hurt and sometimes the excitement of childcare and the new environment gets to be a bit much. It will all work out in the end.