As a parent, choosing the right childcare centre for your child can be a daunting task. With so many options available, it can be difficult to know where to start.

In this guide, we’ll provide you with tips and information to help you find the best childcare centre near you.

  • Determine your needs
    Before you start your search, take a moment to think about what you're looking for. Consider the following factors when deciding what type of childcare centre is right for your family:
    • Hours of operation
    • Location
    • Cost
    • Age range of children
    • Type of care (e.g. long day care, preschool or kindergarten)
    • Programs and activities available
  • Research your options
    Once you have a clear idea of what you need, it’s time to start researching your options. You can begin by asking friends, family, and co-workers for recommendations. You can also check online directories, such as the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), for information on local childcare centres.
  • Ask the right questions
    When visiting potential childcare centres, it’s important to ask the right questions. Some questions you may want to ask include:
    • What’s the staff-to-child ratio?
    • What does a typical day look like?
    • What’s the service quality rating?
    • What support does the service provide to families and children with additional needs?
    • How do staff keep families informed about the child's day?
  • Trust your instincts
    Finally, trust your instincts. When you visit a childcare centre, pay attention to how you feel. Do the staff seem friendly and knowledgeable? Is the environment clean and safe? Do the children seem happy and engaged? What are the reviews and history of the service?

Finding the best childcare centre for your family is an important decision. At KU we pride ourselves on being Australia’s leading early education provider, where we inspire children’s learning for life.

Find your local KU centre and speak to our friendly staff about our high quality environments and programs, and childcare subsidies or fee relief available to you.

Find a Childcare Centre

The Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector encourages the use of consistent, affirmative and accurate language when talking about ECEC. This supports the professionalism of the sector and helps to emphasise and build recognition of the importance of ECEC.

As such, KU Children’s Services discourages the use of the term ‘childcare centre’. ‘Childcare centre’ implies a focus on physical facilities and on simply providing care for children, rather than on the importance and full context of the education and care provided.

Terms such as ‘early childhood service' and ‘ECEC service’ more accurately represent the broader scope of services provided by early childhood professionals. These services support the holistic development of the child’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical abilities in a way that meets each child’s needs, to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing. This can include allied health provision, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs, early intervention support programs and other additional support services offered by early childhood services within their service delivery.

Within this article we have chosen to use terms commonly known and referred to by families when they are seeking information online about early childhood education and care. An example of this is the use of the term ‘childcare centre’ rather than ‘early childhood service’. These terms may be more accessible and understandable to a wider audience who may not be familiar with the ECEC sector's preferred terminology.