Vickids Early Learning

For parents

A parent's guide to early learning

Answers to the questions families ask most when choosing childcare or kindergarten, from costs and enrolment to the first weeks.

How the Child Care Subsidy works

The Australian Government's Child Care Subsidy (CCS) helps with the cost of approved care. It is paid straight to your centre, so you pay the gap.

  • Apply through myGov with your Centrelink account, once you have a place.
  • Your percentage depends on family income. Lower incomes get up to 90% of the government's hourly cap, and a higher rate applies for second and younger children aged 5 or under.
  • At least 72 subsidised hours a fortnight for every child, or 100 hours if both parents (or a single parent) do more than 48 hours of work, study or volunteering a fortnight.
  • 5% is withheld by default and balanced after the financial year.
Estimate your fees

Types of care

Long day care

Centre-based care for babies to school age, usually open 10 to 12 hours a day. Many include a funded kinder program.

Kindergarten or preschool

A teacher-led program in the year or two before school, in a standalone kindergarten, a school or a long day care centre.

Family day care

Small groups in an educator's own home, often with flexible hours.

Choosing a centre

  • Visit at least two or three centres, ideally during the morning when children are busiest.
  • Watch how educators talk to children. Warm, unhurried conversations matter more than shiny equipment.
  • Check the NQS rating and the date it was given.
  • Ask about educator turnover. Children do best with familiar, long-term educators.
  • Use our child safety questions on your tour.

Enrolling

  • Join waitlists early, especially for babies and popular days such as Tuesday to Thursday.
  • Immunisation. You will usually need an up-to-date Immunisation History Statement from the Australian Immunisation Register to enrol, and immunisation requirements also apply to the Child Care Subsidy.
  • Kindergarten places. In some areas you register for kindergarten or preschool through your council or state, often a year or more ahead.

Settling in

Most children take a few weeks to settle, and tears at drop-off are normal. Short orientation visits before starting help a lot.

Before starting

  • Visit together a few times
  • Share your child's routines, comforts and words for things
  • Label everything, and pack a spare set of clothes

At drop-off

  • Keep goodbyes short, warm and the same each day
  • Always say goodbye rather than slipping away
  • Ask educators to send a message once your child has settled