What To Look For In A Child Care Centre in Toowoomba

Are you in the phase of looking for the best childcare centre for your children?

Does it feel like treasure hunting to you?

Do you get frustrated about it?

Well, we understand how you feel, so let this article be your guide. Here, we’ll share with you what to look for in a childcare centre in Toowoomba. Then, hopefully, after reading this, finding the right centre for your child will come easier.

As a parent, finding the most suitable childcare centre for your child can be mind-boggling, especially if it’s your first-time being parents. It can stir up your mind and even get you frustrated. But when you know the important things to look for in a childcare centre, things will be a lot easier.

Determine what type of childcare you need

There are various types of childcare services being offered by different centres. That’s why it’s important to first determine what is the type of childcare you do want and need. This will help you narrow down your choices. 

Here is the sample of the different type of childcare services:

●    Nursery 

●    Toddlers 

●    Pre-Kindergarten 

●    Kindergarten 

●    Vacation Care: 5 years to 12 years

After you’ve decided which of these rooms you are interested in based on your children’s age, you can now proceed on searching the centres that offer the kind of childcare you need.

NQF rating

Now, when you’ve decided the type of childcare you want and need, one of the most important things you’ll need to look in a centre is their NQS (National Quality Standard) rating. The centre should’ve been able to pass the 7 quality areas in NQS. 

They must have received the ratings like the following: 

●    Excellent – as the highest possible rating to be received. This means that they’ve exceeded all the 7 quality areas to meet.

●    Exceeding National Quality Standard – this means that they’ve exceeded at least 4 quality areas including 2 key areas.

●    Meeting National Quality Standard – this means that the centre has met all the elements needed to pass the NQS.

If the centre has received lower than these 3 ratings or worst is they don’t have any NQS rating, then you need to rethink above dealing with them or better, not to enrol your child under their care.

License and registration

After checking for the NQS rating, the next thing to look for is their license and registration. A reliable childcare centre must be able to provide these for you. This will prove that they’re operating legally and registered under the NQF. 

Type of philosophy and education

Now that you’ve proven that they’re operating under the law and standards, you may now inquire about the type of philosophy and education method they apply. Are they the type of centre that just play, feed, and wipe child’s noses? Or do they offer a quality learning time for your children?

Childcare centres should be able to provide you with both care and quality learning experience for your child. 

Ask yourself if their type of philosophy and way of educating child is aligned to your parenting ways. This will help you feel at ease that your child is learning things the way you want them to be.

Location

Next thing to look and consider is the centre’s location. Is it close to your home or your office? Will the location affect your daily routine? Is the centre’s location easy to find and go to? Do the centre charge for late pickups?

All these will depend on your current work schedule, especially if you’ve got a busy workload. See to it that you put great consideration on the location of the centre as it can affect your routine.

Cost

The cost of childcare centres varies depending on their locations and services offered. Make sure to take note of the cost, charges, and other fees the centre may require. If you have already seen a few centres you like, you might also want to compare their fees to see which one suits your budget.

You still need to check and compare the things they offer. One centre may offer a lower fee but you’ll have to supply the nappies and foods. Whilst the other may charge a higher price and includes everything from food, nappies, and other materials.

These are just a few of the things to look for in a childcare centre in Toowoomba. There are still other important things that you need to check before finalising your choice. Stay tuned for our part 2 of this blog to learn more about the other things you need to consider.