Here to Help, Every Step of the Way

Opening hours vary by centre. You can find the hours for your local centre on their individual centre page. Most centres operate Monday to Friday and are closed on public holidays. We are open throughout school holidays. Speak with your local centre team if you have questions about scheduling or extended hours.

Comfortable, practical clothing that your child can move and play freely in is always ideal. Every child receives an Eden hat and wetbag, so there’s no need to bring your own. We recommend a labelled bag with at least one complete change of clothes, a named water bottle, and any comfort items your child uses, such as a dummy or favourite toy. We’re a sun safe service, so please dress your child in clothing that covers their shoulders where possible.

All meals are provided, so there’s no need to pack food. For children in nappies, please discuss formula, breast milk, and nappy arrangements with your centre team, as this varies by room.

Casual days can be booked through Child Care Now, generally two weeks in advance. Additional permanent days can be requested by contacting the enrolments team directly or emailing your centre. We recommend reaching out as early as possible, as availability varies. Both are subject to centre capacity and are offered to enrolled families where space allows.

We take all feedback seriously and encourage families to come to us directly in the first instance. If you have a concern, the best first step is to speak with your child’s Educator or your Centre Manager, who will work with you to address it promptly and respectfully. If you feel your concern hasn’t been resolved, you can escalate it to our central team through the contact form on our website.

All complaints are handled in line with our Complaints and Grievances Policy, a copy of which is available at the centre. You also have the right to contact your relevant state regulatory authority at any time.

Enrolments start with a simple enquiry through our website or by calling our enrolments team on 1300 898 617. A member of our team will walk you through availability, answer your questions, and guide you through the process from there. We recommend expressing your interest as early as possible. Places at many of our centres fill well in advance, and families expecting a new baby are welcome to join the waitlist before their child is born.

From 5 January 2026, the Australian Government replaced the Child Care Subsidy Activity Test with the 3 Day Guarantee. Every CCS-eligible family now receives a minimum of 72 hours of subsidised early learning per fortnight, regardless of work or study hours. That means the barrier that once limited how much subsidised care families could access is gone.

If you were already receiving CCS, no action was needed. The change was applied to your account automatically.

First Nations families are entitled to 100 hours of subsidised care per fortnight, as are families where both parents or carers complete more than 48 hours of recognised participation per fortnight. Your CCS percentage and income eligibility remain unchanged.

3 Day Guarantee

Eden Academy centres welcome children from 6 weeks up to 6 years, across our nursery, toddler, and kindergarten and preschool programs. Each room is designed around the developmental stage your child is in, with age-appropriate routines, learning experiences, and Educator-to-child ratios. Your child can start as soon as a place becomes available and your enrolment is confirmed. Speak with your local centre team about current availability.

You can book a tour through our website or by calling 1300 898 617. We love showing families around, and it’s the best way to get a real feel for the space, meet the team, and ask the questions that matter most to you.

First days are a big moment, and our team will be ready to welcome your child and help them settle in from the moment they arrive. You’ll meet your child’s primary Educator, be shown through their room, and get a feel for the daily routine. We recommend bringing a labelled bag with a change of clothes, a water bottle, and any comfort items your child uses. All meals are provided, so there’s no need to pack food.

Every child also receives an Eden hat and wetbag on their first day. Your Centre Manager or Educator will let you know if there’s anything specific to your child’s room to be across. We recommend labelling everything your child brings, so nothing goes astray.

Settling looks different for every child, and we take our lead from yours. Our team uses a gentle, relationship-based approach to help children feel safe and comfortable in their new environment. For children who need a bit more time, we welcome a gradual transition where parents or carers stay for part of the session and slowly build up from there.

You’re always welcome to call during the day for an update. Most children settle beautifully within a few weeks, and we’ll keep you in the loop every step of the way.

We ask that you keep your child home if they are showing signs of being unwell, to protect the health of all children and staff. As a guide, please keep your child home if they have a fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, or an undiagnosed rash, or if they are simply not well enough to participate in their day. Exclusion periods apply for certain infectious illnesses.

If your child becomes unwell during the day, we will contact you and ask that they be collected promptly. A copy of our Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Policy is available at the centre.

Yes, Educators can administer medication with your written authorisation. You will need to complete an Administration of Medication Record, which documents the medication name, dosage, and time of administration. Medication must be in its original packaging and clearly labelled with your child’s name.

It is stored securely and administered by a staff member, with the process witnessed and documented. You will be informed of any medication given at pick-up.

In accordance with state legislation, children must be up to date with their immunisations, have an approved medical exemption, or be on a recognised catch-up schedule to enrol in our service. This applies in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. For our centres in QLD, children may enrol but will not be eligible for CCS without proof of immunisation.

An up-to-date Immunisation History Statement from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) is required at enrolment and must be kept current. Please speak with our team if you have any questions about your child’s immunisation status.

Daily fees vary by centre. All of the following are included: all meals (breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and a late snack) prepared fresh on-site each day by our centre Cook; educational incursions and experiences throughout the year; and an Eden hat and wetbag for every child.

You can find specific fee information by contacting our enrolments team on 1300 898 617. Most families are eligible for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), which can significantly reduce the out-of-pocket cost of care.

The Child Care Subsidy is a government payment that reduces the cost of approved childcare for eligible families. It’s paid directly to your childcare provider and applied as a discount on your fees. Eligibility is based on your family’s combined income and the age of your child.

From 5 January 2026, the old Activity Test was replaced by the 3 Day Guarantee, meaning every CCS-eligible family now receives at least 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight regardless of work or study hours. Most families receive some level of subsidy.

You can check your estimated entitlement through the Services Australia website or speak with our team for guidance.

CCS Calculator

From 5 January 2026, every CCS-eligible family is entitled to a minimum of 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight under the 3 Day Guarantee. Families where both parents or carers complete more than 48 hours of recognised participation (paid work, study, volunteering, or similar) per fortnight are entitled to 100 hours. First Nations families are also entitled to 100 hours per fortnight.

Your CCS percentage is based on your combined family income. You’ll still pay a gap fee, but with 72 hours guaranteed, childcare is more accessible than ever.

3 Day Guarantee

Yes, fees are charged for any absence regardless of the reason. However, the good news is that absences still attract your Child Care Subsidy contribution, as long as you have allowable absences remaining. Each family is entitled to 42 Allowable Absences per financial year that CCS will still apply to, so your subsidy continues to contribute even when your child isn’t there.

Once your 42 Allowable Absences are used up, a medical certificate will be required for each additional sick day in order for CCS to continue contributing to that absence. Medical certificates can only be applied from that point onwards, so they can’t be backdated to cover absences within your 42-day allowance.

It’s also worth knowing that public holidays are already factored into the 42 allowable absences covered by CCS. Medical certificates cannot be used for public holiday closures, as those days are accounted for separately.

Yes. In most states, children in the year before they start school are eligible for government-funded Kindergarten or Preschool programs. Funding arrangements vary by state, so the amount and how it applies to your fees will depend on your local centre’s location. Our team will help you understand what’s available and how it applies to your family. Speak with your local centre for state-specific information.

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), titled “Belonging, Being and Becoming,” is Australia’s national curriculum framework for children from birth to 5 years. It guides how Educators plan and deliver learning experiences, with a focus on five outcomes: identity, community, wellbeing, learning, and communication.

The EYLF recognises that children learn best through play-based experiences rooted in genuine, trusting relationships. At Eden, the Framework shapes everything from how our rooms are set up to how our Educators observe and document your child’s growth.

While every day looks a little different depending on the children’s interests and energy, our routines offer a healthy balance of structure and flexibility. A typical day includes arrivals and free play, group learning experiences, outdoor time, meals, rest or quiet time, and afternoon activities before pick-up.

Throughout the year, children also take part in educational incursions and experiences that extend their learning and spark curiosity. In the younger rooms especially, our Educators follow individual children’s rhythms, so routines are always responsive rather than rigid. You can see a real-time window into your child’s day through our family communication app, OWNA or KindyHub.

Our Educators observe and document your child’s learning and development through regular observations, photos, and learning stories, all shared with you through our family communication platform. These updates give you a genuine window into what your child is exploring, how they’re growing, and what’s capturing their attention right now.

You’ll also have regular opportunities to connect with your child’s Educators in person and attend more formal progress conversations throughout the year.

Every child deserves to feel seen, supported, and included. For children with additional needs or a diagnosed disability, we work closely with families and, where relevant, allied health professionals and specialist support services to develop an approach tailored to your child. This may include accessing the Inclusion Support Programme (ISP), which provides additional funding and specialist guidance.

For children where English is a second language, our Educators incorporate familiar words, cultural acknowledgement, and visual supports into daily routines to help every child feel comfortable and connected.

Our Transition to School program and Kindergarten curriculum are designed with school readiness in mind. Not just academic skills, but the confidence, independence, and social foundations children need to thrive. In the year before school, we focus on self-regulation, communication, early literacy and numeracy, and the ability to navigate new environments with ease.

We connect with local schools where possible and support families through the enrolment process. Your child won’t just be ready for school. They’ll be looking forward to it.

Yes, all meals are included in your daily fee. Our centre Cook prepares fresh meals on-site each day, covering breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and a late snack. Menus follow a rotating cycle designed to meet the nutritional needs of young children. There’s no need to pack food unless you’ve made specific arrangements with your centre team.

Good food is a core part of the day at Eden. Our menus are developed in line with the Get Up & Grow guidelines, the Australian government’s healthy eating and physical activity resource for early childhood services. We cook fresh on-site each day, using seasonal ingredients across all meals and snacks. You’re always welcome to view the current weekly menu.

Managing allergies and dietary requirements is something our team takes seriously. At enrolment, we collect detailed information about your child’s dietary needs, and this is clearly communicated to both our Cook and Educator team. Where a child has a diagnosed allergy or anaphylaxis risk, an individual medical management plan (including an ASCIA action plan) is put in place before your child starts care.

Educators are trained in its implementation, meals are prepared with cross-contamination prevention in mind, and all dietary requirements are clearly flagged in our kitchen and room systems.

Every Eden team member completes a thorough pre-employment screening process before commencing work with children. This includes a Working With Children Check (WWCC), a Prohibited Persons Check, and verification of identity, right to work, work history, and professional references. First aid and CPR qualifications are required across our Educator and leadership teams.

Our screening process meets the requirements of the National Quality Framework and our own internal safeguarding standards.

The safety and wellbeing of every child in our care is at the centre of everything we do. Our Child Safe Policy reflects our commitment to building environments where children feel respected, valued, and genuinely protected. This policy covers how we identify and respond to risk, how we train and support our team, and how we foster a culture where children’s voices are heard and taken seriously.

All staff complete child safety training, and our policies are reviewed regularly to reflect current best practice and regulatory requirements. A full copy of our Child Safe Policy is available at your centre.

Only people you have specifically authorised on your child’s enrolment records are permitted to collect them. If someone unfamiliar arrives, our team will ask for photo ID and check it against your child’s file. If authorisation cannot be confirmed, you will be contacted immediately and the person will be asked to wait. If we are unable to reach you, we will contact your nominated emergency contacts.

Our team reserves the right to refuse collection until authorisation is clearly established. This applies regardless of whether your child appears to know the person.

We use positive guidance strategies, including redirecting, acknowledging feelings, and helping children build social and problem-solving skills. When conflict arises, Educators support children to express themselves and work towards resolution. We never use punitive or shaming responses. For repeated or concerning behaviour, we work with families to create a consistent and supportive approach.

Bullying is taken seriously and addressed promptly, involving families and, where needed, external support.

Educators respond immediately to any incident or accident, providing first aid and ensuring your child is safe and comforted. You will be contacted by phone for any significant incident, and an Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record will be completed for you to sign at pick-up.

Where required, serious incidents are reported to the relevant regulatory authority. Our full Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Policy is available at the centre upon request.