There are a range of childcare options available in the City of Glen Eira. Read more below about facilities near you.
Find childcare
The following education and care options are available in our municipality:
Choosing an education and care service
Families have different childcare needs based on factors such as the hours of care required and the environment that best suits the individual child.
To read more about the different types of education and care available and to help you decide which childcare option is best for your family, visit Starting Blocks webiste or the Victorian Government website.
Long day care
Long day care (often called childcare, 'Early Learning Centres' or 'ELCs') is usually based in a purpose-built facility. The education and care programs are created around the developmental needs, interests, and experience of each child.
Children can get to know their educators and form an attachment to familiar people, spaces, sounds and smells, as well as developing friendships with other children.
Long day care centres typically operate for at least eight hours a day on normal working days. They may also offer kindergarten programs.
Long day care centres are operated independently, so each centre has its own ways of working. Some key differences may include the:
- operating hours
- fee structure
- centre size
- room set-up
- number of children per room.
Provided services like meals and nappies may vary from centre to centre.
To make an informed decision, do your own research and contact each of the centres you are interested in and book a tour. This will allow you to see the centre for yourself and ask questions of the educators, and make sure it meets your family’s needs.
You can also use the National Quality Standards quality ratings to assess which centre is right for your family. Approved services are required to meet these high national standards to ensure your child is safe and is given opportunities for learning and development regularly. For more information, visit the Starting Blocks website.
The Victorian Government also provides a helpful guide to support choosing the right service for your family, visit How to choose the best child care.
Age: six weeks to six years
There are a range of early learning centres and long day care providers within Glen Eira. Check out the map below to find one near you or download a copy.
To find long day care centres outside of the City of Glen Eira, you can use the Starting Blocks Find Child Care tool.
Kindergarten
Kindergarten (sometimes called 'preschool') is an education program taught by qualified early childhood teachers.
Kindergarten programs are delivered in long day care, standalone services, or on private school sites.
We operate a central registration system for two years of funded kindergarten for three-year-old and four-year-old children at 15 community-based kindergartens in Glen Eira.
All funded kindergarten programs in Victoria are led by a qualified early childhood teacher and offer a play-based learning program based on the same government guidelines.
A kindergarten program offers your child opportunities to make friends, be creative, become more confident and independent, learn new things, improve skills and gain new ones. You have the option of using, sessional/community kindergartens, privately managed children's services, early learning centres and/or schools.
You can choose what works best for your family and child — the kindergarten programs share the same learning outcomes.
Age: three to five years
Family day care
Family day care is when a child is looked after by a qualified educator in their own home. It is a unique, home-based environment providing quality care and education for children and is a great choice for parents who work irregular hours as it offers a variety of care options.
Family day care cares for smaller groups of children — no more than seven children at a time. The age of children can be spread across four preschool and three school age children at any given time to ensure children are well supervised.
Age: six weeks to 12 years
Occasional care
Occasional care is a great option if you need flexible care options to attend an appointment, study, do casual work, exercise or have a break from full-time parenting as their sessions usually only run for a few hours.
Age: six weeks to 6 years
