BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE

APRIL 14, 2025

Childcare has been in the news recently, and if you’re feeling a bit rattled by reports of shockingly bad early learning services, then it is comforting to know that there are lots of high-quality, and absolutely wonderful, services operating around Australia. 

None of these childcare centres are the exactly same, however, you’ll find that they do share some common quality indicators, and to help you spot a great service, we’ve spoken with Kelly West.  

Kelly is the Director/Nominated Supervisor at Adamstown Community Early Learning and Preschool in Newcastle, NSW. 

ACELP (as it’s fondly known) is a very small, not-for-profit service with a huge fanbase, and it’s one of the few services in Australia that’s rated Excellent by ACECQA. 

This is the highest rating a service can get under the National Quality Standard, and although most services don’t have the Excellent rating, it is possible to find one that shares ACELP’s commitment to high-quality education and care.  

So, without further ado, here are three things Kelly suggests you look for when searching for an excellent early learning service. 

1. You're looking for a quality environment 

Environment is often thought of as a child’s third teacher, so it’s important to locate a good one. However, if you think a quality environment means clean lines and perfect design, then think again!  

Although the childcare space should be tidy, for safety reasons, Kelly explains that a quality environment isn’t one that’s focused on aesthetics, and instead, the environment should be appealing to your child.  

She explains that, “Children want to see possibilities, like stuff to climb on, things to build, and loose parts to play with.  

“So, look at the environment from the eyes of your child, rather than your grown-up eyes, and ask yourself, ‘Is it inviting for them?’” 

2. You're looking for quality relationships 

Educators are your child’s second teacher (with you being their first), so it’s absolutely essential that you feel you can develop a meaningful relationship with the people you’re entrusting your early learner to.  

You’ll get a good sense of each educator, and the whole team, when you tour a centre; and you’re very welcome to ask questions like, “How do you keep families in the loop?” or “What happens if my child has an accident?”  

At a quality service, the team will also make a real effort to connect with you. 

Kelly explains that at ACELP, “Developing relationships with families is our number one priority, because it makes children feel secure, and although it’s an interesting concept for people to take on board, we believe that a meaningful educator-family relationship comes from vulnerability.” 

This definitely isn’t to be confused with weakness, and it simply means that team members show their real selves to build trust with families. 

Kelly says, “We are skilled and knowledgeable professionals, who also convey our warm, friendly personalities through the authentic conversations we have with families, and we always take the time to have those conversations. 

“We ensure that new families feel welcome from our very first interactions with them, and we are genuinely interested in each child’s needs, wants, interests and endeavours.” 

“At ACELP, we regularly have families staying with us for five to 10 years, as different children move through, and the connections we build with every family greatly contributes to our service’s quality.” 

3. You're looking for a quality early learning program 

The bulk of your child’s brain development happens in their first five years, so it’s really important to find a quality program that’s focused on play-based learning.  

Each service you consider will have its own educational program, in line with the Early Years Learning Framework, but as a guide, Kelly explains that, “A quality program is one where educators are listening, planning and implementing, then repeating this cycle.”  

She says, “ACELP runs off a project-based enquiry system, where the first two or three months of the year are entirely focused on getting to know our children. We listen to what their interests are as a group, and individually, then develop an entire project around that.” 

When you’re exploring a service, the team will take you through their program and answer your questions; and you want to feel confident that they’ll tailor the program to your child, and share lots of fun and interesting educational experiences.  

If your child is off to big school in the next year or two, it’s also important to look at the service’s transition to school program.  

Kelly doesn’t believe that structured, sit-down activities point towards quality, because they take away from the importance of childhood experiences.  

However, she says it is important that educators know what they’re talking about when it comes to preparing your child for school, and have a meaningful partnership with local schools. 

For instance, Kelly says, “We speak to our local schools all the time. They explain the skills and knowledge they’d like the children to have in preparation for school, and we design the learning program around that.  

“We also organise visits for our children to visit local schools and have a look around, and we welcome teachers and students into our service to bridge that gap between preschool and primary school.”  

It also pays to know that although there are plenty of high-quality, for-profit services around Australia, ACELP’s not-for-profit structure ties in with their commitment to quality.  

All funds are channelled back into the service, and ACELP puts a priority on quality staffing and quality resources. 

Kelly says, “We pay way above the Award and really, really want to value our staff.  

“We also have a very generous resource budget, so a lot of the money from families’ fees goes back into ensuring we have high-quality, top-of-the-line resources that can be fixed or replaced as needed.”  

All in all, ACELP is an Excellent example of what quality education and care looks like, and although your family may not be able to enrol at this Newcastle service, you can take Kelly’s advice with you when you explore others.  

The KindiCare App and Childcare Comparison Website will help with your search. 

And if you’re unsure or worried about anything at a prospective service, don’t be afraid to ask questions and trust your instincts, because peace of mind comes part and parcel with quality!