Finding High Quality Childcare and Early Learning.

Quality counts when it comes to early learning, and for parents seeking to make the best childcare choice for their little one there are many factors to consider.   

Some parents may view a high-quality childcare centre as one where languages other than English are on offer, or where a plant-based menu is available. For other families mixed-age groupings where siblings can play together might be the true mark of quality. 

Working out what matters most to you to you is a really important first step in identifying a high-quality service, and a service that has similar values to your own is likely to feel like a good match.  

In addition to the things you think are important, it can be helpful to consider the more ‘standard’ measures of quality. The government’s Starting Block website suggests a high-quality childcare service is one where: 

• Educators speak with families about their children’s learning and development
• Children’s interests are explored and included in the program
• There’s appropriate supervision and a focus on health and safety
• Children make decisions, ask questions and show growing independence
• Children show a strong sense of belonging and comfort in the service
• Children move inside and outside freely
• There are opportunities to learn about the community and the wider world 

 

We spoke to Nicole Halton co-founder of Inspired EC to learn how parents can use this information to identify a high-quality service and make the best childcare choice for their family.  

Nicole is a former early educator and director and now spends her time writing and running workshops and conferences that support other educators to build high-quality early learning environments. 

The research overwhelmingly shows that the first five years of a child’s life are crucial for their wellbeing and development and Nicole says that given most kids spend at least some of their time in childcare it’s vital that services are delivering high-quality programs that nourish the brain and best support development.  

‘High-quality care has positive outcomes for children in that they develop confidence, independence and creativity.’   

While families have access to helpful tools such as the KindiCare Rating and the National Quality Rating, to learn how a service is performing against national standards, Nicole says that identifying quality is sometimes intangible and more of a feeling or ‘vibe’.   

 ‘I always tell families that when they visit a service, they should get a good "feeling" about it.  

‘It's a hard thing to put your finger on, this feeling. It’s feeling like you and your family are welcome, it's being greeted, it's seeing that your child is respected and valued.  

‘In a quality service, educators will be engaged with the children and the children will seem content and joyful (for the most part!).’  

Nicole says childcare centres work hard to deliver high-quality services to children and their families and this work is on-going.  

‘High-quality services spend time recruiting the right team of educators, people who not only hold appropriate qualifications, but who have a commitment to ongoing professional growth and learning.’  

‘High-quality providers stay on top of current research, regulatory updates and other developments in the sector to ensure that they are not only compliant but are offering a quality service.’  

‘In addition, high-quality services make a significant investment in sourcing resources that support children's play, learning and development in meaningful and sustainable ways.   

Nicole says there are three things families can do, (in addition to checking out the quality rating) to judge the quality of a service, and see if it will suit their child: 

• Visit the service with their child and get a feel for how the program runs and how educators interact with the children.
• Seek personal recommendations from family, friends, neighbours and anyone prepared to share!  
• Ask questions, as many questions as you like, to get the information that will help you make a decision you are comfortable with.  

 

While cost is an important factor for most families, Nicole encourages parents to analyse what is included in the cost and compare it to services of a similar quality before making a final decision.  

‘Families have different life experiences, cultural backgrounds and goals which will impact on what they view as quality. Ultimately though, I think that most families could agree that they want their child to feel safe, loved and valued, first and foremost.’