BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE

MAY 27, 2024

There are lots of reasons why you might find yourself looking for a new early learning service after settling your child into the one you oh-so-carefully chose.  

You might be moving house, changing jobs, re-balancing the budget, or just getting the feeling that your childcare experience isn’t as great as it could be.  

Whatever the reason, changing childcare centres isn’t such a bad thing, and with a little effort and know-how, it is possible to move your under-five to a new place in a pretty painless way.  

To help you do this, we’ve sought advice from a mum and childcare professional who’s been there and done that!  

Deni Kirkova sent her son to a Goodstart Early Learning centre for a year before landing a job at the childcare provider, and although she would have loved to keep her son in the same amazing centre, this just wasn’t workable when her family moved to a not-so-close suburb. 

Deni explains, “When we moved to a new town, our existing childcare was too far from home, especially with our work commutes, and we had no choice but to move our three-year-old to a new location.” 

Although Deni had to find a childcare place relatively fast, she was careful not to rush the decision. 

Deni is passionate about the value and support that early childhood education provides for her family – and the positive impact it has on children aged zero to five – so she was very thorough when searching for prospective services.  

Location was obviously the biggest consideration, because Deni needed a centre close to home, with a manageable childcare commute, but once she’d identified all the centres in her area, Deni looked at ratings and reviews to assess the suitability of different centres. 

With her favourites in hand, she then enquired with each centre to check their availability and organise a tour.   

Deni says, “It was tricky to find a centre that could take on a full time family at short notice, but in the end, we found the perfect place.” 

All that early research was really important, but it was the centre tour that sealed the deal for Deni and her family.  

She says, “The centre tour impressed us, met our expectations, and passed the vibe check, which I can only describe as our gut feeling about the place and its people.”  

From the second they walked through the door, Deni’s family loved the serene outdoor space and wide variety of resources at the centre.  

Everything was clean and well-organised, and they noticed a great level of care by educators, and lots of happy children. 

Deni says, “We also found that communication with the educators and centre leadership team was good, and helpful. They made it easy for us to figure out how to manage a staggered start, as they didn’t have all days available every week from our start date.”  

“When we investigated the centre’s values and practices, they aligned for us, and this was the last thing we needed to know before enrolling our son.” 

To get ready for a smooth start, Deni updated her Centrelink details, shared some information about her child with centre staff, and took him for a stay and play. Then it was time to launch into full days of care and find that new routine.  

Deni stayed for 1.5 hours on her son’s first day, and although he was upset when she left that morning, we’re pleased to report that he’s settled in really well since then.  

Deni says, “Two months on, he has a little crew of buddies who run up to him on drop-off (because it’s two minutes from my house, I can drop him in a little later). They take his hand and lead him over to where they’re playing.  

“He’s confident to walk in and explore, forgetting I’m even there. So, I have to run up to him and give him a kiss goodbye. He’s not even bothered, but that’s great. It’s beautiful to watch his friendships, imaginative play and confidence unfold each morning. It sets me up for an excellent day at work.” 

Deni’s experience is a great lesson for all of us, because although no-one really likes change, and you might not be moving centres by choice, it is possible to make a quick and successful childcare transition. 

You can easily compare centres, ask about availability, and organise tours using the KindiCare app or website.  

Goodstart also has a handy find a centre function on their website, where you can search for centres by suburb.  

Then, during your centre tour, it definitely helps to look for the same things Deni looked for (including that vibe!).  

Proactivity, positivity and persistence will also take you a long way; and after going through the whole process not so long ago, here are Deni’s tried and tested tips when moving from one childcare centre to another: 

1. Start looking as soon as possible, so you can make decisions early, and ideally go for a long stay and play after your first centre tour. This will help to alleviate some first day nerves. 

2. If your new centre meets your expectations on paper and passes the vibe check, be confident in your choice. Soon, the effort you’ve put into your big move will become evident, and things might turn out even better than you ever expected.

3. See how your employer can support the move. They might be flexible if you can’t get every single day of childcare you need at the start, and if not, don’t stress about missing a few days of care to get your child into a great centre. 

4. Remember that your early learner is really adaptable. Even if they’re upset at the start, and missing their old friends for a few weeks, better days are coming and your child will make new friends. 

5. Don’t be afraid to change your mind or go with your gut. Do what’s right for your family, even if you think you’ll need to momentarily disappoint a centre director or potentially, your employer. They’ll likely be supportive, and it pays to remember that you’re making an important decision for your child in their most formative years and aren’t likely to move centres again, any time soon!   

Good luck, and here’s to a great new chapter in your childcare journey.