With children getting ready to start or go back to child care and school, we spoke to our Children’s Services team for their top tips.

Our top tips

What options are available?

Northern Beaches Council offers a variety of child care services, including family day care, long day care, outside school hours care, occasional care and preschool services.

When should my child start?

There is no one answer to this – every child and every family situation is different so it will depend on the individual needs of your family and child. What matters more than the age they start or the amount of time spent there is the quality of education and care given.

How will I know if the early childhood education service is of good quality?

A quality service will keep your child safe, happy and protected while responding to their emotions and interests in a strong learning environment. Services are also given national quality ratings.

Northern Beaches Council provides affordable choice for families seeking quality education and care for children and all our services Exceed or Meet the National Quality Standard.

What happens when my child starts?

You will be provided with an enrolment form that will request information like:

• family contact details
• your child’s immunisation history/illness or allergies
• sleeping/eating routines.

How can I help my child settle in?

Every child is different – some will dive right in, while others may need some help adjusting. You could try:

• starting with shorter days and gradually increase their time at the service
• spending time settling your child into a favourite activity before you leave – you could do a puzzle with them, or read a book
• letting the service know what comforts your child
• sharing your child’s interests with the educators – talk about any interests your child has outside of the service
• sharing your child’s progress, learning and achievements
• asking about daily experiences and educational program to help understand what your child learns each day
• discussing routines and practices used at home to ensure continuity of learning.