Expat Infants & Children Guide
Melburnians use a wide range of infants & child care options. Live-in nannies, available friends and family, formal day-care centres and council-supervised, home-based care centres (approved carer looking after 1- 6 children in their home) are all commonly used to make sure children are engaged and supervised.
CARE AND COST SUMMARY
The most commonly used care options and their pricing schedule is below:
| Type of child care | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Mother’s help | $10 per hour live in $16 per hour live out (+agency fee) |
| Long day care (child care centre) | $55-$105 per day |
| Pre-school | $32-$40 per day |
| Family day care | $4.50-$7.50 per hour dependent on geographical location and service |
| Outside of School Hours Care | $15-$20 per day |
Childcare centres are the most common (and most expensive) care option. All childcare centres are regulated and certified by the government to ensure a safe environment for your children. For more information on childcare centres, see the appropriate section below.
For stay-at-home parents who need childcare help on an infrequent or occasional basis, baby sitters can be an excellent option. Unfortunately for expats, locating a reliable baby sitter can be difficult when new to the city. Several agencies exist that can recommend or provide licensed baby sitters. For more information on baby sitters, see the Domestic Help section.
As waiting lists for childcare centre’s can be up to six months long, and costs can be high, many families find it more economical and practical to either hire a nanny (live-in or live-out), or nanny-share with another family. For more information on nannies, and agency contacts, see our Babysitting section.
CHILDCARE OPTIONS
Mother and Toddler Groups:
While not a substitute for childcare (as you will be expected to accompany your child), playgroups can be helpful in providing you and your children a place to make new friends.
‘Playgroup’ is the umbrella name for the 2,500+ meet-ups for parents and their children aged 0-6. It is a great way for stay-at-home parents to socialise, let their youngsters make new friends, and create an all-important social network. Most Playgroups are either free, or include a small fee to cover the cost of tea, coffee and biscuits. Meetings are most commonly held once a week.
Listing them all here is impossible, but the Playgroup website allows you to search for local playgroups either by postcode or suburb.
Playgroups can be found at http://www.playgroup.org.au
Childcare Centres:
There are hundreds of these centres around Melbourne. All of them are strictly regulated and inspected by government. Staff are screened for qualifications, personal temperament, criminal records and physical health. Rules governing Buddy Systems (no staff member can be alone with a child) and other such standards are in place, so you can feel comfortable with the level of care your child receives.
As mentioned earlier, many childcare centres have long waiting lists, so it is important to make contact as soon as possible following your arrival. Once on a list, you are not obliged to commit, so leaving your name with multiple centres is a good idea.
Here are some childcare centres operating in and around Melbourne, organised by area.
Melbourne CBD:
- ABC Melbourne Central
Level 1, Shop OM1
211 Latrobe Street
Phone: (03) 9663 2881
Email: mec@childcare.com.au
- Department of Defence and ABC Child Care Centre
Victoria Barracks
256-310 St Kilda Road (Coventry St entrance)
Phone: (03) 9282 5009
Fax: (03) 9282 4843
defchildcare@iprimus.com.au
- Future Kids Child Care – World Trade Centre
World Trade Centre
Siddeley Street
Phone: (03) 9620 2887
Fax: (03) 9620 2889
Email: wtc@futurekidschildcare.com.au
http://www.futurekidschildcare.com.au
- Kids on Collins
Level 3
600 Collins Street
Phone: (03) 9629 4099
Fax: (03) 9629 4744
info@kidsoncollins.com.au
- QV Children’s Centre
Level 8
10 Artemis Lane
QV Building
Phone: (03) 8616 0350
Email: qv@ecms.org.au
- RMIT City Campus Children’s Centre
97-105 Franklin Street
Phone: (03) 9662 1295
Fax: (03) 9662 1541
Email: childcare.city@rmit.edu.au
- Sentia Early Learning
Level 5, 450 Flinders Street
Phone: (03) 9629 9860
- Sunkids Children’s Centre
544-546 Collins Street
Phone: (03) 9614 3011
collinsadmin@sunkids.com.au
- The Harbour Family and Children’s Centre
1 Seafarer Lane
Victoria Harbour, Docklands
Phone: (03) 8624 1000
Email: theharbour@gowrievictoria.org.au
Inner Northern Suburbs:
- Melbourne University Family Club
427-429 Cardigan Street
Carlton
Phone: (03) 9347 3518
Fax: (03) 9347 3518
Email: mufc@unite.com.au
- Royal Women’s Hospital Childcare
132 Grattan Street
Carlton
Phone: (03) 9344 2215
- Swanston Street Child Care
856 Swanston Street
Carlton
Phone: 9347 9197
- Tommaso Fiaschi Child Care Centre
59-65 Station Street
Carlton
Phone: (03) 9347 1484
- Queensberry Street Children’s Centre
228 Queensberry Street
Carlton
Phone: (03) 8344 9470
Email: childcare-enquiry@unimelb.edu.au
- Wimble Street Child Care
18 Wimble Street
Parkville
Phone: (03) 9347 9103
- Curzon Street Child Care Centre
51 Curzon Street
North Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9328 3127
Fax: (03) 9326 8030
Email: curzon.st.cc@kindergarten.vic.gov.au
- Lady Huntingfield Children’s centre
87-93 Haines Street
North Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9328 2083
Fax: (03) 9329 6716
Email: enquiries@melbourne.vic.gov.au
- North Melbourne Children’s Centre
28 Howard Street
North Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9328 1592
- Hotham Hub Children’s Centre
113 Melrose St
North Melboourne
Phone: (03) 9326 8655
Inner Eastern Suburbs:
- Christ Church Grammar Kindergarten
677 Punt Road
South Yarra
Phone: (03) 9866 3540
Email: registrar@ccgs.vic.edu.au
- East Melbourne Child Care Co-operative, Powlett Reserve Children’s Centre
Corner Grey and Simpson Streets
East Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9419 4301
Email: emccmanager@emcc.org.au
East Melbourne Child Care Co-operative,
- Yarra Park Children’s Centre
27 Berry Street
East Melbourne
Phone: 9428 0896
Fax: 9428 5010
Email: emccmanager@emcc.org.au
- Fawkner Park Children’s Centre
65 Toorak Road West
South Yarra
Phone: (03) 9820 2758
Fax: (03) 9866 6504
Email: faw3206@bigpond.net.au
- Kids Corp: ABC Developmental Learning Centre
Level 3
120 Jolimont Road
East Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9650 0360
Fax: (03) 9650 0361
Email: eam@childcare.com.au
- The Alfred Child Care Centre
11 Baker Lane
Prahran
Phone: (03) 9207 1099
Email: alfredccc@bigpond.com.au
Inner Western Suburbs:
- Kensington Community Children’s Co-op
81B Altona Street
Kensington
Phone: (03) 9376 4565
Fax: (03) 9376 6008
Email: kccc@netspace.net.au
- Kensington Turkish Child Co-operative
8 Wolseley Parade
Kensington
Phone: (03) 9376 7989
- Showgrounds Child Care
Showgrounds, Epsom Road
Ascot Vale
Phone: (03) 9376 7486
Fax: (03) 9376 9333
