Long Day Care

Choosing a long day care provider is one of the most important things you will do as a parent of a young child.

You have to feel comfortable with the level of care provided to your child, the facilities your child is spending time in, and the carers who are looking after your child. In addition, you need to consider factors such as the location of the Centre, convenience, cost, and opening hours.

There’s little wonder that childcare is a big issue for many families.

Benefits of Long Day Care

It is important to remember that long day care can be of benefit to your child. Whilst many parents view it as a necessity because of their work commitments, don’t forget that it can also help with:

Socialisation
Gaining confidence
Learning to trust others
Problem solving ability
Mental stimulation
Physical development

The MELC Program

At MELC our long day care program is centred around activities that help your child in specific ways. Whilst it may seem as though your child is just having fun, our aim is to provide an educational environment based on children’s interests and needs. We believe that the process of learning, and your child’s participation, is more important than the actual result and we aim to develop your child’s confidence and willingness to undertake new challenges.

The rooms at MELC are all age-specific. They offer different activities, programs and routines that have been specifically designed to suit the age group concerned. Grouping the children according to their age and stage of development creates a safer, more stimulating environment for the children and caters to their evolving interests.

Our children go into the following rooms and age groups:

Long Day Care FAQs

How do you help children transition from room to room at MELC?

As the children at MELC progress from one room to another it is important to introduce them to the group activities and learning experiences so that they feel comfortable and excited about the change to their routine.

Our transition program is designed to help the children adapt to their new room as easily as possible. The program runs over a period of time with certain days dedicated to the children spending time as a group in their new room with a dedicated carer. This helps the children build their confidence within their own peer group. Throughout this transition program our dedicated carer will meet with parents and provide an update on your child’s progress.

Do all of the children have a sleep during the day?

We cater to the needs of each individual child and parents are asked to let us know if they want their child to have a sleep during the day. Some parents prefer their child not to have a sleep as it makes it more difficult for the child to settle at nighttime.

With regard to babies, we have three nursery rooms all with piped music and cots so we have great flexibility in managing the needs of individual babies.

What does your service include?

At MELC we provide everything for your child, including all food, bedding, sunscreen, hats and nappies. You simply send in a spare set of clothes and any comfort items your child may need to sleep, such as soft toys or pacifiers.

If your baby is still on formula, you need to provide named bottles and formula powder (not made up).

How can I help my child to settle in at MELC?

Coming to a day care centre for the first time, or changing from one centre to another can be a frightening experience for a child.

Think of yourself starting a new job, moving to a new neighbourhood, or even going to a social gathering and not knowing anyone. The feelings you would have in these situations are probably similar to those of a child starting care, only to them it is a strange sensation and unlike anything they have experienced before.

There are some things you can do to help the situation.

Allow your child some time to orientate at the Centre prior to starting care – you can bring them along to see the Centre and play for a while beforehand to become familiar with the surroundings
Settle your child into an activity, perhaps with a staff member, before leaving them at the Centre in the morning
Say good-bye and reassure them that you will return to pick them up
Don’t linger and stretch out the good-bye – this can be distressing for both you and your child
Most importantly, give your child time to get used to the Centre and the carers. Remember that every child is different and will take a different amount of time to feel comfortable.

What are your opening hours?

We are open from 6.30am to 6.30pm, Monday - Friday, 51 weeks per year.

Parents are encouraged to come in and visit our fabulous facilities at any time, or to call us if you have any questions.

Is my child’s progress & development recorded?

To assist you in seeing your child’s progress during their time at the Centre, portfolios are prepared by the carers for each child. They contain observations, examples of work, photos, art/craft and information on children’s current interests or work in progress and become a lovely memento of your child's time here with us.

There are regular times throughout the year when the portfolios are sent home for parents to look at and add to, and you are welcome to view your child’s portfolio at the Centre at any other time.

How do I book a place at MELC?

If you are thinking about enrolling your child in long day care and considering which centre to attend, we would encourage you to come in and take a look around our Centre at any time. We’d be delighted to meet you and show you how we do things at MELC.

If you have already decided that you would like to book your child in to MELC, then simply print and complete the Request for Placement Form and send it back to us via email. This form then adds you to our waiting list for the first available place.

When a place becomes available, you will need to complete and return the Enrolment Form to ensure that we have the necessary information on file regarding your child.

What will my child do during the day at MELC?

We provide programs for each age group and cater for specific needs of each child. Our activities and learning experiences are based on the following areas, and each child has an opportunity to participate in activities from all of these areas, everyday:

Music and movement
Language
Art and craft
Construction/block play
Drama
Outdoor play

The programs are on display in each room for your reference.

Getting Started Is Easy

At MELC we are big enough to cater for the needs of most families – but small enough to make sure you feel like part of our extended family.

TAKE A TOUR

REQUEST FOR PLACEMENT

Simply fill out the form below and let us know your preferred days – we'll be in touch within 24 hours.

ENROLMENT

Once we've confirmed your days, you just need to complete our enrolment form and your child can start with us straight away.