Choosing an early childhood service
Information for families to understand different types of early childhood services, and what to consider when selecting a service.
On this page
In Victoria, children can attend early childhood education and care (ECEC) services from when they are very young, through to when they start school.
On this webpage learn about different types of ECEC services. Every family is different so when you are choosing a service, it’s important to think about your family’s needs and preferences.
Types of services
Most ECEC services in Victoria are long day care (childcare) and sessional (standalone) kinder services.
The Victorian Government funds kinder programs in long day care and sessional kinder services. Learn more about these services in the table below.
The Victorian Government regulates approved ECEC services to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of children, and to make sure children have access to quality learning experiences.
Read more about which early childhood services are regulated.
| Description | Long day care (child care) | Sessional (standalone) kinder |
|---|---|---|
| Child age | 0 to school age | 3 years old to school age |
| Days of operation | Generally 5 days a week | Generally set days, e.g. 2 to 3 days each week |
| Hours of operation | Long days, for example 7 am to 7 pm | Set hours, e.g. 5 or 7.5 hours a day |
| Education programs | Most long day care services offer integrated kinder, meaning children attend a kinder program as part of long day care: Three-Year-Old Kinder (up to 15 hours a week) Four-Year-Old Kinder (up to 15 hours a week)/ Pre-Prep (16 – 30 hours a week) | Three-Year-Old Kinder (up to 15 hours a week)Four-Year-Old Kinder (up to 15 hours a week)/ Pre-Prep (16 – 30 hours a week) |
| Cost | Part of the cost is covered by the Australian Government Childcare SubsidyVictorian Government Free Kinder for kinder hours (reduction on your invoice) | Victorian Government Free Kinder (no out-of-pocket costs) |
| Qualification | Kinder program hours are delivered by a bachelor-qualified teacherSupported by certificate/diploma-qualified educators | Kinder program hours are delivered by a bachelor-qualified teacherSupported by certificate/diploma-qualified educators |
| Learn more | Sending your child to kinderFind out when your child can start kinder: Quick guide for parents | Types of child careChild care |
Early childhood education and care is also provided in family day care and home-based care settings.
Family day care is where a small group of children attend an approved carer’s home with qualified educators. Home-based care is where your child is cared for by a friend, relative or nanny at home.
There are also outside school hours care services, school holiday care programs for school-aged children, as well as other children’s services, such as occasional care.
For more information about accessing child care visit: Accessing child care in Victoria
Selecting a service
Open all
- 1Work out your family’s needs
Consider the following to help you to choose what type of early childhood service best suits your family:
- how old your child will be when they go to education and care
- number of hours of care each day
- number of days each week, and preferred days
- how far you want to travel
- age your child will start kinder
- whether you want your child to go to the same service for child care and kinder years.
- 2Consider local services
There are steps you can take to find a service that’s right for your family, including:
Find services
The location of a service will be an important consideration – you may want a service that is close to home, work or study. Online tools are available to look at service options in your local area. You can also contact your local council for information.
- To learn about child care options in your area visit the Australian Government Starting Blocks website: Find children’s education and care
- To learn about kinder program options in your area, visit the Victorian Government’s Find a Kinder website: Find A Kinder Program - Department of Education. When considering kinder programs, look for the Kinder Tick.
Service rating
Check the service rating under the National Quality Standard at: Find children’s education and care
Learn about the ratings at: Understand Service Quality Ratings
- 3Visit preferred services
Contact your preferred service or local council to learn more. You can arrange a tour of the service or go to an open day. This allows you to ask questions and get a feel for the place.
What to look for when you visit:
When you visit a service, look for the following:
- the environment should be welcoming, and feel safe and inclusive
- the service should support individual children’s learning and wellbeing
- you should see the teacher and educators are engaged with the children and enjoying their company
- the indoor and outdoor spaces should be secure, clean and well maintained.
Information on display:
The service should have information about their operations, policies and procedures on display. You can also ask them for a copy. These policies should be child- and family-focused. They should also be sensitive to each family’s cultural and social background. Look for child safety, inclusion and diversity messages.
The following information must be on display:
- name and position of the responsible person in charge of the service at any given time
- name of each nominated supervisor of the service
- name of the educational leader at the service
- name and telephone number of the person at the service who manages complaints
- contact details of the Regulatory Authority
- if applicable –
- a notice stating that a child who has been diagnosed as at risk of anaphylaxis is enrolled at the service; and
- a notice stating that there has been an occurrence of an infectious disease at the service premises
- name of the approved provider and their provider approval number and any conditions on their provider approval
- service name and service approval number, and any conditions on their service approval
- hours and days of operation
- current rating levels for each quality area stated in the National Quality Standard (NQS) and the overall rating of the service
- any waivers from regulatory requirements held by the service.
Early childhood education and careParents & carers
Updated 27 March 2026
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