Kids on Mullum Child Care Centre - Frequently Asked Questions

We are located at 13-15 Mullum Mullum Road, Ringwood VIC 3134.

You can access Mullum Mullum Road via Oban Road or Warrandyte Road.

A member of the Kids on Mullum Child Care Centre team will be available to take your phone call during operating hours on (03) 9870 7020.

You can also Contact Us Here.

We encourage all families to visit the centre for a tour at any time. No appointment is necessary. However, if you would like to make an appointment, please get in touch to organise that with us.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or send us an email with your query.

All educators hold, or are working towards, a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, Diploma in Early Childhood Education & Care, or Certificate 3 in Children 's Services.

When your child starts at our centre, we encourage you to bring them in for orientation before their first day to help them feel comfortable and settled in the new environment.

We suggest that children attend at least two orientation sessions before they begin. Orientation sessions go for up to an hour each time and run from 10:00am to 11:00am or 2.30pm to 3.30pm daily. They need to be pre-organised with the centre before attending so we can ensure your orientation sessions do not overlap with other families.

An educator will meet with you and your child to get to know you and help settle the child in. Families are welcome to retreat to the foyer for the hour, or can leave the centre and return at the end of the hour session. These orientation sessions help us to see how the child will handle separation.

Each day, our in-house cook prepares a fresh and varied breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea & late snack, which meets all nutritional recommendations for children. Children with cultural requirements, allergies, sensitivities and/or food preferences are appropriately catered for.

The menu is displayed in the foyer and on our website for your perusal. Alternatively, we can email you a copy. It is rotated over a four-week period, and vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free options are all available.

Please Note: Our centre is a NUT-FREE CENTRE.

Please do not bring in ANY food from home unless pre-arranged with the Centre Director.

We operate a funded 3-year-old kindergarten program here at Kids on Mullum Child Care Centre which runs all day from Monday to Friday. The program runs in the Junior Kinder room with our kindergarten teacher and diploma qualified room leader, plus 1 qualified assistant.

Children must attend a 3-year-old funded kindergarten for at least 5 hours per week to qualify as a funded child, so children would need to be enrolled for at least 1 day. To be eligible for the 3-year-old program, children need to turn three years old by April 30th in the year before 4-year-old kinder.  Families are welcome to decide which days they would like their child to attend 3-year-old kinder (pending availability).

We operate a funded 4-year-old kindergarten program here at Kids on Mullum Child Care Centre which runs all day from Monday to Friday. This includes a comprehensive school readiness program which runs in the Kinder room with our kindergarten teacher and up to 2 qualified assistants.

Children must attend a 4-year-old funded kindergarten for at least 15 hours per week to qualify as a funded child, so children would need to be enrolled for at least 2 full days. To be eligible for the 4-year-old program, children need to turn four years old by April 30th in the year before primary school. Families are welcome to decide which days they would like their child to attend 4-year-old kinder (pending availability).

We follow the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) for children from birth to 8 years here at Kids on Mullum Child Care Centre. Educators have worked together to create a program that encourages freedom of choice, exploration and independence. We believe play is how children learn and is necessary for the development of new skills. Through play, children will explore their independence, develop relationships, take risks and strengthen their self-esteem. All age groups follow an indoor/outdoor program where children can choose where they wish to play and explore.

• Read more about our Educational Programs here
• Read more about our Framework here

Services covered by the National Quality Framework are assessed and rated against each of the 7 Quality Areas of the National Quality Standard as well as the National Regulations. 

Kids on Mullum Child Care Centre was assessed in August 2023 and is officially 'Exceeding the National Quality Standard'!

Visit the ACECQA website to read more here

The National Regulations require services to have a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP). The aim of a QIP is to help childcare and kindergarten services self-assess their performance in delivering quality education and care, and to plan future improvements. The QIP also helps regulatory authorities with the assessment of the centre.

The QIP identifies the service 's strengths and where improvements can be made and how they can be implemented. All educators are required to participate in the continuous development, implementation and evaluation of the centre's QIP. Families are welcome to provide feedback to add to our centre quality improvement plan at any time.

A deposit of the first week's fee must be paid before we can confirm your child's childcare or kindergarten booking. Enrolment forms and immunisation records downloaded from MyGov must be submitted to the centre before the child can commence orientation.

Please Note: Every child needs to provide an up-to-date immunisation certificate from MyGov before commencement, as well as regularly throughout their enrolment. Unimmunised children, or children with incomplete immunisation records, cannot be enrolled.

We encourage family participation across all aspects of our program. Our open-door policy allows families to come in and play or share a story, talent, cultural experience etc. with the children.

We regularly provide opportunities for families to visit the centre during our calendar of events, e.g. Mother’s Day, Father's Day, Grandparents Day, Santa Visit. Families are encouraged to be involved in decision making at the centre.

The Kids on Mullum Child Care Centre fee schedule as of 9th October, 2023 is:

- $149.00 (Daily)
- $715.00 (Weekly).

• Fees are payable weekly or fortnightly (in advance) for the entire year that the centre is open.
• Fees are paid for public holidays and any days of absence. This includes days of illness, holidays and miscellaneous absences.
• A deposit of the first week's fee must be paid to secure your child's enrolment.
• Deposits can be paid by cash, credit card, or EFTPOS, as a once-off payment.
• After enrolment, fees are to be paid via our nominated direct debit system.

When you no longer require a place for your child at our centre, a minimum of two full weeks written notice via email must be given to enable the centre sufficient time to fill the vacancy.

Full fees are charged for the cancellation period when a child does not attend the centre after the date that the cancellation letter is received at the office. Child Care Subsidy is removed back to the child's last day of attendance at the centre. Families leaving the centre with unpaid fees will incur the cost of a debt collection process.

Kids on Mullum Child Care Centre does not do day swaps. If you require an extra day, you must pay for your current booked days as well as your extra day.

We cannot supply day swaps if your child 's booked day falls on a public holiday or if your child had an absence due to illness, personal holiday or a miscellaneous absence. Extra days can only be granted if there is a vacancy in that room on the day required by the family.

Child Care Subsidy is the regular payment that assists most families with the costs of child care. Child Care Subsidy will be paid directly to the centre, to be passed on to families as a fee reduction. It will reduce the fees that a family pays us for the care of their child.

Three main factors will determine a family's level of Child Care Subsidy - family income, activity test and hourly rate caps.

Find out more about the Child Care Subsidy here

The centre offers up to 2 weeks of holiday fees for each child per financial year. The amount is determined by how regularly the child attends, e.g. a child that attends for 2 days per week receives 4 days at the holiday rate per financial year.

Holidays will be charged at 50% of the usual fee. This is applicable if you have notified the director in writing at least two full weeks before you require the leave for holidays.

Learning acceptable behaviour and being able to regulate their own behaviour in different social and emotional environments can be challenging for children. Our program promotes a positive approach to managing the behaviour of all children.

We believe in encouraging and supporting children to resolve problems and frustrations where appropriate. This can be achieved by exploring possible solutions, and helping children understand and deal with their emotions, dependent on their age and level of development.

An extensive policy and procedure manual is available in the foyer for families to view at any time. Alternatively, we can email copies at your request.

Please feel free to ask about any policies or procedures as we are only too happy to outline them for you. The centre welcomes feedback on any policy or procedure in written or verbal form.

A child will not be able to attend the centre for any period during which they are suffering an infectious condition that is contagious through normal social contact. Any child displaying symptoms of illness will be excluded for a minimum of 24 hours.

Symptoms include, but are not limited to: diarrhoea, vomiting, fever of 37.5°C or above, cough, unusual rashes, Conjunctivitis etc.

Generally, a "clearance certificate" from a medical practitioner is required in order to return.

The centre will ensure that each child is given adequate and flexible rest periods during the day. All children will be encouraged (but not forced) to sleep or rest for a period during the day to rejuvenate after a busy morning of activities and give their body the rest it requires.

The centre will provide the children with an opportunity to rest in a pleasant environment which meets the needs of individual children. Children who are showing visible tired signs will not be forced to stay awake, even if there has been a parental request.

Families can make complaints verbally to the director or an educator. Alternatively, they can submit their complaint in written form via kidsonmullum@gmail.com or a written letter in our letterbox.

Families also have the option of speaking to a Children's Services Authorised Officer from the Department of Education & Training:

Children's Services Authorised Officers
Quality Assessment and Regulation Division (QARD)
Department of Education and Training
Level 4, 295 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley VIC 3150
1300 651 940
emr.qar@education.vic.gov.au