The first step is to set up an account with Kidsoft. A government-approved child care management system that enables us to process your bookings as well as any child care subsidies that may apply.

When setting up your account, we require the following information:

• Centrelink CRN numbers for parents & child/ren (if you don’t have this handy, you can provide it at a later stage)
• Parent/guardians contact details
• Child details, including medical history, diagnosis of allergy, asthma, anaphylaxis, dietary requirements or additional needs. If your child has any medical condition, be prepared to upload the supporting medical documentation.
• Emergency contact details (other than parents/guardians)
• Authorised persons for drop-off and pick-up
• Payment details

The Australian Government provides Australian families with a number of subsidies and programs to help with the cost of child care, with the CCS being the main type of assistance that most families will use. Many families are eligible for CCS, which can reduce the cost of our Care by up to 90%.

You can apply for the CCS online or in-person through Centrelink. To apply online visit the MyGov account or click here.

Any cancellations outside of the notice period will incur full fees and be marked as absent.

For parents who receive Child Care Subsidy, absences will count towards your ‘allowable absences’. The government will only subsidise 42 allowable absences per child, per financial year. After the use of the 42 absences, it becomes your responsibility to pay full fees for any further absences.

Absent days must be signed for in order to receive Child Care Subsidy for those days.

No-shows – If your child is booked in to attend and is absent, and you have not notified us in writing or via the Parent Portal or App, you will be charged a $10.00 no-show fee, and the child will be marked absent.

The amount taking into account CCS is an estimate only. The exact amount will be confirmed once the attendances records have been submitted to Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE), which can take up to 1 week from the last day of the child attendance at the service.

Child protection is a community responsibility. Under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, children and young people must receive the care and protection necessary to ensure their safety, welfare and wellbeing.

All educators are Mandatory Reporters and are required to report to the Child Protection Helpline (132-111) if they have reasonable grounds to suspect a child is at risk of significant harm and have current concerns about the safety, welfare or wellbeing of a child where the concerns arise during or from their work.

Children may be on prescribed medications, either for a short term, or long term basis. It is essential that both the parents and staff follow procedures at all times to ensure medication is given properly.

Staff will only administer medication that has been prescribed by a medical practitioner. All medications must be clearly labelled with the child’s name, date of expiry and in their original packaging.

Parents must complete a ‘Medication Authorisation Form’ for each child using the service, who requires medication.

Medication must be provided by the child’s parents/guardians including the following:

• Original container.
• Original label that is clearly readable.
• Child’s name clearly on the label.
• Any instructions attached to the medication or related to the use of the medication.
• Any written instructions provided by the child’s registered medical practitioner.
• Medication Authorisation Form is to be completed and signed.

30 SPF Cancer Council sun cream is provided. All staff and children will apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going outdoors.

Please provide your child with a hat and appropriate clothing required for outdoor activities.

Before we dive into all the exciting Kool activities, here’s some essential info to ensure a smooth start. We suggest arriving before 9:00 am for a seamless transition.

An early arrival lets the kids meet teachers, make friends, and settle in before the fun begins! To make sure your child has a blast, pack the following items in their bag each day:

• Healthy and tasty lunch box
• Water bottle
• Sun hat
• Clothes suitable for outdoor activities or messy art
• Closed-toe shoes
• Sunscreen (if preferred, or we provide SPF 30 Cancer Council)
• Some cash for the canteen. Check out our menu.

What NOT to bring:

• No food containing nuts, please! We’re a NUT-FREE ZONE due to possible allergies, including Anaphylaxis.

Kool HQ uses a digital sign-in/out system that enhances the safety collection of children. Any person who will collect your child at the service will have to be recorded in our system and authorised to do so. Please ensure you have at least two (2) authorised people listed on your enrolment form for the collection of your child. These people must be adults over the age of 18 years.

For more information on how to add Emergency Contacts and Authorised Persons for Collection, please visit this page.

Cancellations must be made 24 hours prior to the scheduled start time of the booked day, otherwise full fees apply. To cancel a casual booking, please cancel your day from the iParent Portal or App.

Morning and afternoon tea is provided every day and includes freshly cut seasonal fruits, corn thins and milk biscuits. The Kool HQ canteen offers a range of snacks that can be purchased by the children on the day.

Parents are required to provide a healthy and nutritious lunch, as well as snacks and water. We strongly recommend that lunch covers all five food groups and that there is enough to get through our jam packed and activity filled day and assist your child in becoming involved in the program.

We are an allergy aware service and do not allow nuts.  All food served is in accordance with the food, nutrition, and dietary requirements of the Australian guide to healthy eating. Please let us know in advance if your child has any food allergies/intolerances.

At the end of school, children will make their way to the designated after-school care area, and an educator will make sure they are checked in. Kindergarten children will be collected for after-school care – see the Kindergarten Children section below for more information.

If your child has co-curricular activities after school and will be joining us for after-school care following, please use the Co-curricular Notification Form to inform us of your child’s finish time for days when they attend co-curricular activities. This will help us ensure the timely arrival of your child and when we should expect them to arrive. If your child doesn’t arrive within 10 minutes of the expected arrival time, we will initiate a non-arrival procedure, which includes searching for them and contacting you.

Parents/guardians will need to sign-out children upon collection from the service.

Routine Bookings: Routine bookings are designed for families in need of regular care on either a weekly or fortnightly basis. These bookings can be arranged up to two weeks before the start date and continue throughout the year. To make routine bookings, simply reach out to our head office team.

Casual Bookings: Casual bookings cater to families who require care sessions without a set schedule. These bookings offer flexibility and can be easily made through either the iParent Portal or Kidsoft App. However, please note that casual bookings are subject to availability and adhere to staffing ratios for the safety and well-being of all children in our care.

Routine – 14 days written notice is required for cancelling or decreasing Routine bookings. To cancel or change a routine booking, please contact our office team.

Casual – Cancellations must be made 24 hours prior to the scheduled start time of the booked day, otherwise full fees apply. To cancel a casual booking, please cancel your day from the iParent Portal or App.

Our educators ensure a smooth transition for kindy children into After Care. They pick them up from their classroom or the designated spot and bring them directly to After Care. Upon arrival, Kindy children are encouraged to use the restroom and wash their hands. They’re then provided with afternoon tea in a special area tailored to their needs. One of our educators will be their main contact as they settle in.

In After School Care children are served afternoon tea daily. The menu changes daily and seasonally. A platter is available every day which includes a variety of seasonal fruit, vegetables, crackers and dips. We also include cooking activities as part of our program.