Introducing FREE Kindy!

From 1 January 2024, Kindy is FREE for all Queensland children.

 

We all want our children to have a strong start to their education, it’s exciting to announce that the Queensland Government is making Kindy FREE in 2024.

What this looks like for our families, Kindergarten or Kindy is 15 hours per week, 40 weeks per year and is FREE for eligible Queensland children.

Who is eligible for FREE Kindy? Children aged at least 4 years of age by 30 June in the year before they attend Prep. Children attending an approved Kindergarten Program, delivered by a qualified Early Childhood Teacher will be eligible for FREE Kindy, including approved Kindergarten Programs within a long day care setting.

Follow this link to the Kindy age calculator here.

Kindergarten is delivered in different ways at different services. For some services, 15 hours of free Kindy may be delivered over two or three days, with additional care paid for separately. If a child attends Kindy in a long day care setting, additional care may be covered in part by the Australian Government Childcare Subsidy.

Kindy is a place where your little one will make friends, explore new environments, build confidence and have fun learning. Kindy offers meaningful experiences and interactions that support your child’s early learning, wellbeing and development, now and into the future.

There are so many benefits you will see your child gain through attending Kindy, an opportunity for your child to build independence and a sense of identity through a range of fun and challenging experiences. By interacting with others, exercising agency and engaging in life’s complexities and joys, children learn how to meet challenges encountered in everyday life.

For more information on the Free Kindy for all, talk to your LEAD Childcare Family Support Leader, Centre Manager or visit the Queensland Government website.

 

Educators’ Day at LEAD Childcare
– it takes a big heart to shape little minds

Every year in September we celebrate the commitment and the hard work of our Early Childhood Educators. Our industry dedicates one day a year to recognising the work that our Educators do on a daily basis. At LEAD Childcare we like to dedicate the entire month of September to our Educators. Showering them in gifts and appreciation each week to show them how much we appreciate and value the work that they do for our youngest generation.

We admire our Educators tireless effort in educating and shaping the minds of our children throughout their most important years of learning. Their passion and commitment is inspiring. Educators, we cannot thank you enough for your hard work, commitment and patience. You are the bone of our communities, preparing our next generation to lead the world towards a brighter future. You are loved and appreciated beyond measure.

 

Note from our CEO, Dr. Nina Hefford.

Dear Educators,
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

I want you all to know, how grateful, proud and appreciative I am of everything you do, day in, day out!
We see you, we hear you, we value you!

You are LEAD Childcare!

 

A message from our General Manager, Shar Tukaokao.

We want to thank you for all the hard work you do everyday.  The work that is seen and the work that is less apparent.

Committed and passionate Teachers and Educators are irreplaceable hero’s in our Children’s lives. The appreciation is a lifelong reward that not only comes from this ‘Thank You’ message but in the memories your children will have about the time they have spent with you when they are grown. Conversation’s they will share with their own children as they remember the positive impact you have had on their life journey.

 

LEAD Childcare Murrumba Village

Now Open!

LEAD Childcare is expanding once again! The newest addition to our family is open and now taking enrolments!

Our dedicated Centre Manager Cathy has been working tirelessly to ensure that this brand-new addition is perfect for our foundation children.

This brand-new, purpose-built service offers engaging and inspiring learning environments for children from 6 weeks of age to school age. LEAD Childcare Murrumba Village features age-appropriate environments within light filled rooms and large outdoor environments for children to explore and play. Our spaces are filled with engaging resources to encourage children to use their imagination and ignite curiosity.

Murrumba Village will also feature a specialised art studio, heated swimming pool with AUSTSWIM Accredited swimming instructors for year-round swimming lessons, indoor/outdoor piazza for mixed age interaction and meal times as well as a large welcoming reception area for our team to engage with our families.

We have an onsite children’s cook to provide our children with nutritious, home style meals which include breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and a late snack. To view images of the Centre, further information or to Book a Tour click here.

 

Introducing our Centre Manager, Cathy!

“I started working within the Early Education Industry when I was 17 years old and have always had a passion for the early years. I have worked with children of all ages and in many roles, from Assistant Educator to a General Manager.

I am married with three children and have two dogs. When I am away from the Service I love fishing, going to the beach and camping!

I am passionate about creating stimulating learning environments and maintaining high quality care and education across the service. Working in the Early Education Industry provides an opportunity to make a real difference in the way a child approaches learning for life. You can encourage, nurture and support positive outcomes for children’s health, well-being and learning during the most important developmental years of a child’s life.

I am most excited about building a community at Murrumba Village. A community where children have the opportunity to learn and grow together!”

Interested in enrolling? Send our friendly Centre Manager Cathy an email at [email protected] or submit an enquiry through the website.

We are searching for the perfect team for our brand-new Service. If you are interested in a position with us, email your cover letter and resume to [email protected].

Introducing the Kindy Uplift Program

At LEAD Childcare we are passionate about providing high quality programs and learning, especially for our Kindergarten Children.

Our Kindergarten programs are unique to each Service location. Our dedicated Early Childhood Teachers take pride and passion in providing our Kindergarten children with the fundamental skills and tools to be able to take on Prep as equipped and prepared as they can be.

In addition to our already established Kindergarten programs within our Services Mango Hill, Caboolture and Toowoomba have been privileged to be invited to be apart of the Queensland Government Kindergarten Uplift Program. This program enables our Services to respond to the educational and developmental needs of our Kindergarten Children.

This program funds programs, resources, supports and provides professional development to build Educator capability, support inclusion and improve children’s learning and development. The funding will also be used to strengthen access to, and meaningful participation in, the full range of Kindergarten experiences.

The Queensland Government along with LEAD Childcare is committed to ensuring every child has a great start, setting strong foundations for learning and life.

Why choose LEAD Childcare in 2023?

LEAD Childcare has set a precedent over the last 14 years for being every child’s “home away from home”. We offer high quality early education and care in a true home away from home environment for children to enjoy, whilst they are in our care.

Flexibility for Families

We believe from as young as 6 weeks old our children are learning and adapting to the world in which they live. We also recognise how important it is for children to feel safe and secure, as they would at home.

To allow all families access to high quality early education and care we offer five different sessional bookings. These sessional bookings assist with the unpredictable nature of life. We offer 6, 8, 9, 10 and 12 hour sessions to suite many types of working households.

The Kitchen is the Heart of the Home

Our LEAD kitchen coordinator works closely with the Children’s Cook at each Service to develop individual nutritional menus for our children to enjoy five days a week. We ensure that our menu options are inclusive and respectful of all cultures and dietary requirements as well as implementing suggestions to menu changes made by our children and families.

We provide breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and a late snack, plus milk and water throughout the day. Our children are also involved in planting, growing, harvesting, and preparing seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables from our very own vegetable gardens throughout each Service.

Positive and Welcoming Spaces

We pride ourselves on creating enriching environments that inspire every child’s wonder and creativity. Our environments are based on our children’s learnings and interests, which differ throughout each room in each individual LEAD Childcare Service.

Industry Professionals

Across all LEAD Childcare Services, we have passionate teams of Educators who are dedicated to ensuring that every child gets the most out of their experience with us. From the moment your children are welcomed into our Services they become part of our LEAD Childcare family. Every one of our Educators are dedicated to ensuring that your children gain lifelong skills and experiences whilst being in a safe and homely environment throughout their day.

Queensland Government Kindergarten Program

Preparing your child for school through a recognised Kindergarten program can be an extremely positive stage in their educational and social development.

All LEAD Childcare Services offer a Government Approved Kindergarten program, delivered by qualified Early Childhood Teachers.

Outside School Hours Care – OSHC

All LEAD Childcare Services cater for children up to 12 years of age in our OSHC Programs. Offering extensive and inclusive programs for school aged children, to feel they have the freedom to explore and interact with children their own age, whilst being in a safe and secure environment.

The Educators that provide OSHC are equipped with the knowledge and experience to allow the children to create their own program whilst providing our children with open-ended environments and experiences.

Each of our Services offers a bus service available for all families to utilise helping reduce the hustle and bustle of before and after school pick up and drop off.

Swimming Program

We are lucky enough to have onsite swimming pools at four LEAD Childcare Services – Burpengary, Rothwell, Mango Hill Village and Mango Hill.  Our learn-to-swim lessons are 30 minutes, and we can keep the children engaged with fun, skill-based swimming, and water safety experiences. We offer 1:1 lessons for all children under the age of 3 years old, this encourages a strong development of confidence and comfort in the water. Lessons offer a positive and encouraging atmosphere where children can learn from each other while learning from our caring, qualified swim teachers.