FAQs
General FAQs
Kindercare Learning Centres share the same mission, vision and values as part of our organisational structure. So operationally, you can expect to receive a high quality care and learning environment in all our centres. We also believe that each centre is unique and reflective of its local community. So we empower our centre leaders to localise their curriculum and focus to best suit the needs of your child as a unique individual, as well as the community in which a centre is part of.
We do this for a few reasons. Firstly we believe exposing tamariki to a variety of fruit and veg promotes healthy eating habits from a young age. It's also environmentally sustainable and as part of our value of keeping children safe, reduces the risk of e-coli bacteria associated with raw meat. Thirdly, we are mindful of our diverse community of whānau; serving vegetarian meals with plant-based proteins is our best effort to ensure there is a place at the table for every child, regardless of their cultural and religious belief, while ensuring our meals have all the food groups needed for a balanced diet.
We understand that families have different childcare needs, and we would love to discuss them with you. This enables us to create a personalised plan that supports your child's growth and development while meeting your budget.
If it is the first time that you and your child are facing separation over an extended period, we advise planning some shorter transition visits before the start of your official enrolment. This will give you and your child, time to become a little more familiar with the environment and to cope with short periods of separation first, before you leave them for a longer session or for the day. So spend some time in the room with them, having fun. Then, the next time, pop out for a coffee and leave them for a short period of time. For your third visit, you could leave them a little longer still, to allow your child to gradually become accustomed to not having you there, but knowing that they are safe, loved and that you will always return for them.
For detailed information on transitioning your child for the first time, changing rooms and leaving for primary school, please read our Transitions For Children Policy.
We do not supply nappies or formula because every child has different needs. We ask that you supply your child’s own bottles, formula and nappies for each day they’re in our care.
Infants FAQs
We work closely with parents and home routines so that your baby is able to have their regular sleeps without totally disrupting any established routines that you have in place. You will find that once settled, even the littlest babies sleep soundly for extended periods, while in our care. Our open sleeping arrangements mean that there is always someone to watch your baby, and that when they awaken Kaiako can respond quickly to them with a reassuring cuddle.
Toddlers FAQs
Kindercare does not have a hard and fast rule about what age children should be toilet trained exactly, because we know that children develop at their own unique pace. This means that they are ready for toilet training at different ages. We will work with families to initiate this when it is appropriate for your child. Our Teachers are happy to share with you how we do this in the centres, so that you are informed and are part of the process and should you wish to adopt a similar approach at home. We do encourage children to be toilet trained prior to leaving the toddlers room.
Preschoolers FAQs
We focus on developing a child’s foundations of learning and their social-emotional capability, along with maintaining a strong connection between life at the centre and your whānau aspirations for your child. You can read more about Our Pathways to Kura program to learn more about how we support tamariki for school success, so they can be confident that their kete is full when they head off to school.
Lunch Box Days are days when the midday meal is a packed lunch, giving your preschooler the opportunity to become familiar with unwrapping sandwiches, opening lids, snack bars etc. School Bag Days are similar, with children learning to get used to a school bag for when they formally start school.
School visits give preschool children an opportunity to experience their new environment, in the safe care of the teachers they trust and with friends they know. So where possible, we plan visits to the local school for your child, as part of preparing them for their transition to primary school. Further information about transition visits to for children leaving to start primary school can be found on our Transitions for Children Policy.
