Pakenham

Location

Pakenham Early Learning Centre (ELC)
9 Gateway Avenue
Pakenham VIC 3810

We're walking distance from Cardinia Road Station for easy train and bus access. And we're just a three-minute drive from the M1 Princess Freeway.

Our centre is next door to Edenbrook Secondary College and John Henry Primary school where we also run an Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) service.

Opening hours

Monday – Friday
6:30am – 6:00pm

Phone   Email

Location map image of the Pakenham YMCA Early Learning Centre

At our Pakenham centre, we specialise in early education and you'll find a calm and welcoming environment.

As a community-focused, not-for-profit centre, we enjoy getting to know all our families and pride ourselves on the relationships we develop.

Located in a culturally diverse community, we understand and respect all cultural backgrounds of the families at our centre.

Childcare and kindergarten services

Long day care

We provide childcare and early education for children from six weeks to five years of age.

Integrated kindergarten

We have fully funded, free kindergarten programs integrated into long day care.

Both three-year-old kinder and four-year-old kinder is offered and led by a bachelor-qualified early childhood teacher.

Our facilities

Our high quality resources and play spaces support the best outcomes for learning. All our children enjoy a balance of play-based learning and intentional teaching, with indoor and outdoor programs. We have a multipurpose room that we use for rest and relaxation, indoor play and smaller group experiences. And we have a separate sleep area for the little ones in nursery.

Outside, we have natural, open and multipurpose play spaces where children can play on climbing equipment, tackle obstacle courses and explore vegetable gardens. We also offer fun excursions to John Henry Primary School where children can take part in Wellness Wednesdays and Fit Fridays, which supports their physical and mental wellbeing.

Kindergarten children can also take part in our library borrowing program, which encourages a love of reading to extend into their homes and their families. Our four-year-old children can even learn Spanish through Early Learning Languages Australia. This is a digital, play-based program that inspires children to learn a new language. Through the program, they'll develop their social, cognitive and digital skills and learn about other cultures.

Meet Carly Whyte (Centre Manager)

With 11 years of experience in early childhood education, I believe in dedicating time and space for children to grow while recognising individual learning styles.

Inclusiveness and acceptance is at the core of what we do and we want all children to feel confident expressing themselves. We also provide children with learning opportunities through music, movement and dance.

I am passionate about creating strong relationships with families to support continuity between home and care. Our team of educators can speak a range of languages in addition to English. These include Cebuano, Cypriot, Greek, Hindi, Punjabi, Sinhalese, Spanish and Tamil.

If you would like to see our centre in person, you are welcome to book a tour. I look forward to meeting you!

A profile photo of the	Pakenham ELC centre manager Carly Whyte

Why choose the Y?

A 4x2 set of 8 icons with labels listing why you'll love the Y Early Learning. 1) Funded kindergarten, 2) Play Based Curriculum, 3) Literacy Numeracy, Stem Exploration 4) Art Music & Movement 5) Sustainability Focus 6) Community events 7) Story Park App 8) Social Connection, Wellbeing, Belonging

We provide your child with:

A set of 7 icons with labels listing the 'Enrolment Inclusions' you get when your child is enrolled at a Y ELC: 1) Nappies & Change Bag 2) Milks and Alternative Milks 3) Meals and Snacks 4) Toys & Educational Resources 5) Sunscreen 6) Wipes and Bed Linen 7) Air-Conditioned Rooms

Prices

To support our families, we offer both permanent and casual enrolment options. Please see our current daily price for child care (long day care) below.

Our programs qualify for the Federal Government's Child Care Subsidy. The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) helps eligible families access approved and registered child care providers, by partially subsidising the cost of daily fees. Please note, the prices below do not include any child care subsidy you may be entitled to. Visit the Services Australia website to find out more information. We also recommend using this Child Care Subsidy Calculator to generate an estimate of your new subsidy payments. From 10 July 2023 there will be changes to Child Care Subsidy (CCS).

Childcare permanent

Childcare casual

Free Kinder: how does it work?

We're participating in the Victorian Government's Free Kinder program. Free Kinder provides up to 15 hours of free kindergarten for three and four-year-olds, up to a value of $2000 for integrated kindergarten programs.

The Victorian Government provides Free Kinder funding to our ELC, not directly to families. This means that Free Kinder will be credited on your invoice and you won't be out of pocket.

For integrated kindergarten programs (where kinder is a part of long day care), Free Kinder will appear as a weekly credit of $50.00 on your YMCA account statement. We deduct this credit from your fees, so you'll only need to pay for the cost of day care.

How to enrol

1. Talk to us

Talk to our customer service team. We can check child care and kinder availability and explain the next steps. Submit an enquiry form or call us on (03) 8371 0500.

Call   or Enquire


2. Visit us

Meet our centre manager and visit our facilities. Book your tour online, or one of our team members can book you in when we speak with you.

Book a tour

3. Register or sign in

New enrolments, casual enrolments and booking changes are managed through an online system called My Family Lounge. You can register online for a new account or sign in with an existing account.

Register   Sign in

 

4. Enrol

Follow our how to enrol guide and complete your enrolment in My Family Lounge.

Frequently asked questions

Below we've answered some common questions to support new parents when choosing an early learning centre. You can also read more about enrolment and centre processes at the Y on our Early Learning FAQs page.

  • What can I expect from a centre tour?

    When it comes to choosing the right ELC for your child, seeing a centre in person is a really important step. It will give you a feel for what the centre is like and make your decision making a whole lot easier.

    We’d love to show you around our centre so that you can make sure it's right for you and your child.

    During the centre tour, you'll get the opportunity to:

    • meet our educators;
    • see our daily routines;
    • explore our indoor and outdoor spaces;
    • ask any questions you may have.

    Book a centre tour

  • Do I have to be on a wait list?

    When you enquire about joining our centre, we’ll contact you to confirm whether we have a space available for your child. We’ll then help you start the enrolment process.

    During enrolment, you'll be able to submit a booking request for your child’s preferred start date. You will then be put onto a waiting list. We regularly review and maintain our waiting lists so that the process is fair for all families.

    Once you receive your offer via email, you will have three days to accept it. If you have not accepted the offer within three days, it will expire and those requested days will become available to the next family who is on the waiting list.

    You can then resubmit another booking request and follow the same process.

  • How do you ensure that your team understands the needs of my child?

    From the moment you first get in touch with us, we work hard to understand the needs of your child.

    During the orientation process, our educators will work with you to understand how we can best support your child’s wellbeing. We’ll chat with you about your child’s routine, their interests and your learning and development goals.

    We value regular meetings and face to face conversations throughout your time with us. At every drop-off and pick-up, our educators will let you know how your child’s day was. We also encourage you to talk to us about how your child is doing at home.

    This communication will make sure that we complement your child’s development between home and centre. By working together, we can ensure your child reaches their full potential.

  • How do I choose a child care centre?

    Choosing a child care centre for the first time is exciting, but it can stir up feelings of guilt and confusion. With so many things to consider, how do you know where to start?

    The first thing you should do is stop feeling guilty. It's normal to worry if you're putting your child in an ELC for the first time, but you needn't. Early learning education and care is great for your child's development and they'll love spending time at the centre and making new friends.

    To be sure that an ELC is right for you and your child, we recommend considering the following five things:

    1. Quality of education – look for a centre that will provide valuable learning experiences for your child. Does the centre have a range of programs and activities to support their holistic development? Are the rooms well-equipped and stimulating? Will your child get the opportunity to explore and be inspired?

    2. Centre credentials – check that the ELC is licensed and registered to provide child care services. You can also look at the centre's National Quality Standards rating, the qualifications and experience of its educators, and reviews from other families.

    3. Atmosphere – visit the centres you are interested in and take note of how they feel. Is the centre safe, welcoming and comfortable? Do the children seem happy? Are the staff kind and do the educators have a good relationship with the children? Above all, can you see your child enjoying themselves there?

    4. Logistics – what is your ideal location of your child's ELC? This could be somewhere close to home or your workplace. Also think about how many hours of care your child will need and check whether there is availability at the centres you are looking at.

    5. Food menus – take a look at the ELC's approach to food and nutrition. A great centre will provide fresh, healthy food options and all centres should be able to cater to your child's dietary and religious requirements if needed.

    When you consider these things, the process of choosing a child care centre should become a little clearer. If you have any questions about whether our centre will suit you and your child's needs, we would love for you to contact us. We'll be happy to help guide you through the process.

  • What is the Y's childcare and kindergarten curriculum?

    At the Y, we believe in encouraging young minds to grow. Our childcare philosophy is to deliver a play-based curriculum that supports children to explore, experiment, discover new things and let their imagination soar.

    As well incorporating play-based experiences into your child’s day, our curriculum is informed by your child’s interests and curiosity. This enriches your child’s learning and empowers them to enter each stage of their young life with confidence.

    The Australian government's Early Years Learning Framework also guides our curriculum. In line with the framework, we focus on literacy and communication; numeracy and science; and creativity and art. Developing your child's self-confidence and autonomy is another key part of our philosophy, as is fostering an appreciation of the natural world.

    Our passionate and highly experienced educators deliver our childcare and kindergarten curriculum through inspiring, age-appropriate activities. This includes activities involving technology, group time and quiet time, as well as activities that promote social-emotional, cognitive and problem-solving skills.

    During these activities, our educators provide opportunities for your child to express themselves. They focus on the process of the activity rather than emphasising a prescribed outcome. This helps your child to use their initiative, expand their imagination and try new things.

    As a Y Early Learning Centre, we work in partnership with families to set learning goals around each child’s development stage, interests and unique needs.

    We know you want your child to thrive and this approach to learning will give them the best start in life. At our centre, your child will get the chance to grow and learn, make new friends, discover more about their world and be adventurous every single day. 

  • What type of food do you provide and how do you create your menus?

    We provide nutritional food your child will love.

    Our menus consist of healthy and balanced meals. We use fresh, seasonal produce and encourage children to develop a positive attitude towards trying new foods. Your child can get involved in special cooking experiences too.

    When creating our menus, we'll work closely with you to make sure we cater to your child’s needs, including food allergies and other dietary requirements. We can even include your own family recipes, which helps us to serve up varied, multicultural meals.

    To support healthy outcomes for children, we also follow the Victorian government's Healthy Eating Advisory Service guidelines. This ensures that all our meals meet nutritional requirements for children.

The Y are leaders in quality and safety standards. Our program and procedures have been independently reviewed by the Australian Childhood Foundation.

The Y uses the Kinder Tick because we deliver a government approved and funded kindergarten program led by a qualified early childhood teacher.

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