Last updated Friday 12 February 2021
Following Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ latest announcement regarding the five day state-wide lock-down beginning at 11.59pm tonight, we would like to confirm the following:
- Our Early Learning Centres are classified as an essential service and will remain open during this period.
- Our OSHC services remain open (if your school is open) for families who either care for a vulnerable child or are classified an essential worker that cannot work from home.
We are committed to the safety of our families and staff, and our hygiene processes remain vigilant. We will continue to monitor government updates and guidelines closely.
For further information please visit the Victorian Government website
Last updated Friday 27 November 2020
YMCA Children's Programs is following the Victorian Government’s roadmap for reopening which outlines key dates and steps relating to early childhood education and care (ECEC) services.
In line with recent updates, our Early Learning and Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) programs have resumed full service and are available to all families.
Each of our services have developed comprehensive COVID safety plans tailored to their facility. These plans are in line with both internal YMCA and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) requirements.
If your family is ready to return to our programs, please sign into My Family Lounge to update your booking and enrolment details.
New Families:
- If you’re new to our programs, please visit our location map to find your nearest service.
- Follow our step by step enrolment guide which includes registration instructions for My Family Lounge.
Our Customer Service Team is available to answer questions you may have about the information on this page. They can be contacted by submitting our contact us form below or calling (03) 8371 0500 during business hours.
- Supporting your child's return
- Early Learning
- Outside School Hours Care (OSHC)
- List of metropolitan services
- List of regional services
- Health and safety measures
- Remaining vigilant
- Interpreting resources and support services
- Contact us form
Supporting your child’s return
The Department of Education has advised it is important for children to attend on-site as soon as possible, in line with the easing of restrictions. Having your child attending in person is the best way to support their wellbeing, learning and development.
We understand families may be anxious about their child returning to our services.
Please note the Victorian Chief Health Officer classifies early childhood education and care services as low-risk environments and restrictions were previously in place to reduce people moving around the community, not because these services are unsafe.
Each of our programs have developed COVID-19 risk mitigation measures in line with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and our own internal COVID-Safe procedures.
We have also implemented additional health and safety measures which include:
- Contactless sign-in and out process
- Distancing 1.5m from other families when arriving and leaving
- Temperature checks on arrival (any child with a temperature above 37.5 degrees will not be permitted to attend)
- Enforcing face coverings on all adults (not including staff) entering the site.
This page includes further details on the health and safety precautions our programs are taking.
We hope this information provides families with peace of mind that children will be safe and supported when attending on-site care.
If your family is ready to return to our programs, please sign into My Family Lounge to update your booking and enrolment details.
If your family is new to our programs:
- Identify your preferred location from our lists of metropolitan and regional services.
- Alternatively, view the locations closest to you on our Locations map.
- Follow our step by step enrolment guide which includes registration instructions for My Family Lounge.
Early Learning
Now that our Early Learning programs have resumed full service across Victoria, we’re loving welcoming families back in centre and filling children’s days with lots of learning through discovery and adventure.
The latest updates from the Victorian Government we’re pleased to also let you know the following update:
Visitors
From Monday 30 November, all parents and carers are now permitted to enter our Early Learning Centres subject to:
- Mask wearing is mandatory at all times while in the centre.
- Temperature check – both you and your child must not be above 37.5°C.
- Sanitise hands before entering the centre.
- Sign-in and sign-out via QikKIDS as you drop-off and pick-up your child.
- Put your child down in the room rather than handing them to staff.
- Physical distancing 1.5m between adults.
- No mingling between adults within the centre.
- Stay home if you or your child are unwell.
Please note that the existing process for drop-off and pick-up at reception is still available if this is your preference.
Conversations with Room Leader/Educators need to be booked via appointment through the Centre Manager. This is required to manage our on-site occupancy requirements, prevent mingling and ensure families aren’t having to wait at the front door to enter.
Please be assured that our COVID safe plan will continue to be implemented which now also includes more frequent cleaning of touch points during high traffic periods.
New Families
If your family is ready to return Early Learning, please sign into My Family Lounge to update your booking and enrolment details.
If your family is new to our Early Learning:
- Identify your preferred location from our lists of metropolitan and regional services.
- Alternatively, view the locations closest to you on our Locations map.
- Follow our step by step enrolment guide which includes registration instructions for My Family Lounge
Outside School Hours Care (OSHC)
YMCA Children’s Programs is partnered with a variety of schools and community facilities to provide additional care options for families with primary school aged children (Prep to Grade 6).
These Outside School Hour Care (OSHC) services include:
These services are returning in a staged approach in line with the Victorian Government’s roadmap for reopening.
Before and After School Programs
Primary school aged children (Prep to Grade 6) are currently returning to on-site care in line with the commencement of Term 4 2020.
As a result,our Before and After School Programs are able to resume their full services to all families across Victoria.
The return to on-site care is happening in stages and is different for schools across regional and metropolitan areas.
- Regional Victoria: children in Prep to Grade 6 returned to on-site learning on Monday 5 October.
- Metropolitan Melbourne: children in Prep to Grade 6 return to on-site learning from Monday 12 October.
We are excited to welcome all children back for mornings and afternoons filled with discovery and adventure.
Our coordinators have been working with our school partners to develop comprehensive COVID safety plans for each facility.
If your family is ready to return to our programs, please sign into My Family Lounge to update your booking and enrolment details.
If your family is new to our programs:
- Identify your preferred location from our lists of metropolitan and regional services.
- Alternatively, view the locations closest to you on our Locations map.
- Follow our step by step enrolment guide which includes registration instructions for My Family Lounge
Pupil Free Days
To provide teachers an opportunity for future curriculum planning, schools regularly schedule days which students aren’t required to attend on-site learning.
Our OSHC services offer full days of care on these ‘Pupil Free Days’, to support families that require additional care options.
Selected locations are running Pupil Free Days in the last week of Term 4 2020 as port of our Summer School Holiday Program.
Bookings for these days are also facilitated through My Family Lounge.
School Holiday Programs
YMCA School Holiday Programs are an opportunity for children 5 – 12 years old to grow and learn from new experiences over the school holidays.
Each location runs their own set of themed days, which deliver interest based activities that will spark discovery and adventure in your child.
Bookings are now open for our Summer School Holiday Program which runs from Monday 4 January to Wednesday 27 January 2021.
The four week program will run in over 20 locations across Victoria. They operate within local schools and recreation facilities.
However, some of our programs based in recreation facilities may be unable to run due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Each of our location pages have been updated with details on the programs and themed activities they will be running.
Enrolments and bookings for this program will be facilitated through My Family Lounge.
Visit our School Holiday Programs landing page for further information.
List of metropolitan services
|
Site Name |
Suburb |
|
Early Learning Centres |
|
|
Clyde North |
|
|
Clyde North |
|
|
Craigieburn West |
|
|
Cranbourne North |
|
|
Derrimut |
|
|
Epping North |
|
|
Burnside Heights |
|
|
Mernda |
|
|
Narre Warren |
|
|
Pakenham |
|
|
Point Cook |
|
|
Tarneit |
|
|
Taylors Hill |
|
|
Truganina |
|
|
Wyndham Vale |
|
|
Before and After School Programs (BASP) / Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) |
|
|
Craigieburn |
|
|
Cranbourne West |
|
|
Derrimut |
|
|
Point Cook |
|
|
Epping North |
|
|
Pakenham |
|
|
Burnside Heights |
|
|
Mernda |
|
|
Mernda |
|
|
Point Cook |
|
|
Taylors Hill |
|
|
Truganina |
|
|
Cranbourne North |
|
|
Clyde North |
|
|
School Holiday Programs (SHP) based in recreation facilities |
|
|
Ashburton |
|
|
Balwyn |
|
|
Reservoir |
|
|
Macleod |
|
List of regional services
|
Site Name |
Suburb |
|
Early Learning Centres |
|
|
North Bendigo |
|
|
Campbelltown, NSW |
|
|
Torquay |
|
|
Before and After School Programs (BASP) / Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) |
|
|
Armstrong Creek |
|
|
Bannockburn |
|
|
Campbells Creek |
|
|
Echucha |
|
|
White Hills (Bendigo) |
|
|
Horsham |
|
|
North Bendigo |
|
|
Strathfieldsaye(Bendigo) |
|
|
Bendigo |
|
|
Eaglehawk(Bendigo) |
|
|
Kangaroo Flat(Bendigo) |
|
|
Kennington (Bendigo) |
|
|
Torquay |
|
|
School Holiday Programs (SHP) based in recreation facilities |
|
|
Bass Coast Aquatic and Leisure Centre |
Wonthaggi |
| Drouin | |
|
Cowes |
|
Health and safety measures
YMCA Children's Programs are taking every precaution recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to ensure the health and safety of the children, staff and families who attend our centres.
The latest updates from the Victorian Government have included increased access to Early Learning Centres.
Visitors
From Monday 30 November, all parents and carers are now permitted to enter our Early Learning Centres subject to:
- Mask wearing is mandatory at all times while in the centre.
- Temperature check – both you and your child must not be above 37.5°C.
- Sanitise hands before entering the centre.
- Sign-in and sign-out via QikKIDS as you drop-off and pick-up your child.
- Put your child down in the room rather than handing them to staff.
- Physical distancing 1.5m between adults.
- No mingling between adults within the centre.
- Stay home if you or your child are unwell.
The COVID safe plan will continue to be implemented with the added inclusion of more frequent touch point cleaning during high traffic periods (pick-up and drop-off).
With these actions, and the increased vigilance of everyone adhering to restriction guidelines, we are best placed to keep the community safe and avoid the spread of COVID-19.
As always, please continue to take the necessary precautions at home to help slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Stay safe by:
- Regularly washing your hands
- Keeping at least 1.5 metres from other people
- Staying home if you feel unwell
- Wear a properly fitted mask when leaving the house
If you have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) get tested. The DHHS website has a full list of Victorian testing locations available on their website.
Use of face coverings
All adults across Victoria who are dropping off or collecting children are currently required to wear a properly fitted face mask.
Masks are not required for children in primary school below the age of 12.
Wearing face masks is not a requirement for people working in childcare. However, you may see our staff wearing masks at times. The Government is advising teachers to wear a face cover wherever practical at school but not while teaching.
Remaining vigilant
While restrictions continue to ease across Victoria, we must remain vigilant and not become complacent in our efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
We all must play our part so we can return to normal as soon as possible.
If you, your child, or a family member develops symptoms of a fever, chills or sweats, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of smell or taste, you should get tested at a coronavirus (COVID-19) testing facility and stay home.
We will continue updating you on advice and information as it becomes available.
In the interim, you may wish to revise the COVID-19 advice listed on the Department of Education website.
This page also includes further details on the health and safety precautions our services are taking.
Interpreting resources and support services:
- Coronavirus hotline: If you are concerned about coronavirus symptoms call the dedicated 24 hour hotline on 1800 675 398.
- Interpreting service: If you need an interpreter, call TIS National on 131 450.
- Translated resources: the Department of Health and Human Services website has a variety of COVID-19 translated information for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
- SBS News: News and information about COVID-19 is available in 63 languages.
Contact us form
If you have any questions about the information on this page, complete the form below and our Customer Service Team will respond.