Join Our Waitlist
Our childcare waitlist is how families register for a place in any of our rooms or school-age programs. Fill in one short online form with your child's details, preferred days and start date, and we will contact you when a place that fits comes up.
Joining takes a few minutes and commits you to nothing. The waitlist is step two of four; see the whole journey in our enrolment guide.
How our waitlist works
Our childcare waitlist records each child against the room they will need and the days their family wants. When a place opens in that room, we look at who is waiting, match the days available, and contact the family whose needs fit. Your entry stays active until you accept a place or ask us to remove it.
One form covers every option: Explorers, Adventurers, Pioneers and Inventors, plus Before and After School Care and Vacation Care.
Tell us if anything changes, such as your start date or the days you need. Up-to-date details make a match more likely.
Current vacancies by age group
Every room and program is taking enrolments, and places are limited in each one. The table below shows where things stand today. Because families move up rooms and start school through the year, a quick call gives you the most current answer for a particular day.
| Room | Age range | Places |
|---|---|---|
| Explorers, our nursery | From 6 weeks to 2 | Limited |
| Adventurers, our toddler room | Two-year-olds | Limited |
| Pioneers, our pre-kindy room | Three-year-olds | Limited |
| Inventors, our preschool room | Four to five | Limited |
| Before and After School Care | Primary school | Limited |
| Vacation Care | Primary school | Limited |
Want to know more about each room first? Our guide to the four age groups covers ratios, routines and what children do each day.
How far ahead to apply
Apply six to twelve months before you need care if you can. Earlier is better for babies and for set days, because those places are the hardest to match. If you need care sooner, still join and call us, as places sometimes open at short notice.
Returning to work after parental leave? Join as soon as you know your return date, then update it if plans shift.
For the year before school, 2027 places are being filled now, which is the time to secure preschool days.
Priority of access
When demand is higher than the places available, centres approved for the Child Care Subsidy follow the Australian Government's Priority of Access Guidelines. Children at risk of serious abuse or neglect come first, then children of a single parent or of two parents who both meet the work, training or study test, then all other children.
Within those groups, the guidelines give weight to families facing extra challenges, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, families with a disabled member, and families on lower incomes.
Outside those rules, places are matched on the days and start dates families ask for. Ask us how this applies to your situation.
What happens when a place opens
When a place opens that fits your child's room and days, we contact you to offer it and agree a start date. You can accept, ask for different days, or stay on the list. Once you accept, we send the enrolment pack and plan orientation visits together.
We give you time to decide, and we explain the fees and your likely subsidy before you commit.
If you decline, your child stays on the waitlist for the next suitable place.
Not visited yet? Seeing the centre helps you say yes with confidence, so book a tour of the centre while you wait.
After an offer
- 1. Offer
- Room, days and start date
- 2. Accept
- Enrolment pack, subsidy setup, then orientation
Your place is readyJoin the waitlist
Complete the form below to add your child to our waitlist. Have your child's date of birth, preferred days and ideal start date ready. If you would rather do it by phone, call (02) 7238 8668 and we will take your details.
The waitlist, answered
How long is the wait?+
The wait depends on your child's age group and the days you ask for, so it can be weeks or several months. Flexible days usually shorten it. Once you have joined, call us and we will give you an honest picture of where things stand for your child's room.
How early should I join?+
Join six to twelve months before you need care where possible, and sooner for baby places or fixed days. Joining early costs nothing and simply gives you more choice. If your plans change, update your details rather than leaving and rejoining the list.
Is there a fee to join?+
No, joining our waitlist is free and does not oblige you to accept a place. You only pay fees once you accept an offer and your child starts. Before then, we explain the daily fee, what it includes and your likely Child Care Subsidy.
New here? Learn about our St Ives childcare centre.
Save your child's spot today
One short form, every age group, no obligation.