Frequently Asked Questions.

Please contact the Sparrow Customer Relationship team to discuss current availability at the centre of your choice on 1300 441 441

The waitlist time will vary from centre to centre. Once you are listed on our waitlist, we will contact you as soon as a position becomes available for your family.

Subject to availability, we offer a range of flexible session times. Our Service Manager will work with you to determine what will work best for your family.

On 1st January 2016, the Australian Government’s ‘No jab No Play’ policy came into effect. Sparrow Early Learning requires that children be fully vaccinated to be able to attend our Childcare services.

To meet immunisation requirements and be eligible for their full rate of Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A, children need to be immunised in accordance with the National Immunisation Program childhood vaccination Schedule, on an approved catch-up schedule or have an approved exemption.

Families with children who are not immunised according to the childhood vaccination Schedule appropriate for the child’s age (and do not have an approved exemption) will have a reduction applied to their FTB Part A child rate for each child who does not meet the immunisation requirements.

For further information visit the Services Australia(link is external) website.

Prior to your child’s first day, your Service Manager will require a copy of your child’s current immunisation history status letter or vaccination certificate. Please inform the Service Manager of all future immunisations.

We love having siblings attend our centres and often you’ll find there is additional benefits for your siblings attending together. Unfortunately, however, there is no discount available for multiple children attending.

Our Kindergarten programs provide children with the skills needed to engage in life-long learning.

Our programming and planning cycles allow our Early Childhood Teachers to develop meaningful experiences for every child, whilst also documenting progress and developments throughout the year. This approach not only enriches a child’s learning but also allows for insightful preparations of transition statements. Transition statements can then be shared with future schoolteachers, allowing a smooth pass over of the education baton.

In selected QLD and VIC Services, we offer Government-funded Kindergarten programs that provide foundational learning to support the preparation for, and transition to, formal schooling. These Government-funded Kindergarten programs are led by a Bachelor qualified Early Childhood Teacher, delivering a program that develops a child’s social, emotional, intellectual and communication skills.

By providing this program within our childcare centres, children smoothly transition into the program in familiar surroundings, aiding the learning process.

To assist with the cost of attending our childcare centre, you may be eligible for the Government’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS).

To apply for CCS, you must register with the Family Assistance Office and confirm your bookings through your MyGov account. It is your responsibility to apply, and full fees will be charged until our centre receives your CCS percentage notification, if any. If you require any assistance, please speak to your Service Manager at the centre.

Developed in the mid-20th Century, Reggio Emilia is a child-centred and constructivist educational philosophy which utilises self-directed, experiential learning in relationship-driven environments.

It is based on the principles of respect, responsibility, and community through exploration and discovery via a self-guided curriculum.

Underpinning the philosophy is the core assumption that children form their personality during the early years of development. During this time, they are endowed with a hundred languages through which they can express their ideas.

Children develop and change quickly in their early years, and rest and sleep are essential parts of their development.

We believe children should be allowed to rest and sleep when, and for as long as they need to throughout the day. To ensure home life is not impacted, please speak to our Educators about your child’s rest and sleep needs. We aim to accommodate individual routines where possible and inform you of your child’s rest and sleep activity each day.

Babies will be assigned their own cot, and we follow strict SIDS recommendations. You should discuss individual calming and soothing techniques with your child’s Educator.

To best control infection, we ask that you do not bring your child to the centre if they feel unwell. The best place for them is at home, where they can rest and recover faster. If your child becomes ill at one of our centres, you will be contacted immediately and asked to collect them.

Depending upon the nature of the illness, you may be asked to provide medical clearance before they can return.

A list of common infectious illnesses and their exclusion periods is available in every centre’s foyer. If there are any reported cases of infectious illnesses at our centre, we will notify you immediately to be aware of any symptoms and take appropriate preventative steps.

All of our childcare centres are breastfeeding-friendly environments. Mothers are welcome to breastfeed their child at any time. You are also welcome to:

• Bring in clearly labelled bottles of expressed breastmilk for your child
• Provide formula for your child (by providing premeasured, dry formula powder in a sealed, labelled container, along with a bottle of premeasured, cooled boiled water.)

At Sparrow Early Learning, we promote good nutrition and healthy food habits at all our centres.

We aim to cater for all special dietary requirements and specific cultural or religious practices. If your child has any dietary requirements, please provide us with the details on your enrolment form and inform our Service Manager of any changes. We are required by legislation to ensure the provision of healthy foods and drinks meet the requirements for children according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines. At most of our childcare centres, our meals are prepared by our on-site Chefs. They follow strict licence requirements in line with the Food Safety Program and compliance with Food Standards.

Please speak to the Service Manager around individual centre requirements.

Starting at one of our centres is an exciting time for you and your child; however, it can also be an anxious one. Before your child’s first day, an orientation visit will help familiarise you and your child with the childcare centre and introduce you to our Educators.

Depending on your child’s needs, your orientation might be a quick visit the day before or a series of short visits leading up to the first day. It may also involve shorter days once the child has started to ease them into the routine.

When you enrol at our centre, we will request that you provide us in writing with an authorised person we can contact. An authorised person might be one of your child’s grandparents or a close family friend you trust to discuss your child’s details and pick up your child if need be.

To ensure your child is protected, it is vital that you keep details about authorised persons up to date. Any person attempting to collect a child will always be asked to produce photo identification to confirm they are an authorised person.

Subject to availability, we offer a range of flexible session times. Our Service Manager will work with you to determine what will work best for your family. We also offer casual days (when available) via the KindyNow app.

There are no minimum number of required days per week to attend a centre. The advantages however, of a child who has frequent exposure to high-quality childcare are very beneficial. Your child will benefit from structure, routine and a sense of security as they know what to expect on their childcare days.

Two weeks of fees are required to be paid before your child’s first day. Thereafter, fees must always be paid two weeks in advance. Fees are charged for bookings on every operating day, whether your child is in attendance or not. We do not require an enrolment or waitlist fee.

By attending a Sparrow centre, your child will be provided with engaging educational programs, learning environments and activities that will inspire them. They will develop early social skills, which are valuable for their social and emotional development.

Before your child’s first day, our Service Manager will tell you what you will need to bring. Please ensure all belongings are clearly labelled with your child’s full name to avoid loss or confusion.