If you’re starting to research early childhood education for your child, “long day care” is one of the first terms you’ll come across. It can feel like another piece of jargon to decode, especially when you’re already weighing up cost, location, ratios and what your child actually needs.
This guide explains what long day care is, what’s included in a typical day, and how to tell whether it’s the right fit for your family. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of how the model works and what to look for when you start visiting centres.
Long Day Care Defined
Long day care is a centre-based form of early childhood education and care for children aged six weeks through to school age. It runs for extended hours, typically around 6:30 am to 6:30 pm, and operates roughly 50 weeks of the year, closing on public holidays and over the Christmas and New Year period.
Two things distinguish long day care from other early learning models:
- It’s both education and care. Children follow a structured, play-based learning program guided by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and, in Victoria, the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF), while also being cared for across the working day.
- It’s regulated nationally. Long day care services in Australia operate under the National Quality Framework administered by ACECQA, which sets standards for safety, educator-to-child ratios, programming and the qualifications of staff.
For families using long day care for three and four-year-olds, a funded kindergarten program is integrated into the day. This means your child receives the same approved kinder curriculum they’d get at a sessional kindergarten, delivered by a Bachelor-qualified Early Childhood Teacher, without you needing to coordinate a separate drop-off.
What a Day Actually Looks Like
The structure varies by centre, but most long day care programs follow a similar shape. The day blends learning, play, rest and meals into a rhythm that suits young children.
A typical day at a quality long day care service might include:
- Arrival and a settled start, often with quiet activities or breakfast
- Morning group time with songs, stories or a focused learning experience
- Indoor and outdoor play, with educators guiding learning through everyday moments
- Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, usually prepared on-site
- A rest or quiet time, especially for younger children
- Afternoon learning experiences, often more child-led
- Pack-up, a relaxed wind-down and parent collection
At Cire Early Learning, this rhythm is built around play-based learning, with our Bush Kinder program adding outdoor, nature-based experiences to the week. Meals are prepared on-site by our chefs to ensure children eat fresh, nutritious food.
What’s Usually Included
Long day care includes more than the hours of care itself. While inclusions vary between providers, most quality centres include:
| Inclusion | What this looks like in practice |
| Education program | A play-based curriculum aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework, led by qualified educators. Many centres extend this with their own specialist programs, such as Cire’s Bush Kinder, where children learn outdoors in local bushland. |
| Funded kindergarten | For eligible 3 and 4-year-olds, a kinder program led by a Bachelor-qualified teacher, integrated into the day |
| Meals | Breakfast, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, often prepared on-site. Quality centres plan varied menus using fresh ingredients and cater for food allergies and intolerances. At Cire, on-site chefs serve meals and snacks each day. |
| Nappies and wipes | Provided as part of the daily fee at many centres |
| Sunscreen and bedding | Provided for rest time and outdoor play |
| Excursions and incursions | Many learning experiences are included rather than charged as extras |
It would be advisable to confirm this during your visit to the centre: whether public holidays and educator professional development days are charged, and whether late pick-up fees apply. These small things add up across a year.
Who Long Day Care Suits
Sessional kinder programs work well for families who only need the funded kindergarten hours, typically two or three set days a week during school terms.
Long day care suits families who need more than that: extended hours, year round care, and education and care combined in one place.
It tends to suit you if:
- You need extended hours of care. Working parents, shift workers and those with long commutes benefit from the 6:30 am to 6:30 pm window most centres offer.
- You are looking for education and care in one place. Rather than coordinating a separate kinder pick-up, your child stays in the same setting all day.
- You require year-round consistency. Long day care runs across school holidays, which removes the scramble for holiday programs.
- Your child is younger than three. Long day care covers babies and toddlers, where many other models start later.
- You value continuity of care. Children form long-term relationships with the same educators and peers, which supports settling and confidence.
If your family is only looking for care for a couple of mornings a week, or your child is already three or four and you don’t require full-day coverage, sessional kindergarten may be a better option. Both models deliver high-quality early education; the right one comes down to your routine and your child.
What to Look for in a Long Day Care Centre
Once you’ve decided long day care is the right model, the next question is which centre. A few things worth paying attention to when you visit:
- The educators. Watch how they interact with children. Are they down at the child’s level? Do they greet families warmly? Stable, long-term staff are a strong indicator of a healthy centre.
- The environment. Indoor and outdoor spaces should feel welcoming, with materials that invite exploration. Outdoor space matters more than people realise.
- Food. Ask whether meals are prepared on-site and whether the menu rotates. Fresh, varied meals make a real difference to a child’s day.
- Communication. A good centre will tell you what you can expect to hear about your child’s day, week and developmental progress.
- Community feel. Smaller, community-based providers often offer something larger chain centres don’t: continuity, local relationships and educators who know every family by name.
Cire Early Learning: A Community-Based Choice
Cire Early Learning is part of Cire Services, a not-for-profit community organisation that has been operating in Melbourne’s east and south-east for over 50 years. We run long day care with integrated kindergarten across several locations, including Croydon, Mt Evelyn, Lilydale and Yarra Junction.
What sets us apart from larger commercial providers:
- Bachelor-qualified Early Childhood Teachers lead every kindergarten program, aligned with the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework.
- On-site chefs prepare fresh meals daily.
- Bush Kinder takes children into local bushland for nature-based learning.
- Community-based, not-for-profit. Surplus is reinvested in the children and families we work with, not paid out to shareholders.
- Community connected centres where educators know your child and your family.
If you’d like to see what long day care looks like at Cire, the best next step is to book a tour at one of our locations. You’ll meet the educators, see the spaces and get a real feel for whether it’s the right fit for your family.
FAQs
What’s the difference between long day care and childcare?
“Childcare” is an umbrella term that covers several different models, including long day care, family day care, occasional care and outside school hours care. Long day care is one specific type, defined by extended centre-based hours and a structured education program.
What age can my child start long day care?
Most long day care centres accept children from six weeks of age through to school age. Each centre sets its own minimum age based on staffing and room arrangements, so it’s worth confirming when you enquire.
Is kindergarten included in long day care?
For three and four-year-olds, yes. A funded kindergarten program is integrated into the long day care day, delivered by a Bachelor-qualified Early Childhood Teacher. Your child receives the kinder curriculum without needing a separate drop-off.
How much does long day care cost?
Daily fees vary by centre and location, but most families significantly reduce their out-of-pocket costs through the Australian Government’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS), which is calculated based on family income and activity levels. Eligible 3 and 4-year-olds also receive a Free Kinder fee offset on top of CCS.
What hours does long day care run?
Most long day care centres operate from around 6:30 am to 6:30 pm, Monday to Friday. They generally run 50 weeks of the year, closing only for a short Christmas and New Year break.
Can I choose how many days my child attends?
Yes, most centres offer enrolment by the day, with a minimum of two days per week being common. Available days depend on the centre’s vacancies, which is why families are encouraged to enquire early.
