Swanston Street Children's Centre

Welcome to Swanston Street Children's Centre, located in the heart of Carlton, Australia. Our center is housed in a historic building, conveniently situated directly opposite the University of Melbourne's main Parkville campus.

At Swanston Street Children's Centre, we prioritize the care and education of your child. With a registration capacity of 41 places, we ensure that children are grouped by age, providing a tailored learning environment for each age group.

We understand the demands of modern families, which is why our center operates from 7:45 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday, for 50 weeks a year. Please note that we are closed on some public holidays and University of Melbourne holidays.

Our center offers full-day early education programs for children aged three months to five years. We believe in fostering a nurturing and stimulating environment where children can grow, learn, and develop to their full potential.

As an affiliated institution with the University of Melbourne, we limit attendance to one University of Melbourne Early Childhood Service per child. For integrated kindergarten and long day care programs, priority is given to children who will be attending a funded program at Swanston Street Children's Centre. We kindly request that children attending a funded program at our center do not enroll in a funded kindergarten program at any other early childhood service.

Swanston Street Children's Centre is a registered service provider with the Australian Government. Eligible families can benefit from the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), which is paid directly to the service as a weekly fee reduction. Please note that full fees are charged to families until CCS entitlements are confirmed.

If you are interested in enrolling your child for 2024, applications are now open. To apply, please complete our application form and return it to our Early Childhood Education Services Administration office at 228 Queensberry Street, Carlton. You can also submit your application via email to childcare-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au. We accept applications throughout the year, with places allocated based on availability. However, if you wish to enroll your child for January, we encourage you to submit your application by August of the previous year to be considered in the initial round of allocations.

We understand that choosing the right childcare center is an important decision. That's why we invite interested families to join us for a tour of our center. During the tour, you will have the opportunity to meet our Center Director and educators, learn about our approach to early learning, and explore our indoor and outdoor experiences.

At Swanston Street Children's Centre, we are committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and enriching environment where your child can thrive. Join our community and give your child the best start in their educational journey.