Yes. Now, more than ever, we need to support working Australian families, and provide children with quality early learning and child care. Child care is an essential community service. Our long day care, out of school hours care, kindergarten and preschool programs are all currently running as normal. In some COVID-19 hotspots, Government restrictions are limiting in-centre attendance to children of essential workers only and online learning support is provided to these families.

Yes. The Government has instructed us to prioritise children of parents who are essential workers, and vulnerable children, along with previously enrolled children.

Our commitment is to open and clear communication with our entire community. Along with notifying the relevant authorities, we’ll let our child care centre community know that a confirmed case of COVID-19 has been diagnosed in our community. Our centre will be scheduled to undergo a full deep clean, and we’ll comply with the relevant authorities regarding closure if required. We’ll support our educators, children and families by keeping them updated as we complete all steps required so we can return to normal services as quickly as possible.

If we are directed by authorities to close for any reason, we will do so, and aim to reopen as soon as possible.

We’ll communicate quickly and clearly with our families and follow up with in-centre notifications to ensure everyone receives the correct information as soon as it is available.

As per Victorian Government regulations, families in Stage 4 Restriction zones are only able to access care if they are a permitted worker, or their child is enrolled as a vulnerable child. Virtual learning resources are available for those families required to isolate at home, and gap fees are being waived for these families. For more information on eligibility and how to access care, please visit our Victoria COVID-19 Information.

Please keep your at home if they are unwell, in line with national recommendations for all adults and children. Our educators and staff are following this same advice, to keep our child care centre community healthy and hygienic.

Yes, if we have availability. The Government has instructed us to prioritise children of parents who are essential workers and vulnerable children, along with previously enrolled children. Please call 1800 CHILD CARE or email enrolments@affinityeducation.com.au and we will secure your place. Depending on your State and the Government directive, you may not be required to pay gap fees if you are isolating at home due to COVID-19.

Our commitment is to continue to support every child’s early learning journey, so they can reach their full potential. We are about to launch a brand new parent hub called Lifelong Learning at Home which will include weekly programs, activities, videos and other resources to be made available to all families who are currently isolated.

In addition, your child’s centre will continue to communicate with them through your free Storypark account, optional remote video sessions from the learning room, and personalised learning resources. Please discuss any other additional suggestions to suit your child, with your Centre Manager.

Your Centre Manager is the best point of contact, and our Family Support Team is also available.
By phone - 1800 CHILD CARE
By email - feedback@affinityeducation.com.au
For more information about how our victorian centres are managing COVID-19, click through here.

-We're rolling out a national schedule of sanitisation fogging treatments at our child care centres using Nanocyn - considered the most effective product available to child care centres
- Our COVID-19 Response Team meets daily to gain the latest information, advice and support
- We've updated our handwashing and hygiene policies and provided additional training to our educators
- We're educating our children about germs and how to stay clean
- We're using pick up and drop off zones to reduce people walking through our centres
- We're temperature checking children and adult educators each day
- We're enforcing our exclusion policies for educators and children who are unwell with flu-like symptoms
- Incursions and excusions have been postponed and our educators are focusing on centre-based enrichment activities and experiences for the children in our care
- We're adjusting routines where possible, to increase the time children to play outside in fresh air

Our centre community is following a 3-stage step down plan to ensure the wellbeing of our educators and children as they return to care. For centres in Victoria, a specific Victorian Step Down Plan has been implemented in response to Victorian Government advice. These dates are subject to change.