72 Subsidised hours of care fortnightly!

All Families will be eligible for at least 3 Days Guarantee per Week regardless of their activity levels*

How will this initiative work?

From January 2026, all families will be eligible for at least 72 hours of subsidised ECEC per fortnight (3 days per week), regardless of their activity levels.

Families can still get 100 hours of subsidised ECEC per fortnight if they meet activity requirements or have a valid exemption.

Families caring for a First Nations child will be eligible for 100 hours of subsidised ECEC per fortnight.

Who will benefit?

The 3 Day Guarantee will benefit all families through certainty around eligibility for subsidised ECEC.

In its first full financial year the 3 Day Guarantee will benefit around 66,700 families, and more than 100,000 families will be eligible for additional hours of subsidised care.

Families earning over $533,280 in 2024-25 are not eligible for subsidised care - consistent with current settings.

Example of benefits

Sarah and Alex are a couple with one child accessing ECEC at 3 days (36 hours) per week. Their combined family income is $90,000 per annum. Sarah works full-time and Alex works 8 hours per week.

Previously, they were eligible for 18 hours of subsidised ECEC per week (36 hours per fortnight). From January 2026, they are eligible for 36 hours per week (72 hours per fortnight).

This saves them $230 per week of care ($11,400 per annum) from their provider charging the average Centre-Based Day Care hourly fee, assuming one child in care for 36 hours per week 50 weeks per year with the average projected fee for 2025-26.

For different family income thresholds, the better off amounts are:

How much will it cost?

The Australian Government will invest $426.7 million over five years from 2024-25, including implementation costs for Services Australia, to guarantee eligibility to at least 3 days of subsidised ECEC each week for children who need it.

Dear Valued Centre Families,

We extend a warm welcome to all the new families and children who have recently become part of the Kidi Kingdom community. Thank you to all our families for your continued support. We trust you and your family are enjoying your time with us here at Kidi Kingdom Child Care Springfield.

Firstly I would like to say Thank You to Miss Natalie for her many years of dedicated service to our Kindy and the lasting impact she has made along the way. Her commitment, integrity, and leadership have helped shape our team, and her mentorship has been especially meaningful-Her guidance and generosity with her time has made a real difference to so many of us. We're deeply grateful for everything she has contributed, and we wish her every success, fulfillment, and happiness in the next chapter ahead.

Our Commitment to Child Safety

With additional training, webinars, and updated service guidelines, our team is implementing new measures to further strengthen our child protection practices.

You'll notice new Child Safety posters displayed around the service. We encourage everyone - educators, parents, carers, and children - to read them, ask questions, and join us in keeping child safety an open, ongoing conversation. Together, we can continue to create a caring, safe, and supportive environment for every child.

New Child Protection and Child Safety Regulations came into effect on 1 September 2025, along with updates to the Blue Card System.

As these important changes are implemented, our service is making updates to ensure we remain fully compliant and continue to provide the safest possible environment for all children in our care.

To uphold the highest standards of safety and care, all educators will complete updated mandatory Child Protection Training this month. This initiative will strengthen our team's capacity to identify and report concerns for children and young people.

Recommended Resource: Swoosh, Glide and Rule Number 5

If you're looking for a great way to teach safety at home, we recommend the children's book Swoosh, Glide and Rule Number 5 by Barbara Uecker and Peter Viska, read by Jimmy Rees.This engaging story follows sugar glider twins, Swoosh and Glide, as they learn about online safety. It helps young children understand how to be safe while using technology and connecting with others online.

Supported by the eSafety Commissioner, it's a fantastic conversation starter for families. You can find a video reading on the eSafety Commissioner's website:

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/children-under-5/picture-book-and-song/swoosh-glide-and-rule-number-5#read-the-book

Photographing Children & HubHello

We appreciate your understanding and support as we implement the new regulations regarding photographing children and uploading images to HubHello. Capturing and sharing your child's learning journey remains important to us. Rest assured, we will continue to post monthly observations about your child's progress via HubHello.

If you are experiencing any difficulty accessing your HubHello account, please contact me immediately. Should you wish to discuss your child's development or needs in more detail, we would be delighted to schedule a meeting with their educator.

Centre Renovations

We're pleased to share that our first renovation of the year is now complete, with one room refurbished and ready for use. This is our Junior Early Years classroom. This marks an exciting step forward in enhancing our childcare environment, creating a more comfortable, engaging, and functional space for the children. We're already looking ahead to further renovations planned for the months ahead, which will continue to improve our facilities and support the high-quality care and learning experiences we strive to provide.

Opportunities for Families to Get Involved

We would like to remind our families that we have an open door policy here at Kidi Kingdom and you are welcome to share your time with us at any available opportunity. When parents get involved in the childcare centre, everyone benefits-especially the children. You bring a rich mix of skills, experiences, and cultures that can make the learning environment more vibrant and meaningful. Whether it's sharing a favourite story, teaching a song from your culture, helping in the garden, or talking about your work or hobbies, parents help children see their world reflected and valued. This kind of involvement strengthens connections between home and the centre, builds a sense of belonging, and shows our children that learning is something their whole community takes part in.

If you are interested and available to share your time with us here at Kidi Kingdom please speak to Miss Chrystle and we will be happy to welcome you through our doors.

Payment of Fees

A friendly reminder to all our families that our only form of payment is direct debit and that your fees are to always be two weeks in advance as per our service policies and procedures, Please ensure your account is maintained as our services are in high demand. Your direct debit is placed on a dynamic payment system and will take out what is owed for either that week or fortnight. So if you have missed a payment your next cycle will take out what is owing. However, if you do miss a payment you can either let HubHello take it out on the next payment cycle or you are more than welcome to place that payment into our bank account which you will find the bank details on the bottom of your statement. Please reference your payment as your child's name. We find that this is the most effective and supportive payment method towards your childcare fees.

Please if you have any questions or concerns feel free to approach me at reception or simply email us at s@kidikingdom.com.au. Please head over to our Facebook page and we always appreciate our loyal families helping our centre by sharing your positive experiences to the local community by writing a quick 5 star Google, CareForKids or Facebook review.

Kind Regards, Ms Chrystle Smith Centre Manager

Click here to visit our pages at Facebook and Instagram

Dear families of Kidi Kingdom Springfield,

I'm very excited to be stepping into the role of Educational Leader this year. Having worked at the service for a long time, I feel incredibly grateful to already know all of the children, families and educators, and to be part of such a caring and dedicated team and community.

I am passionate about supporting children to feel safe, confident and valued, and I believe strong relationships are at the heart of meaningful learning. I also enjoy working alongside educators to reflect, grow and create engaging experiences that build on children's interests and strengths. This year, I hope to continue fostering a warm, inclusive environment where every child is encouraged to explore, wonder and develop a love of learning.

I look forward to continuing this journey with you all and supporting our children as they grow and thrive. We deeply value your continued support and look forward to sharing more of your child's learning journey with you throughout the term. If you have any questions or would like to be involved in our program, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Kind Regards, Miss Maddi Educational Leader

Dear Families of the Early Learners Room,

Hello from the Early Learners classroom. My name is Anureet. I am dedicated to providing a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment where young children feel secure and supported. I enjoy building strong relationships and supporting children's learning and development through play-based experiences. It has been a pleasure to share the last few months with your children, watching everyone grow and learn new skills. Here in the nursery we prioritise child led learning and over the past few months the children have led us on a journey of their own individual interests and developmental goals. We have been working on our milestones of walking and standing independently with much success. We regularly engage in sensory experiences using hands-on activities to reinforce current knowledge and extend our understanding of the world. Our learning has taken us on a journey of caring for baby dolls, pretending to be animals, cooking in the home corner and stacking blocks.

Just a reminder to please pack a hat and spare clothes everyday to allow for your child to fully engage in our learning program.

I am always available to chat if you need any updates regarding your children's routine or learning and to answer any questions you may have.

Kind Regards, Miss Anureet Early Learners Lead Educator

Dear Families of the Junior Early Years Room,

Hello families, my name is Anum and I will be your child's educator for the year. I am passionate about supporting your child's growth and learning in a playful, caring, and engaging environment, and I look forward to working closely with you and your child.

I would like to warmly welcome all families to the JEY room. We are so happy to see how well the children transitioning from the Nursery room have settled into their new environment. They are confidently engaging in play, following the daily routine, and building relationships with educators and peers. Through play-based experiences and consistent routines, the children are developing independence and a strong sense of belonging, and it has been wonderful to see them settling in so well.

Kind Regards, Junior Early Years Educators

Dear Families of the Early Years Room,

This year in the Early Years room, your child's educators will be Miss Rianon and Ms Ramandeep. We are excited to be working together and supporting your child's learning and development throughout the year. Both educators bring a strong passion for early childhood education and enjoy creating a warm, engaging, and inclusive learning environment. Their interests include supporting children's social and emotional development, encouraging independence, and providing meaningful play-based experiences that reflect each child's interests and strengths. Throughout the year, your child will have many opportunities to explore, learn, and grow through hands-on experiences, creative play, and daily routines. We aim to build strong, respectful relationships with each child and support their development at their own pace. We value open communication and working in partnership with families. Please feel free to speak with us at any time if you have questions, ideas, or information you would like to share about your child.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to a wonderful year ahead. Kind regards, The Early Years Team

Kind Regards, Miss Rianon and Miss Ramandeep Early Years Educators

Dear Valued Families of the Senior Early Years Room,

Welcome you to our first newsletter of the year. My name is Raquel Wissman, Lead Educator in the Senior Early Years Room. I would describe myself as a positive, energetic and industrious person. I have been in the industry for more than 10 yrs. I am thrilled to welcome your child and your family to our Senior Early Years Room.

The start of the year has been wonderful, with most children settling really well into their new rooms and adapting to the changes.

This is a transitional period as we welcome new children, and our existing children transfer to their new rooms. New programming is currently being created. We are excited to make planning and programming engaging for the children by transforming everyday tasks into games, and encouraging them to create their own stories and games. This approach boosts creativity and children's interest, allowing us to incorporate these interests to teach logical thinking and problem-solving skills.

This month we turned our spotlight on children's interest, friendship and independence. We started the year off by exploring the world of the sea. The importance of water to all living things, made fun crafts and even did activities to help keep our ocean clean.

February is a month of feelings and love. We will focus on teaching the children to love, respect and care for one another.

Our focus will be on preparing children for learning by concentrating on the crucial skills of sharing, communication, and emotional expression.

My goal is to create a supportive environment where children can practice these skills through play, group activities and discussions.

A big welcome to all our new children and families! We are always here to help, so please don't hesitate to chat with us if you have any questions or concerns. Your feedback is valuable and welcome at any time.

Kind Regards, Miss Raquel Senior Early Years Lead Educator

Dear Valued Families of the Kindergarten Room,

Welcome to our Kindergarten room! My name is Maddi and I'm excited to be working alongside Miss Jaz this year. Together, we are looking forward to creating a nurturing, engaging and fun learning environment where the children feel safe, supported and confident to be themselves.

In our room, we value strong relationships and believe children learn best through play, exploration and meaningful experiences based on their interests. We are passionate about supporting each child's social, emotional and learning development, and encouraging curiosity, creativity and independence. Their enthusiasm, kindness and creativity continue to inspire me each day and I look forward to seeing all the growth and joy that the rest of the year will bring. If you have any questions or would like to get involved in our upcoming events, please don't hesitate to reach out.

We look forward to building positive partnerships with families and sharing many special moments with your children throughout the year.

If you have any questions, please reach out to myself or Miss Jaz.

Kind Regards, Miss Maddison Kindergarten Teacher

Dear Valued Families of Kidi Kingdom Springfield,

We're excited to introduce our new childcare food provider, Kindergarten Gourmet Foods and their fresh new menu designed especially for growing children. The updated menu focuses on providing a nutritious, well balanced menu using fresh ingredients, offering a variety of kid-friendly options that support healthy development while still being delicious. With thoughtfully planned morning tea, lunches, and afternoon tea, Kindergarten Gourmet Foods ensures children enjoy wholesome meals that cater to different tastes and dietary needs, giving families peace of mind and children the energy they need to learn, play, and thrive.

Kind Regards, Miss Reetu Centre Cook

Ingredients:

• 1 brown onion, coarsely grated

• 2 tsp fennel seeds

• 500g pkt Coles Garlic and Herb Pork Sausages, casings removed

• 1/2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

• 1 Coles Australian Free Range Egg, lightly whisked

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and 1 tsp fennel seeds. Cook, stirring, for 5 mins or until the onion softens. Cool slightly. Transfer to a bowl with the sausage. Use your hands to mix until combined. Divide into 3 portions.

Step 2. Cut the whole pastry sheet in half. Place 1 pastry half on a clean work surface. Shape 1 portion of sausage mixture into a 3cm x 24cm log. Place along 1 long edge of the pastry half. Brush the edges of the pastry with a little egg. Roll up to enclose the filling. Cut into 4 pieces and place seam-side down on a lined tray. Repeat with remaining pastry halves and sausage mixture. Brush with the remaining egg and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tsp fennel seeds.

Step 3. Bake for 25 mins or until the pastry is puffed and golden and the filling is cooked through.