A child-centred way to change centres
Changing childcare centres is easier when adults manage the information and the child receives a clear, gradual story. Confirm the new place before ending the old arrangement, understand notice requirements, share health and care records, acknowledge important goodbyes and arrange orientation. Avoid criticising the previous centre in front of the child or promising the new centre will feel familiar immediately.
Families change early learning services for many reasons: a move, work hours, school routes, availability, cost, relationships or a need that has changed. The reason may be practical, positive, difficult or mixed. Whatever the reason, the child experiences a change in people, place and routine.
A thoughtful transition does not require pretending nothing is ending. It helps the child say goodbye, carry useful continuity and begin building new relationships without being responsible for adult concerns.
Secure the new arrangement before giving up the old one
Confirm the new centre, accepted start date, days, session and enrolled times in writing. Ask what completes the enrolment and whether anything remains subject to availability. Then read the current centre’s notice requirements and choose the final date. A verbal expression of interest at a new centre is not a safe basis for ending an existing place.
Tell the child a simple, truthful story
Use language suited to the child: ‘You will finish at your old centre on Friday. We will say goodbye to your teachers. Next week we will visit Childsplay and meet the people there.’ Repeat the story and use photos or a calendar if helpful. Avoid giving the child adult financial or relationship details they cannot resolve.
Do not make the child choose between centres
A child can miss old teachers and enjoy new ones. Do not ask which centre they love more or treat affection for the previous service as resistance. Make room for mixed feelings. The goal is to add new trusted relationships, not erase the old experience.
Create a respectful ending
Tell the previous service the final attendance date through its required process. Ask how the child can say goodbye and collect belongings or learning records. A drawing, photo or small farewell can mark the transition without turning it into a performance. Keep adult complaints or disputes in an appropriate private process and maintain calm communication around the child.
Transfer information, not assumptions
- Current allergies, medication and health plans
- Feeding, sleep, toileting and nappy information
- Comfort cues, languages, interests and family context
- Authorised collectors and emergency contacts
- What has recently helped during difficult transitions
Ask what documentation the new centre needs directly from the family. Do not assume records transfer automatically or that a former centre can share everything without consent. Complete the new enrolment form fully even when the information feels repetitive.
Use orientation even for an experienced childcare child
Knowing how childcare works generally does not make a specific building, teacher or routine familiar. Arrange visits to the actual Childsplay Unlimited centre the child will attend. Explore where belongings go, who greets the child, how meals and rest work and what the goodbye will look like. An orientation at Mt Roskill does not prepare a child for Kingsland, or vice versa.
Carry a few familiar anchors
- Keep the morning sequence predictable.
- Use the same clear goodbye phrase.
- Bring an approved comfort item if helpful.
- Tell the new teacher about a favourite interest.
- Keep collection reliable during the first weeks.
Expect old feelings to reappear
A child who previously separated easily may cry again in a new setting. They are not losing all earlier progress; they are applying their experience to unfamiliar relationships. Ask what happens after the parent leaves and judge the whole day. Keep attendance regular and review the plan after several sessions.
Update funding and other agencies
If the child receives 20 Hours ECE across services or Work and Income Childcare Subsidy, make sure dates and attendance information are updated. Avoid overlapping funded claims or assuming the new service has been notified. Ask each organisation what forms or evidence it requires and retain written confirmation of effective dates.
Review the decision without comparing every detail
The new centre will have different people and rhythms. Ask whether the child is building relationships, finding play, receiving responsive care and becoming familiar with the day. Comparisons can clarify a genuine need, but constant statements that the old centre did everything differently can make belonging harder. Work with the new team on the child’s current experience.
If the move follows a difficult experience
Take safety or wellbeing concerns seriously and use the appropriate complaint or reporting process. At the same time, share information with the new centre in a way that helps it support the child rather than asking staff to judge events they did not witness. Describe observable triggers, helpful responses and any professional plans. Avoid discussing conflict in front of the child or making them repeat the story to multiple adults unnecessarily.
Create a 30-day transition review
- Attendance and handovers are working as agreed.
- Health, care and authorised-collection records are complete.
- The child is forming relationships and finding meaningful play.
- Home and centre observations are being exchanged.
- Funding and account records show the correct effective dates.
Thirty days is a review point, not a deadline by which every child must appear settled. Use it to correct records, recognise progress and agree on any support that should continue.
Changing childcare centre questions
Should we enrol before giving notice?
Confirm the new place and start details before ending the current arrangement, then follow both centres’ written processes.
Does an experienced childcare child still need orientation?
Yes. The people, space and routines are new even when the child understands group care.
Can our child miss the old centre?
Yes. Acknowledging valued relationships can coexist with building belonging in the new centre.
What funding information must change?
Tell affected services and Work and Income where relevant, and update funded-hour, attendance and effective-date records.
Contact Childsplay Unlimited
Considering a move to Childsplay Unlimited? Contact Mt Roskill on 09 627 9041 or Kingsland on 09 846 8908 to confirm current vacancies, sessions, enrolment steps and orientation at the specific centre your child would attend.
