Please note our Christmas / New Year closure period will remain fee-free.

EARLY LEARNING (LONG DAYCARE)

Last day of care: Thursday 24 December 2026

Children return: Tuesday 5 January 2027

COMMUNITY PRESCHOOL

Last day of preschool: Friday 18 December 2026

Children return: Monday 1 February 2027

BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE

Last day of operation: Thursday 17 December 2026

Services resume: Wednesday 3 February 2027

VACATION CARE

Friday 18 December to Thursday 24 December 2026

Monday 4 January to Tuesday 2 February 2027

Please note that dates of operation apply to all OOSH services except Bellambi OOSH. Bulli OOSH is closed on Fridays (also on school holidays), alternative care can be arranged at Thirroul OOSH.

STARTING OR ENDING CARE WITH AN ABSENCE

Under Australian Government Child Care Subsidy (CCS) rules, CCS cannot be paid for absences that occur on the first or last day of an enrolment.

If your child is absent on:

• Their first booked day of care; or
• Their final booked day of care (including during a notice period),
• Full fees will apply for those sessions.

To reduce booked days or cease enrolment, four weeks’ written notice is required and should be provided to your Centre Director or Client Engagement Consultant.

We encourage families to save these dates and make any necessary arrangements ahead of the holiday period.

Thank you for being part of the BFS Children’s Services community. We look forward to welcoming children and families back for another exciting year in 2027.

Warm regards,

BFS Children’s Services

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BFS stands for Birth to Five and School‑aged Children’s Services, a name that clearly reflects the children we support across early learning and Outside of School Hours care (OOSH)

What’s staying the same?

While our name and brand are evolving, the things that matter most are not. 

• The educators who care for your child remain the same 
• The locations and services your family knows and trusts remain the same 
• The quality of care, relationships and learning experiences remain the same.

Children’s safety, wellbeing and education continue to be at the centre of everything we do. 

Why are we making these changes?

We are proud of our history, confident in our future, and deeply committed to supporting your child’s learning and wellbeing. Thank you for your trust and for being part of BFS Children’s Services.

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Why playgroup? 

Playgroups provide extra support for families during the early years, especially for those not yet attending preschool or early learning. They give children a safe, supportive space to socialise, explore and build important social skills through play that suits their age. This helps them grow in confidence and makes the transition to school easier. 

For parents, playgroup offers valuable social connection. It’s a chance to get out of the house, share experiences and feel supported in a non‑judgemental space with other parents who truly understand both the fun and the challenges of this stage of life. 

With early childhood experts always available, parents can talk through questions about their child’s development, gain reassurance, and access health and wellbeing referrals or extra support when needed. 

What can I expect? 

Playgroup is a place where children play and parents find connection. Sessions usually include a mix of indoor and outdoor play, with several activity stations children can move between at their own pace. There’s a dedicated area for infants, with a baby mat and sensory toys just for them. 

Each session offers a fresh mix of toys, activities and creative crafts, so there’s always something new to explore. Children can enjoy hands‑on experiences like painting or Play‑Doh in a space where parents don’t need to worry about the mess. 

We also come together for group time, sharing stories, songs and music, helping children build confidence, practice listening and feel comfortable being part of a group. 

Who can join? 

Every child is welcome! Our playgroups are open to all families with children aged 0–5 years. We offer two dedicated playgroups designed to support children with different abilities and developmental needs, along with their families. No formal diagnosis is required to attend these groups. Please get in contact via email caps@bfscs.org.au if you would like to know more about these playgroups. 

During school holidays, we run a range of programs and special events for school‑aged children (5–12 years), giving older children the chance to explore, connect and have fun while parents enjoy the same sense of community. 

How to attend a playgroup 

You can find all our playgroup locations and weekly programs on our Facebook page. Families are welcome to simply come along. If it’s your first time, our team will be there to welcome you and help you settle in. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email us at caps@bfscs.org.au – we can’t wait to hear from you! 

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The educators and teachers in your service are experts in early childhood development. They know your child — their needs, their behaviour and what’s developmentally appropriate at each stage — and use this knowledge to support learning, wellbeing and belonging every day.

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It’s equal parts exciting, and a little nerve‑wracking or even emotional, but it can also feel a little overwhelming (especially when you’re juggling everyday life, too). That’s why we asked our early childhood experts to share the 10 most common (and most important) questions to ask on a tour, so you can walk in feeling prepared, confident and supported.

10 Questions to ask on your early learning tour

1.     How will my child feel welcomed and supported on their first day? 

We know all about the first day jitters and the teary goodbyes, we know starting early education is a big moment for children and families.   It’s normal to feel excited, nervous, proud, or all three at once, and our educators understand this is a family transition, not just a child’s.   We focus on making those first moments feel gentle, familiar and reassuring with the following: 

• Warm welcomes and gentle goodbyes
  Being greeted by a friendly face who already knows them makes a world of difference.
• Comfort, calm and cosy corners
  Bring a cuddly toy, teddy, blanket or favourite books. These small things can bring big reassurance.  
• Playful partnerships and first friendships
• First friendships often start with simple moments: two children building the same tower or joining a puzzle together. Our educators help create these natural interactions so your child feels included right away.
• Skilled support from educators who understand emotions
  Because our teams are trained in child development and relational pedagogy, they notice the micromoments, the shy shuffle, the brave blink or the sudden stillness. These cues help us offer exactly the right comfort, reassurance or redirection, ensuring every child feels safe, settled and seen. 

2.     What does a typical day of play, learning and exploration look like here? 

Each service follows their own child led rhythm full of moments that feel familiar, fun and full of possibility. Our qualified teachers craft calm, curious, curriculum led days ensuring every sandpit story, paint splattered masterpiece and quiet-time cuddle connects back to the Early Years Learning Framework (Early Learning and Preschool) and the My Time, Our Place Framework (OOSH) and supports real learning. 

3.     How do you ensure children feel safe, confident and included?

Child safety is more than a factor, it’s the foundation of everything we do.  

And everything we do begins with one simple belief: children learn best when they feel safe, seen and supported. 

Yes, we meet every regulation but more importantly, we create an environment where children feel emotionally safe. From shy smiles to wobbly moments, our qualified teachers and educators are trained in child development and relational pedagogy. They notice the small signals that tell us when a child needs comfort, confidence or connection. 

We follow strong standards around supervision ratios, safe environments, digital safety, responding to concerns and protecting children’s rights and voices. 

Research tells us children learn through relationships, so we prioritise connection first. Trusted relationships help children settle quickly, speak up when they need support and feel confident to explore. 

Whether a child is bold, quiet, curious or cautious, we meet them exactly where they are. We value diversity, celebrate difference and ensure every child feels welcome, respected and part of the group. 

And feeling safe isn’t just about the child, it’s about families too. We share updates, listen closely and work with you to understand your child’s routines, needs and strengths from day one. 

4.     What qualifications and experience do your educators bring to the classroom? 

Many of our classrooms are led by degree qualified teachers and experienced educators who specialise in early childhood development. Most of our Children’s Services team hold teaching degrees, bringing deep knowledge of how children grow, learn and thrive. 

We also invest heavily in ongoing professional learning, including our Education Support Team and our Head of Educational Excellence, ensuring curriculum, teaching practice and child development remain strong, current and deeply aligned with the National Quality Standard. 

5.     How do you nurture creativity and encourage children to express themselves?

We nurture creativity by giving children time, tools and trust to explore their ideas in whatever way feels right for them. Whether that’s bold brushstrokes, quiet drawing, dramatic roleplay or wonderfully wobbly dance moves.  

Our environments are filled with open ended materials that spark curiosity, and our qualified educators follow each child’s lead listening, observing and gently extending their thinking so a scribble becomes a story and a question becomes a whole new adventure. With spaces that invite imagination, moments that celebrate self expression, and relationships that help children feel safe to try, experiment and make a mess, creativity becomes not just an activity, but a natural part of every child’s day. 

6.     What are your approaches to supporting each child’s unique needs and abilities? 

It’s through their curious questions, unique preferences for comfort and knowing their capabilities, and tailoring our teaching to match. We’re specialists in childhood nutrition, fussy eaters, and sneaking vegetables in. Specialists in diverse learning styles and every dinosaur species. Experts in inclusive education and imaginary tea parties. 

Our qualified educators observe closely, listen carefully and use child development knowledge and relational pedagogy to understand what each child needs to thrive. With a strong commitment to inclusion, specialist support from our Education Support Team, and warm partnerships with families, we make sure every child feels understood, supported and confidently part of the group. 

7.     How do you keep families connected and involved in their child’s learning? 

Face to face connection is our priority mode of communication with families. Where possible, check in with your child’s educator or director. We also communicate through an app called Xap. It’s for quick updates, photos and little stories that show you the moments that matter, as well as educational programming, centre information and sometimes information from the organisation.

8.     What are your policies on illness, food, and allergies? 

We keep things simple: if your child is unwell, we ask that they stay home so they can rest and recover, and so everyone else stays healthy too.

When it comes to food, our cooks follow the National Quality Standard (NQS) guidelines to create meals that are safe, nutritious and child friendly (even for the fussy ones). We take allergies and dietary needs seriously: we work closely with families, create clear plans, and ensure every educator knows exactly what each child needs so mealtimes stay safe, calm and confident for everyone. Ask to see our menus which are usually shared on Kinderloop or displayed near the kitchens!

9.     How do you support smooth transitions – whether that’s starting early learning or preparing for school? 

When children start early learning, we ease them in with gentle routines, familiar faces and plenty of play so they can settle at their own pace. As they grow, we offer a dedicated Transition to School program for children aged 4–5, helping them build skills like independence, friendships, problem solving and resilience through everyday moments of play.  

Whether it’s their first day with us or their first day of school, we focus on relationships, reassurance and routines that help every child feel ready, relaxed and excited for what comes next. 

10.  What fees, subsidies or support options are available for families? 

We know fees and funding can feel confusing, especially when you’re juggling work, school runs and everything else life throws your way, so lets keep it simple.  

• Our early learning services (long day care) are eligible for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Start Strong Funding (NSW Government) 

• Our preschools are funded through the NSW Start Strong program 

• Fun Clubs (OOSH) are eligible for CCS up the age of 12, meaning your before and after school care, and school holiday programs are subsidised by the Federal Government.  

Both of these are optional, and families will need to opt in to receive them, but your centre director and our client engagement team can help guide you through the process so you know exactly what support you’re entitled to.  Our goal is to make care accessible, affordable and stress free for every family. 

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How can we make our spaces feel even more welcoming?

What does it really look like to listen when a child shares how they feel?

And how do we empower families to be active partners in safety?

As part of this commitment, we regularly participate in sector benchmarking to understand how we’re tracking. We’re proud to share that our family experience score is +67, above the sector benchmark of +63, reflecting the strong relationships we build and the trust families place in us.

Recently, new child safety laws, regulations and standards have come into effect across the early childhood sector. In response, we’ve updated our Safeguarding, Mandatory Reporting and Child Protection policies and launched a dedicated internal Safeguarding Awareness Campaign to ensure every teacher, educator, casual, trainee and cook understands exactly what this means in practice.

Because child safety isn’t just a checklist, it’s in the everyday moments.

We listen to children’s voices, notice the small changes, and create environments where they feel confident to speak up.

What’s changing 

We want to share some of the ways we’ve strengthened our approach:

• Clearer child-safe framework
  We’ve refreshed our Safeguarding Children Policy. It’s aligned with current laws and best practice and built around four key principles that guide us:
  • Creating safe environments
  • Building a strong child-safe culture and purpose
  • Growing our teams’ capability
  • Speaking up and standing up through advocacy.

• Stronger roles and responsibilities
  Every staff member, from our safeguarding team, to managers, to every teacher and educator, has clearly defined responsibilities. This includes:
  • Identifying and responding to risks of harm
  • Following our Code of Conduct
  • Knowing when and how to report concerns.

• More focus on children and families having a voice
  Our updated policy now puts extra emphasis on:
  • Listening to children and taking their feelings seriously
  • Partnering with families and carers
  • Respecting the diversity of the children, families and communities we serve.

• Clear language about what we’re looking out for
  We’ve added simple, clear definitions to help staff recognise different types of abuse and neglect. This supports our teams to notice when something does not feel right and to act quickly and appropriately.

The updated policy also connects to other organisational policies and procedures that help keep children safe, so everything works together as one strong framework, not as separate pieces.

If you would like to read more, here are some helpful links:

Early Childhood Education and Care (Strengthening Regulation of Early Education) Bill 2025 – Parliament of Australia

ACECQA Information Sheets – Child Safety

Office of the Children’s Guardian – Reportable Conduct

 We don’t leave child safety to chance.

From careful recruitment and screening to ongoing training, clear reporting pathways and everyday reflective practice, we make sure every staff member knows their role in protecting children. Families can feel confident that safety is woven into everything we do, even in the busy, messy, wonderfully real moments of childhood.

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How to Enrol

Browse this page to find your nearest OOSH and enquire by submitting a form. Prefer to speak with someone directly? Contact the Centre Director at the service for assistance.

Once the Director receives your enquiry form, organise a walk through   / meet and greet to tour the service.

Once you’ve met the Director, we will provide you with an enrolment pack which includes integrating you to:

• Xap – where you will complete your child’s enrolment form. This is also how you can make permanent/occasional care bookings
• Kinderloop – how we communicate with you and share information about your child while with us

How to make a permanent booking

Permanent bookings ensure consistency for your family while also guaranteeing your child has a spot on that particular day, morning or afternoon.

Upon enrolment, or at any point through the year, speak with your director who ask you to fill in a booking request form. This is where you can specify which day/time you wish to book until further notice.

How to book occasional care (once your child is enrolled)

If your child already attends OOSH, you can easily book occasional care through the Xap Smile APP.

• Log into the Smile APP on your device
• Select the bookings icon → Select the Green + Button
• Select the name of the child the casual booking is for → Select the payment account details to be invoiced for the booking
• Select the Room for the casual day → select the Session (Fee) for the casual day
• Select the Booking type as Casual → Select the Date/s from the calendar and select Done
• Tick that you agree to the Services Booking Terms and Conditions → Select Request booking → Select OK
• Need to cancel? Select the Bookings icon → Select the 3 dot menu for the incorrect/no longer required Casual Day → Select Cancel Booking → Add in the Cancellation Reason and Select Confirm Cancellation → The Cancelled Date will display within your Booking details.

If your child does not yet attend a BFS Children’s Services centre, you will need to register before booking occasional care. Please follow the steps to enrol first.

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The Activated OSHC program helps services deliver high-quality physical activity and lower screen time programs, ensuring that children experience movement, creativity, and play as a natural part of their day.

By working towards accreditation, our services are building the foundations for best practice in physical activity and screen time, creating environments where children’s daily physical activity is intentional, inclusive, and impactful — supporting their overall health, school performance, and wellbeing.

Our programs focus on active engagement and holistic development for children aged 5–12. We prioritise play-based learning, encouraging children to explore their interests in areas like sport, STEM, and the arts. By creating dynamic spaces that promote physical activity, creativity, and social connection, our Fun Clubs help children develop confidence, resilience, and essential life skills.

With a focus on active participation, we’re helping children not only enhance their physical wellbeing but also strengthen their social and emotional growth — ensuring every child enjoys a well-rounded, empowering experience that prepares them for life beyond the classroom.

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