Search results for

Djila-tjarriu Kindergarten, Girrabanya Children’s Centre, Rowan View Children’s Centre and Wendouree Children’s Centre 

Centre-based childcare and kindergarten is available for children up to school age. For more information including service tours, contact us childcare@ballarat.vic.gov.au or 5320 5720.

To register for kindergarten at any of our services, please visit ballarat.vic.gov.au/kindergarten and follow the prompts to register.  

Our vision is for trusting, inclusive, interconnected relationships between children, families, educators and communities that support children to be happy, safe and to reach their full potential.

Our mission is to provide the children of Ballarat with learning opportunities that provide the best possible start in life through:

• Regular intentional strategies that actively teach, promote and support children’s health and safety.  
• Responsive interactions that contribute to healthy brain development.  
• Equitable and inclusive practices that support all children and families to participate.  
• Welcoming and inviting learning environments that excite children towards learning.  
• Programs with a long-standing reputation for quality, delivered by dedicated, knowledgeable professionals.  
• Reciprocal relationships with families that recognise their expertise and their roles as the first, and most important, educators for children.  
• Meaningful connections with our community as contributing citizens.  
• Planned curriculums that enrich and extend each child’s learning and development. 

All City of Ballarat Children’s Services are guided by the National Quality Framework and the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework.  

Our learning environments are expertly designed to offer a mix of natural and man-made play-based learning opportunities both indoors and outdoors.  

Our services are active participants in the Achievement Program, Smiles for Miles and Sunsmart to create a healthy place for all to work, learn and live.  

Our services are child-centred and family friendly, offering personalised programs and fun family events such as picnics and art shows. 

Kindergarten Session hours: 8:30am-1:30pm Monday to Friday, excluding school holidays and public holidays. 

We are excited to welcome families into our beautiful purpose-built space. Aligning with City of Ballarat’s vision, mission and philosophies, our teachers will deliver the very best in education for three- and four-year-old children.

Services offered:  

• 15 hours of FREE government funded three and four-year-old kindergarten. Sessions run from 8:30am-1:30pm.  
• Excursions and regular outings with our local community.  

We provide:  

• Excursions and regular outings with our local community.  
• Space to explore the outdoors and connect with nature with regular visits to the neighbouring Djila-tjarriu Playground.

Contact:

• Address: 18 Donegal Drive, Alfredton
• Room booking: Community Hub Booking Request Form
• Enquiries: communityhubs@ballarat.vic.gov.au
• Kindergarten: Register with City of Ballarat's Central Kindergarten Registration or call 5320 5720
• Sign up to our newsletter: Fill out the form to receive email updates on activities at the Community Hubs 

Hours of operation: 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays, 1 annual professional learning day, and 1 week Christmas closure)

Licenced Places: 75 

At Wendouree Children’s Centre, our philosophy is driven by our respectful relationships with children and families.  Our learning rooms offer personalised care for your child and flexible routines to ensure your child’s needs are met. We respect that all children are unique and have a voice, and that parents are the first educator of their child. We encourage children to learn cooperatively as a community and we actively engage in the learning process.

Services offered:  

• Long day care from 6 weeks to primary school age. Choose between 10 or 11 hours of care.
• 15 hours of FREE government funded three- and four-year-old kindergarten. Sessions run from 8:30am-1:30pm with the option of before and after kinder care and holiday care (fees apply).
• On-site Maternal and Child Health service.  

We provide:  

• Excursions and regular outings with our local community, including the library and local nursing home.  
• A Mandarin language program in our 4-year-old program, funded by the Victorian Government’s Little Languages initiative.  
• Nutritious breakfasts, lunches and morning and afternoon snacks based on healthy eating guidelines, made fresh in the centre by our centre cook.
• Nappies and sunscreen.

Contact:

• Phone: 5320 8200
• Email: childcare@ballarat.vic.gov.au
• Address: 408 Gillies Street North (Corner of Norman & Gillies Streets)

Hours of operation: 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays, 1 annual professional learning day, and 1 week Christmas closure)

Licenced Places: 98

At Girrabanya Children’s Centre, our philosophy is to provide a home-like atmosphere where children learn and develop new skills through exploration of learning spaces and open-ended play. We value flexible routines to promote an unhurried learning environment for our children. We value the many different cultures and backgrounds of our families and promote a greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in our programs.  

Services offered:  

• Long day care from 6 weeks to primary school age.  
• 15 hours of FREE government funded three- and four-year-old kindergarten. Sessions run from 8:30am-1:30pm with the option of before and after kinder care and holiday care (fees apply).
• Occasional Childcare, providing flexible casual childcare to support parents to meet family needs (e.g. studying, shopping, keeping appointments, casual work hours, socialisation) with three session options:  
  • Morning sessions: between 7am and 12:30pm.  
  • Afternoon sessions: between 12:30pm and 6:00pm.
  • Full day of care: Choose between 10 or 11 hours of care.  
• On-site Maternal and Child Health and Childhood Immunisation services.  

We provide:  

• Excursions and regular outings with our local community, including the nature walks, local shops and local schools.  
• Nutritious breakfasts, lunches (excluding occasional care) and morning and afternoon snacks based on healthy eating guidelines, made fresh in the centre by our centre cook.
• Nappies (long-day care program only) and sunscreen. 

Contact:

• Phone: 5320 5720
• Email: childcare@ballarat.vic.gov.au
• Address: 11B Steinfeld Street, Ballarat

Childcare hours: by referral only, 9:30am-2:30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays, 1 annual professional learning day, and 2 week Christmas closure)

Kindergarten hours: 9am-2pm Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, excluding school holidays and public holidays

Licenced Places: 61

At the newly refurbished Rowan View Children’s Centre, we believe each child deserves the same access to learning opportunities, and we deliver a high-quality early childhood education program. We work together with families to create the best outcomes for children, having high expectations for children and valuing diversity.  

Services offered:  

• 15 hours of FREE government funded three- and four-year-old kindergarten. Sessions run from 9:00am-2:00pm.
• A referral-only childcare program for eligible families.  

We provide:  

• Excursions and regular outings with our local community.  
• A positive transition to school experience, with the service located next to Forest Street Primary School.  

Contact:

• Phone: 5320 5720
• Address: 402 Forest Street, Wendouree 

Once your hospital or midwife has advised Council's maternal and child health service of your baby's birth, a member of the maternal and child health service will phone you to arrange the date and time of your first appointment. This is usually attended in your own home.

Follow up appointments will be in one of our six local centres closest to you, across the City of Ballarat.

There are 10 key stages of your child's development that you will attend a maternal and child health. These visits focus on optimising child and family health, safety and wellbeing, learning and development and include:

• Home visit
• 2 weeks
• 4 weeks
• 8 weeks
• 4 months
• 8 months
• 12 months
• 18 months
• 2 years  
• 3.5 to 4 years.

At these appointments the nurse will check your child's health, growth and development, including hearing, vision, speech, and fine and gross motor skills. At each nurse appointment you can talk about your concerns or ask questions about your child and your parenting experience.

We can give you information about parenting and children, including:

• Infant feeding and nutrition advice
• Sleep and settling strategies
• Child behaviour and development
• Family health and wellbeing
• Support for the emotional wellbeing of parents 

City of Ballarat provides maternal and child health services from a number of centre locations across the municipality.

Appointments are available at our six centres on weekdays. Appointments can also be made for Saturday morning clinics that are run monthly. 

• Ballarat: Girrabanya, 11B Steinfeld Street, Ballarat Central
• Wendouree: Corner Gillies and Hastings Streets, Wendouree
• Buninyong: 208 Learmonth St, Buninyong
• Sebastopol: 183 Albert St, Sebastopol
• Bonshaw: 284 Morgan St, Sebastopol
• Lucas: 17 Coltman Plaza, Lucas

To book an appointment please call 5320 5720

No appointment is needed to use the MCH nurse drop in services at:

Mondays 1pm – 4pm
Wendouree Children’s Centre
Corner Gillies and Hastings Streets, Wendouree

Fridays 9.30am - 2.30pm
Parent Place
39 Sturt St, Ballarat 

The Victorian MCH Sleep and Settling Program provides families with the information and support they need to confidently respond to early childhood Sleep and Settling concerns using safe and effective strategies.  

City of Ballarat offer a range of sleep supports for families, including free Sleep and Settling Information sessions, Sleep clinic, Sleep drop-in clinic and Home Visits.

For more information please visit the Sleep and Settling Program page

Our First Time Parents Group is a group program offered to all new parents. MCH Nurses facilitate the discussion with time afterwards to connect with other parents, these groups are offered to all first-time parents/carers to network, make friends and learn together.

This program offers home visiting to families that have more complex needs.

You can call the MCH Line on 13 22 29 at any time. The line is open 24 hours and is staffed by MCH nurses.

The Maternal and Child Health phone app has lots of information for families and is available in 10 languages.

Early childhood is a time of significant change and development, providing a foundation for lifelong physical, social and emotional wellbeing. That’s why the City of Ballarat’s team of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) nurses are available to support young families.

Welcoming a new baby into your family is a special time.

However, it can also be daunting, with parents and carers needing to learn new skills to care for the baby while recovering from labour and functioning on minimal sleep.

The City of Ballarat’s Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services exist to provide support to parents and young children during this important time of transition, all the way through to when the child starts school.

From sleep and settling support, to immunisation and connection to parent’s groups, Maternal and Child Health Coordinator Belinda Joyce and all of the other MCH nurses at the City of Ballarat are here to support families to give their children the best start in life.

A key part of the role of the City of Ballarat’s MCH nurses is to monitor children’s health and development progress, Belinda says.

"The MCH program consists of 10 key age and stages consultations with an MCH nurse,” she says.

They include an initial home visit, and consultations at two, four and eight weeks, and four, eight, 12 and 18 months, and at two and three and a half years of age.

“These consultations provide an excellent opportunity for families to raise and discuss concerns they have around their child’s health and development,” Belinda says.

“Families are offered information and assessment of growth and development, safety, feeding and nutrition, language and motor development for their child.”

Consultations are free and confidential and are supported by joint funding from the State Government and the City of Ballarat.

Despite what its name may suggest, MCH services are designed to support the whole family. After all, the health and wellbeing of other family members can also have significant impacts on the health and wellbeing of a child. 

MCH nurses are uniquely placed to support families in early parenting, from birth through to commencing primary school. 

The City of Ballarat’s MCH service can also help identify parental health issues and provide support and appropriate connection with other health services.

The Maternal and Child Health team at the City of Ballarat operate several services, including:

• Universal Maternal and Child Health Service: key age and stage visits offered to all families, includes home visits and centre based visits.
• Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Service: involves home visiting to families that have more complex needs.
• Sleep and Settling Program: includes information groups, home visits and clinic visits for parents and carers of children to support them with sleeping and settling.
• First Time Parents Groups: facilitated discussion with time afterwards to connect with other parents, these groups are offered to all first-time parents/carers to network, make friends and learn together.

The key age and stage visits are:

• First home visit*
• Two weeks
• Four weeks
• Eight weeks
• Four months
• Eight months
• Twelve months
• Eighteen months
• Two years
• Three and a half years

*Usually soon after discharge from the hospital.

Appointments are available 9am-4.30pm on weekdays at the following locations:

• Ballarat: Girrabanya, 11B Steinfeld Street, Ballarat Central
• Wendouree: Corner Gillies and Hastings Streets, Wendouree
• Buninyong: 208 Learmonth St, Buninyong
• Sebastopol: 183 Albert St, Sebastopol
• Bonshaw: 284 Morgan St, Sebastopol
• Lucas: 17 Coltman Plaza, Lucas

Drop-in Maternal and Child Health services:

• One Saturday morning each month
• Drop in MCH sessions run at Parent Place every Friday 9.30am-2.30pm
• Drop in MCH sessions run at Wendouree Children’s Centre every Monday 1-4pm.
• Drop in sleep and settling sessions are offered at Parent Place every Tuesday 9.30am-12.30pm (No appointments are required for these drop-in sessions).

To book your child in for a Maternal and Child Health visit, please call 5320 5720.

Visit the follow pages:

• Families, Youth, & Children's Services
• Maternal and Child Health
• Sleep and Settling Program

Download the free MCH app for trusted information matched to the age of your child, at your fingertips:

• MCH App - Apple Store
• MCH App - Google Play

The Maternal and Child Health app (MCH app) provides reliable information that families can use every day. The app can also track your child’s growth and remind you about upcoming MCH appointments or immunisations.