Goodstart Early Learning Crestmead - Third Avenue

My boy has been attending GoodStart for 8 months now. The centre has been wonderful. All staffs are very nice and friendly, especially the director, if wasn’t for her, my son wouldn’t be joining this great place! I’d like to thank them for doing such a great job here, just as they said, “they are here for children, not for profit.””

Parents beware. After 2 years at this centre (after leaving Good Start Julie street for similar reasons) and a change in management, the last 6months+ has been a downhill slide for the Centre unfortunately. Poor management, lack of consistency across the two centres (kids in long day care aren't with the same educators all day), high staff turnover, Manager lacks people skills, empathy and a good understanding of children with additional needs such as ASD/ADHD. She is also very defensive in her responses to parents and will often give excuses like "we are under staffed" or "I have so much admin to do". To be more specific, the director threatened my 5yo son during an episode/meltdown by saying "how about I get my phone and video record you to show mum and dad how you are carrying on". This is never acceptable especially with a child who is already unable to regulate his emotions and embarrassment is one of his triggers. On another occasion the director said to me "I have so many performance reviews to do on my staff, its funny how many of them think they are amazing and they aren't at all"! A manager who speaks about their staff like that behind their backs lacks integrity and this will 100% flow down to the educators and children. Toilet training was horrible, due to inconsistency and staffing across the two centres during different times of the day, half the time educators were unable to tell me which children were in nappies and which were in undies. Picked my youngest son up (3yo) on multiple occasions completely soaked in his own urine, in the cold outside and no one could tell me when he last went to the toilet. Management don't like constructive feedback, they don't take on board parents views and feelings. They are an "all inclusive centre" so even if your child is being repeatedly attacked and bitten by another child they will say "there is nothing we can do about it, all children are welcome here". My two sons also now know every swear word under the sun now due to the amount of foul language that comes out children's mouths there and again, they say there's nothing we can do about it. The place needs cameras asap, its always the child's word against the educator and the educator always wins. The director called my son a liar directly to his face while I was holding him, who does that? There are some good educators in the centre 100% however when management lacks, the whole place falls apart. A few of the top educators have left this year. Would not recommend to anyone, especially those with children with additional needs.