Kidscape Early Learning Centre Lara

Our experience with Kidscape Lara was unfortunately very disappointing, primarily due to concerns about how the centre is managed. From the start, we felt there were serious issues with the professionalism and attitude of the leadership team—particularly those in senior roles—who often came across as unapproachable and unwilling to engage with families. As parents, we often felt more like a nuisance than a valued partner in our child’s care. Whenever we tried to raise questions or concerns, we were met with cold responses or were dismissed entirely. This lack of open communication and collaboration made the environment feel uncomfortable and unwelcoming. There were also frequent instances of miscommunication, a lack of transparency around key decisions, and overall poor organisational leadership. Staff turnover appeared high, and morale among educators seemed to be affected. While the educators themselves were warm and doing their best, it was clear they weren’t receiving the support they needed from those in leadership. We weren’t alone in our concerns—several other families we spoke with shared similar experiences. It’s disheartening to see such potential in a centre go unrealised due to ongoing management issues. We sincerely hope things improve in the future, but based on our experience, we would not recommend Kidscape Lara under its current leadership.

We made the difficult decision to withdraw our child from Kidscape after a series of ongoing concerns following a change in management. While we truly appreciated the dedication of the educators, the leadership issues made us lose confidence in the direction of the centre. One major concern was our child being scratched on the face three times in just two weeks. When we raised it, the response from management felt dismissive and inconsistent, despite incident reports having been submitted. It was troubling to hear this described as “the first time” management had heard of it, and more troubling still when responsibility was deflected onto staff instead of addressed constructively. We also experienced significant issues with the centre’s billing—receiving unexpected requests for payment without clear explanation. We later discovered that pre-paid fees had apparently been lost, which was never clearly communicated. Communication overall deteriorated—especially during the app transition period and after parents were notified of a Department of Education investigation. Updates from management became vague and infrequent, and public statements seemed to deflect rather than take responsibility. Turning off comments on the app and failing to respond to concerns only furthered our mistrust. It’s also worth noting that nearly all reviews since the change in management have been 1 star. If not for older positive reviews from when the centre was HEI School, its Google rating would likely reflect the current reality far more accurately. This isn’t a reflection on the educators themselves, who clearly cared for the children, but rather on the decisions and direction of current leadership. Unfortunately, we can no longer recommend Kidscape under its current management.