Stretton Early Years and Kindergarten

I never thought I’d be writing this, but after months of ongoing issues, I can confidently say this centre is unprofessional, manipulative, and completely unwilling to take accountability for their mistakes. Most of the educators have been genuinely lovely, kind, and great with my children. For that, I’m grateful. Unfortunately, that’s where the positives end. The admin and the owner have been a nightmare to deal with. I had to request corrected invoices multiple times because they weren’t itemised for months. Despite clearly stating I preferred email communication for documentation, the owner repeatedly called me — ignoring that boundary. They failed to update my account correctly, which led to inaccurate charges and a growing debt I wasn’t aware of. When I asked for answers, they deflected, blamed a third-party provider, and avoided all accountability. I’m a parent — it’s not my job to chase up their errors. They applied my Child Care Subsidy incorrectly and later increased my daughter’s hours without permission, claiming it would reduce costs. I wasn’t consulted, and it became clear this was a silent attempt to cover up their CCS error. That’s not support — it’s manipulation. They also withdrew random amounts from my account without explanation. When I asked for transparency and proper invoices, I was met with vague excuses and delays. I contacted Centrelink directly and was told my rate shouldn’t have changed. The information I’d received from the owner was false. After finally receiving invoices, I clearly stated I wouldn’t make any further payments toward the outstanding balance until I’d reviewed everything. Instead of respecting that, they applied pressure and threats. I received an email stating if I didn’t make a payment by the next day, my kids’ enrolment would be reduced or terminated — despite already having paid the week prior. When I didn’t comply, they followed through and terminated both enrolments. They also made inappropriate comments about my personal life, implying it should affect how often my children attend. Completely unprofessional. On my son’s last day, he sustained a visible injury that pierced the skin and had dirt trapped underneath. No one informed me, no incident report, and no proper first aid — just a Band-Aid. A serious breach of duty of care. Months earlier, my son was hit on the back of the head with a bamboo stick, leaving a bump. I got an incident report, but when I asked if the other child’s parents would be informed, I was told no — because it “wasn’t malicious.” Yet I’ve been contacted when my child accidentally hurt others. So why the double standard? The owner and admin consistently use pressure tactics and deflection. It’s not about supporting families — it’s about protecting their image. I’ve spoken to other families who experienced similar issues: unexplained charges, poor communication, lack of transparency, and being made to feel like the problem for speaking up. There’s been massive staff turnover, including four directors in just over 18 months. Families are rarely informed anymore, and even staff have left due to how management operates. Their hourly rate system is misleading and confusing. They promote daily fees but charge by the hour. I fully expect them to respond with claims that I missed payments or “signed documents,” or to post a passive-aggressive “we’re sorry you feel this way.” That’s their pattern — deflect, discredit, and avoid responsibility. But if I was truly such a “problem,” why was it only after I started asking questions that my children’s enrolment was suddenly threatened and terminated? The timing speaks for itself. Would I recommend this centre to another family? Not a chance.

Amazing day care with stable and loving staff, that I would not hesitate to recommend to any family. The center is very generous with investing in play equipments in both indoor and outdoor areas. They provide many enriching learning experiences for all children, such as authentic bush kindy program for all age groups (clothing and raincoats provided), various cooking experience, wood working and excursions, to name a few, all without extra costs. Our children bond really well with educators from the youngest room through to kindy, who I wholeheartedly trust to deal with any situations including separation anxiety and any health concerns. Many families I know there agree with me that the children are exceptionally well prepared for school through their rich kindy programs, organised by very experienced teachers. Sending my deepest appreciation to the leadership team there and to all educators and teachers who have supported us for the past 4 years.