As my wife and I discussed our options I struggled to get past the fact that many childcare centres were first and foremost money-making enterprises. While I’m not suggesting this means the care they offer is deficient in any way, I wanted more for my youngest child.
The question of trust was nagging away and finally I recalled a comment I’d heard many times attending 13 years of Catholic schooling. “Health and Education - that is what the Catholic Church does. "This long-standing commitment to education within a Christian framework of “do unto others”, gave me confidence that St Nick’s was the right choice for my daughter.
We were particularly impressed by the level of assistance St Nick’s provided with the new Child Care Subsidy.
Understanding the criteria for the subsidy and ensuring all paperwork is lodged appropriately can be time consuming and stressful. St Nick’s provides informed advice from a proficient staff member tasked with resolving any issues that arise with the child care subsidy. When we were unable to link St Nick’s to our MyGov account and progress the subsidy application, the staff member phoned, talked us through the steps and quickly resolved the issue.
Before we enrolled her in St Nicks, Zara had been cared for exclusively by her parents and grandparents - so we were concerned it would be difficult for Zara to adapt. I needn't have worried. Recently I picked her up and while driving home she asked repeatedly, “where’s Karen gone”?
Karen is the educator with whom Zara quickly formed a close bond and she now talks about Karen often.
Some of Zara’s favourite things to do at St Nick’s include: play dough, painting, craft, sandpit, singing, group reading, outdoor playtime, kitchen, dolls and trucks.
Overall, our experience with St Nick’s has been both positive and productive. The speed at which Zara has settled in has been a great relief and left us assured we made the right decision.
