Register for Children's Services Waiting List (CSWL)

Important information about the CSWL

• Which centres does the CSWL cover?

  The Children’s Services Waiting List (CSWL) is a central point for families to register children for the following Council and Community Managed early childhood education and care services:

  Council managed Early Childhood Education and Care

  • Barring Djinang Kindergarten, Southbank
  • Bubup Nairm Children's Centre, St Kilda
  • Clark Street Children’s Centre, Port Melbourne
  • Coventry Children's Centre, South Melbourne
  • North St Kilda Children's Centre, St Kilda

  Community managed Early Childhood Education and Care

  • Ada Mary A'Beckett Children’s Centre, Port Melbourne
  • Bubup Womindjeka Family and Children’s Centre, Port Melbourne
  • Clarendon Children’s Centre, South Melbourne
  • Eildon Road Children's Centre, St Kilda
  • Elwood Children's Centre, Elwood
  • Poets Grove Family and Children's Centre, Elwood
  • South Melbourne Childcare, Albert Park (Neighbourhood House)
  • The Avenue Children's Centre, Balaclava

• When can I put my child’s name on the waiting list?

  You can contact Council to register any time from 12 weeks gestation.

• What are the fees?

  Fees can vary between services. To find out about fees at individual childcare centres, refer to the information on their websites.

  Families may be eligible for Government subsidies towards early childhood education and care fees. To see if you are eligible, visit these Australian Government websites:

  • Childcare subsidy
  • Additional childcare subsidy

• What is the difference between childcare and sessional kindergarten?

  Long day care centres provide all day education and care learning programs for children zero to six years of age.

  All Council and community-managed centres provide four-year-old kindergarten programs, run by a degree qualified educator. The fees vary between services and are generally charged at a long-day care rate.

  Sessional kindergartens provide educational programs for children three - six years of age, for a minimum of 15 hours per week (for example, 2 x 7.5 hour days or 3 x 5 hour days to accommodate the 15 hours). It will depend on the centre's timetable how their groups are structured. Some kindergartens have an extended hours kindergarten program, offering more than the 15 funded hours per week at an additional cost.

  Fees, hours and days of attendance vary between services.

• Are there any other waiting lists I should be on?

  Privately-run and sessional (standalone) kindergartens each have their own individual waiting lists. 

  You will need to contact each centre to register.

  • Private early childhood education and care centres
  • Sessional kindergartens

• Where am I on the waiting list?

  A number of factors impact where you are on the waiting list and how quickly you might be offered a place. It is influenced by your priority of eligibility as well as:

  • your registration date
  • the age of the child
  • the days required
  • your preferred centres

  You can increase your chances of securing care when you need it by nominating more centre preferences and being flexible with your preferred days.

• When will I be offered a place?

  The length of time that children will be on the waiting list before a place is offered is variable and difficult to predict.

  A number of factors impact how quickly you might be offered a place. You can increase your chances of securing care when you need it by nominating more centre preferences and being flexible with your preferred days.

  Offers occur as vacancies become available within a service. This happens intermittently throughout the year. Towards the end of each calendar year, services will start doing their bulk offers for children to commence at the beginning of the following year.

  These offers will also pick up those children who may have been looking for care earlier in the year.

• How will I be contacted for an offer?

  You will be contacted by phone or email by either the service where the vacancy has become available or by Council’s Children’s Services Wait List Officer. The service is responsible for the enrolment process and will discuss your options in accepting the place, an orientation program and start date.

  Offers occur when a place is available and you are next on the list, and it is close to or after the date you have chosen to commence.

• If I accept a place, can I stay on the waiting list to get my first preference?

  If you are offered a place at a centre other than your first preference, you will be given the option to remain on the waiting list for your preferred centre. You will need to respond to all correspondence from Council as soon as you receive it to ensure you remain on the list.

• If I don’t accept a place do I lose my position on the waiting list?

  If you choose not to accept an offer but still want to remain on the waiting list, you are required to update:

  • your activation date (the date you have said you will accept a position from)
  • your centre preferences.

  Please note, positions on the waiting list can change due to Priority of Access.

• What happens if I’m not offered a place by the date I’ve requested?

  You will remain on the wait list until a place becomes available for as long as you keep your child’s registration active. You will be prompted periodically to update your details and care requirements.

  You must respond by the due dates to ensure your child remains on the wait list if you are still looking for care at the time you receive an update form.

• What should I do if I don’t get offered some of the days I requested?

  You will remain on the wait list until a place becomes available, for as long as you keep your child’s registration active. You will be prompted periodically to update your details and care requirements.

  You must respond by the due dates to ensure your child remains on the wait list if you are still looking for care at the time you receive an update form.

• How do I update my wait list information and preferences?

  Our Wait List team do regular updates throughout the year to ensure they have the most up-to-date information on families’ care requirements. You will be prompted via email to update your details and care requirements which will outline a due date by which to reply.

  To amend your details outside of the scheduled updates, either email CCCWaitingList@portphillip.vic.gov.au or contact a CSWL officer on 03 9209 6360.

• Choosing the best centre for my child

  We recommended that you arrange to visit any early childhood education and care centre that you might be interested in as you know best what suits your family’s needs.

  Other ways to help you decide are the following Government website pages:

  • Choose the best child care
  • Starting Blocks
  • Childcare Finder

• Who gets priority on the wait list?

  Priorities on the CSWL are allocated in line with the Australian Government Priority of Access Guidelines.

  City of Port Phillip also gives additional priority to families who live, work or study within the municipality.

  High priority referrals

  To be eligible for First Priority on the Children's Services Waiting List according to the Australian Government Priority of Access Guidelines, a child must have a referral from a Family Support professional, medical practitioner, allied health professional or other associated professional, submitted on their behalf using the High Priority Referral form (PDF 721 KB).

• Should I visit the services I register for?

  We recommended that you visit the service closer to the date you are willing to accept care from. This will allow you to meet staff, get a feel for the service, see how it operates and ask any questions that are specific to the individual service and your family’s needs.

  To organise a tour, contact each individual centre.

• Do I need to regularly update my details on the waiting list?

  Throughout the year, families will be prompted to update their details and care requirements. It is important to respond to all updates by the due date to ensure your child remains on the waiting list.

  To amend your details outside of the scheduled updates:

  Email: cccwaitinglist@portphillip.vic.gov.au
  Phone: 03 9209 6360

• Does my child need to be vaccinated to attend a centre?

  Yes, the Victorian Government legislation requires all children registering for childcare or kindergarten in Victoria to be fully vaccinated. Proof of vaccination needs to be shown at the centre prior to starting.

  Speak with the centre coordinator if your child needs to be on a catch-up schedule.

• Regulations and assessment ratings

  For more information on regulations and centre assessment ratings, go to Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and Starting Blocks.

• Where can I get more information?

  Australian Department of Human Services

  Helps delivering social and health-related payments and services through Medicare, Centrelink, Child Support and Australian Hearing.

  Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET)

  The Department of Education and Training offers learning and development support, services and resources for all Victorians, from birth through to adulthood.

  Australian Government Child Care Support

  The Department of Social Services contributes to stronger families by helping families to participate in the social and economic life of the community through the provision of support for child care services.

  Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)

  Responsible for the National Quality Framework (NQF) establishes higher standards for all education and care services in Australia so children aged zero to 13 years get the best possible start.

  Early Learning Association Australia

  ELAA is the peak organisation representing the voice of parents and service providers working to deliver high quality early learning programs to all children.

  Family Day Care Victoria

  Family day care is a quality home-based childcare offered in the homes of carefully selected and registered care providers.