Home - Merri Community Child Care Centre

Child Care

At Merri we believe that children learn through play. We recognise and respect individual needs and foster self-esteem.

BUSH KINDER

Children enrolled in Merri’s 4-year-old Funded Kindergarten program have the opportunity to take part in the Bush Kinder program one day per week each term. Merri’s Bush Kinder days do change each term to enable all children to have more than day access to the Bush Kinder program.

Healthy Meals

Merri Community Childcare Centre & Kindergarten Inc. prepares, stores, and cooks food in accordance with the Food Act. The centre maintains a Food Safety Program and registration with the City of Darebin.

Welcome to Merri Community Child Care Centre and Kindergarten Inc (est. 1987)

Merri Community Childcare Centre & Kindergarten Inc. is a 54-place not-for-profit, parent managed Long Day Care Centre that sits on Wurundjeri Land (Kulin Nation).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT

Merri Community Child Centre and Kindergarten Inc. would like to acknowledge the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation as the traditional custodians of the land on which we gather today. We pay our respects to Elders part, present and emerging, and acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first people of Australia. They have never ceded sovereignty, and remain strong in their enduring connection to culture, land, water and community.

Merri offers and operates a Four-Year-Old Long Day Integrated Kindergarten program (including Bush Kinder) for up to 15 hours per week in accordance with DET guidelines. The total number of children enrolled in the Four-Year-Old at Merri is 16 children. Our Educator to child ratio for this room is 1:8

The Four-Year-Old Long Day Integrated Kindergarten program at Merri runs from 8.30am-1.45pm during Victorian school terms and is delivered by our experienced, qualified Kindergarten Teacher and Kindergarten Assistant. Continuous Education and Care is provided to children before 8.30am and after 1.45pm during school terms and of course over the term breaks (school holidays).

In 2022 Merri’s Three-Year-Old Long Day Integrated Kindergarten program commenced offering a minimum of 5 hours of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten per day. In 2023 Merri increased the Three-Year-Old Kindergarten program to 10 hours per week. In 2024, the building was renovated to expand this room from 11 to 16 children per day, and from January 2025 Merri will provide a minimum of 15 hours of the Three-Year-Old Kindergarten program per week, meeting the Victorian Government’s initiative early.

The total number of children enrolled in the Three-Year-Old at Merri is 16 children. Our Educator to child ratio for this room is 1:8

The Three-Year-Old Long Day Integrated Kindergarten program at Merri runs from 8.30am-1.45pm during Victorian school terms and is delivered by our experienced, qualified Kindergarten Teacher and Kindergarten Assistant. Continuous Education and Care is provided to children before 8.30am and after 1.45pm during school terms and of course over the term breaks (school holidays).

Merri’s general operating hours are Monday to Friday 7.30am-6pm. Please note that we are closed on all gazetted Public Holidays (no fees charged) and over the Christmas/New Year for up to 2-3 weeks (no fees charged).

Merri would like to thank and acknowledge the support and assistance provided by the City of Darebin.