Internal Waiting List
At Merri we manage our own internal waiting list for existing families. At Merri we value the importance of families staying together, we therefore provide all siblings with a higher priority for a spot at Merri. Current families wishing to enlist additional children must register their child(ren) with the City of Darebin Online Portal.
Internal families must also complete and lodge an internal Merri Internal Waiting List application form. Please note that your Merri Internal Waiting List application form date will be the same as your Darebin Child Care Registration Confirmation letter.
External Waiting List
External families wishing to enlist their child(ren) in our Child Care Program or Funded Kindergarten Program must register their child with the Darebin City Council Darebin Central Enrolments Register* by calling 8470 8825 or registering via the Darebin City Council online portal
Families can only register their child(ren) on the Darebin City Council Darebin Central Enrolments Register after the birth of their child. As a childcare service that receives CCS payments from the Commonwealth Government, we abide by the priority of access guidelines set by the Department of Education (info in Provider Handbook), and the Victorian Government priority of access guidelines. We prioritise enrolments in line with these guidelines to work with the Australian Government’s aims of helping families who are most in need and supporting the safety and wellbeing of children at risk. Click here for more info on enrolment and applying for CCS.
If you have indicated a priority of access on your registration form with Darebin and have been offered a position at Merri, we will request you verify your family’s need(s) via recommended processes as per the table below.
| High priority children | Process to verify need(s) |
| Children at risk of abuse or neglect | Referral or letter from:
- Child Protection - Child and family services (Child FIRST, case worker, social worker, Orange Door, etc) - Maternal and Child Health nurse |
| Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children | As indicated on our enrolment / child details form. No additional processes are required to verify any child or family members Aboriginal or Torres Straight Islander identity. |
| Asylum seeker and refugee children | An appropriate visa identifying the child and/or parents as a refugee or asylum seeker. |
| Children eligible for Kindergarten Fee Subsidy (KFS) | - A child or parent holds a Commonwealth Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, Veteran’s Affairs Card, or
- Multiple birth children triplets, quadruplets |
| Children with additional needs who:
- Require additional assistance to fully participate in the program - Require a combination of individually planned services - Have identified a specific disability or developmental delay | A child :
- is assessed as having delays in two or more areas and declared eligible for a second year of funded kindergarten - holds a Child Disability Health Care Card - has previously been approved for Kindergarten Inclusion Support Package Referrals or letters from: - the National Disability Insurance Scheme - Early Childhood Intervention Service - Preschool Field Officer - Maternal and Child health nurse |
Note: Completion of the application form does not guarantee placement and we recommend you explore all child care options in your local area.
Please visit darebin.vic.gov.au for more details.
*We always strongly recommend that you register your child in the first instance before making a time to view the centre as all the information on your application form such as start dates, centre preferences etc is always updateable. Places on the Darebin Central Enrolments Register are allocated in line with the Australian Government Priority of Access Guidelines & the application date.