Information for parents.

This is the page for the practical, useful, often-asked information families need to feel oriented at West Ryde Long Day Care. There's also a full policies page with our written procedures, and a homepage FAQ for quick questions.

Hours and operating weeks

Open 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, 50 weeks per year. Closed on public holidays and for two weeks over Christmas and New Year. Specific dates each year are confirmed in your enrolment pack and on the OWNA family app.

Drop-off and pickup

Drop-off is between 7am and 9:30am. Pickup is by 6pm at the latest. If you need to collect later than usual, please call as early in the day as you can. Children must be signed in and out via the iPad at reception by an authorised adult.

What to bring each day

A labelled backpack with:

• Spare clothes, a complete change including socks and underwear (more if your child is toilet training)
• Labelled water bottle
• A comfort item (favourite toy, blanket, anything that helps your child settle)
• Babies in the Joeys Room only: we provide nappies, bottles and standard infant formula. Only bring your own if your baby uses a specific brand of nappies, formula or bottles, or drinks expressed milk

We provide all meals, sun hats, sunscreen and bed linen. Please do not pack food: due to allergies, food brought from home is not permitted.

Settling in

The first day is rarely easy. Some children settle in within minutes; others need weeks of gentle adjustment. Both are normal. Practical tips that help: visit the centre once or twice before the first official day, stay for a short while at drop-off, say a clear goodbye, and leave when you say you're going. Slipping out unseen tends to make separation harder over time. Once you've left, an educator will message you on the OWNA app to let you know how your child has settled.

Food and allergies

Every meal is cooked on site by our chef: breakfast, morning tea, hot cooked lunch, afternoon tea, and a late snack. The 4-week menu rotates through children's favourites, in line with Munch & Move, the NSW Health initiative for healthy eating in early childhood. We cater for allergies, intolerances and vegetarian diets directly in the kitchen, with dietary needs managed through the centre's meal routine. The centre is nut-aware. Please tell us about any specific allergies on enrolment so we can plan together.

Sleep and rest

Every child is different and we follow each child's lead. The Joeys Room runs on each baby's own routine, not a group one. In the Jungle, Star and Rainbow rooms, rest time is offered after lunch: children who need a sleep can have one on a comfortable bed, and children who don't are offered quiet activities like books and drawing. The goal is a calm, restful middle of the day, not enforced sleep.

Sickness and exclusion

Please keep your child home if they have a temperature, need pain-relief or cough medicine, have a coloured discharge from their eyes or nose, are vomiting or have diarrhoea, have an unexplained rash, or are generally unwell. After a fever, vomiting or diarrhoea, children should be symptom-free for at least 24 hours (48 hours for vomiting and diarrhoea) before returning. We follow current NSW Health exclusion guidance. A doctor's clearance may be needed for re-admission after some infectious illnesses.

Medication

Only medicines authorised in writing by you can be administered. Bring them in their original labelled packaging, with dose and timing instructions. We complete a medication record for each dose given.

Communication

The OWNA family app is our primary communication channel. You'll receive daily photos, observations, meal and sleep records, and any notes from educators. You can message educators back. The app also handles notifications for centre closures and reminders. For more detailed conversations, please speak with the director or your child's room educator at drop-off or pickup, or by phone or email.

Fees and Child Care Subsidy

Daily fees are $177 (Joeys 0-2), $167 (Jungle 2-3) and $160 (Star 3-4 and Rainbow 4-6). All meals (5 daily), the education program, sunscreen, a bucket hat, and (for the under-3 rooms) disposable nappies and baby formula are included. Fees are billed weekly in advance through OWNA.

We are Child Care Subsidy approved. From 5 January 2026, the 3 Day Guarantee replaced the activity test: every CCS-eligible family can now get at least 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight (3 days a week) regardless of how much work or study you do. Use the CCS gap-fee calculator to estimate your out-of-pocket fee, or read more about how the Child Care Subsidy works.

Changing days or withdrawing

Family circumstances change, and we plan around that with you. We ask for 4 weeks' written notice for any change to permanent days or for withdrawal, which lets us plan thoughtfully for your child's transition and for the group around them. Email or speak to the director at drop-off and we will help you work it through.

Holidays

You can take holidays from the centre and your place is held. CCS continues for absent days within the allowable absence rules. Please let us know in advance so we can plan rooms and meals accordingly.

Photos and identity

Daily photos and observations go only to enrolled families through the OWNA app. Public-facing photos require written consent. Nothing about your child leaves the closed family-and-staff circle without it.

Parent handbook and policies

Our full policies (child protection, supervision, behaviour guidance, emergency procedures, sun protection, health, nutrition, privacy and more) are on the policies page. The full Parent Handbook is available from Eikoh's documents and policies.