Finding Good, Affordable Daycare in Sydney Is Going to Be Challenging
Not only is daycare expensive in Sydney (up to $200 per day), but it also comes with long waitlists. You're going to have to be the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. And, you're going to have to start squeaking early and louder than anyone else. Especially since you're moving to Australia from overseas.
One of my American expat friends was told by a daycare center that she needed to call them every week or they would simply forget about her.
When she told me this, my first reaction was “Yeah, right. Whatever. Next.” But then she explained that, for the price, location, and good recommendations from other expat moms, she was more than willing to call once a week. She even scheduled the weekly call in her calendar.
I’m not sharing this story with you to scare you, but more as a reality check.
Sydney Daycare Budget and Location
Let's run through the key financial and location considerations for Sydney daycare.
Budget Essentials
Before starting your search, consider these questions:
- Can you manage around $120 per day?
- Could one parent take time off to visit centers when you arrive?
- Is it possible to reduce the number of care days needed? Maybe one parent work part-time?
Location Challenges
Finding spots in popular areas is particularly tough. Here's what you need to know:
- Manly (Northern Beaches) and Woollahra (Eastern Suburbs) are notoriously difficult
- City center locations are highly competitive
- Waitlists average one year, with fees ranging from $50-$150
- Many parents put their children on waitlists when they find out they’re pregnant.
This is where planning ahead matters: If you're considering these high-demand areas or need care near your workplace, start your research well before moving. The earlier you begin, the better your chances.
Understanding the Cost of Daycare in Sydney
The range of cost between different daycare centers is dependent on the hours of operation and what the center provides: lunch, morning tea, afternoon tea, and diapers or nappies.
Daycare centers often provide a hot lunch for the children, but not diapers (or nappies as they say in Australia).
Here is another fun twist for you, most prefer it when children attend for more than one consecutive day.
Do not assume that if the daycare center costs more, you get more. Or it is higher quality. NOT THE CASE.
Essential Daycare Checklist
When contacting centers, be sure to ask:
- Do you provide lunch?
- Do you provide Morning Tea? Afternoon tea?
- Nappies (diapers)?
- What are your hours of operation?
- What is the fee if we are late picking up our child?
- Is it possible for a friend to pick up our child in case of emergencies? Never know if you may one day need a friend or co-worker to pick up your child. Things happen.
- What is your staff-to-child ratio? That’s a good one as new accreditation is being put into place throughout Australia.
- What are your accreditations? There’s a link below so you can check out the daycare accreditations they have in Australia.
Hours and Ages
Daycare centers are usually open from 7 – 7:30 am to 6 pm.
If you are late, after 6 pm or closing time, there's usually a fee, something astronomical like $20 for every 5 mins late. Be sure to ask.
The ages of the children range from 6 months to 6 years though some may have age restrictions. For example, they don’t accept any children under 1 year of age.
Daycare Alternatives
An alternative to daycare is family day care, where a professional carer looks after children in the carer's home (in the UK I think it's called childminding). Also known as home-based care in Australia.
Family daycare is slightly cheaper than regular daycare. Some family daycares offer more flexible hours, even overnight or weekend care.
Is Your Child Preschool Age?
If so you can reduce the cost of child care by finding a preschool that has regular school hours, 9 am – 3 pm. These hours might be a better match for your work schedule.
Tip for Online Researching Before Moving
As you have probably already heard, Australians have different terms for things, often similar to the UK but not always.
When searching, use Australian terms:
- Long daycare
- Family daycare
- Out-of-school hours care
- Primary school (not elementary school)
- Secondary school (not high school)
You’ll get more specific and local information, when using these terms. And don't forget to set your Google location to Australia – it'll make your search much more relevant.
Essential Resources
Australian Government site Starting Blocks is where you'll find more information on types of daycare. You can also search for daycare centers throughout all of Australia.
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)
