Early Learning Centres

The Y in Australia runs 150 Early Learning Centres, Kindergartens and Pre-schools across Australia.

Find your nearest Y Early Learning Centre.

Our commitment remains to enriching the lives of infants and children and inspiring them to reach their potential. We work together with families to make sure the Y is a place where children thrive.

At the Y, safeguarding children is one of our highest priorities. We believe that children have the right to feel safe, and be safe at The Y, in their families, and in their communities. See our Safeguarding policy and resources here.

Our view is that children’s lives are characterised by belonging, being and becoming. Even before birth, children are connected to family, community, culture and place. Their earliest development and learning takes place through relationships – particularly within families, who are children’s first and most influential educators. As children participate in everyday life, they develop interests and construct their own identities and understandings of the world.

The following five principles reflect contemporary theories and research evidence concerning children’s learning and early childhood pedagogy. The principles underpin practice that is focused on assisting all children to make progress in relation to the learning outcomes.

1. Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships.
2. Partnership. Learning outcomes are most likely to be achieved when early childhood educators work in partnership with families.
3. High expectations and equity. Early childhood educators who are committed to equity believe in all children’s capacities to succeed, regardless of diverse circumstances and abilities.
4. Respect for diversity. There are many ways of living, being and of knowing. Children are born belonging to a culture that is not only influenced by traditional practices, heritage and ancestral knowledge, but also by the experiences, values and beliefs of individual families and communities.
5. Ongoing learning and reflective practice. Educators continually seek ways to build their professional knowledge and develop learning communities.

Reference: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia