Name: KU Children's Services
Price range: $

Our Program and Approach

At our centre childhood is celebrated. When they play and explore, children's imagination and curiosity is sparked - they enjoy learning, and are inspired to continue learning more.

KU Braddon provides a calm, loving place for children to socialise with other children – our philosophy is that care and education must be combined in planning for the needs, interests and skills of each child.

We offer large indoor and outdoor learning areas, designed to encourage and enhance skills in all areas of development, while enabling children to explore and learn about the world around them. Some of the activities available at our centre include creative art, early literacy and numeracy, science experiments, music, gardening, block building, construction, yoga, Zumba, out the gate experiences, as well as sand and water play.

An assessment of each child’s learning is documented through a program called Storypark, enabling our Educators to adapt the program so that it caters more appropriately to your child’s individual needs and interests.

We encourage active participation from families at our centre and offer frequent opportunities for parents to contribute their skills and interests to the program we teach.

Our Specialisation

In addition to the high quality well-rounded programs we offer, all KU centres are also encouraged to develop an area of specialisation.

At KU Braddon, we specialise in Playspaces.

Morning drop off can be an emotional and confusing time for young children. This can be the hardest part of a day for some families and when it is the first thing we do in the morning it can play a big part on how the day will unfold. Playspaces are about building and supporting secure relationships with both children and families. It is about being emotionally available for children when they need it the most. Providing a predictable space for families and children creates strong connections and positive relationships between the three-point triangle (Child, Parent and Educator).

The implementation of Playspaces at Braddon has changed the way parents, educators and children view drop offs in the mornings. Parent feedback has been phenomenal with many saying that their drop offs have been much easier since starting the Playspaces at our centre.

Our Quality

Our centre has been independently assessed by the ACT Education Directorate under the National Quality Standard, and are proud to be rated as 'Exceeding' the National Quality Standard.

However what matters most is what our families think....

“Thank you all for the gentle, kind-hearted and patient way you do your work. You know my son so well, because you take the time to listen to all the important things he tells you with such enthusiasm. I’m very grateful for the way you manage to find time to do these special things with him.” - KU Braddon parent

“Thank you so much for taking such good care of Robbie since he started in the babies’ room two years ago… We have always felt so confident leaving him at KU Braddon – we know he is totally safe, cared for and in a much more stimulating and interesting environment than if we were to keep him at home… Going to KU Braddon has benefitted him in so many ways – especially his social and emotional development…The community that you’ve created is incredibly special. Words can’t really express how grateful we are for the important work you do and the way you do it. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” - KU Braddon parent

Our Environment

Each KU centre is unique. The best outcomes for children are created within relationships and interactions between children and staff, and children and their families, not within four walls. We work hard to create beautiful, interesting, homelike learning environments for children - whatever our setting.

KU Braddon is in a beautiful tree lined street in Canberra’s Inner North, walking distance from the city, and offers beautiful outdoor environments. The outdoor learning environments were architecturally designed and completed in late 2015 by a well-known landscaping firm in Canberra, featuring a unique water pumping station, decks and quality finishes.

Our playground is designed to maximise the use of the natural environment and allow children to play and explore as they would in their own backyard. We offer stimulating activities that arouse children’s curiosity and encourage them to choose from a variety of planned experiences, expanding their learning potential. Our playground includes natural elements such as sand, water, grass, mud, leaves and twigs, and we also offer gross motor experiences such as climbing, jumping and physical play. We foster the holistic development of each child so they feel inspired to create, imagine and play.

Our Reconciliation Action Plan

KU was proud to launch its inaugural Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2016. At KU Braddon, we began our journey to develop our centre’s RAP in 2017 and we are proud to present it here.

Other Features

Child Care Subsidy

Cooked Meal

Designed Centre

Extended Hours

Hat and Sunscreen

Lunch

Transition to School

Public Transport

Play-based Learning

Parking

Outdoor Play

Nappies

Storypark

Education for Sustainability

Director

Rhiza Taylor

Our Team

Our team of early childhood educators are qualified, experienced, caring and highly motivated. They all hold specialist qualifications in early childhood education and the ACT’s working with vulnerable people card. We believe that the positive interactions children have with our Educators are the most important component of our high quality program.

Our KU Braddon team have been at the centre for many years with a very low staff turnover. They are all passionate and supportive of one another. As a team they strive to be the best leaders and educators they can be through positive interactions, team meetings and unique bonding team work.

The daily fees for 2024 at KU Braddon Children's Centre are:

Infants: $171
Toddlers: $171
Preschoolers: $171

This is the full daily fee. If you are entitled to Child Care Subsidy, this will reduce the daily fee you are charged.

In an increasingly competitive marketplace, KU has remained very proudly a not-for-profit provider of quality education for more than 125 years. In the past, KU has taken great pride in offering the very best services with minimal increased fees wherever possible. However this year is different, escalating operating costs have meant that in 2024 we are forced to increase fees at a higher rate than we would normally.

The fee increase will ensure we can continue to improve the quality of our services and invest in our highly skilled teachers and educators. We recognise our staff are the heart of KU as they build strong nurturing relationships with children and families whilst continuing to provide a high-quality learning program. These are vital factors that contribute to what is most important to us all – the best outcomes for children.

Overall, KU services hold the highest ratings across the National Quality Standard, with 82% of our services rated either Excellent or Exceeding, compared to the sector benchmark of 45%.

KU does not distribute our profits to shareholders or send them offshore.

About Child Care Subsidy

Child Care Subsidy is the main payment to assist families with the costs of childcare. It is paid directly to the childcare provider and passed onto families as a fee reduction wherever families meet the criteria. The level of subsidy you receive, as well as the number of hours you will be subsidised, depends on your individual family’s circumstances.

If you do not already have one, you will need a MyGov account linked to Centrelink to claim any subsidy you may be eligible for, and to find out more information, please contact Centrelink on 136 150 or visit www.dese.gov.au.

ACT 3 year old Fee Relief

KU is proud to be partnering with the ACT Government to offer 3 year old children 300 hours of free preschool from the start of 2024. This new program is the ACT Government’s biggest ever investment in the early childhood sector, and a key part of Set up for Success: An Early Childhood Strategy for the ACT.

Families with children who are at least 3 years old on or before 30 April 2024 and who are accessing a preschool program in a long day care setting are eligible to access 300 hours of free preschool.

The funding for your child’s fee relief will be provided to our service, directly from the ACT Government, and we will pass this fee relief on to you as a reduction to your gap fees after CCS is applied. If you don’t receive CCS, the fee relief will be used to reduce your full weekly fee. You cannot receive fee relief at more than one early childhood education service.