Duke Street Children's Centre

Our purpose-built long day care in Maffra offers educational programs for children ages six weeks to six years taught by highly qualified educators ready to guide each child to reach their full potential.

Our Maffra proudly offers a kindergarten program to ensure your child is supported for their transition to school every step of the way. With a focus on language, literacy, numeracy, social skills and more, your child will become school ready.

Here at Duke Street Children’s Centre in Maffra, we have two spacious outdoor play scapes which allow the children to explore their natural surroundings, to embrace the natural elements and learn about sustainable practices.

All children are given the opportunity to help out in the childcare centre’s vegetable & herb garden. They help with planting, watering and harvesting the produce. The produce is then used in our daily meals. Nutritious homemade meals are prepared on the premises on a daily basis with specific food requirements catered for.

Indoors we have four spacious rooms that cater for all the needs of the children including a separate sleep room for the babies complete with twinkling fairy lights.

We welcome you to contact the centre or drop by at any time to meet the team and learn more.

Racheal Burns

I have been working in early childhood education for over 20 years. I hold a Diploma in Children’s Services.

I enjoy watching as children learn to develop new skills and discover the world around them. I recognise that all children have their own unique personality and are encouraged to express their imaginations. I believe their inquisitive nature to learn and grow should be nurtured to help each individual child flourish to their greatest potential.

I am very fortunate to have a team working with me who strive for excellence and are very passionate, dedicated and understand the importance of providing a safe, supportive, nurturing environment for children and families.

Rooms 

Our centre provides care for the following age groups:

Facilities

Our service provides the following facilities:

• Nappies included
• Breakfast
• Morning tea
• Lunch
• Afternoon tea
• Pin code security
• Sustainability program
• Veggie garden
• On-site parking
• SMART Interactive Whiteboard
• Classroom technology (computers)
• In-house cook
• Fully air-conditioned
• Large, natural play environments
• Water Play area
• Early Childhood Teacher
• Government Approved Kindergarten program

A centre tour is a convenient way to experience the centre of your choice and meet with our qualified educators at a time suitable to your family schedule. Nurture One also offers the virtual tour option in all our centres. Click here to book a tour online.

On the day of the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to observe practices and interactions within the centre environment. You’ll be able to see all the rooms and playgrounds, ask the team members any questions you have in mind, and get all the information you need to make the best decision for your child. 

Nurture One’s Family Support team will add your child’s name to our waitlist if one of our centres is currently full in your child’s age group. We will then contact you as soon as a place becomes available.

We also do monthly check-ins to review the availability, and you will receive a text message confirming if you’re still happy to remain on the waitlist each month. If you would like to get an update at any point, you’re welcome to reach out on our Web Chat or give us a call.

Our Family Support team can also help you find more G8 early learning centres near you, with the same offerings at the Nurture One centre you are interested in that have immediate availability.

It’s common for a child to experience separation anxiety when they first start child care. When you’re getting ready to start child care, you can help your child overcome anxieties by visiting the child care centre together for a Stay and Play session, and easing into new routines at home.

Click here to read more tips about how to make the transition easier for your child.

Most of our Nurture One child care and early education centres offer the following:

• Nappies and wipes
• Sunscreen and hats
• Nutritious meals prepared by our in-house cook

Some centres also provide sheets and formula, so you may not need to remember to pack them.

For nursery children, be sure to bring: nappy rash cream, dummies, bottles and teats, comfort toys or blankets, three spare outfits, spare socks and a plastic bag for wet clothes.

For toddlers and preschool or kindergarten-aged children, it’s best to bring: spare underwear, water bottle or sippy cup, sun hat, closed-toe shoes, two spare outfits, spare socks and a plastic bag for wet clothes.

Plus anything else your individual child may need, such as breast milk, a sleeping bag, a comforter or medication.

It’s best to speak to your centre of choice for a full list of everything included.

Nurture One uses Xplor Home as our family communication app. It is the best and easiest way to keep track of your child’s day. After you enrol your child with the centre, you can utilise Xplor Home to book child care days, manage your account, receive the photographs that capture your child’s learning, learn about your child’s progress, as well as keep up-to-date with upcoming centre events and important information.

If your child shows signs of an infectious illness when they arrive at the centre or becomes sick during the day, you may be notified that you need to make alternative arrangements or pick up your child from the centre, and keep them home until they are no longer infectious. While we understand that this can be inconvenient, Nurture One is committed to maintaining a healthy environment and reducing the risk of infection for all children.

Under the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), families are allowed 42 absence days per child, per financial year. These can be taken for any reason, including public holidays and when children are sick, without the need for families to provide documentation.