We manage a number of children's centres and offer community-run spaces and after-school and holiday programs.
We’re proud of the exceptional quality of the family and children’s services we deliver. To learn more about what to expect from education and care programs, visit StartingBlocksOpens in new tab
City of Melbourne managed centres
Lady Huntingfield Early Learning and Family Services Centre
Lady Huntingfield offers a range of services, including long day care and integrated 3 and 4 year old kindergarten programs.
North Melbourne Children’s Centre
North Melbourne Children's Centre offers a range of services, including long day care and integrated 3 and 4 year old kindergarten programs.
Community-run centres
The Harbour Family and Children's Centre
1 Seafarer Lane, Victoria Harbour, Docklands
Phone: 03 8624 1000
East Melbourne Child Care Co-operative
Powlett Reserve Children’s Centre, Corner Grey and Simpson streets, East Melbourne
Phone: 03 9419 4301
Email: emccmanager@emcc.org.au
Register your child for care with the City of Melbourne
Our philosophy
At the City of Melbourne, we believe all children have a right to high quality education and care. We work with children, families, service providers and the wider community to deliver integrated services that connect family to early years support. This promotes better outcomes for children and families.
Importantly, we ensure children understand they have a voice and a say in their own education and care.
We have a family-centered approach in the delivery of services and our methods are informed by research, legislation and the collective skills and experience of our staff.
- Active citizens – we uphold and promote the rights of children as expressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- Family-centered – we acknowledge families as the child’s first teacher and support them to make decisions in the best interests of their child.
- High expectations – we support and encourage all children to achieve their potential by ensuring high quality curriculum, pedagogy and care.
- Celebrate diversity – we create cultural safety and inclusion by celebrating and supporting diverse cultures, languages, circumstances and abilities.
- Value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture – we have a positive and proactive approach to learn about and celebrate our rich cultural heritage.
- Discovery and sustainability – we support children to grow their understanding of culture and the environment, and to discover respect for the land, nature and animals.
- Respectful relationships – we understand that developing secure attachments through respectful relationships with adults and peers is fundamental to a child’s learning and development. We promote gender equity through our curriculum and interactions with children.
- Resilience – we promote optimism and help children to understand how they can be adaptable to manage challenges and setbacks. We foster a strengths-based approach to problem solving and encourage children to try again.
- Keep children safe – we are a child safe organisation and have zero tolerance for child abuse. Implementing the Child Safe Standards, we work at every level to create safe environments and protect children from abuse and harm.
- Future leaders – we challenge children to think big and bold, to be creative and embrace innovation and technology.
- Critical reflection – we create a strong culture of professional inquiry to ensure continuous improvement and best practice in our centres.
