Growing bodies need movement and exercise. Growing minds need stimulus and exploration. Growing hearts need opportunities to play and mix with others.

At SDN we know that the best thing we can do for your infant or toddler is to support them to grow and develop in safe, unhurried, nurturing and challenging environments.

Because infants and toddlers are naturally curious, our centres have well-equipped indoor and outdoor areas that will keep your child moving and give them daily opportunities to explore their limits and grow their abilities.

Your child is unique and so we will devise a learning and development program within our curriculum pillars, based on what we know about your child’s interests, learning and development. Because they will always be changing and growing, we consistently review the program to ensure we are keeping up with your child’s development, providing them with the best learning opportunities.

Read more about our practice with children here.

Get more than school-ready, get life-ready 

Getting school-ready is a journey. It begins with your child’s very first day at our welcoming early education and care centres and continues with our dedicated preschool program.

Developed by university-trained early childhood teachers, our preschool program focuses on the whole child. Children learn to make friends and work together, while gaining the skills and independence they need to thrive through the big transition to school.

Our preschool program follows an evidence-backed, play-based learning approach. Children have fun and follow their curiosity, while we weave in vital skills and learning outcomes.

SDN uses Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework to explore a diverse curriculum from science to social justice. Our days are predictable but flexible, blending structured and spontaneous learning, free play, movement and quiet time.

Our curriculum pillars are:

Our centres have a transition to school program where our teachers and educators work together with local schools to prepare your child for a smooth transition, and support families through the process.

Read more about our preschool program here.

The program delivers an autism specific approach focused on that important year before school and the transition from preschool. Our staff will design and deliver a highly collaborative and play-based program.

Each child and family will be supported with an individual approach based on your child's strengths and interests.

The program will take place in a purposely equipped preschool room within SDN Macquarie Park. Children in the program will have access to qualified staff and the program will operate with one staff member for every four children, compared with the usual preschool ratio of one staff member for every ten children. The children will be fully included as part of the SDN Macquarie Park community.

At SDN we pride ourselves on our inclusive environments. Children with autism are welcomed across all of our centres and many of our staff are specially trained in understanding autism.

SDN's outdoor spaces provide opportunities for children to enjoy themselves and have adventures. They’re safe environments for children to run, jump and yell, make mud cakes, and use their energy. Outdoor spaces provide more than physical benefits. Even though you may think that children only play outside to have fun, they're also improving their thinking, social, and emotional skills. When they’re playing outside, they’re inventing games, learning about the world at their own pace, and figuring out social customs like turn taking.

Children enrolled at SDN Macquarie Park can access therapists from our Children's Therapies team through your NDIS package or through a fee-for-service model.

Therapies we offer are:

- Early Intervention Practitioners

- Occupational Therapy

- Speech Pathology

- Behaviour Support

Therapists will be available onsite. Our therapists will work hand-in-hand with you and your child's educators.

Telehealth service is also available.

From 1 July 2024, our fees will be $176 per day for children under three years old and $167 per day for children three years and over.

If you work at Optus Macquarie Park, you may be eligible to a discounted fee. Please contact our Family Engagement Team on 1300 831 445 to enquire.

The majority of families in our centres do not pay the full daily fee because they receive Child Care Subsidy (CCS) from the government.

The subsidy you may receive through the CCS will depend on:

• Your combined family income
• The number of hours you work, study or participate in recognised volunteer work. This is called the ‘activity test’. If your child is in the year before school, if you are on a very low income, or if you are on parental leave, you will not have to pass the activity test to receive some CCS.

Your child will need to meet immunisation requirements and you will need to meet residency requirements to be eligible to receive the CCS.

You can also calculate what your out-of-pocket child care costs will be on the government’s Starting Blocks Child Care Subsidy Calculator.

Please note that this fee does not include therapist support.

NSW Start Strong funding - Additional Preschool Fee Relief

On top of any CCS you may receive, the NSW Government is providing additional fee relief:

• If your child turns 4 years old or before 31 July 2024, is enrolled in a preschool program at an eligible long day care service and doesn’t receive preschool relief (also called start strong funding) from another preschool, you will receive up to $2,110 in fee relief.
• If your child is 3 years old and not yet 4 years old on, or before 31 July in 2024, is enrolled at an eligible long day care service and doesn’t receive preschool relief (also called start strong funding) from another preschool, you will receive up to $500 in fee relief.

Find more information about the Start Strong program here. If you’ve read this information and you’re still unsure about what you’ll pay, please call us on 1300 831 445 or book a centre tour. We’re happy to answer your questions.

We also offer scholarships to further support you with fees if you have a health card or your child identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. You will still need to pay a small amount each day, but please speak with us to see if you meet the criteria for a scholarship.