It was once a very warm and welcoming center, but since the change in management, it has unfortunately transformed into the complete opposite. – The government rating has declined, which is truly regrettable. – The reception desk is frequently unattended, and when someone is present, it is often an unfriendly man who does not offer any greeting. – The management office, which used to remain open and accessible for casual conversations with the manager, is now either empty or closed off with the door and blinds shut. – The current management speaks only in abstract terms such as “transparency,” “change,” and “challenge,” yet they are unable to provide clear or concrete answers when asked. – The previous management team was highly professional, remembered the names of all parents and children, and consistently greeted us with warm smiles. Their hospitality was genuine and heartfelt. – There has been a significant turnover of staff, causing considerable confusion for both children and parents. The bonds between children and their teachers were abruptly severed, and we were not even given the opportunity to say goodbye. – Messages that were inconvenient for management were deleted. – Open discussions among parents were shut down under the pretext of “legal complications,” which I perceived as a form of intimidation from management. – Management closed the comment section on Story Park, appearing to focus solely on protecting themselves. – Rather than working to improve the center, they have chosen to close comment sections, restrict discussions, and concentrate primarily on reviews. For these reasons, I withdrew my child from Evoke, and I cannot recommend this center to anyone. I can confidently state that it is a place to avoid.

There's been a noticeably decline in the quality of management over the past 4-5 months. A lot of deflection and even straight lies. Even had admin try to gaslight me. In a matter of 3 months many have left which has only caused distress to the children with the sudden change, although turnover is relatively high in childcare I've never seen a place become entirely new in a such a short time. Charles turned off comments within the app so people can no longer discuss things with the educators and has even told the educators that they're not allowed to discuss issues with the parents in person. It's a shame to leave a poor review with how hard the educators who have managed to even stay are pushing through the evident mismanagement. All in all the heavy push to "protect the reputation" of the centre has done nothing but damage it to a point where I and many other parents have withdrawn their children.

This centre used to be absolutely amazing with exceptional educators, a real sense of community, and a place where my child was genuinely happy. Sadly, over the past few months it’s gone completely downhill. Many of the wonderful long-term staff have left at an alarming rate, communication has dropped off, and the warm, nurturing environment that once made the centre special has disappeared. What’s even more concerning is how parent feedback has been handled. Many families were voicing their concerns on Storypark, yet rather than addressing them, management simply turned off the comments to silence discussion. It feels like parents have been shut out instead of listened to. There are also serious security concerns. one morning recently, the security code doors were left wide open and unattended with no staff at reception (which had been a common complaint) anyone could have walked in behind a parent unnoticed. It’s heartbreaking to see such a great centre lose its way. We’ve now made the difficult decision to leave, as we no longer feel confident in the care, safety, or leadership of the centre.

My son attended Evoke Early Learning Centre Clayton/Oakleigh from 2022 to 2024 and had a truly wonderful experience. During his time there, it was clear that the centre’s strength came from its exceptional team. The former Manager, Mandy, had been a constant presence for over five years, alongside long-standing reception staff and senior educators. The warmth, consistency, and genuine care of the staff created a nurturing, family-like environment. It was this community that made Evoke such a special place. When my son left at the end of last year to attend four-year-old kinder at a local preschool, I was admittedly anxious about the transition — largely because of how positive our experience had been at Evoke. However, I now feel compelled to speak up due to concerning changes that have occurred since then. I've remained in contact with a large group of parents in a chat group whose children still attend Evoke, and it's disheartening to hear how things have shifted under the current leadership of owner Charles and new manager Tracey. Several long-term room leaders have left — some voluntarily, others under pressure — and MANY remaining staff reportedly feel bullied, micro-managed, and unsupported. The once-positive staff culture appears to have deteriorated significantly. Parents are increasingly worried, yet many feel too afraid to voice their concerns due to fear of repercussions. Alarmingly, management has also disabled the ability for parents to leave comments or feedback via StoryPark — the communication platform previously used to foster open dialogue between staff and families. In our parent group alone, many have made the difficult decision to withdraw their children in the new year. It saddens me deeply to see a centre that once thrived on trust, communication, and community now facing such distress. If you're considering Evoke Clayton/Oakleigh for your child, I strongly encourage you to ask questions and speak directly with current families and staff before making a decision.

Evoke (Oakleigh East) has been an amazing and supportive community. We have been sending our children to Evoke for a couple of years now and found the Staff to be incredibly supportive and our boys have developed new skills, had new experiences, and developed friendships. My kids love it at Evoke and the facilities are brilliant (which is not immediately obvious from the street). As well as being a daycare it has integrated kinder classes for 3 and 4 year Olds. Evoke is a well rounded facility and the staff are excellent maintaining a high standard and enthusiasm to help my boys learn and develop. I can't recommend Evoke enough to those interested in checking it out, it sets an excellent standard for child care in Melbourne. Thank you

Have been taking my daughter to this centre for about 1.5 years and all I can say is that I’m so happy with the service. The educators, the administration and all that are involved with this service provide excellent care and support for both my child and myself and I couldn’t be happier.

My son has been the most happiest since we moved him to Evoke Early Learning in East Oakleigh. From the admin staff to the educational staff to management, they are all so incredible. The smiles upon arrival and leaving are so warming and the communication is second to none. Any queries we have had, they’ve been so prompt. I thank them all for the hard work they put in every single day, ensuring our children are well looked after and safe. The educators are beautiful and communicate at the end of each day about my son’s day which is lovely to hear about how different each day he attends is. If I had more children, without any questions asked, they’d be attending Evoke! Well done team, keep thriving!

My son has been coming here for his second year now. We moved him from a different facility, and can honestly say that he has been enjoying himself immensely. He has made many friends here, and I can see the change in his attitude on a daily basis since coming. Evoke was amazing from the start in transitioning my son to ease into their new facility, and within a couple of months, he went from crying every morning to WANTING to walk into his class without the need of my wife and myself to hold his hand as we walk in. A massive thank you to the team at Evoke for showing such amazing love and care towards my son.

After looking at 11 different childcares in the area we settled on Evoke. We got to spend two wonderful years at Evoke before moving due to moving houses. We were initially drawn to the amazing play space that the centre provided. Yes once our son started there were tears and it took him a while to adjust but the caring and compassionate staff in grevillia were there to hold him and provided top tier care. As my son moved up rooms the care had continued with the best care; with educators always aware of my son’s needs, his strengths and his weaknesses. It was not only the educators from his class but all educators within the centre. The environment has always been so welcoming, friendly and supportive to our whole family. Was easy to get caught up in a good yarn. My son loved the option to do either indoor learning or outdoor learning, having such a wide open area for kids to play, big cubby house and sandpit as well as being able to interact with a wide range of age groups. Staff communication was fantastic with daily photos and updated of what the children did; which allowed us to have conversations at home about his day. We watched our sons personality and development flourish in the past two years. We truly felt like evoke was a second home got our son and they’ll be truly missed.

My daughter joined the center when she was 10 months old, and the progress we've witnessed since then has been remarkable. The instructors are exceptionally kind, nurturing, and dedicated, and my daughter has formed a wonderful bond with each of them. I wholeheartedly recommend this early learning center; it truly is the great place to embark on your child's educational journey.