Maddison and the entire team at Hunter Early Childhood Centre really go above and beyond to educate and care for the children at the centre. The management team is focused on continuous improvement and very open to feedback and suggestions. The mature and experienced staff make a noticeable effort to engage with parents and caregivers during drop-off and pick-up. The centre has very low staff turnover, which makes a massive difference to children who are learning to build secure relationships with the educators. Daily class experiences and photos are posted to their application as well as individual child reports. The food provided to the children is nutritious, low-sugar, and varied from different cultures. For my family, this not-for-profit centre has set the benchmark for safe, compassionate, and educational care. We can't thank them enough

My almost two year old son attends Hunter Early Childhood Centre three days per week. He first enrolled when he was 7 months old so it was a really daunting experience for me. We feel so fortunate as a family to have found such high quality care in the team and the wonderful director Maddison. I am an early childhood teach myself so I had really strong idea of the type of care I wanted for my son. It was really important that a sense of belonging and strong relationships were fostered in our enrolment . My son loves it and we highly recommend this service to anyone who is looking for a community based service :)

HECC is nothing short of outstanding. They gave a comprehensive introductory tour and explanation of their wholistic programs including child centred/led curriculum, wellbeing and mindfulness and a strong Aboriginal perspective in all their programs which is so important. To transition my 1year old to daycare they provided several sessions where I could accompany my child and then a few shorter sessions unaccompanied before full days. The staff were in regular communication via phone with me about how my child was settling in and reassured me when I was anxious about leaving my child. It was clear from the first week that staff made a genuine effort to get to know my child, his interests and personality. They were able to bring this knowledge into learning experiences and make meaningful learning and social/ emotional goals for him. Staff are very committed to providing a simulating environment for the children, regularly rotating toys and learning activities and displays. There is a lovely outside area with access to play equipment, gardens, sandpits and guinea pigs. The community focus of this early childhood centre is clear as soon as you at foot in the door. Other parents and staff greet each other by name and there is a community pantry available for families in need in the local area. There are also regular fundraisers run by staff for causes that matter to parents and community members. As this is a non for profit it perhaps doesn't have a many flashy resources as some of the bigger centres but it the learning environment provided for your child and the commitment of staff to their profession is outstanding. Your child will be so loved and for in a truly outstanding early childhood education environment.

A great early childhood centre with friendly caring staff. Offering a broad program including movement, arts and nutrition for the best start for your child. I highly recommend Six Hats to any parent looking for childcare and early learning services for their child.