Exceptional kinder program (heads and shoulders above the other sessional kinder and a for-profit kinder our elder child attended in the area).<br><br>The staff are very caring and supportive with good communication with parents in managing any difficulties the child might face.<br><br>The centre itself is mindfully decorated to create a nurturing environment for children without the overstimulating colours and aesthetic usually seen in child care settings.<br><br>We are so happy we have made the change as we have watched our son really bloom and build strong relationships with staff.

Hi All,<br><br>I have recently taken my child out of the centre. I have had my children there since 2023.<br>I have had some incidents. The main reason I left was the centre managers attitude.<br>I found it extremely difficult in the end to feel supported or acknowledged. When my child began his kindergarten. His first 2 days he was missing from class room photos. I was told that he had cried a bit but had an overall good day at pick up. When I could not see him at all in the group photo I wondered where he was, why was he not in any of the photos, I was then told he cried the entire time and had to be consoled by an educator. Still to this day, I do not know by who, where he was taken and why NO ONE had bothered to call me if he was so incredibly distressed.<br>They went on to say that the photos of children will be removed. So not allowing parents to have the same visuals of their kids and that the children were I entitled to “ Privacy “. This was alarming as it was giving complete darkness to a parent and suggesting 3 olds have full time privacy with adults throughout this time. Taking any security away from a parent.<br>There’s has been other incidents and recently as took my son in to his child care room, he was pulled in by a male educator by his arm and pulled into his body, he had his arm around my sons waist and my son slumped to the floor in a ball, then I took him in my arms and he was hiding in my body taking peeks to see if the educator had moved away and I had to very calmly settle him down and stay with him for a while. I left very unsettled by this as I had seen him hide from this man on other occasions. He went to pull him arm another time and my son put his feet down hard into the ground to pull away from him. I felt very uncomfortable and unsure about his response to that hug. I have never seen him do this with anyone before. The other educator in the room was very uninvolved. I noticed how she wasn’t paying attention and said she was leaving the room to do something and she was leaving the educator alone in the room with the kids. This same man had fought my child to refer to him as “uncle” then his name.<br>I found the manager to follow the procedures she is bound to follow by law but other then that the days that followed she never sent a follow up email or had a conversation with me. She got very defensive in her conversation to me, her emails are very defensive. She takes no time to acknowledge the feelings from the clients side. She is only very quick to defend herself and my favourite condescending response is “ I am sorry YOU feel like that””. I definitely get the vibe a lot of gossip goes around the internal conversations about clients. I have found her not to be great professionally when it comes to dealing with people’s problems. I didn’t feel reassured post conversations. I received no further contact, complete avoidance and in the previous conversation blame for being aware of uncomfortable situations when it comes to my children. She carefully was trying to word “ your just like that” when I raised my son’s response to the hug.<br>I had an educator last week scoff and laugh at me and spin on her foot to dismiss me when I was repeating what my son had said.<br>I had picked up my son one day and he had the same nappy on from when I dropped him off. It was 7hrs!!! They took away showing nappy changing times and who changed the nappies on the Storypark app, they have hidden this. They do not have cameras in the centre, so how can anything be proven if something was going on within the centre, they are solely relying on statements, they won’t allow parents to even take photos of their own children and it’s seems post SA cases, this centre has become more discreet about what parents can access and less transparent of what you see and know of what goes on throughout the day.<br>It feels their regulations are more about protecting their staff then the safety and transparency of the children.<br>I felt as time went on fearful to say what I would notice in fear of a negative reaction from the manager.<br>Be mindful.

I honestly cannot recommend this daycare centre enough. As a parent, there is nothing more important than knowing your child is safe, loved and genuinely cared for and this centre has become like a second family to us. A very special thank you to Chetna, who holds such a special place in our hearts. The bond she has with my son is something so beautiful and rare. He literally calls her “Mumma” and absolutely adores her. That alone speaks volumes about the love, patience and care she gives every single day. Knowing my child feels that safe, comforted and connected to someone gives me so much peace as a parent. Chetna, thank you for loving and caring for him like your own, we will never forget the impact you’ve had on his little life. I also want to acknowledge the incredible educators; Gunvir, Abhishek, Christine and Nandini who all bring something so special to the centre. Their kindness, dedication and genuine care for the children never go unnoticed. You can truly see the passion they have for helping children grow, learn and feel supported. And a huge thank you to Natalia, the centre director, for the amazing work she does. It takes someone truly dedicated to create such a warm, welcoming and nurturing environment, and it is reflected in the incredible team she leads. Thank you all for creating a place where children feel safe, happy, loved and excited to learn. We are beyond grateful for everything you do and the difference you make in our children’s lives every single day 💛

Couldn't be happier with our experience at this daycare centre. The staff are caring, supportive and genuinely loving, and so it's reassuring knowing my child is happy, safe and well looked after. Highly recommend!

We are very grateful to the YMCA Mernda team for the care and support they gave our daughter, Rose. The educators created a warm, safe, and nurturing environment where she grew in confidence and independence. A big thank you to Natalia and the entire team for their professionalism and genuine dedication. We truly appreciate everything you’ve done and highly recommend YMCA Mernda to other families.

After a swift move to the area, I had to find the best childcare/kinder. YMCA Mernda stood out from the many I had interviewed with. The team have been amazing and very supportive especially through a time of loss. Management are warm, approachable, informative and very understanding. I cannot thank the team enough for preparing my daughter for prep this year. Highly recommend this center.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I honestly couldn’t be happier with Mernda YMCA. The care, support and dedication they show every single day truly goes above and beyond. My children feel safe, supported and genuinely happy here, which means everything as a parent. The centre director deserves a special mention, their leadership, kindness and commitment to both the children and families is incredible and it shows throughout the whole centre. You can really feel how much they care, and it makes such a difference. We are so grateful to be part of this community and highly recommend Mernda YMCA to any family looking for a nurturing, trustworthy daycare.

I moved my 3- and 4-year-old boys to YMCA last year, and it was the best decision I made. I was very hesitant at first after they had spent three years at the other centre, but I’m so glad we made the change. The integrated kinder program is excellent and really encourages children to be independent and confident. My older son is starting school this year, and after completing 4-year-old kinder here, he is more than ready. Shruti and Nandini are so lovely, always approachable and happy to provide updates throughout the day. Natalia, the Centre Manager, is also wonderful and always available for a chat. Highly recommend this centre to any family.

We had a wonderful time training the educators at Mernda YMCA Early Learning Centre in the HLTAID012 Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting and CPR courses. Their enthusiasm for learning and commitment to child safety were outstanding. It’s a caring and compliant team we’re proud to support year after year.

It's been 3 years with Mernda YMCA and my daughter loves coming here. She's learned a lot academically and socially. She has gained friends and loves the educators. I have peace of mind knowing that she is in a safe environment especially under Natalia's management. Highly recommend this centre.