Where do I even begin to explain just how FABULOUS this beautiful kindy has been for our entire family?<br><br>Goodstart Gaven has gone above and beyond for our son and has been nothing but welcoming, kind, supportive and incredible since the very first day we were fortunate enough to walk through the doors.<br><br>The facilities may be a little older than some other centres, but to say they are filled with love, care and genuine dedication would be an understatement. We actually moved from a centre that was almost brand new, with some of the most exciting and expansive facilities imaginable, yet Goodstart Gaven offers a child-led, flexible and accessible environment that is far better suited to our son's needs.<br><br>Lenka, Tiff, Jiwon, Tracey, Sue, Claire and all of the other beautiful staff and educators whose names escape me right now, I am yet to have a single negative interaction. I cannot thank you enough for the love, patience, understanding and support you provide day in and day out.<br><br>And then there's the wonderful Director, Rach. From the very first day we met, she made me feel like I was talking to family. She is open, honest, approachable and genuinely cares about every child and family who walks through the door. You can see the passion she has for what she does, and the culture she has created within the centre is truly special.<br><br>Rach, you have been an absolute angel, and I am so incredibly grateful that we found you and your team. The positive impact you've had on our son, and on our family as a whole, is something we will never forget.<br><br>Thank you, Goodstart Gaven, for creating such a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment where children can truly thrive. We feel incredibly lucky to be part of your community. ❤️

I enrolled my 2-year-old daughter at Goodstart Early Learning Gaven with high hopes. Initially, everything seemed wonderful. The educators appeared caring, and my daughter settled in comfortably within minutes. Whenever I was present and she cried, the staff were quick to comfort her, speak kindly to her, and help her settle.<br><br>Unfortunately, one deeply upsetting incident completely changed my perception of the centre. One day, I arrived earlier than usual for pick-up. Before entering the room, I stood outside for several minutes without the educator knowing I was there, and I was shocked by what I witnessed.<br><br>My daughter was crying and clearly distressed. A young educator was repeatedly speaking to her in a loud, angry and frustrated tone, saying, “Don’t shout, don’t shout.” I continued watching<br>, hoping to see her comfort my daughter, reassure her, cuddle her, or speak gently to her, but I did not see that happen.<br><br>What disturbed me most was the contrast between what I had previously witnessed when I was present and what I saw when the educator did not know I was watching. In front of me, my daughter had always been comforted when she cried. This time, the interaction I witnessed was completely different.<br><br>When I saw what was happening, I could not hold back my tears. I went inside, picked up my daughter, held her in my arms, and left the centre while both of us were crying. I was too emotional to speak properly at that moment, so I went home to calm myself down. Once I had collected myself, I returned to the centre to speak with the manager.<br><br>To his credit, the manager was polite and professional. I was also told that the educator had already approached management herself and acknowledged that she had made a mistake, even before I raised the matter with them.<br><br>I understand that caring for toddlers can sometimes be challenging. However, if a child is struggling or an educator feels overwhelmed, they should seek assistance from another educator or management and communicate with the parents. A distressed two-year-old needs support, patience and reassurance, not an angry or raised voice.<br><br>Sadly, the incident had a significant impact on both my daughter and me. Afterward, she no longer wanted to attend childcare. Drop-offs became extremely difficult, with 30–40 minutes of crying and distress, whereas before this incident she had felt comfortable there.<br><br>This experience has also had a very serious emotional impact on me personally. I had been preparing, after two years, to return to work and start focusing on my own plans again, but this incident has left me deeply traumatised and unable to trust others with my daughter’s care. I now constantly worry that someone may behave one way when I am present and completely differently when I am not there.<br><br>Because of this, I have officially cancelled my daughter’s enrolment and put my plans to return to work on hold. At this stage, I genuinely do not know when I will feel comfortable trusting another childcare centre again.<br><br>I am sharing my experience because I believe other parents deserve to know what I personally witnessed. My advice to other parents is not to rely only on appearances or on how staff behave when they know you are watching. It may be worth occasionally arriving unexpectedly and quietly observing how your child is being treated when staff are not expecting you.<br><br>As parents, we place enormous trust in early learning centres to care for our children when they are at their most vulnerable. Unfortunately, after what I personally witnessed, that trust was broken for me.

We have used childcare centres in both Melbourne and Queensland, and this is by far the best one we have experienced. The centre has a genuine family feel, and it’s clear that the staff enjoy working there, with very little turnover. The consistency of carers has allowed our daughter to build real connections with both the educators and the other children. Everyone is incredibly friendly, caring, and always willing to help. Our daughter genuinely loves going to the centre each day, which gives us great peace of mind as parents. We couldn’t be happier with the care and support Piper receives and would highly recommend this centre to other families.

We had a wonderful experience with this kindergarten. Both of our children, Seraphine and Ellyse, attended here and they truly had a great time here. The teachers are caring, supportive, and genuinely dedicated to the children’s development and happiness. We are very grateful for the love, attention, and encouragement they received from all the staff. It has made a lasting positive impact on our family. Thank you to everyone at Goodstart for creating such a warm and nurturing environment.

We have just celebrated our daughter’s kindergarten graduation, and I honestly cannot speak highly enough of this amazing centre. From day one, the educators have shown nothing but genuine care – not only for our child, but for us as parents too. The longevity of the staff says everything about the environment they create. Having familiar, experienced educators year after year made us feel so confident and comfortable leaving our daughter in their care. The centre offers a wonderful range of extra-curricular activities to suit every child’s interests, helping them grow in confidence, independence and creativity. A special mention to Miss Rachel for her sunny, welcoming smile every morning – she truly sets the tone for the whole centre. And a heartfelt thank you to Miss Sarah for the care, patience and dedication she shows to the children. After four years, we’re leaving not just with beautiful memories, but with what truly feels like lifelong friendships. Thank you for helping shape our daughter’s early years so positively. 💛

Sad that our kid had to leave to start big boy school! We left another centre in Pacific Pines prior to going to Goodstart and it was the best decision we ever made. I wish that we had done it sooner!

My son loves his days that he attends Gaven Goodstart. He talks about his friends and the wonderful activities they do each day. He says in the mornings ‘Im going to see my friends today’ with such joy. It’s lovely knowing he looks forward to his days there and enjoys his friends and educators

Fantastic daycare, super friendly and caring educators.