Good childcare and kindy spots in popular areas can have long waitlists, so it's worth researching and getting on a list early, even before your move date is locked in. Ask about waitlist length and whether priority is given to siblings or existing enrolments.
How to do it
- Start researching as early as you can — good centres in popular suburbs can have waitlists measured in months, not weeks, and a place that looks available now may not be by the time you actually move.
- Ask each centre directly about wait time and priority rules — many prioritise siblings or existing families, which affects how realistic a given centre actually is for you compared to its official waitlist length.
- Check whether 20 Hours ECE applies — most 3- to 5-year-olds are entitled to up to 20 hours a week fee-free at a participating service, worth confirming with each centre you're considering since it changes the real cost comparison between options.
- Visit in person if you can before committing, rather than judging on a website or phone call alone — ratios, outdoor space, and the general feel of a centre are hard to assess remotely.
- Get on more than one waitlist if timing is tight — joining a single centre's list and waiting to hear back can cost you weeks you don't get back if it falls through.
Common mistakes
- Joining only one waitlist and treating it as secured, rather than as one option among several you should be pursuing in parallel.
- Not asking about sibling or existing-family priority, then being surprised when a "short" waitlist doesn't move for you.
- Leaving this until after the move, when the best local options may already be full for the term.
Useful links
- Early Childhood Services directory (Education Counts) — the official Ministry of Education directory to search registered ECE services near your new address.