Inside KU Centres
Our great tradition of providing
early childhood education and care
Preschools
Throughout 2008 KU continued to operate a total of 95
preschools, including: 86 centre based, 7 mobiles and
2 Learning Together inclusive preschool programs for
children with additional needs.
The 3,072 licensed preschool places (2,957 in 2007)
offered in these programs were utilised by 7,363 children
and 6,921 families.
Long Day Care
During 2008 KU operated 18 community based long
day care centres and 15 long day centres for corporate
clients, an increase of four on the previous year.
The transfer of KU Bradfield Park in January and KU
Concord in February saw both centres receive significant
upgrades. These were funded using existing centre funds
and additional KU funds.
The Treehouse, a centre managed for Stockland, opened
in May and showcases both KU’s and Stockland’s
commitment to environmental sustainability. Equipment
was sourced using greenstar principles, a first for the
early childhood sector.
In October The Joey Club Brisbane opened, the third
Qantas centre managed by KU. As a result KU is
now directly providing early childhood services along
Australia’s entire eastern seaboard.
The 1,640 licensed long day care places (1,434 in 2007)
were utilised by 3,945 children and 3,251 families.
“
Other Services
KU continued to operate 3 out of school hours care
services and 3 occasional care services. The Loreto out of
school hours care service was closed in December 2008.
In October KU took over the management of the North
Sydney vacation care program across 3 sites, on behalf
of North Sydney Council, seeing KU operating a total of
2 vacation care programs in 4 locations.
AMEP Centres
KU continued to operate 7 child care centres providing
child care for the children of students attending language
classes through the Adult Migrant English Programme
(AMEP). These centres can accommodate a total of 221
enrolments each morning (195 in 2007) and 207 each
afternoon (180 in 2007).
A new AMEP centre was opened at Liverpool, doubling
its previous capacity. The 2008 year saw KU’s AMEP
centres utilised by 1,242 children, a 100% increase on
the original tender forecast of 619 children per year.
Special Education Programs
The Special Education Team supported over 750 funded
children with additional needs to be included in KU
centres and provided assistance to many more children
from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
These figures include the Department of Ageing, Disability
and Home Care funded Speech Pathology Program
services which conducted over 157 consultation visits
in the Eastern Sydney area, provided speech pathology
My daughter could not have had a more enjoyable and rewarding
preschool experience than the one she has had at KU over the
last 2 years. The dedication, commitment to early childhood education
and development, and sense of joy shown by the staff each day
was fantastic.
The way in which you always made the time to let me know how
she was going was enormously appreciated, all the comments and
observations were both interesting and insightful.
A special thanks to her teacher for all her enthusiasm and genuine care.
“
I had the joy of watching my daughter bloom during her time
at preschool and have you to thank for that.
Extract from KU Parent
Exit Questionnaire
6
KU Children’s Services