Early childhood

This page has information for parents on the age your child can go to child care and preschool.

Child care

There is no age restriction on when your child can attend child care.

Read more about finding a child care centre.

Preschool and transition

Children should attend preschool and transition, but this is not compulsory.  

Age your child attends preschool 

Your child can attend preschool at the age of four years old.

If your child turns four between 1 January and 30 June, they may start preschool at the beginning of the school year (Term 1).

If your child turns four after 30 June in the school year, they may start preschool on or after their fourth birthday if the preschool has places available and on the understanding that your child will attend preschool for more than 12 months by re-enrolling the following year.

If you live in a very remote area your child can attend preschool from the age of three, provided you accompany your child and remain with them at each session until they reach the age of three years and six months.

Age your child attends transition

Your child can attend transition when they turn five, if they turn five on or before the 30 June of the school year. If your child turns five after the 30 June, they will attend transition from the start of the next school year.

Priority enrolment

You can apply to enrol your child in a school of your choice, but priority is given to students living in the school's priority enrolment area.

If a school is approaching or has reached capacity, the school will decline applications from students who live outside its priority enrolment area.

Go to the Department of Education website for more about priority enrolment.

When your child must go to school

From the age of six your child must be enrolled in school, distance education or approved home education.

If you're a parent, you can access a range of child care and preschool services in the Northern Territory.

These may be offered by private providers, community groups, government agencies or individuals.

You can find a service in your local area by:

• using the Australian Government's find child care tool on the Starting Blocks website
• searching for preschools in the education directory
• checking the Yellow Pages.

This page has information about how to raise a concern or complaint about your child care service.

If you have a concern or complaint about your early childhood education and care service, please talk to your child care provider first. Your issue may be easily resolved.

Who to contact

If you are unable to resolve the issue with your child care provider, contact Quality Education and Care NT (QECNT). This is the independent regulatory body that helps Territorians resolve concerns or complaints.

You contact Quality Education and Care NT by either:

• phone (08) 8999 3561
• email: qualityecnt.det@education.nt.gov.au

How your concern or complaint is managed

You will be contacted within five days to confirm that your complaint has been received.

Your concern or complaint will be addressed promptly.

Your personal information will be kept confidential unless you give consent to disclose the information.

You will be kept up-to-date with the progress of your concern or complaint.

The team will send you a letter about the outcome of your concern or complaint.

This page has information for parents on rebates and benefits and the early childhood services subsidy in the Northern Territory (NT).

Rebates and benefits

You may qualify for a rebates and/or benefit to help reduce the cost of child care.

For more information on rebates and benefits, go to the Starting Blocks website.

Early childhood services subsidy

The NT Government provides a subsidy direct to child care operators to reduce the cost of child care for parents.

Read more about the early childhood services subsidy.

This page has information on how you can encourage your child to read and learn.

You have an important role in teaching your child: 

• how to talk
• getting on with others
• showing and reading emotions
• have a positive sense of self
• how to read and write. 

Helping your child to develop these skills at home can assist them when they go to school.

Encourage your child to play

Encourage play based learning to help your child:

• explore the world - natural and social
• develop and practice social and language skills
• expand and challenge their physical skills
• enhance their self-confidence
• think and express themselves creatively
• respond to experiences with or without language
• develop their sense of self and identity
• develop positive attitudes of self-motivation and self-direction
• learn cooperation and group values
• develop curiosity, persistence and concentration
• develop language and numeracy skills.

Help your child to read and write

The following tips may help your child to learn:

• start with simple books with large pictures and contrasting backgrounds
• talk about the pictures to begin with, particularly those your child is interested in
• let your child sit on your lap and position them to see what you are looking at 
• use a variety of voices to bring stories alive when reading aloud to your toddler
• let your child turn pages and point to pictures
• ask questions about the pictures and answer questions as well as you can
• ask your child to predict what might happen next
• sometimes point to the words as you read and, if a child is interested in the words and letters, you might talk about them
• use print in the world around and in daily routines to support the importance and purpose of reading
• talk to your child as much as possible about routine events and activities, labelling and describing what is happening
• tell stories such as fairy or traditional tales, made up stories or favourite stories
• give your child crayons, paints, water-based markets and paper to scribble, draw and write
• write their name on pictures in the top left-hand corner
• encourage all efforts to write
• write their stories or descriptions of their pictures on the picture
• display their artwork
• use any chance to encourage writing, such as sending artwork 'letter' to friends or family.

Go to the following websites for more information and resources:

• Starting Blocks
• Raising Children

This page has information about how to prepare your child for school.

To prepare your child you can:

• enrol your child in preschool and transition
• encourage your child to be independent
• have a daily routine
• get to know your school
• get involved with your school.

Enrol your child in preschool and transition

Preschool and transition are not compulsory, but can help prepare your child for school. 

Your child's preschool or transition class may be located on the school grounds. This helps as your child is already familiar with the buildings and grounds when they start school.

You can also ask advice from your child's preschool and transition staff about preparing your child for school.

Read about what age to send your child to preschool and transition and how to find a preschool provider in your local area.

Encourage your child to be independent

You should practice all of the following tasks with your child: 

• pack and carry their school bag
• put on their shoes
• manage their clothes
• eat and drink without help
• go to the toilet on their own
• use tissues to blow their nose
• recognise their belongings.

Have a daily routine

You should set up a daily routine that includes all of the following:

• go to bed early
• wake up at a set time with time to get ready
• have a healthy breakfast
• prepare a healthy lunch, including items that may be in your child's lunchbox for school
• talk about what to expect during the school day
• make time for physical activities.

Be flexible, as it may take time for your child to adjust to their new routine.

Get to know your school

You should:

• show your child where the school is in relation to home
• walk to school a few times if possible, even if you intend to drive
• ask the school if they have open days or activities for new starters
• ask the school if you can walk your child around the school and grounds
• ask the school what equipment and materials your child needs - most schools have a list
• remember to label your child's possessions with their name
• check the school website as it may contain useful information.

Before your child's first day, your child should know:

• how to find their classroom
• where to put their things
• where to have their lunch break
• where to meet you at the end of the school day
• where to go for before and after school care - if needed.

Contact your school if your need more information.

Get involved with your school

Take an interest in your child's schooling, be positive and let them know it is important to go to school.

You can get involved by doing any of the following:

• meet the teachers
• let them know if anything is affecting your child
• talk to other parents
• volunteer at the school
• read school newsletters and look at the school website.

This page has information on the National Quality Framework (NQF) which makes sure children have access to quality education and care services, the National Quality Standard which rates services and Quality Education and Care NT (QECNT) who monitor child care standards in the Northern Territory (NT).

National Quality Framework

The NQF regulates and ensures the quality of education and care services.

NQF assist families by:

• making sure services meet the needs of families
• providing parents with information about the quality of the services their children attend.

Learn more about the NQF on the ACECQA website.

What services are included

Services in scope of the NQF include:

• long day care
• Family Day Care
• three year old kindergarten
• preschool
• outside school hours care, including vacation care.

The National Quality Standard

The NQF includes a National Quality Standard which rates services. The quality rating can help you decide the service that is best for your child.

Quality ratings of local providers are available on the national register of services on the StartingBlocks and ACECQA websites.

Go to the ACECQA website for information on the National Quality Standard.

Quality Education and Care NT

Quality Education and Care NT (QECNT) is responsible for ensuring the National Quality Framework is applied in the NT.

The role of QECNT includes all of the following:

• approving child care services
• monitoring child care services
• rating the quality of services
• undertaking serious incident and complaint investigations.

Go to the Department of Education website for more information about QECNT.

Contact

You contact Quality Education and Care NT by either:

• phone (08) 8999 3561
• email: qualityecnt.DET@nt.gov.au

For you and your child, you can access early childhood support through:

• education and learning programs
• child and family centres

For more information, find a suitable service below.

There are a range of child care and preschool services you can access in the Northern Territory (NT).

These include:

• long day care
• family day care
• outside school hours care
• in-home care
• occasional care.

They may be offered by private providers, community groups, government agencies, individuals, babysitters or nannies.

Long day care

Long day care services provide care and education programs for children from birth to school age.

The services generally operate from 7:30am to 6pm to cater for the needs of families.

Children are usually grouped in rooms according to age and developmental stage with professional staff rostered to ensure appropriate staffing at all times.

Family day care

The family day care service comprises family day care educators who provide regulated care and education programs in their own home.

This service can provide flexible care including before and after school, weekends and overnight care.

Limits apply to the number of children who can be cared for in a home at one time.

The family day care coordination unit recruits, trains, monitors and supports family day care educators.

Outside school hours care

Outside school hours care provides supervised care and recreation programs for primary school age children:

• before and after school
• school holidays
• pupil-free days.

The services are generally located in primary schools but can also operate from child care centres or other community facilities.

Preschool or kindergarten

Preschool is a structured, play based learning program delivered by a qualified teacher.

Children usually go to preschool at the age of 4.

Most preschools in the NT are part of a school. Some long day care services may also provide a preschool program.