SDN Children's Services

15/10/2026

CEOs of not-for-profit Early Childhood Education services support the establishment of 100 new public preschools announced by the Government, but not at the expense of existing community preschools and long day care services.

Our community preschools and preschool program within long day care provide high-quality early learning and offer a holistic program to support children’s smooth transition to school.

Community Preschools are still waiting to find out what their funding will be for 2027 and not-for-profit providers of long day care services with preschool programs are facing $150m of funding being withdrawn.

We believe that the NSW Government has responsibility towards all children, and not just to those in public preschools.

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A message by: SDN Children's Services, KU Children's Services, BFS Children's Services, Gowrie NSW, Goodstart Early Learning and Uniting.

14/10/2026

At SDN Pyrmont, community excursions are a valued part of the educational program, helping children build confidence, independence and a sense of belonging in the world around them.

Each month, preschool children travel together on the light rail to Darling Square Library, where they borrow and return books for the classroom. From choosing stories that spark their interest to scanning books and caring for them, children take ownership of the process while developing responsibility and decision-making skills. 📚🤔

When a growing interest in café play emerged in the preschool room, educators extended the learning beyond the home corner and into the local community. During a visit to a neighbourhood café, children practised ordering, using coins to pay, and patiently waiting for their babycinos to arrive. ☕

These everyday experiences help children connect their learning to the real world while building confidence, communication skills and meaningful relationships within their community. 🩵

13/10/2026

Today is Allied Health Professions Day! 🥳

At SDN, we're proud to acknowledge the range of allied health professionals who are part of and contribute to our inclusive village.

Our allied health professionals bring with them diverse skills and experiences, along with a strong dedication to supporting children and young people reach their full potential.

Join us in celebrating our incredible allied health professionals and the positive impact they make in our community everyday. 🥰

13/10/2026

Did you know that in 1931-1932, SDN Children's Services was the first in NSW to combine preschool education, with qualified early childhood teachers for 3-5 year olds, with long day care?

SDN did this to support the working families who also wanted quality education and school readiness for their preschoolers, and often so that preschoolers could be at the same centre as their siblings, prioritising family connection.

We're proud of our history and involvement in combining quality preschool education and long daycare within NSW. Today, we're disheartened by the news that the NSW Government is ending funding that supports the operations of not-for-profit early childhood education and care centres.

Families are already under pressure. The last thing they need is less support for their children's early learning. That's why we believe now is the worst possible time for the NSW Government to cut $150 million from preschool programs in long day care.

We invite you to join us in calling on Premier Chris Minns and the NSW Government to stop these cuts and help us support working parents, who rely on long day care to balance work and family life, while giving their children the best possible start in life.

07/10/2026

The Goulburn Lilac City Festival is one of Australia's longest-running community celebrations, bringing the local community together each spring since 1952. 💜

For many years, the team at SDN Lady McKell has proudly embraced Goulburn's "Lilac City" spirit, and this year was no exception. Children and educators worked together to create a vibrant entry for the festival's community competition, transforming the centre with handmade bunting, flowers, paintings, signs and even a charming tea party display. 🫖🧸

The project gave children the opportunity to express their creativity, collaborate with their peers and contribute to a much-loved local tradition.

We congratulate the team on their incredible effort and for receiving the first place award in the ‘Business Garden’ category.🏆

06/10/2026

Introducing a new short day care option available at SDN Redfern 📢

From 9 October 2026, SDN Redfern will be offering a short-day booking option on Mondays and Fridays, a 6-hour fixed session from 9:00am to 3:00pm. 📆

Whether you're balancing work/study, family commitments, school drop-offs or simply looking for more flexibility, this new option offers families greater choice and convenience. 🤗🧡

*For more information or if you're interested in enrolling in a short-day session at SDN Redfern, call our Family Engagement Team on 1300 831 445 or e-mail [email protected].

SDN Redfern provides high-quality, not-for-profit early education, childcare & preschool. Inclusively supporting children & families in Redfern's community

06/10/2026

At SDN Erskineville, real-world experiences and excursions have become a regular part of the educational program, extending learning beyond the centre. 🌏

From visits to local parks, playgrounds, cafés, the post office and even Bunnings, children are building confidence, developing social skills and discovering what it means to be part of a community. 💞

The outdoor visits in particular support children's active development of gross motor skills, as well as engaging them in initiatives such as sustainability, composting, and recycling. ♻️

Along with this, they're learning road safety skills, how to look out for one another when out and about, and developing a deeper understanding of their place in the world and the impact they can have on it. 💚

01/10/2026

For Yulia and her mother Junshu, inclusion means more than having a place at an early learning centre. It means being known, understood and embraced by a community that celebrates who she is.

At SDN Riverwood, educators took the time to build trust, adapt the environment and create opportunities for Yulia to participate alongside her peers. Today, she's communicating her needs, building relationships, contributing to daily routines and activities, and growing in confidence every day. ✨

Because true inclusion isn't about helping children fit in. It's about creating environments where every child can belong. 💚

Read Yulia's inspiring story here: https://ow.ly/gLFQ50ZSWGY

30/09/2026

Congratulations to three of our SDN early learning services for each achieving an 'Exceeding' result for their recent assessment and rating! 🏅👏

Pictured above from left to right includes SDN Milperra Centre Director, Mel, Operations Manager, Mandy accepting on behalf of SDN Hamilton St, Bathurst and SDN Batemans Bay Preschool Centre Director, Bec.

These ladies proudly accepted a Certificate of Achievement on behalf of their teams at our recent Centre Director Day, a regular event that brings our leaders together for professional learning and connection.

At SDN, we’re proud of the continued high-quality learning and care our centres deliver and the positive impact made to the lives of children, families and the community every day. 🧡

29/09/2026

At SDN, keeping children safe is everybody's business. We recognise that creating a child safe organisation requires a shared commitment from every person who works at or visits SDN, at any time. 🧡

One of our policies is that staff are required to wear a child-safe lanyard and ID when working with children and young people at SDN. While these wearables have been around for some time, they've recently received an upgrade to further support embedding a child-safe culture across our village.

Our child safe lanyards and IDs help ensure everyone who works at or visits an SDN service is aware of our child-safe values, and importantly, allows members of our communities to easily identify each other. This includes all SDN staff whether permanent, casual, as well as students and all visitors. ✅

Another feature is that the lanyards contain key information the person may need to act on if they ever have concerns about a child, particularly staff who are in mandatory reporter roles, and must act and report according to the law. 📞

Next time you're at one of our services, keep an eye out for our child-safe lanyards! 👀