We had a very disappointing experience with this daycare centre and would not recommend it to other families. One of the biggest issues we encountered was the lack of communication. Important information about our child’s day, significant staffing changes, and general updates was either inconsistent or not shared at all. As parents, this made it difficult to feel confident that our child’s needs were being properly understood and met. There was also a noticeable lack of consistency in staffing within the children’s rooms. Frequent changes in educators made it hard for our child to build secure relationships and adjust comfortably to the environment. Additionally, services and inclusions that were part of our initial agreement were later removed, yet the fees remained the same. This felt misleading and unfair, especially given the already high cost of care. Most concerning, however, was the way our child’s behaviour was handled. We experienced instances where it felt like their behaviour was being mocked rather than supported with understanding and professionalism. This was deeply upsetting and not what we expect from qualified childcare providers. Overall, our experience did not meet expectations in several key areas, and we ultimately did not feel that our child was being supported in a respectful and consistent environment.

This review reflects our personal experience as a family at Goodstart Grafton. One thing that raised concerns for us was a message circulated to parents encouraging them to leave a positive Google review in order to go into a draw to win circus tickets. Not long after, a noticeable number of positive reviews appeared within a similar timeframe. While promotions like this may be intended to increase engagement, it can make it difficult for families reading the reviews to understand which feedback reflects everyday experiences. From our perspective, there have also been ongoing issues with staffing consistency. There appear to be frequent changes in educators, which can make it hard for children to build stable relationships and routines. At times staff did not seem fully confident with certain routines or information, and communication between staff and families felt inconsistent. Childcare services play a significant role in children’s early development, so stability, clear communication, and confident educators are extremely important. Based on our experience, these are areas where we feel improvement would benefit families and children attending the centre.

We absolutely love that our son goes to Goodstart Early Learning. He attends preschool and has made so much progress since starting. We’re so proud of how far he’s come. His little sister will be starting in the babies’ room soon and we’re so excited for her to be there too. The educators are amazing. Special mention to Sarah T, Vicky, Saira and Jorja. Our son has grown so much thanks to their care and support. The director, Shirleyanne, is wonderful, communication is always open, and Tahlia does a fantastic job as well. We’re incredibly grateful to have such an amazing centre for our children.

The staff are always wonderful and have smiles on their faces. It is a great and welcoming centre. I’m glad our family has made the switch

Both of our children have attended this centre since 2022. The educators are caring, supportive and genuinely invested in the children’s wellbeing and development. Their Communication is great and the environment has always felt safe and welcoming. We highly recommend good start to any new family’s

From a dad’s point of view, Goodstart Grafton has been an excellent choice for our family. Both of our kids (aged 3 and 1) attend the centre and we’ve been really impressed with the level of care and attention they receive. The educators are welcoming, down to earth and clearly care about the children. Our kids are happy, settled and comfortable there, which makes drop-offs easy and gives us confidence we’ve made the right choice. The centre is very well run, and Shirleyanne, the Director, does an amazing job leading the team. She’s approachable, organised and genuinely cares about the families and children at the centre. We feel confident leaving our kids in their care each day and would highly recommend Goodstart Grafton to other families looking for a supportive and reliable childcare centre.

We absolutely love Goodstart Grafton. Both of my children, aged 3 and 1, attend the centre and I honestly couldn’t be happier with the care, support and love they receive every single day. The educators are kind, patient and genuinely care about each child as an individual. My children are always happy to attend, and it gives me so much peace of mind knowing they are in such a safe, nurturing and supportive environment. A special mention to Shirleyanne, the Director — she is incredible. She is warm, approachable, hardworking and truly dedicated to the centre, the children and the families. You can see how much pride she takes in what she does, and it really shows throughout the whole centre. Goodstart Grafton feels like a second family to us, and I’m so grateful to have both of my children enrolled here. I highly recommend this centre to any family looking for quality care 🤍

We had a really rough experience at a previous centre in South Grafton. My son was screaming at drop-off and desperate to leave at pick-up. We moved him to Goodstart when he was 12 months old and the difference was incredible. Within the first few days, he didn’t want to leave — I’d be sitting there for 20 minutes while he showed me all the toys and happily played. He’s been attending for about six months now and hasn’t been upset at drop-off for months. He genuinely loves it there. Nyvee and Thi are amazing educators and have been so wonderful with him. Since starting, he’s saying so many more words and playing on a deeper, more thoughtful level through toys, painting, songs, and imaginative play. Shirley-Anne is an outstanding Centre Manager — extremely hands-on and always present in the rooms interacting with the children. Tahlia is also fantastic; we’re always kept up to date through reception, and it’s so reassuring to be at a centre that truly values having a receptionist. I also love that they use Storypark. Being able to check in throughout the day to see when he’s eaten, slept, and to receive photos gives me so much peace of mind. We’re incredibly grateful for the care and support they provide and couldn’t recommend Goodstart Grafton more highly.

All the teachers, reception staff, director & chef are wonderful at Goodstart Grafton. My daughter has really come leaps and bounds since starting at Goodstart 2 years ago. Have just started my second daughter and would definitely recommend Goodstart Grafton.

All the staff at the centre are supportive, caring and knowledgeable. The entire Centre always put the focus of the kids first ensuring Child Safety Standards are upheld and the kids feel heard, supported and valued.