Childcare
The Bar Council has reserved places for children and grandchildren of Bar Association members across two centres operated by Guardian Early Learning Group. The three centres are:
- The Pavilion Early Learning Centre, located at 126 Philip Street;
- Castlereagh Street Early Learning Centre, located at 9 Castlereagh Street; and
- Little Steps Early Learning Centre, located at 1 Bligh Street
All centres operate from 7:30am to 6:00pm. Once all reserved places have been filled, a waiting list will be created and places will be allocated as they become available. Members of the Bar Association are eligible to apply for the Childcare Benefit and the Childcare Rebate. Members of the Bar Association will also be able to request one or more casual days of care in the Sydney CBD on short notice.
About the centres
The Pavilion Early Learning Centre, located at 126 Philip Street
The Pavilion Early Learning Centre is located in the centre of Martin Place, 100 metres from Martin Place Station. Children at The Pavilion Early Learning Centre have open access to bright, custom-designed spaces, structures and experiences with plenty of room for growing, inquisitive and energetic bodies to play, relax and quietly explore. The daily rate is $160 per day.
Castlereagh Street Early Learning Centre, located at 9 Castlereagh Street
The centre has been assessed as ‘Exceeding’ 7 of the 7 elements of the National Quality Standard. It is an indoor haven and is located in an atrium. It allows children to feel like they are outdoors while being protected from the weather all year round. The centre has two levels for children of different ages and each level has its own ‘outdoor’ play area. The daily rate is $160 per day.
Little Steps Early Learning Centre, located at 1 Bligh Street
Little Steps is accessible by public transport and a short walk from Martin Place and Circular Quay. There is a 25 minutes drop off and pick up parking area within the building. The centre also has an outdoor play area for children. The daily rate is $169 per day.
Eligibility
The Bar Association has reserved 10 full time places under the Management Agreement, for a period of three years from November 2016. This number can be increased, subject to availability. Members who apply for a place but are not immediately granted a place will be put on a wait list.
Information about Guardian Early Learning
Guardian Early Learning Group has 108 centres nationally, and continues to expands its operations each year. Guardian currently has
CBD can be found on their website.
Results from the Childcare Survey
182 members responded to the Childcare Survey, which is an excellent result. We note the following from the survey results:
- 86% of respondents considered the availability of places in childcare centres to be a problem for members.
- Of those respondents who currently had childcare arrangements in place, 47% relied on family members, 41% relied on long day care and 33% relied on a part time nanny.
- 50 respondents anticipated wanting access to a childcare centre in the Sydney CBD during the next 5 years.
- 65% of respondents felt that priority of access to a childcare centre in the Sydney CBD would affect their capacity to continue or improve their career at the Bar.
- 88% of respondents considered the availability of extended hours of operation to be important.
Contact
Information in relation to childcare will be regularly updated on the Association’s website. Members with enquiries in relation to childcare are welcome to get in touch with the coordinator of services and benefits, Chris Winslow, on (02) 9229 1732 or via email: cwinslow@nswbar.asn.au