What age can my baby start childcare in Victoria?
The minimum age for approved childcare in Victoria is 6 weeks. Here's what the early months at childcare actually look like, and how to know if your baby is ready.
One of the earliest questions new parents in Berwick, Essendon, Moonee Ponds, Narre Warren and across Victoria ask is: when can my baby actually start childcare? The short answer is 6 weeks — that is the minimum age for approved long day care in Victoria. But the more useful question is: what does childcare look like for a very young baby, and how do you know when your child is ready?
The legal minimum — 6 weeks
Under Victoria's Children's Services Act, approved long day care services can accept children from 6 weeks of age. This is the national minimum. In practice, most families starting childcare with a very young baby are returning from parental leave — often between 3 and 6 months after birth. The decision is always individual: some babies settle confidently into care at 8 weeks, others take longer, and family circumstances differ widely.
How rooms are structured at My Stars
At My Stars Berwick and My Stars Essendon, our youngest children are cared for in the White Room. This room operates with the smallest group sizes and the highest educator-to-child ratios in the centre. It is specifically designed for infants — with dedicated sleep areas, individual feeding schedules, and educators who work exclusively with this age group so your baby builds genuine familiarity with consistent carers.
- White Room: babies from approximately 6 weeks to 12–15 months
- Rainbow Room: toddlers from approximately 12–15 months to 2.5 years
- Green Room: pre-kinder children from approximately 2.5 to 3.5 years (Free Kinder eligible from age 3)
- Orange Room: kinder program for children in the year before school (Free Kinder — up to 15 funded hours per week)
- Yellow Room: before and after school care for primary-age children
Settling in
My Stars has a structured settling-in program before your child's first full day. We don't believe in cold starts. Settling visits let your baby build familiarity with the room and educators while you're still present — and we communicate daily through OWNA so you always know how your child is going.
What to expect when starting very early
Babies starting before 6 months are typically on very individualised schedules — feeding times, sleep patterns and routines vary enormously at this age. Quality infant rooms work with the baby's existing home routine, not against it. At My Stars, our White Room educators document each baby's daily schedule through OWNA — feeding volumes, sleep times, nappy changes — so you have a complete picture of your child's day even when you're at work.
Most families find that babies starting from around 3–5 months settle more quickly than they expected. Young babies adapt to new environments readily when caregivers are consistent and responsive — which is why staff retention in the infant room is something we take seriously. The same faces, the same arms, the same routine: that consistency is what allows your baby to feel safe.
When to register interest
If you're planning to return to work before your baby turns 12 months, register your interest at My Stars Berwick or My Stars Essendon during your pregnancy. Infant room places in particular fill early — these rooms have the smallest group sizes and correspondingly fewer available spots. We do not charge a waitlist fee, and registering early simply means we have your family in our system when a suitable space opens.
Helpful guides
Expecting a baby or recently had one? Register your interest now — infant places at both My Stars centres fill ahead of schedule.
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Want to see My Stars in person?
Tours run weekday mornings. Pina or Sim will walk you through personally.