Quality early childhood education and care for children from 6 weeks to 5 years.
Learning through play in the year before school.
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Find out more about professional development and training opportunities at C&K.
View our vacant positions to find a better way with C&K.
Discover the career opportunities and pathways available at C&K.
View details of our Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care qualification.
Learn more about C&K's Diploma qualification in Early Childhood Education and Care
Build your skills in early childhood education and care in the workplace with a C&K Traineeship or Apprenticeship
Contact us for more information about the C&K College of Early Childhood
Early childhood curriculum for children from birth to 5.
How we support our vision where every child flourishes.
Connecting and learning together in early education.
Experienced and passionate leaders supporting C&K's workforce.
Committed to working towards reconciliation in the early years.
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Providing high standards of early childhood education and care together.
C&K is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Megan Gibson as the new Chair of the C&K Board.
A long-time advocate for children and early education, Dr Gibson brings a unique blend of sector knowledge, governance expertise and lifelong connection to C&K. Her experience spans from attending a C&K kindy herself, to being a director at a C&K centre, to serving on the Board for nearly a decade.
“It’s an incredible honour to step into the role of Chair,” Dr Gibson said. “C&K has shaped so much of my life and career, and I’m proud to lead a Board that puts children at the heart of our decisions.”
Dr Gibson has chaired the C&K Early Years and Innovation Committee and was on the inaugural C&K Building Waterfalls Curriculum Committee. She is committed to ensuring C&K’s Reconciliation Action Plan is authentically and deeply embedded across the organisation, including at Board level.
An Associate Professor at Queensland University of Technology, Dr Gibson is a nationally respected researcher and educator in early childhood workforce development. Her work has informed major national studies into educator attraction, wellbeing, and retention.
C&K CEO Dr Sandra Cheeseman welcomed the appointment, saying: “Megan brings deep sector insight, strong governance acumen and a genuine passion for C&K. We’re thrilled to have her leadership as we continue to grow our impact for children, families and communities across Queensland.”
C&K is one of Queensland’s largest not-for-profit early childhood education providers, with a 117-year legacy of putting children first.
Finding the right early childhood education setting for your child is a significant decision. As you prepare to tour potential centres during Open Week or at any time, here's what to observe and ask to help you make an informed choice for your family.
The environments
Pay attention to the physical space and atmosphere:
The educators, teachers and support staff
Observe how staff interact with children:
The Program
Understanding the educational approach is crucial:
Key questions to ask
Trust your instincts
Beyond facilities and programs, notice how you and your child feel in the space. The right centre should feel welcoming and align with your family's values and your child's personality and needs.
Remember that no question is too small when it comes to your child's care and education. Quality educators will appreciate your engagement and thoughtful questions about your child's well-being and development.
Take your time with this decision and visit multiple centres to see what environment feels right for your family. Open Week is the perfect time to visit and see the regular flow of children and educators in the centre. There are over 170 events happening Queensland wide during 2-7 June. Click here to find your nearest event and RSVP now!
Some combinations just make sense: cheese and vegemite, sausage sizzles and Bunnings, chocolate and strawberries, picnics and parks. And that’s exactly how we feel about our latest partnership with C&K The Creche and Kindergarten Association coming on board as Principal Partner of QPAC’s Out of the Box festival and Supporting Partner of QPAC.
It’s an obvious alignment of both organisations’ values and shared philosophies to nurture and inspire children and to create immersive experiences for children to connect, explore and learn. C&K teachers and educators are encouraged to express their own individual teaching styles and artistic skills to foster creative thinking and inventiveness in the children under their care. An approach very much supported by the programmatic intent of Out of the Box.
QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy said it was vital for QPAC to partner with organisations that believe in the power of the arts and the important role the arts can play in contributing to a more cohesive and inclusive society.
“We’re thrilled to welcome C&K to the Out of the Box family knowing that they share our commitment to instilling a lifelong love of the arts in children from the very earliest years,” Ms Healy said.
“We have great admiration for the way that C&K weaves creativity into all that they do and that they prioritise immersive arts experience for both their educators and children.
“Out of the Box is an extension of what happens in C&K centres around Australia every day through music, movement, drama and storytelling, so to have such a respected education-focused organisation alongside our festival is a great boost.
“We believe very strongly in the importance of arts education and every component of Out of the Box is curated in consultation with education and arts specialists to ensure the festival has an impact well beyond the children’s experience onsite.
“Having C&K on board means the reach of Out of the Box can be extended beyond the festival itself as educators are themselves inspired to make the arts even more a part of what they do each day.”
More than one million children have taken part in Out of the Box festival since its beginnings in 1992.
“It fills our hearts to meet parents bringing their children to the festival that they themselves attended as a kindy kid, and to see educators passionate about their students attending because their own love of the arts began at Out of the Box.”
C&K CEO Dr Sandra Cheeseman said, “Together with QPAC, we’re creating something special: stronger community connections, fantastic professional development for our workforce, and discovering new ways of recognising the joy of learning, accomplishment, and mastery.”
“The arts inject fun and joy into the lives of children, teachers and educators. We’re excited to see how this partnership will strengthen the creativity, playfulness, and connections that blossom in our settings.”
“Through this partnership, it is our hope to encourage more engagement in the arts for educators and children in our centres. Engaging in the arts is an important component of learning and discovering in early childhood. It helps children develop creativity, confidence, communication and social skills, as well as inspires educators to connect with their own creativity when bringing well-loved stories, music and visual arts into the learning environment.” Dr Cheeseman said
“A focus in C&K centres is to inspire a child’s curiosity for self-expression through the arts.
“We’re also excited for the professional development opportunities that our educators will experience through the partnership with QPAC, which will strengthen their creative practices and see the arts embedded in new and joyful ways in our centres.”
Ms Healy said that one of the key ingredients in the festival’s success has always been the commitment to putting children at its centre.
“Every step of the Out of the Box journey is taken with children in mind, from the development of new work and the curation of in-theatre productions and workshops through to the thoughtfully adapted onsite experience to ensure a welcoming and child-friendly environment,” she said.
“This child-centred approach is yet another value we share with C&K, and what makes this partnership just perfect.”
We invite our refferal partners to explore C&K Dixon Street Early Years Centre during our Open Day event.
You're Invited to Open Week!
Join us for our Open Week event, where we warmly welcome families to explore our centre and discover how we create a nurturing environment for children to learn, play, grow, and flourish. Experience firsthand the joy and support that have made a positive difference for so many families before.
Come and meet our dedicated educators, see our engaging learning spaces, and feel the vibrant community that makes our centre special. We can't wait to share this journey with you.
C&K has proudly nurtured Queensland children for 116 years. As a not-for-profit organisation, we always put children at the centre of everything we do, and deliver innovative early learning programs that honour every child's curiosity, individuality and potential.
We look forward to welcoming you! 💛
You're invited to our Kindy Open Afternoon taking place on Monday 23 June from 3.00pm-4.30pm.
We warmly welcome families to explore our Kindy and discover how we create a nurturing environment for children to learn, play, grow, and flourish.
Come and meet our dedicated educators, explore our engaging play for learning spaces, and feel the culturally diverse and vibrant community that makes our Kindy so special.
Bicultural support available for Somali and Vietnamese children and families.
Experience firsthand the joy and support that have made a positive difference for so many families before. We can't wait to share this journey with you.
C&K has proudly nurtured Queensland children for 116 years. As a not-for-profit organisation, we always put children at the centre of everything we do and deliver innovative early learning programs that honour every child's curiosity, individuality and potential.
Searching for the right childcare or kindergarten can be challenging. Many factors must be considered before making this important choice, including location, availability, routines, quality ratings, educator experience, resources and inclusions, and, of course, the feel of the centre.
We have been learning, growing and playing alongside children for over one hundred years, and our top tip when choosing the right centre for your child is to visit and experience the magic of C&K yourself.
Every year, we invite our families and community to Open Week, which runs from Monday, June 2, to Saturday, June 7, across 170 early childhood education and care centres Queensland-wide!
Open Week provides a wonderful opportunity for families to step inside our vibrant learning environments, meet our passionate educators, and witness firsthand the magic that happens in our warm, welcoming spaces dedicated to childhood growth and discovery.
During Open Week, you'll have the chance to:
Every child deserves a supportive and inclusive environment where they can explore, create, and develop at their own pace. Our centres are committed to providing exactly that—spaces where curiosity is encouraged, independence is fostered, and the joy of childhood is celebrated daily.
Whether you're considering options to begin your child’s early learning journey, or looking to make a change, Open Week offers the perfect opportunity to find the right fit for your family.
Visit any participating centres between June 2 and 7 to experience the magic of childhood education for yourself. Add your postcode or suburb below to find your nearest Open Week event and RSVP now!
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