SDN Children's Services

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! 👀

23/09/2026

On Childhood Dementia Day (by the Childhood Dementia Initiative), we're sharing the story of Charlotte and the inclusive community that has helped her thrive at SDN Marrickville.

Diagnosed with Cockayne syndrome, a rare childhood dementia condition, educators and her family embarked on a shared journey of learning, adapting and finding new ways for Charlotte to participate fully in centre life each and every day.

From tube-feeding support and Key Word Sign to visual communication supports and inclusive mealtime practices, educators have worked alongside Charlotte and her family to make sure she has a seat at every table. Whether that's lunchtime with friends, navigating the playground or taking part in the annual Christmas concert, Charlotte is always included.

Charlotte's story is a beautiful example of what genuine inclusion looks like and the profound difference it can make for children, families and entire communities. 🧡

Read her full story and explore our latest Stories of Impact here: https://www.sdn.org.au/impact/?p=&story=/stories-of-impact/charlottes-sdn-story-a-seat-at-the-table-for-every-child/

22/09/2026

Some of our younger children at SDN Linthorpe St, Newtown recently set off on an exciting excursion to a nearby park, taking in all the sights and sounds of their local community along the way.

Hand in hand, they eagerly observed the world around them, watching cars pass by, spotting animals, greeting people and experiencing the excitement of crossing over the railway bridge together. 🚆

At the park, curiosity took centre stage. Children were fascinated by the trains travelling past and spent time exploring the natural environment, particularly an old tree that sparked plenty of wonder and investigation. They also enjoyed developing their gross motor skills as they ran through the open space and took turns on the swings. 🌳

Excursions like these provide valuable opportunities for children to connect with their local community, build confidence in new environments and discover the world around them through hands-on experiences. 🧡

21/09/2026

Please join us in congratulating the SDN Kingsford at UNSW Sydney team for winning the Highly Commended Sustainability Award at the recent City Council Business Excellence Awards for 2026. 💚

A strong commitment to sustainability has long been part of the SDN Kingsford at UNSW Sydney community. From their thriving Bush Tucker Garden and community Street Library to partnerships with OzHarvest, TerraCycle and ReSmart for recycling soft plastics, sustainability is woven into everyday learning at our service.

Children play an active role in caring for the environment and community, whether it's learning about native plants and connecting with Country, helping reduce food waste, collecting hard-to-recycle materials, or giving pre-loved toys a second life through local community initiatives. Through these experiences, children learn that even small actions can make a meaningful difference. 🌏

17/09/2026

There was plenty of joy and connection at the latest Playgroups in the Park event, with the team from SDN Redfern enjoying a wonderful morning alongside local families in the heart of Redfern. 🌳

From creative play experiences and outdoor exploration to sharing stories and building new connections, it was a beautiful opportunity to come together as a community and celebrate the joy of early childhood and play. 🥳

Missed this one? Keep an eye on the Playgroups in The Park page for when they announce the next date. We'd love to see you there! 💚