Busy Bees at Preston East

Toxic Culture and Environment - Glad to be out as this place breeds toxic work culture stemming from the Service Manager where this place is plagued by in-house cattery fighting, dramas and unhappy employees to the point that productivity and the well-being of the people in the office is affected.
Worked additional and long hours - not paid! Made to stay back and clean - not paid for the extra hours. Made to give up my time on weekends to promote the business - no time of given! Made to pay for my own training for the benefit of the business! Are you serious! Told how much to contribute to gifts! Yeah right!
Last resort was to file with Fair Work to only get paid what is rightly mine! Left and health restored and the air smells better too!
Toxic behaviour and attitude breeds toxic culture! This place is well on the radar for all the wrong reasons! Other agencies have been alerted to their business practices and currently under review.

Victoria Street ELC are caring and professional in every aspect. They take the time to know your child and form positive relationships with you and your child. We are so happy and confident in their care.

I’ve sent my daughter here for the last 18 months and it’s a fantastic centre. I can’t speak highly enough about the love and care the educators have given my two year old. She is so happy every time I drop her off and pick her up. The staff are wonderful and have all been there for many years which speaks volumes about the daycare. Carmel the centre manager is amazing! She has supported us through difficult times allowing me to drop my daughter off with short notice. She’s warm and extremely caring and sensitive to family matters. I would highly recommended this centre to anyone looking for an intimate run centre rather than a cookie cutter approach to early learning.

I had completed placement at this centre and I couldn't have felt more welcomed within the environment. Everyone was so kind and so eager to help me with any question or obstacle I had to overcome. I am now an educator within the centre and I still feel the same sense of welcoming and respect I received from the day I walking in as a placement student.

There are so many amazing things which I can say about this centre.
The centre is an amazing place which has immensely helped my family.
The Director and all the Staff were instrumental in my child's development. Prior to attending the Centre, my child had difficulty in attaining certain milestones at home. By attending childcare, my childs development went through the roof. She reach each milestone in no time and her speech increased two fold. We were extremely grateful and over the moon.

We also noticed that she development quiet quickly in terms of writing and arithmetic. She was able to identify words and to complete basic addition by the time she reached the Kinder Program at the centre. That was a huge WOW factor for us because it showed that the teachers and cares were guiding her in the right direction.

The Director and the Staff also helped me immensely by the following:
- always happy to answer my questions
- always helpful in regards to my worries and concerns
- always gave great advice
- provided a shoulder to lean on when motherhood became tough
- always greeted me at the door with a smile and made me feel welcome.

Most of all my child was always happy when they attended childcare/school. We started attending two days a week but that very soon turned to 3 days a week. It wasn't us asking for more days, it was our child. This showed us that the environment at the centre was a safe and happy one where children are comfortable and are given the opportunities to learn and develope. Thats why we give a 11/10 to The Director, The Staff and The Centre.

Empathy is the ability to experience and relate to the thoughts, emotions or experience of others. Empathy is being able to understand and support others with compassion or sensitivity. Simply put, empathy is the ability to step into someone else’s shoes, be aware of their feelings and understand their needs. This establishment lacks ALL these key values and this stems from the root - the branch Service Manager at this establishment lacks the professionalism and emotional intelligence, where her poor values are well ingrained, and change is not possible! Why does it matter for us to understand the needs of others? By understanding others, we develop closer relationships. The manager here lacks empathy as she does not listen to other ideas, lacks openness and honesty and does not apply any level of understanding for others. When we understand our team, we have a better idea of the challenges ahead. The business model needs to change if it is to any chance of moving forward.

As a mum I cannot speak highly enough of the centre and it's team. The educators are engaged, passionate and really love and care for the children. My daughter has thrived in the kinder program because of the stimulating and nurturing environment they have created.
The centre manager Carmel deeply cares for the families and has been an enormous support to me and my daughter. In the early days when my daughter did not want to separate from me Carmel would take her into the office, cuddle her and give her special 'distraction' jobs to help us through this tough part of our day (which got much better quickly). Carmel is always there and ready to listen. She goes above and beyond every time I've needed her help.
Carmel and her team are a lovely group of women committed to the enrichment of children's lives and I would highly recommend the centre.

I am an educator who has proudly worked at Vic st Elc for four years. Our number 1 goal is the learning and wellbeing of the wonderful children who attend our center. Management is very supportive of families, children and educators. Always reliable and communicates thoroughly, respectively and professionally. I wouldnt want to work anywhere else.

Excellent centre I visited a student doing her work placement at this centre. Rich educational stimulating program being run for children by passionate staff who love teaching & educating children. Excellent happy staff & management, student also gained so much learning on how to be a high quality educator.