Down That Little Lane Family Day Care Yarraville
About Down That Little Lane Family Day Care Yarraville
WELCOME TO DOWN THAT LITTLE LANE FDC
Hello, my name is Megan, and I am a dedicated Family Day Care educator located in Yarraville, Victoria. With over 15 years of experience as a Family Day Care educator and 20+ years working with children, I am passionate about providing a safe, nurturing, and consistent environment where children feel secure, valued, and supported to thrive.
Philosophy & Approach
At the heart of my practice is a holistic approach to early childhood education, where how a child feels matters more than what they know academically. My focus is on developing life skills such as empathy, independence, emotional regulation, conflict resolution, kindness, and patience.
Children can begin with me as young as one year old and often stay until they commence school. During this time, they grow within a mixed-age group setting—learning from older children, and eventually becoming mentors and leaders themselves. This cycle helps build confidence, responsibility, and a strong sense of community.
Environment & Experiences
My service offers a gentle balance of structured activities and free play, supporting children’s interests and natural curiosity. I provide a wonderful outdoor play space in my yard, with a large undercover space, where children can enjoy a variety of age appropriate and educational and creative activities. There is also an open area with a large cubby house, for more outdoor activities including water table, sand pit, trikes and cars, and a cubby with reading area, kitchen, babies, and dress ups. Indoors we have a separate playroom just for the children, where they can play during too hot/cold/wet days, and where older children can play while younger children sleep. I also offer community outings: daily walks, visits to local parks and nature reserves, attending Story Time at a local bookshop, and play dates with current children on their home with mum days.
• Creative expression: painting, cooking, arts and crafts, music, singing, dancing, and storytelling.
• Engaging play spaces: a sandpit, play kitchen, reading area, climbing equipment, trikes, a home corner, and a wide variety of toys and games that inspire exploration and imagination.
Consistency & Care
Families who choose my service value the continuity of care that Family Day Care provides. Unlike larger centres, my service is solely educator-led.
I offer consistent, one-educator care, so children can build strong, secure relationships, and feel safe, settle and confident as they transition away from parents and into care. This stability supports emotional wellbeing, smoother routines, and better learning, while giving families peach of mind, knowing their child is cared for by someone who truly knows them.
If I am unwell or away, the service is closed—while this is the only downside, it ensures the children always experience the same familiar, trusted environment, without disruption. I close for the month of January, offering casual care a couple of days a week if the interest is there. During the year
I try to minimise disruption by taking a day here and there or adding a day onto a long weekend to get some time away. I will give as much notice as possible so parents can make alternative arrangements.
Community & Relationships
Strong, lasting connections are at the centre of what I do. Families and extended families often become lasting friends, and many remain connected long after their children move on to school. This sense of belonging helps both children and parents feel supported throughout their early years journey.
Professional Standards
I am contracted to Ignite Minds Family Day Care, and my home is regularly checked to meet all Department of Education and Government compliance requirements. I continually update my qualifications, training, and professional development to provide the highest standard of care.
Children’s learning and growth are documented through Storypark, keeping parents informed, engaged, and reassured about their child’s progress.
Why Choose This Service
My fees reflect the high level of care, consistency and quality I provide. Families are investing in more than childcare - they are choosing a calm, nurturing environment, where children are truly known and supported. My child contact hours are 9:00am-5:00pm, however my fees also recognise the many additional hours of work that happen outside of care time, including planning, compliance, documentation, professional development, food preparation, cleaning and maintaining the learning environment. I charge in 12-hour blocks, so families can access the maximum Child Care Subsidy for teh day, which often reduces the overall out-of-pocket cost compares to an 8-hour session.
To see the joy and learning in action, please visit my Instagram and Facebook pages,
where I share highlights of the wonderful experiences the children enjoy.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063675605366
https://www.instagram.com/downthatlittlelanefdc?igsh=MXA0MW94dXVyNzltdQ==
https://www.igniteminds.com.au/services/megans-family-day-care-yarraville
Parent Testimonials
“Megan provides the most nurturing environment. My daughter has grown in confidence and kindness since starting with her. We couldn’t imagine a better start to her early years.”
— Sarah, parent of a 3-year-old
“We always felt part of a family. The children aren’t just cared for, they are loved and supported to be their best selves. We’ve made lifelong friends here.”
— Emily, parent of two children who attended from 1 to 5 years
“Megan communicates so well through Storypark and in person. We always know what our child is learning and how they are growing. The stability of having one trusted carer has been invaluable.”
— Michael & Priya, parents of a preschooler
“From the moment we walked in, we felt at home. Megan’s care is genuine and personal — our little one runs in each morning with a smile.”
— Anna, parent of a 2-year-old
“We love the community aspect. Outings to the park, the storytime, and local village have been highlights for our child. It feels like a second family.”
— Leah, parent of a 3-year-old
“Even after leaving for school, our daughter still talks about her friends and experiences at Megan’s. The bonds she made there are lasting.”
— Rachel, parent of a school-aged child
Session Hours
| Type | Start | End | Hours | Rate Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Day Care | 7:00 AM | 7:00 PM | 12 | $230.04 AUD |
Vacancies
| Type | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Day Care | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rates
The above rates are used to determine the cost of your booking. Unless there is a casual booking you will be charged for the full session. The full session rate is calculated by multiples of the 'standard hourly' rate. All rates are subject to CCS entitlements. To estimate your entitlements visit the Australian Government Family Child Care Subsidy Estimator.
All fees are paid 2 weeks in advance. This is not a bond and is not refundable. It is a point in time pre payment to confirm your booking arrangement 2 weeks in advance. When cancelling your care, please provide 2 weeks notice so as to utilise the prepaid days in your booking.
All bookings are subject to our fees agreement and conditions.