Long Day Care Centres in Perth Metropolitan
Compare 150 long day care centres across Perth Metropolitan. What the service covers, what to check before enrolling, and how our scoring works.
Long day care is the full-day, year-round care option most Perth families end up using once both parents are working or studying. Centres in this category typically operate from around 6:30am to 6:30pm, take babies from six weeks through to school age, and run structured programs that meet the National Quality Framework. We're tracking 150 of these centres across the Perth metro area, from inner-city operators near the CBD to suburban centres in growth corridors like Baldivis, Ellenbrook and Butler.
Unlike family day care or in-home care, long day care runs from a licensed premises with multiple educators, dedicated rooms split by age group (nursery, toddler, kindergarten), and its own kitchen or catering arrangement in most cases. It suits families who need consistent five-day-a-week coverage, want their child in a larger peer group, or are chasing a spot at a centre near work rather than home.
What to look for before you enrol
- Quality rating: every centre is assessed against the National Quality Standard, so check whether it's rated Meeting, Exceeding or Working Towards.
- Educator-to-child ratios and qualifications: ratios are set by law, but staff turnover and the proportion of degree-qualified educators vary a lot between centres.
- Waitlist reality: some Perth suburbs have genuine shortages, so ask for real wait times, not just "join our list."
- Program and food: ask to see a sample daily program and menu, and whether meals are cooked on-site or catered.
- Fee gaps: get the daily fee, the Child Care Subsidy estimate, and any gap fee in writing before you commit.
Our ranked guide to Perth child care agencies pulls these factors together into a shortlist if you want a starting point rather than scrolling all 150 listings. The scoring behind every ranking on this site, including how we weigh quality ratings, availability and family feedback, is explained in full on our methodology page.
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All long day care centres, ranked by score and relevance
We found 150 businesses offering long day care centres; 21 met the criteria for the scored directory. The order weighs each business's overall score by how much of its reviewed work is long day care centres, so a lower-scored specialist can rank above a higher-scored generalist. Filter and sort below, or open the full map view.
When you submit a quote or contact form here, we may share your enquiry with partner providers who can do the work. We may receive a referral fee for those introductions, but our rankings and scores are based on our published method only and are never affected by referral payments.
Common questions about long day care centres
- How much does long day care cost in Perth?
- Daily fees at Perth long day care centres generally run from around $130 to $180 or more per day before subsidy, with inner-city and newer centres often at the higher end. Most families reduce this substantially through the Child Care Subsidy, which is means-tested and paid directly to the provider, so your actual out-of-pocket gap fee depends on household income and activity hours.
- How many days a week do most families use long day care?
- Two to three days a week is common for families easing back into work, while full-time working parents typically book four or five days. Many centres offer a discount for permanent five-day enrolments and prioritise those places over casual or single-day bookings, so check a centre's booking policy if you only need part-time care.
- What should I expect on a typical day?
- Expect a structured routine built around meals, rest or sleep for younger children, outdoor play, and an early learning program tied to the Early Years Learning Framework. You'll usually get a daily update via an app or diary covering sleep, food and activities, plus a portfolio of observations tracking your child's development over time.
- How do I judge the quality of a long day care centre?
- Start with its National Quality Standard rating, which is public and covers areas like educational program, staffing and safety. Beyond the official rating, visit in person, watch how educators interact with children during a normal session (not just a tour), ask about staff turnover, and talk to other parents already enrolled if you can.