Frequently asked questions

Costs vary widely by location, building size and whether you lease or build, but a new long day care centre typically requires significant capital for fit-out, compliance and pre-opening operating costs. The biggest variables are property, regulatory requirements and licensed places. A feasibility assessment is the first step. We help you build a realistic budget before you commit.

Long day care services in Australia generally require local council development approval for the premises, a Provider Approval and a Service Approval under the National Law, plus compliance with the National Quality Framework (NQF). The exact pathway depends on your state or territory regulator. We manage these approvals end to end.

From site selection to opening typically takes many months and depends heavily on development approval timeframes and the licensing pathway in your state. Starting with the right feasibility and approvals strategy is the single biggest factor in opening on time.

Yes. We provide due diligence on acquisitions, reviewing compliance history, occupancy, financials and operational systems, so you understand exactly what you are buying and can plan improvements from settlement.

The National Quality Framework is the national system that sets standards for early childhood education and care in Australia, including the National Quality Standard (NQS) against which services are assessed and rated. Achieving and maintaining a strong rating is central to occupancy and reputation, and is a core part of our consulting work.

We work with childcare providers across Australia. Talisha Long is based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, and consults nationally on centre development, licensing, operations and performance.

You are not legally required to use a consultant, but most people opening a centre are doing it for the first time against a complex regulatory framework. A consultant who has done it many times can compress the timeline, de-risk the approvals, and help avoid costly mistakes, which usually saves far more than it costs.

It depends on your stage. We help with feasibility and site selection, development approval, centre design, provider and service approvals, National Quality Framework compliance, staffing and policies, operational setup, acquisitions and due diligence, and performance improvement for existing centres.

Yes. We run an independent performance audit across occupancy, revenue, staffing and quality rating, then give you a prioritised, practical plan to improve, whether the issue is enrolments, compliance, costs or rating.

Yes. We provide due diligence on centres you are considering buying, reviewing compliance history, occupancy, financials and operations, so you understand exactly what you are buying and can plan improvements from settlement.

Get in touch for a no-obligation conversation about your project. We will talk through where you are up to and map out the right next step.