We toured Futuro Bardia on 19 March while we were in the middle of securing a home in the area. Because the centre is across the street, we were genuinely hoping it would become our son’s new daycare. We met with (Ayse), and our 2.9‑year‑old son came with us. He explored the rooms, interacted with educators, and Ayse even commented that his behaviour was normal for his age.
After the tour, we clearly told Ayse the specific days we were after. She told us those days were not available and that she would place us on the waitlist for those days. We understood this and were prepared to wait, especially since our house settlement was still a few weeks away. We come from a well‑run CBD daycare, so we’re familiar with how enrolment and waitlist processes usually work, and we’ve never experienced anything like this before.
Over the next month, I followed up several times to ask if there was any estimated wait time, but no clear information was provided.
Almost a month later, I followed up again and received a message from Christy saying there was “a possible availability coming up” and that we needed to come in for another tour so they could meet our son. This was confusing because:
- our son had already toured the centre with us and met Ayse, and
- we had already discussed and agreed on the specific days we needed when we were first put on the waitlist.
When I called to clarify, Christy asked whether our son had been present during the first visit. I was exhausted from the move and second‑guessed myself, but later my husband reminded me clearly that our son had been there, and that Ayse had interacted with him. I called back to confirm this, but Christy still insisted she needed to meet him again before offering a spot.
Then, in a later conversation, Christy said she would “put us back on the waitlist” because the days we needed were not available. That left me wondering:
- Were the days we requested properly documented after our original tour with Ayse?
- If those days were never available, why was “possible availability” mentioned at all?
- If I hadn’t followed up, would we have even heard about this “possible availability”?
From my perspective as a tired parent in the middle of a move, this felt confusing and unsettling. The combination of unclear documentation, being asked to repeat a tour, and being told again that the days we needed were not available made the process feel inconsistent and, frankly, a bit sneaky, even if that wasn’t the intention.
What has left me particularly disheartened is that the process didn’t feel consistent, transparent, or especially inclusive. The repeated request to “meet our son”, despite already meeting him, and the shifting messages around availability created the impression that there might be more going on in how places are offered than what is clearly explained to parents.
I’m sharing this so other families on the waitlist know what our experience has been like. The centre looked promising, but the lack of clear documentation, inconsistent communication, and the feeling of being evaluated and re‑evaluated without transparency have made this far more stressful than it needed to be. I hope the centre reviews how they manage waitlists, document family needs, and hand over information between staff so parents aren’t left chasing answers and repeating steps that should already be recorded.
Response from the owner
14 Apr 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.
We’re sorry to hear that parts of the process felt unclear, particularly during what we understand can be a busy and sometimes stressful time for families. From our review, it appears there may have been a miscommunication regarding availability and preferred days, which contributed to the confusion. We also note that our team attempted to contact you via phone to discuss this further but were unable to reach you.
To clarify, our waitlist and enrolment process is based on availability across specific days and classrooms, which can change quickly. When potential availability arises, our team will reach out to confirm a family’s current needs and level of flexibility before progressing further. In some cases, we may also invite families back to the service to ensure we have the most up-to-date understanding of their care needs. Additionally, as children reach certain age milestones, they may transition into a different room than the one originally toured.
We appreciate that this process did not feel as clear as it should have been in this instance, and we will take your feedback on board as we continue to strengthen our communication and internal handover processes.
We wish your family all the best in finding the right care solution. Should you wish to discuss this further, you are always welcome to reach out, our team would be more than happy to speak with you.