With online reviews increasingly influencing consumer behaviour, Guardian Childcare and Education has developed a wholistic process to provide families with a transparent assessment of their centres.
The Family Choice Award program, which runs across all our more than 180 centres, is based on Google reviews, family survey results and excellence in a key area of the National Quality Standard (NQS), which regulates the sector.
With recent research showing more than half of all consumers rely on online reviews and a further quarter put trust in the word of family and friends, the Family Choice Awards offer a way for families to see how other families view a certain centre.
Guardian Childcare Chief Network Officer Sharon Whiteman said families deserved to be supported when making the decision of where to place their child in care and be confident they were making the right choice.
“A safe and nurturing environment is vital in an early learning and care setting and the views of families with children already in care is important,” Ms Whiteman said.
“These families know first-hand the benefits of quality early learning, delivered with their child’s safety in mind at all times,” she said.
“Because our centres proudly publicise their Family Choice awards on our website, it allows the views of current families to be visible to all.”
Ms Whiteman said a Guardian centre had to meet a number of easily verifiable benchmarks to earn an Award, ensuring true transparency for parents.
“At Guardian, families are at the heart of everything we do and that’s why our Family Choice Awards are so important,” she said.
“They are a recognition that truly reflects the trust and satisfaction of the families we serve every day and provides reassurance for families thinking of placing their children in our care.”
Ms Whiteman said in a sector where word of mouth and family recommendation was the main source of information for new families, the Awards provided a transparent way to see how existing families felt about a centre.
“It is not us commenting on our own centre. It is the families that already see their children thriving in our environments.”
She said to receive a Family Choice Award a centre needed to have Google Reviews well over 4 stars for at least the past six months, strong Family Survey results with a Net Promoter Score (NPS) above 50 and Excellence in Quality Area Six of the NQS, which assesses “Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities”.
“These awards celebrate the exceptional care and education offered across our centres, as voiced by families and measured by independent benchmarks.”
Ms Whiteman said centres that went above and beyond and had a Google Reviews Score closer to 5 stars, a NPS score well above 50, while maintaining excellence in NQS received a Family Choice Gold Award.
“Our Family Choice Award centres are shining examples of what makes Guardian special, strong connections with families, dedication to partnerships, and a commitment to quality education and care.”
Learn more about the awards and find out who were the 2026 winners.
