Mini Masterminds Glenwood

We have been with Mini Masterminds since it opened in late 2022, and both of my children have attended the centre. Initially, I gave the centre the benefit of the doubt as it was new and going through teething issues such as high staff turnover, non-compliance with policies, and insufficient resources for the children. However, some concerns became increasingly difficult to overlook, such as being asked to backdate a document for the minibus service a year after it began, due to an external audit. We chose Mini Masterminds because it was close to home and initially offered extras like swimming lessons during daycare hours, free ABC Kids for a year, and language and yoga sessions. Unfortunately, they have since removed the swimming lessons, and the yoga sessions now appear to be from YouTube. Only Mandarin lessons are available, and parents were not given a choice in this matter. One major issue was the frequent use of a smart board with YouTube ads, particularly in winter mornings and afternoons. Screen time was not advertised as part of their curriculum, yet it became a regular feature. Staff turnover has been a significant problem, with many skilled educators leaving. Currently, there seem to be only four permanent staff members, with the rest being casuals. The high turnover has impacted the quality of care, with educators struggling to manage combined age groups (3–5 years) in an overcrowded and overwhelming environment. On multiple occasions, I witnessed educators yelling at children and ignoring distressed kids. My 3-year-old, who was toilet training, frequently soiled herself at the centre. Educators discarded her perfectly good clothes without my consent. Interestingly, since leaving the daycare, there have been no such incidents. Another concern was the lack of creativity and resources. The children often came home with minimal artwork, such as half a torn A4 sheet with a pencil drawing. While I appreciate the focus on numbers and the alphabet, creativity and hands-on learning were severely lacking. There were no excursions or engagement with the local community, which was disappointing. Upon leaving, I requested a portfolio of my children’s work but received no response. The casual staff informed me there was nothing to hand over, confirming my concerns about the lack of resources and activities. Lastly, the reviews on Google don’t align with my experience. Several parents I’ve spoken to share similar concerns, and it’s worth noting that some positive reviews appear to be incentivised with prize draws. Overall, my experience with Mini Masterminds has been deeply disappointing. Despite management’s efforts, the issues are too significant to overlook, and I would not recommend this service to others.