If you run a childcare service or kindergarten, it can feel like the rules are always changing.

New funding models. New safety requirements. New reporting systems. Now, on top of all that, the Federal Government is moving ahead with new laws to collect more detailed financial and service data from private early childhood providers as part of its universal childcare agenda.

You already spend your days juggling families, rosters, compliance, staff wellbeing and a never-ending inbox. Trying to also stay across every policy shift and then turn it into clear, confident communication for parents is a lot.

This is where your centre’s story matters, and where a specialist partner like EEVA can sit quietly in your corner, keeping your video content future fit while you focus on children and teams.

1. A quick, plain language recap of what is changing

In simple terms, the new legislation is about giving the Federal Government more power to:

• Ask private providers for detailed information about what it costs to run your service

• See the gap between what it costs and what families pay

• Use that information to design reforms that move Australia closer to universal childcare

This sits alongside a bigger pattern you are probably already feeling:

• More safety and child protection requirements

• More inspections and audits

• More attention on affordability, access and inclusion

• More public discussion about quality and transparency

None of this means you are doing anything wrong. It does mean that the story of your service will be seen in the broader context. You are not just one centre in one suburb. You are now part of a national conversation about what early learning should look like.

2. What this could mean for your service

You do not need to become a policy expert. But it helps to understand what this shift might mean in practice.

In the next few years you can expect:

• Greater scrutiny of value

  Government, media and advocacy groups will be able to compare services more easily. Parents are already doing this. It becomes even more important to show why your service is worth choosing, not just what your daily fee is.

• More comparisons between centres

  Families will see more information about ratings, staffing, safety and complaints. They will still make decisions emotionally, but they will be surrounded by a lot more data.

• Pressure to show how you fit the future system

  Services that can show they are safe, inclusive, high quality and aligned with the broader direction of reform will feel more secure than those that simply try to keep up.

In other words, your story will be read in two ways at once:

• As a parent asking, “Will my child be safe, known and happy here?”

• As part of a bigger question, “Is this the kind of service Australia wants more of?”

You cannot control every policy decision. You can control how clearly and calmly you explain who you are, what you stand for and how you care for children and families.

3. How parents are experiencing this shift

Most of the leaders I speak with say the same thing.

Parents are:

• More anxious about safety

• More confused about funding

• More likely to research online before they ever speak to you

• Often relying on one parent to do the tour, then “sell” the decision to the other at home

They are seeing headlines about safety failures, new rules and Government inquiries. At the same time, they are trying to hold down jobs, pay bills and make the best choice for their child.

When it comes to choosing a centre, parents might start with logical questions. Fees. Location. Opening hours. But what usually decides it is emotional.

• Do these people feel like “our people”?

• Do I trust them with my child?

• Can I picture drop off here on a bad morning?

Your video story needs to answer both the head and the heart. It should show that you take safety, quality and value seriously, and that you also understand what it feels like to be a parent in this moment.

4. Your centre’s story in a universal childcare world

In this environment, the services that stand out are the ones that can honestly say:

• “We are part of the solution, not part of the problem.”

• “We understand the system, and we will help you navigate it.”

• “Your child will be known, safe and supported here.”

That means shaping your message so that:

• Parents are the focus

  You are not just listing features of your centre. You are showing how you guide families through an overwhelming landscape.

• You clearly describe the problem you help with

  For example: parents juggling work, rising costs, waitlists and the fear of choosing the wrong place.

• You show a simple plan

  A clear, kind journey from first contact through to a confident enrolment. Enquiry, tour, decision, orientation. Parents know what happens when.

• You paint a specific picture of success

  Not abstract “quality outcomes”, but everyday realities. A child who runs in happily. A family that feels listened to. A stable relationship with key educators.

This does not require a marketing degree. It is simply about telling your story in a way that matches how people actually make decisions.

5. Why video is so important right now

Regulators and government will tell parts of your story through forms, data and ratings.

Parents and staff will tell their own stories about you in conversations and online.

Video is your chance to tell your story on purpose.

Good, honest video helps you:

• Show real educators, real spaces and real interactions

• Build trust quickly, which is vital when safety is front of mind

• Let both parents, and sometimes grandparents, experience the centre together

• Reuse the same content across your website, social media, emails and information sessions

In a crowded feed full of text posts and generic graphics, a calm, clear video with familiar faces from your centre can cut through in seconds.

If your message is unclear, families will scroll on. If your message is simple and human, they are much more likely to pause and lean in.

6. Five video themes that line up with universal childcare reform

Here are five areas you can focus on in your 2026 content plan.

1. Transparency about quality and value

Parents are quietly asking, “What exactly am I paying for?”

You can use video to:

• Explain, in parent friendly language, how you invest in staff, environments, learning programs and inclusion supports

• Show everyday examples of what that looks like

• Acknowledge the reality of affordability concerns while also highlighting long term benefits for children and families

This is not about arguing with government. It is about helping families understand the value behind your fee.

2. Safety and child safeguarding

With tighter rules and more media attention on safety, families are watching closely.

Carefully planned safety content can:

• Show how you supervise children and manage access to the building

• Outline, at a high level, how you handle concerns and complaints

• Reinforce your commitment to child safe standards and ongoing staff training

Here it is important to design the project around your legal and policy obligations. That means:

• Using clear, specific consent forms

• Avoiding footage that identifies children in ways that are not appropriate for public channels

• Storing footage securely and honouring the original agreement about how it can be used

A specialist partner should help you build all of this into the project, not leave you to figure it out at the end.

3. Access and inclusion

Universal childcare is not only about more places. It is also about who can actually use those places.

Your video story can gently show:

• How you welcome families from different cultural, language and family backgrounds

• How you support children with additional needs

• How you link with local schools, health services and community groups

This reassures both parents and policymakers that your service is not only physically accessible, but emotionally and culturally welcoming too.

4. Workforce stability and educator care

Families care deeply about who is actually with their child hour by hour.

Video can:

• Introduce key educators and leaders in a way that feels real, not staged

• Share why they do this work and what keeps them committed

• Show how you support your team so they can give children their best

In a time where there is a lot of talk about burnout and shortages, this kind of content can be very grounding for families who want continuity and warmth.

5. Partnership with parents

Policy language can be confusing. Parents want someone to translate it for their real life.

Short explainer videos can:

• Walk parents through your enrolment and orientation process

• Clarify key policies without sounding harsh

• Give the non-touring partner a genuine feel for your centre, instead of relying on a second-hand description

This positions your service as a guide in a complex system, not just another form to fill out.

7. Turning video into a simple, repeatable system

A lot of centres already have “some videos”. A Facebook reel from last year. A staff introduction filmed on a phone. A one off brand video from a past upgrade.

The problem is that none of it usually works together as a system.

A practical, low stress approach looks like this:

Step 1. Clarify your core story

We start by putting into words:

• Who your centre is really for

• The problems you help families solve

• The outcomes you most want to be known for

This becomes the foundation for your main hero video, your website copy and your tour scripts.

Step 2. Create a small, strong video library

Instead of trying to film everything, we focus on a set that gives you maximum flexibility:

• A 90 to 120 second hero walkthrough video from a family’s point of view

• One or two story-based parent testimonials that speak to trust and culture

• A concise safety and safeguarding piece, designed with your leadership team

• A handful of short clips that show daily life in a calm, unforced way

Done well, this library can serve you for several years, with small updates as your service evolves.

Step 3. Plug it all into an enrolment journey

Content only really helps when it is connected to a clear journey.

We map each video to a specific step, such as:

• Social or ad content that leads to a focused landing page

• A landing page that features your hero video and a simple tour booking form

• Automatic email and SMS messages that share the right videos between enquiry, tour and decision

• Follow up content that helps both parents feel confident before they enrol

You do not need a giant marketing team for this. You need a clear structure and a partner who can set it up with you.

8. Staying compliant, without the stress

Whenever children appear in video, your responsibilities go beyond marketing.

You need to be confident about:

• Working With Children Checks for anyone on site

• How consent is collected, stored and honoured

• How footage is backed up and who can access it

• How long you can use content and in what channels

Regulators are watching this more closely, and so are parents.

At EEVA, we design every project with these questions in mind from the very beginning, so you are not left worrying later about whether you missed something important.

9. How EEVA can help you stay prepared

EEVA exists purely for early education.

We work with directors, nominated supervisors and owners who are:

• Busy

• Across a lot already

• Looking for a partner who understands the sector and can quietly handle the video and content side

When we partner with a service, we:

• Start with your reality, including your current pressures, funding mix and community

• Help you shape a clear, honest story that aligns with national priorities without losing your unique character

• Produce a small, powerful set of videos that work across your website, socials, emails and tours

• Plug those into a simple Enrolment Content Engine, so your videos are always working behind the scenes for you

The goal is not to turn you into a marketing expert. The goal is to let you stay focused on children, families and staff, while knowing that your public story is clear, current and ready for whatever comes next.

10. A gentle next step

If all of this feels a bit overwhelming, you are not alone. Many of the women running centres and kindergartens that I speak with tell me they feel the same way.

A simple first step is a short content and enrolment review.

In that session we can:

• Look together at how your centre currently appears online

• Map that against what parents are seeing in the news and from government

• Identify one or two video pieces that would give you the most peace of mind over the next twelve months

From there, you can decide whether to take those ideas back to your team, or work with EEVA to build a full video and enrolment system.

Whatever you choose, you do not have to face this changing landscape alone. With the right story, told clearly and consistently, your centre can feel prepared, steady and trusted, even while the policy world keeps moving around you.