Not all parents’ childcare needs are created equal. Some drop off every day without a second thought. Others debate every week whether grandma or a friend could fill the gap. One family might be willing to pay top dollar, while another with the same income watches every cent. As families become more selective with childcare, Australian providers must look deeper into what drives parent decisions.
That’s the beauty (and challenge) of behavioural segmentation. It’s not just about traditional demographics anymore. It’s about mindsets. Understanding the different types of families using childcare helps you stop treating them all the same, and start tailoring your offer to actually meet their needs.
So let’s get into the good stuff: who’s using childcare, how, and what that tells us about the kind of families you should be attracting, and how.
The Childcare Customer Opportunities ANZ 2025 report by Resonate CX collected answers from around 600 parents, asking them what they expected out of childcare and outside school hours care (OSHC) services. The study identified three distinct parent personas in the Australian market, tagging them as Explorers, Balancers, and Partners. Each of these personas exhibited distinct behaviours, needs, and expectations around childcare (PDF p. 18). The characteristic behaviours of these segments may be valuable for Australia-based providers that want to encourage more enrolments and better retention at their facilities.
Meet the Childcare Decision-Makers: Explorers, Balancers, and Partners
Each persona reflects different usage patterns, income brackets, and commitment levels (PDF pp. 17-18):
- Explorers: Typically use childcare services 1–2 days a week and often represent families with moderate flexibility and lower frequency needs. Explorers could be any age though they do tend to skew older (PDF p. 17).
- Balancers: This persona averages 3 days per week. They may not be fully convinced about increasing their commitments. This group may also be more cost-conscious and more ready to switch than other personas. However, better opportunities can change their minds (PDF pp. 28-29).
- Partners: These are the most committed users, with children attending 4–5 days a week. High-income families and those with postgraduate degrees tend to fall in this bracket. Parents in this persona also tend to prioritise structure, safety, and academic development (PDF pp. 30-31).
The segmentation uncovered by the study makes clear why one-size-fits-all childcare strategies fall short in today’s market. Childcare and OSHC providers that want to offer better families better experiences must begin tailoring their approach to the distinct behaviours and needs of each persona.
Explorers: The Value-Seeking, Flexible Users
Explorers are the lightest users of childcare, typically enrolling their children 1–2 days per week. They are often in healthcare or social care services themselves, and they tend to treat childcare as supplementary, using it to support social development or provide occasional coverage (PDF pp.18-23).
Top decision drivers:
- Social interaction for their child
- Flexibility in childcare
- General support for their child’s development
Barriers to use:
- Cost concerns
- Other care options
- Part-time work
Churn rates:
Churn is relatively low among Explorers. 26% in childcare and 8% in OSHC changed providers in the past year (PDF p. 21). OSHC families are the least likely to switch providers. However, despite the low churn, they are still a relatively cautious group.
How to Engage Explorers
Providers can engage Explorers by offering low-commitment entry points, promoting social benefits, and keeping pricing accessible. Providers can also meet Explorers’ expectations regarding facilities by offering shaded outdoor play areas, grassy spaces, and crafting materials. A curriculum that offers a good balance between play and academics is also preferred. Staff expectations are generally more modest for this segment compared to other groups (PDF p. 22).
Balancers: The Middle Ground with High Revenue Impact
Balancers typically use childcare 3 days per week. They seek consistent but flexible care that supports their ability to manage both work and family life (PDF pp.25- 29).
Top decision drivers:
- Affordability and value for money
- Reliable childcare structure and educational value
- Help in balancing work and parenting duties
Barriers to use:
- More sensitive to cost than other personas
- Demand for educators with real-world experience (not just formal qualifications)
- Difficulty aligning childcare hours with varying work schedules (PDF p. 29)
Churn rates
Churn rates are moderate for this persona. About 25% of Balancers churned in childcare and 13% in OSHC in the last 12 months. They are more likely to switch providers if pricing changes (PDF p. 26).
How to Engage Balancers
To win over Balancers, providers should communicate strong value propositions, offer flexible plans, and showcase staff expertise and warmth. Distinct from the other personas, Balancers also prefer facilities that offer books, though they do appreciate shaded outdoor areas and craft activities. Balancers also find staff qualifications more important than just experience (PDF p. 27).
Partners: The High-Commitment, High-Expectation Families
Partners are the heaviest users of childcare and OSHC services, with children attending 4–5 days per week. These families are fully committed and expect a structured, high-quality educational environment. They also tend to have high incomes and work in industries such as finance, insurance, and education (PDF pp. 18, 29-33).
Top decision drivers:
- Academic and developmental progress
- Safety and routine
- Frequent, proactive communication from staff
Barriers to use:
- High expectations around educator qualifications and experience
- Strong need for transparent, regular updates about their child’s progress (PDF p. 32)
Churn rates
This persona has moderate churn rates, with 27% in childcare and 21% in OSHC switching providers. While location and access are the main drivers of churn for this segment, unmet expectations in communication and support are also key factors (PDF p. 31).
How to Engage Partners
Providers targeting this group must maintain consistent communication with families. In particular, they must highlight structured curriculum design and demonstrate that they exceed basic expectations regarding safety and care quality. Unique among the personas, Partners also value clean bathrooms. However, they also prioritise books and share the other personas’ preference for shaded outdoor spaces (PDF p. 32).
Comparing Decision Drivers Across Segments
| Persona | Top Drivers | Key Barriers |
| Explorers | Social interaction, flexible childcare, child development | Cost concerns, availability of other care options, less emphasis on structured learning |
| Balancers | Work-life balance, affordability, structured childcare | Cost concerns, need for experienced (not just qualified) educators, and employer flexibility |
| Partners | Childcare is essential, prioritising stability, structure, and academic development | High expectations for both qualifications & experience, strong need for provider communication |
While there are some commonalities among parents, each of the main personas responds to different emotional and practical cues, likely because of their frequency of usage and the overall priorities they have. Providers that give persona-specific offerings in their marketing and interactions with parents will have a better chance at meeting the shifting expectations of the Australian childcare market.
How Facility and Programme Preferences Differ Across Personas
Facility preferences by persona:
- Explorers: This persona values outdoor learning and informal enrichment, possibly because their children only spend 1-2 days a week at childcare facilities (PDF p. 22).
- Balancers: Balancers value educational tools and creative spaces, possibly as they support their desire for value, structure, and balance (PDF p. 27).
- Partners: The high commitment of this persona may be pushing them to prioritise academically aligned, safety-conscious environments (PDF p. 32).
Across all segments, parents valued curricula that emphasised these areas (PDF p. 36):
- Balanced academics and play (52%)
- Outdoor learning (47%)
- Regular assessments and feedback (30%)
When evaluating staff, families across all personas prioritised (PDF p. 38):
- Safe and secure care (44%)
- Warm and friendly staff (37%)
- Respect for family values (35%)
Top areas for improvement according to parents across all personas (PDF p. 39):
- A stronger focus on child development (33%)
- More individualised attention (31%)
- More consistent childcare routines (29%)
- Higher staff qualifications (29%)
As the study focuses on parents’ perceptions, there may be gaps between what parents report and real improvements being implemented by providers. To better meet expectations, providers must communicate the steps they’re taking to enhance quality, safety, and learning outcomes. This makes early tours and the brief moments of interaction between parents and staff especially crucial for maintaining loyalty and creating positive word-of-mouth.
Conclusion: Being the Childcare of Choice with Persona-Driven Strategies
Explorers, Balancers, and Partners navigate the childcare system in different ways. Moving away from the old “one-size-fits-all” framework and towards a more nuanced approach will allow providers to better offer what today’s parents are actually looking for, be it affordability, structure, or peace of mind.
Delving deeper into the numbers can also enable providers to move past transactional services and cultivate lasting relationships with modern Australian families. Childcare providers can achieve even more data-driven success by investing in a Customer Experience Management platform tailored to the needs of their industry.
Want to stay ahead of shifting childcare trends? Download the full report here.
