Do they have to go to Kindy/pre school?

Just wondering how doing kindy fits in with childcare? DD will be going to daycare 3 days a week when I return to work, and I'm not sure how kindy will work with that. I can't have her in kindy on the days I work as they don't offer OHSC, but I don't want her really having to go to kindy on my 2 days at home, as I think 5 days will be too much for her at 4yo. So, if cc offers a preschool room, can she just participate in that, and then forget about kindy? Or will she get more out of kindy than she would out of childcare?

I'm sorry if that doesn't make sense, my brain seems a bit fuzzled (coffee time me thinks ;) )

I'm not sure where you are, and all states seem to be completely different! I know in WA kindy is optional, and the days vary depending on which school kindy you are looking at. Kindy here starts the year your LO is 4 before 30 June.

My girls don't go to daycare, but from what I've picked up from friends, there seems to be a huge difference in what is done at daycare as opposed to kindy. My DD is learning an enormous amount - proper structured teaching as opposed to learning through play etc. She goes 3 days a week and it seems to be very tiring for her, so I would agree with you that five days in care would be too much at your DD's age.

If I were choosing based on the WA system, I would choose kindy over daycare but that may be easier said that done if you have after school care issues. HTH a little, and hopefully if you're not from WA then someone in your State can give you a better idea of what you will be looking at.

Depends on the state.
Kinder has different meanings in different states.
In Vic kinder is the same as preschool and it's not compulsory.
Some dayares offer a Kinder program that is recognized by the govt as eligible for kinder funding so I'd assume these are assessed as being on an equal footing to other 4 year old programs.

FWIW I chose to send DS1 to kinder outside of daycare, mostly so he had a different set of children to interact with, different staff etc. He still did the kinder program at daycare as well.

From what I've seen with CC is they offer a kinder program once the child is at that 4 year old age or in that pre school room. The CC around here ( not sure if it's standard) actually have a qualified kinder teacher come in for so many hours week. Alot working mums use this as your council run type kinders are usually few hours a day. So unless you have someone to do pick up and drop offs you're better using the CC with kinder program.

Our daycare has a fully qualified teacher in the room from 9 to 3.30 each day except during school holidays. The same program is run when she isn't there and atm the qualified staff member is studying to be a kinder teacher too. The resources are not as good as a kinder but it is where dd1 will go as I need the extra hours trying to juggles swimming lessons with the kids. She is in the kinder 3 room this year and they are teaching her counting and recognizing letters and she is learning to write her name.