Akoranga Childcare Centre is a not-for-profit early childhood centre on the AUT Akoranga campus, at Gate 2, 90 Akoranga Drive in Northcote. It has served the Northcote community since 1988, and it is run by a parent management committee elected each year. The centre is licensed for 42 children: 34 over two years old and 8 under two. Older children mentor younger ones, and the centre's programme gives children time and space to learn through play at their own pace.
The standard day is 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, and extended care is available from 7:30 am to 5 pm. Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea are cooked fresh on site each day, and the centre holds a Heart Foundation Silver Whānau award for its menu. The centre says all its teachers are fully qualified. Parents describe teachers who are caring, attentive and approachable, and who take time to listen. One family says their daughter is seen and valued as a curious, independent learner, and they especially value the mixed-age groups. Parents also mention the safe environment and the outdoor space. For families who work or study at AUT, or who live in Northcote, the centre is a short commute.