Payments and Refunds
Session Payments: Payments must be made in full before the session, event, or term begins unless otherwise arranged.
Group Sessions and Events: Payments for group sessions and events must be completed at least one week prior to the start date to allow for planning and preparation. Late payment may result in forfeiture of your booking.
Change of Mind and Non-Attendance: Refunds for change of mind are available within 7 days of booking. After 7 days, refunds are unavailable for change of mind, missed sessions, non-attendance, or choosing to leave a program early. Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Session Cancellations:
Refunds, credits, and make-up sessions are unavailable for cancellations resulting from circumstances outside of Mindful Wild Steps' control. This includes, though is not limited to, severe weather, bushfires, road closures, natural disasters, government restrictions, and other safety-related events.(See the Weather-Related Cancellations and Postponements section below for more information.)
If Mindful Wild Steps cancels a session or event due to circumstances within our control, participants may be offered a refund, credit, or alternative arrangement.
Minimum Participants: Sessions require a minimum number of participants to proceed. If this number is not reached, participants will be notified and offered either a full refund or the option to roll over their booking to a future session or term.
Payment Plans: If a payment plan falls significantly behind without prior communication, Mindful Wild Steps reserves the right to suspend attendance until payments are brought up to date.
Changes to Bookings: Once a booking has been confirmed, changes to selected sessions, terms, or dates may not be possible due to limited availability and planning requirements.
Photography & Privacy.
Image Usage: Photos taken during sessions may be used on the Mindful Wild Steps website, social media pages, newsletters, blogs, and other promotional materials.
Child Privacy: Mindful Wild Steps does not share identifiable images of children. Children's faces will be turned away, obscured, cropped, or blurred to protect their privacy.
Respecting Other Families: Families are asked to avoid sharing identifiable images of children who are not their own without permission from the child's parent or guardian.
Image Removal Requests: If you would like an image of your child removed, please get in touch and I will remove it as soon as possible.
Session Participation
Flexible Programming: Mindful Wild Steps follows a child-led and nature-based approach. Activities, resources, and session plans may change based on participant interests, seasonal opportunities, weather conditions, and available materials.
Supervision: A responsible adult must accompany children to sessions, as Mindful Wild Steps is not a drop-off service.
Respect & Safety: Parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring their children follow safety guidelines and treat others, the environment, animals, equipment, and facilities with respect.
Term Structure: Wild Steps runs in 9-week terms. Families can book the full term at a discounted rate or choose their own sessions, with a minimum commitment of 5 weeks per term. Mindful Minis also runs across the 9-week term, with bookings offered in separate 3-week blocks to provide a shorter and more flexible commitment for families with younger children.
Participant Communication: Families are responsible for checking their email (including spam and junk folders) and the Family Portal for important updates, weather notifications, and session information.
Small Business Operations: Mindful Wild Steps is a small family-run business, with most planning, administration, bookings, communication, and facilitation managed by one person. Please allow reasonable time for responses.
Facilitator Availability: As both the founder of Mindful Wild Steps and a parent, there may occasionally be times when my own children require my attention during a session.
Alternative Locations: On rare occasions, an excursion or pop-up location may become unavailable due to circumstances beyond my control. If this occurs, I will make every effort to arrange a suitable alternative location or activity.
Terms of Participation: By making a booking, participants acknowledge that they have read and agreed to the Mindful Wild Steps Terms of Service. Families are encouraged to review the FAQs and Terms of Service prior to booking.
Questions & Concerns: If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to get in touch.
Weather-Related Cancellations and Postponements
General Weather Policy: The safety and comfort of participants is always the priority. As an outdoor nature-based program, sessions may occasionally be cancelled or postponed due to weather conditions. Additional caution may be applied to Mindful Minis sessions due to the younger age of participants.
Heat:
All Sessions: Cancelled or postponed if temperatures exceed 30°C.
Mindful Minis (0-4 years): May be cancelled or postponed if temperatures exceed 28°C.
Rain:
All Sessions: Cancelled or postponed during heavy rain.
Mindful Minis (0-4 years): May be cancelled or postponed during moderate or heavy rain.
Light drizzle may still allow sessions to proceed when suitable shelter is available.
Wind:
All Sessions: Cancelled or postponed if wind gusts exceed 50 km/h.
Mindful Minis (0-4 years): May be cancelled or postponed if wind gusts exceed 35 km/h.
Other Conditions: Sessions may be cancelled or postponed if conditions such as thunderstorms, hail, flooding, poor air quality, or other safety concerns are forecast or occurring.
Weather Decisions: All weather decisions are assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account forecasts, site conditions, participant ages, and overall safety and comfort. Families will be notified of any cancellations or postponements as early as possible.
Weather Cancellations: Mindful Wild Steps operates in an outdoor environment, and weather is an inherent part of nature-based programs. Session fees contribute towards ongoing operational costs including planning, administration, insurance, resources, equipment, and site maintenance, which continue regardless of weather conditions. For this reason, refunds, credits, and make-up sessions are unavailable for cancellations due to severe weather.