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Family Day Care — Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Family Day Care?
- When is Family Day Care available?
- Why should I choose Family Day Care for my child?
- Are carers employed by the Scheme?
- How do I become an approved carer?
- How do I know my child will be cared for in a safe environment?
- What happens if my carer is ill or takes leave?
- What happens if my child is sick?
- What support is offered to families and carers?
- What experiences would my child be offered?
- How much does Family Day Care cost?
- Is there any assistance for families with the payment of fees?
- Where do I go from here?
What is Family Day Care?
Communities@Work Family Day Care is a community-based quality child care service offering professional care for children in the private homes of approved carers. Our carers offer individual attention to children in small group settings and combine the benefits of other child care options with the intimacy of a home environment.
Family Day Care is governed by regulations and standards and operates under the guidelines of a national accreditation system.
Approved carers in the Scheme undergo an assessment interview, provide referees, and have a Police Records Check for themselves and other adults in their household. They also must have sucessfully completed an Orientation Course and complete a home safety assessment. All carers hold a current Senior First Aid Certificate.
When is Family Day Care available?
The hours of care are flexible and include full-time care, regular part-time care, roster care, before and after school care, 24 hour care, casual on-call and weekend care. There are options availabe to suit just about any need.
Families and carers complete an agreement outlining the days and hours of care required.
Why should I choose Family Day Care for my child?
If you need child care that meets your specific needs and is delivered in small group settings in an in-home environment, then Family Day Care is right for you. ACT license conditions stipulate that carers may care for a maximum of four children under school age (including their own children) and three school age children (also including their own children) at any one time.
Because of the small number of children in care at any one time, your child can receive more personal care and attention.
Are carers employed by the Scheme?
Carers approved with the Communities@Work Family Day Care Scheme are self-employed, operating their own business from home. The Scheme supports carers in setting up their business, and offers ongoing support and advice.
As a self-employed carer, they choose the hours and days they wish to work as well as the age group of the children they wish to care for.
The Scheme provides information on insurance through the resources of Family Day Care Australia website.
How do I become an approved carer?
Before anyone starts caring for children through Family Day Care, they need to undertake an Orientation Course. This Course is held at night, from 6.30pm to 9.00pm, one evening per week for five weeks.
The Orientation Course includes Family Day Care policies and procedures, safety requirements, health and hygiene, routines and planning, behaviour guidance, communication, legal and ethical considerations and marketing a business.
Once you commence with Family Day Care, you are required to maintain at least two training points each year, to remain approved with the Scheme. These points are obtained by attending In-service training. The Scheme offers around 30 In-service courses throughout the year and you may choose to attend all or only two. There is no charge for attending either the Orientation or In-service courses. Carers can also attend other relevant training offered outside Communities@Work Family Day Care Scheme to meet training point requirements.
How do I know my child will be cared for in a safe environment?
Approved carers undergo a annual assessment where their home is inspected to ensure it meets the Scheme's Safety Regulations. Family Day Care staff check all areas of the carer's home accessible to the children in care, including the outside play area.
Throughout the year, Family day Care staff also check for any safety concerns during regular home visits.
If carers transport children in their motor vehicle, the children need to be correctly restrained in a car seat, booster seat or capsule, whichever is appropriate to the age of the child. Carers also need to have their child restraints checked at least once each year by a registered fitter, or when a new child commences in care.
If carers are taking children on excursions outside the home that are non-routine (that are not part of their usual planned activities) the carer must notify families and request a signed permission form for non-routine excursions. This keeps families abreast of what activities and excursions their children are undertaking. The Coordination Unit is also advised of all non-routine excursions.
What happens if my carer is ill or takes leave?
If your carer is unavailable due to ill health or periods of leave, Coordination Unit staff can arrange back-up care with another carer. Alternatively, you may choose to make other arrangements for your child within your network of family and friends. Some families arrange their leave to coincide with the carer. If your carer is unavailable, they do not receive payment for that time.
What happens if my child is sick?
In the case of infectious illness, children must be kept out of care until no longer infectious. If your child becomes ill while in care, the carer will contact you so you can collect your child as soon as possible. You may be requested to provide a medical certificate stating that your child is well enough to return to care.
What support is offered to families and carers?
Each carer and family has a Support Manager responsible for visiting the carer and the children in care. Support Managers try to visit each carer at least once per fortnight and leave calling cards for families to indicate their child has received a visit.
Families are encouraged to contact their Support Manager to discuss their child's care.
Coordination Unit staff also offer support to carers by providing In-service training throughout the year, supplying equipment like car seats, double strollers and stak-a-beds for loan for short periods of time. They provide five playgroups every week and maintain a toy library that carers can access five days per week.
What experiences would my child be offered?
Children in Family Day Care are offered a variety of activities, depending on their carer's program and routine. Carers offer activities like craft, painting, music, reading and story telling, make-believe play, dressing up and outdoor activities.
Children are also included in normal day-to-day routines like cooking, shopping, visiting friends, hanging out washing, watering the garden and much more. Most carers also attend playgroups organised by the Scheme so that the children can interact with larger groups.
How much does Family Day Care cost?
Family Day Care is a highly flexible yet affordable child care service. Carers follow a Recommended Payment Schedule (available in the Fees and Charges section of this website) that outlines the hourly rate for standard and non-standard hours of care, school age care and casual on-call care. Carers may also charge a Carer Fee.
The Recommended Payment Schedule is increased in July each year, usually in line with CPI increases.
Is there any assistance for families with the payment of fees?
Child Care Benefit (CCB) is available from the Australian Government to help families with the cost of child care.
The amount of Child Care Benefit received depends on a range of things. These include the type and amount of care used, the number of children in care and whether they attend school, if children meet immunisation requirements, if care is for work-related reasons, and, of course, the family income.
You can get more information relating to the Child Care Benefit from the Family Assistance Office website or on 13 6150.
Where do I go from here?
Interested in Family Day Care for your child?
Complete the Family Registration form (available in the Forms section of this website) and send to the Coordination Unit. Alternatively, contact the Coordination Unit directly and staff will take details of the care you require and will endeavour to match your requirements with the carers available.
Once the Coordination Unit has identified a selection of carers for you to interview they will organise an appointment for you to attend the Unit. At that time they will explain Family Day Care policies and procedures and the steps required.
It is your responsibility to contact each carer to arrange an interview with them before deciding who will care for your child.
You'll need to complete a Care Agreement form with your chosen carer before your child commences in care.
Interested in becoming a carer?
Complete the Carer Application form (available in the Forms section of this website) and send to Communities@Work. Alternatively you can contact Communities@Work directly and staff will take your details and mail the Carer Application form and Information Booklet to you.
When you have completed and returned the Carer Application form, you will be contacted and an appointment will be made for an interview to be carried out in your home.
