About Communities at work Family Day Care
Communities at Work's Family Day Care is an award-winning service that provides high-quality early education and care in an educator’s own home. Educators offer a nurturing, natural and flexible learning environment, offering many benefits.
Our scheme has been recognized as the National Family Day Care service of the year in both 2015 and 2016. The award recognizes services that are innovative in their service delivery, support of educators, education of children, and connections to the local community.
Self-employed Family Day Care educators set their own hours of operation and offer various care options including, standard hours, evenings, before and after school care, school holidays, weekends and overnight care. The unique small group setting of family day care allows our approved educators to provide a play-based learning program that’s tailored to each individual child’s developmental needs and interests.
Communities at Work’s Family Day Coordination Unit team supports almost 70 educators in the operations of their Family Day Care business, in line with the National Quality Standards, across Canberra and the surrounding NSW region.
Communities at Work’s Family Day Care and In-Home Care has achieved an overall rating of Meeting NQS.
READ: The benefits of Family Day Care by Communities at Work
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If you’re a family looking for an educator for your child…
Our Educators
Communities at Work FDC educators are from diverse cultural backgrounds and offer varying pedagogical styles and philosophical views on the education and care of children. All educators offer a safe, inclusive, and welcoming care environment.
Each year the service, including support staff and educators receives nominations demonstrating our commitment to providing high-quality outcomes for children.
Watch: Two of our educators Ayesha Durrani (for North Canberra) and Deborah Blomeley (for South Canberra), won the 2020 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards, and our educator Skye Cabrera was named as a finalist in the Local Business Awards.
Community Involvement
Our families love that our FDC educators are highly active in the community, with some educators offering a range of excursions out in the community. Excursions include intergenerational playgroups, community gardens, shops, libraries, local parks, and playgroups. These outings allow children to learn from everyday life activities and experiences and become familiar with the local community.
Our Family Day Care Playgroups
Our playgroups are designed for Communities at Work’s FDC educators to attend. Playgroups are designed to provide a place for educators and children to come together and engage in a larger group setting.
It supports children’s social and emotional wellbeing and supports both educators and children to connect with their community. Families are also welcomed to attend.
Communities at Work Family Day Care playgroups operate 5 days per week and includes the kitchen garden playgroup, and a roving nature-based playgroup.
You can also download our Family Day Care Handbook for more information (click here)!
Our Coordination Unit
Our Coordination Unit also supports our educators comprehensively to maximise the benefits of education and care in a home environment for children, where each child’s individual needs and interests are supported.
Mentoring and supporting educators to deliver this service underpins the philosophy of Communities at Work’s FDC service and creates a strong working partnership for all, ensuring high-quality education and care for all children.
Work With Us – If you want to become a FDC Educator
If you are interested in becoming a Family Day Care educator with our service, and you’re located in Canberra or the surrounding NSW region, we would love to hear from you. Our recruitment officer will work with you on your journey to becoming an educator. This will involve:
- Phone or email conversation to discuss what Family Day Care is
- An initial home visit to discuss how it would work within your home, the recruitment procedure, and the requirements of becoming an educator
- Interview and referee process
- Orientation in your home
- Safety check
Throughout the process, we will work with you to assist you to successfully set up your family day care business and understand the National Quality Framework.
The support provided to FDC educators from the Coordination unit
Our FDC Coordination Unit team can support you. Our team is made of:
- Support coordinators who assist with day to day running of Family Day Care.
- Educational leaders who mentor and guide educators in their pedagogy and practice.
- Family Placements Officer who supports families to find an educator that meets their personal needs and family values.
- Enrolment team that supports educators and families with Child Care Subsidy (CCS), if applicable.
- Leadership team that supports all aspects of the Family Day Care service operations.
Professional Development and Training
Communities at Work Family Day Care educators have access to a range of professional development opportunities. Our team tailors the support that we provide each educator based on their individual needs.
A professional development calendar is created each year for educators which provides the opportunity to extend on their professional knowledge. Professional development opportunities include a mix of online and classroom-based training, networking dinners, and networking forums.
Educators receive regular support visits and are available to support educators by phone and email.
Advocacy
Our service strongly believes in the benefits of family day care both for children, families and a business opportunity for those wanting to operate an education and care service from their own home. Advocating on both a local and national front for Family Day Care and In-Home Care is something we do proudly.
Over the recent years, the service has worked with state and federal government on the implementation of the new child care subsidy package, supporting vulnerable families, National Quality Framework feedback and changes to government legislation that affect each sector.
The service actively engages with their peak bodies Family Day Care Australia and Australian Home Childcare.