You feel like it’s high time to make the most of daycare services in Australia, and you don’t know where to start, how much it would cost, or what exactly to expect. In this article, we’ll talk about that and more.
Introduction to Daycare in Australia
The child care sector in Australia is a whopping $14.5bn industry, and that’s all because of the growing demand for reliable and high-quality education and care services. According to a recent survey, there are more than 16, 452 approved ECEC services under the National Quality Framework. Parents can access Child Care Subsidy programs if they work with approved daycare providers. From the daycare services shortage just a few years ago, there’s now an oversupply of daycare services which can be a good thing overall.
Child Care Types in Australia
There are a lot of types of daycare services you can choose from. These are the main ones:
- Long Day CareThis is a centre-based type of Early Childhood Education and Care, available for children from 0 to 6 years old.
- Family Day CareThis is a pretty flexible kind of ECEC which may include casual, overnight, all-day, part-time, before/after school hours care, and school holiday care. This type of child care is operated in the carer or educator’s home.
- In-Home CareThis is another flexible type of child care that is provided by a qualified educator in the family or client’s home.
- Outside School Hours CareThis is a centre-based type of daycare that caters to children from 6-12 years old and is offered during school holidays or before and after school hours (typically 7:30 am-9 am and 3 pm- 6 pm).
- Occasional CareIt’s a flexible type of centre-based care that parents can tap when the need arises, such as when the parents have errands to do for the day or when parents have unpredictable or irregular working hours.
In Australia, the main type of formal child care is the Long Day Care with 45% of Australian children enrolling in this type of service. For primary school children though, parents make the most of the Outside School Hours Care, especially when they need to work earlier or later than usual.
There are a lot of types of daycare services you can choose from. These are the main ones:
- Long Day CareThis is a centre-based type of Early Childhood Education and Care, available for children from 0 to 6 years old.
- Family Day CareThis is a pretty flexible kind of ECEC which may include casual, overnight, all-day, part-time, before/after school hours care, and school holiday care. This type of child care is operated in the carer or educator’s home.
- In-Home CareThis is another flexible type of child care that is provided by a qualified educator in the family or client’s home.
- Outside School Hours CareThis is a centre-based type of daycare that caters to children from 6-12 years old and is offered during school holidays or before and after school hours (typically 7:30 am-9 am and 3 pm- 6 pm).
- Occasional CareIt’s a flexible type of centre-based care that parents can tap when the need arises, such as when the parents have errands to do for the day or when parents have unpredictable or irregular working hours.
In Australia, the main type of formal child care is the Long Day Care with 45% of Australian children enrolling in this type of service. For primary school children though, parents make the most of the Outside School Hours Care, especially when they need to work earlier or later than usual.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do they call daycare in Australia?
Child care, in Australia, is also referred to as early childhood education and care. It’s a type of service for children 0-5 years old though it also involves care for school-aged children requiring before and after school care and vacation care.
How much does child care cost in Australia?
The exact cost would depend on the type of child care service and care provided, where you are located, and the amount of subsidy you can receive from the Australian government. On average, the daily child care cost may range from $70 to $190 for long day care service. In terms of the national average, one can expect to pay $118.36 per day.
The good thing is that the Australian government has set in place financial support for every family who needs child care services including Child Care Subsidy, Additional Child Care Subsidy, and Family Tax Benefit. In fact, for the December quarter of 2019, the government spent $2.14 billion on CCS and ACCS.
Is daycare expensive in Australia?
Again, the national average is $118.36 per day, but it depends on which city you’re from. Sydney child care services are the most expensive, especially in its north shore and eastern suburbs. Again, the national average is $118.36 per day, but it depends on which city you’re from. Sydney child care services are the most expensive, especially in its north shore and eastern suburbs.
How does daycare work in Australia?
Centre-based care is the most common day care service in Australia, and it’s popular among families who have regular work during weekdays. Centre-based child care services are commercial businesses that could be independent or part of a chain of child care centres. They could also be federally or publicly funded. The education and care are offered in a group setting. Centre-based day care includes long daycare, occasional care, preschool, and kindergarten.
The government strives to help every Australian family in terms of day care costs by offering subsidy programs that everyone can make the most of, for as long as they enrol in approved child care centres. If you intend to apply for child care subsidies, make sure that the child care provider you’re going for is approved by the government.
Find the best childcare centre for your child
When it comes to your child’s care, nurturing, and early education, you should only choose the best. Take into account the following tips to ensure that you’ll come across the best child care centre for your child.
What to consider as you search for a childcare centre:
- Check the skills and qualifications of the educators; the rooms, play areas, and amenities; the services, programs, and inclusions; operating hours; hygiene policy and cleanliness, and the overall vibe of the place. You can book a tour, so you can really see for yourself whether or not the centre is the perfect fit for your child.
- Check the kind of meals the centre prepares to ensure that your child’s health, safety, and well-being are covered.
- Ask if you need to pay an extra fee if you pick up your child late. Also, try to ask if it’s okay to have your family members or friends pick your child up on your behalf.
- Check the staff-to-child ratio. For a more effective and exclusive early learning experience, it’s better if you try to search for a child care centre with the following staff-to-child ratio:
Source: ACECQA
What details about your child should you give to the childcare provider
It’s important for the child care centre to know the habits of your child, their tantrum triggers, and their overall behaviour. These details include:
- Your child’s sleeping pattern
- The natural temperament of your child
- Your child’s food allergies and other medical conditions
- Your child’s developmental needs, if there are any
- Your child’s natural strengths, interests, and inclinations.
Space: Every Australian Family’s Trusty Childcare Search Tool
If you want to know all the child care options in your area, the best place to explore is Space. It’s a fast-rising child care finder, and in just a few clicks, you can receive a list of all childcare centres in your area.
You can view the profiles of each centre on the search results, read their descriptions, know their inclusions and rates, and even send enquiries, book a tour, and process enrollments via the website. Space is a growing community of Australian childcare providers and families. You can easily see verified parent reviews and quality ratings as well as the centre’s corresponding Google reviews.
You can tap the heart button to include the centre you like in your shortlist. This is the easiest, fastest, most efficient and most effective way to choose a childcare centre that works best for your child and your family. It’s best to start your child care search as early as now since many childcare centres have a long waiting list, and the earlier you can finalise enrolment, the better.
Overall, when it comes to quality and support, the Australian government and relevant agencies continually develop initiatives to enhance the quality of early education and care in the country and fully support families to give the next generation of Australia the best start in school and effectively prepare children for life.