Family Day Care is a type of licensed child care that emphasizes the unique needs of each child and offers high-quality early education in the comfort of the educator’s own home. Kids will enjoy a natural approach to play and discovery in small groups and will form genuine and lasting bonds with their qualified and passionate early childhood provider. You will have peace of mind knowing that your child is content in a home learning environment that is nurturing, natural, and flexible, and this will allow you to focus on your own work.
The maximum number of children that may be cared for in a family daycare setting is seven, with no more than four of them being preschool-aged or younger. There is one caregiver for every seven children (per educator). If the educator has children who are under the age of 13 and who are not being looked after by another adult who is present on the premises, then those children must be considered as one of the seven total children.
What are the benefits of Family Day Care?
In a survey* conducted in 2019 by Family Day Care Australia with over 2,000 families that use family day care, respondents said that they choose family day care over the other types of childcare because of the one-of-a-kind natural home atmosphere and small group settings offered by family day care providers. Most of the time, the cost of family day care is lower than the cost of childcare in a centre. However, prices for in-home care might change depending on the community you live in.
In the same poll, parents expressed their delight in having their children attend family day care because of the strong ties that are formed between the children and the teachers. Such practises adhere to the National Quality Standards set by the National Quality Framework. One of the aspects that parents liked about it is the individualized attention that qualified educators give to the children. This allows parents who may have their own business to focus on their work while their kids are learning under the supervision of a qualified educator.
Other benefits of family day care include:
- Offering early education and care for children in an atmosphere that is comforting, open to the outdoors, and adaptable to their individual needs.
- Having the chance to develop true, lifelong ties with early childhood educators who are competent and enthusiastic about their work with them.
- Care may be provided for children at family daycare centres throughout regular business hours, in the evenings, before and after school, on school vacation days, and, in rare instances, overnights and weekends.
- Engaging educators who work in family day care facilities provide specialized educational programs for the children in their charge.
- Providing children the chance to build true, long-lasting ties with the early childhood educator who is qualified in their field and enthusiastic about their work.
- Being able to accommodate children from infancy through the tween years, allowing siblings to stay in the same facility while receiving quality education and care.
- Helping children learn about and appreciate the diversity of people in one’s community.
- Children thrive when they have positive adult interactions, and the small-group setting of family day care is ideal for fostering these ties and fostering successful academic and social development in their community.
How much does Family Day Care cost?
Rates for in-home daycare vary based on the child’s age, the family’s location, the educator’s expertise and training, the number of hours per day, etc. Normal hourly rates are $7.50 to $16.80. Certain qualified educators may charge extra for feeding, diapering, and transporting children.
Educators might charge anything from $10.50 to $12.00 per hour for their regular services, while the typical casual cost is $13.75 to $18.50. before filling out the Child Care Subsidy Application (CCS).
Families should also note that they need to have a good enough understanding of different tax requirements and laws to have a rough estimate of how much of their finances they should allot to childcare. A quick read on how family tax benefits will affect you should do the trick.
Enrolling your child in Family Day Care
The first point of contact for help and information on family day care is an authorised family daycare provider. They will collaborate with you to match your child care requirements with the greatest care setting for your kid, taking into consideration a variety of languages, culture, and abilities to guarantee the proper fit between children, educators, and their respective families. You will generally have the option to visit the educator’s home, and from there, you may begin the journey of shortlisting the family day care you’re interested in. The search for the right one for your child may be quite difficult. However, it’s best that you think things through first to get the education service that best matches your requirements.
After concluding your search, the coordination unit will dispatch a contact person who is certified in the early childhood education sector and will be a family’s first point of contact for assistance and information on family daycare. They will work with you to match your child care requirements alongside with their development goals. They will do this with the greatest care for your kid, taking into consideration language, culture, and preference of play which will guarantee the optimal fit between the youngsters, educators, and their respective families.