12 November 2025

FDCA 2025 Membership Survey Under Way

Last week FDCA members were sent an invitation to take part in our FDCA 2025 Membership Survey, which provides members the opportunity to help guide FDCA’s priorities and future direction.

As a member-driven organisation, your insights are vital to ensuring that our goals and initiatives continue to reflect the needs of our members and the broader family day care sector. By sharing your feedback, you’ll help shape how FDCA continues to represent, support and promote our members and the family day care sector across Australia.

Your survey invitation was sent by Survey Matters, an independent research firm, who will be managing the survey on FDCA’s behalf.

We encourage all members to take part in the survey and to thank you for your time, all participants will go in the draw to win 1 of 5, $200 gift cards.

If you did not receive a survey invitation, please contact marketing@fdca.com.au.

Notifying Families on Changes to Fee Collection

Services must provide families with at least 14 days’ notice before making any changes to the method used for collecting gap fee payments or updating the fee schedule. 

When a fee schedule is updated, services must also ensure that each child’s care arrangement is reviewed and updated as needed. The most common arrangement type is the Complying Written Arrangement (CWA). 

Each CWA must include: 

• The names and contact details of the provider and person claiming Child Care Subsidy (CCS). 

• The child's name and date of birth. 

• The date the arrangement was entered into. 

• Whether care will be provided on a routine basis, and if so:
  ‍
  - The usual days care will be provided
  - The usual start and end times for the session of care 

• Whether care may be provided on a casual or flexible basis, either in addition to or instead of routine care. 

• Details about fees proposed to be charged to the individual for the session of care provided under the arrangement. This may reference other material such as a fee schedule or information available on your website, with the understanding that fees may vary from time to time. 

Services must notify the Department of Education of any change to the care arrangement within seven days, either through the Provider Entry Point (PEP) or via their third-party software provider.  

Further information on enrolments and notifications can be found on the Australian Department of Education website.

Getting Your Business Ready for 2026

As the year comes to a close, now is the perfect time to get your business ready for a strong start in 2026. Refreshing your marketing and communication materials helps present a professional, current image to families and your community. 

Tips for a successful start to the new year
Make sure all your business information, such as contact details, operating hours, and branding, is up to date across every platform. Consistency helps potential clients easily find and connect with you. 

Advertising and promotional opportunities
Consider a mix of strategies to increase your visibility: 

• Encourage word-of-mouth recommendations from current or previous families. 

• Explore the FDCA range of Family Day Care Locator marketing packages. 

• Keep your website and social media pages active and engaging. 

• Use printed materials like flyers, community noticeboards, and local school newsletters. You can order PDFs of flyers, posters and more from the Family Day Care Market My Business Hub.

• Review your communication materials, including parent handbooks, fee schedules, and information emails. 

• Connect with local parent groups and community networks. 

Remember, any promotional material must clearly state that you operate as part of an approved family day care service and include contact details for that service. When using photos for promotional purposes, always ensure that images are captured and shared in line with your service’s policies and procedures. 

A little preparation now can set you up for a smooth and successful year ahead!

Summertime Safety: Keeping Children Cool and Protected

With the warmer weather arriving, it’s essential for family day care services and educators to review summertime safety practices.  

Hot weather can increase the risk of sunburn, dehydration and heat stress. Proactive planning and considerations to your environment help support children’s wellbeing and comfort. 

Reflections for your summertime play planning: 

• Water play safety: Identify and manage risks around all water-based activities and always ensure close, active supervision.  

• Surface temperature checks: Test playground and outdoor surfaces such as slides, climbing equipment and flooring before play. 

• Shade provision: Utilise natural shade such as trees or shade structures when outside. Remember that shade shifts as the sun moves, meaning your environment may require adjustments throughout the day. 

• Hydration: Offer water frequently and encourage regular drinking. Cooling options such as mist sprays or damp towels can also help. 

• Sun protection: Dress children in lightweight, light-coloured clothing, wide-brimmed hats, and sunglasses. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside.  

• Monitor exposure: Plan outdoor activities outside of peak UV times and move activities indoors when temperatures or UV levels rise.  

Thoughtful adjustments to daily routines can help prevent heat-related incidents and keep children safe, active, and happy through the summer months.

ACECQA has a number of policy guidelines on:

• ‍Water Safety ‍
• Sun Protection‍
• Providing a Child Safe Environment

A Community-First Approach in the Transition to Direct Gap Fee Collection

As the 1 January  2026 deadline for transitioning to Direct Gap Fee Collection (DGFC) approaches, it can be helpful to hear how other services have approached the transition, what helped them succeed and the benefits they have found.

For one community-based regional service, supporting families and educators in their local community has always been at the heart of what they do. By focusing on clear communication and embracing new technology, they made the transition to DGFC smoother, which led to greater transparency and stronger compliance.

To read the full story, visit the FDCA website.

Services who are yet to transition, are currently in the process of transitioning or are looking to refine their processes post transition can also access a full range of resources including communications plans and debt recovery guidance on the FDCA website.

Need additional support?

If you have questions or need additional support, please contact FDCA’s Sector Support Team on 1800 658 699 or enquiries@fdca.com.au.