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Understandably, child safety remains a key focus of discussion across media, social and professional channels and FDCA is acutely aware that there is anxiety regarding what this means for family day care, and, where and how the voice of the sector being represented.
This is a highly dynamic space across the media, the regulatory environment and the broader policy reform landscape. Key areas of reform include (but are not limited to):
Of course, there are specific concerns around proposals within and surrounding formal reviews and broader discussions, as they relate to the family day care context, including but not limited to personal device use, CCTV, and authorised officer entry powers.
Please be assured that while decisions and directions around many of these issues remain unresolved in both the family day care context and for the broader sector, the family day care voice is being heard, and, due to our ongoing advocacy, governments acknowledge and understand the nuances and differences in the sector types and the necessity to enact tailored and sector-appropriate regulatory responses.
Keep an eye on your inbox tomorrow as FDCA will provide a comprehensive snapshot of what is happening (or has not yet happened) across the child safety reform realm specific to family day care, how FDCA is representing you and how you can engage with FDCA on any specific concerns.
On 9 July 2025 FDCA submitted feedback on the proposed methodology for the 2025 Independent Market Monitoring Review (IMMR) of the early childhood education and care sector (ECEC) to be conducted by the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) so that it adequately considers the unique operational model of family day care.
This is important as the NSW 2025 IMMR Report will contribute to NSW Government investment decisions around initiatives to address:
In our submission, FDCA recommended some refinements to the proposed survey categories to strengthen modelling and analysis related to family day care, including:
To view FDCA’s submission, please click here.
Supporting children as they settle into your family day care environment is important when providing high quality education and care and is a key part of building strong and trusting relationships with children and families. One approach some educators take is offering ‘stay and play’ sessions – where a parent or guardian remains with the child for a short period to help them feel secure and adjust to the new environment.
While many educators see the value of this approach in supporting a smooth transition for children and families, it’s important to understand the implications under the Family Assistance Law (FAL).
According to the Minister’s Rule 8(1)(b)(ii), Child Care Subsidy (CCS) cannot be claimed for any period where the child’s parent or primary carer is present with them while care is taking place.
This means that any portion of care where a parent or guardian is present must not be included in your CCS session report, and must be provided at no charge, or families must be clearly informed that they will be charged the full, out-of-pocket cost for that portion of care.
Key considerations for educators:
For services, it is a timely reminder to support educators in understanding and applying these rules and to review internal processes to ensure consistency and compliance.
Resources:
Child Care Subsidy Minister's Rules 2017
Regulation 124 of the National Regulations outlines the maximum number of children a family day care educator can care for at any one time – no more than 7 children in total, and no more than 4 children who are preschool age or under.
In certain exceptional circumstances, this limit may be exceeded. However, any variation must be approved in writing by the approved provider and the approval must clearly outline the reason for the exemption and the circumstances under which it applies.
Exceptional circumstances exist only if one of the following applies:
Note: Many services mistakenly assume they are classified as rural or remote. We strongly encourage services to check their classification using the Australian Statistical Geography Standard – Remoteness Area (ARIA) map to confirm whether they fall under this category before granting approval.
If approval is granted, services must maintain records of these approvals on the family day care register detailing:
For more information on exceptional circumstances visit:
ACECQA's National Decision Tree - Additional Children at a Service
ACECQA's Information Sheet - Legislative Requirements
We encourage members to check their inbox for exclusive member offers that have recently been sent to FDCA educators and services members for the FDCA 2025 National Conference.
All members were sent an email bulletin last week containing all the details you need to be able to secure your FDCA 2025 National Conference tickets at discounted rates.
All your early learning and networking needs under one roof!
At the FDCA 2025 National Conference, not only will you have access to over 20 unique workshops, tailored to suit the needs of the family day care sector, you also have the rare opportunity to network with fellow family day care professionals from across Australia.
We know that networking and professional learning are two things that can be very difficult to access in the family day care sector, so we’re proud to be able to bring them together via the conference.
To find out more about the FDCA 2025 National Conference, including an amazing lineup of keynote speakers, workshops and more, click here.
During the course of the last week, we have had a number of members reach out to enquire about nomination certificates for the 2025 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards.
Great news! Nomination certificates are currently being printed and will be sent to all FDCA Member nominees in the coming weeks.
Congratulations to all those who were nominated and a big thank you to everyone that took part in this year’s Awards. We can’t wait to reveal our 2025 Regional Educator Award Winners on 2 September 2025.
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