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The Australian Government has announced extension of the Early Childhood Education and Care Worker Retention Payment (WRP) through to 30 June 2028.
As part of the announcement, the Department of Education advised that family day care and in home care services would become eligible for the payment where they engage all educators as employees, which has understandably generated significant concern and/or confusion within the family day care sector as, of course, the overwhelming majority of family day care educators operate as independent contractors.
FDCA has long advocated for family day care educators to receive equitable and appropriately tailored recognition within workforce support measures. At the same time, FDCA has consistently maintained that the independent contractor model is fundamental to the operation, flexibility and sustainability of family day care and should not be undermined by policy settings that are designed around centre-based employment arrangements.
FDCA Chief Executive Officer Andrew Paterson has today been in direct discussions with representatives from the Department of Education, the Minister's Office and made representations on the national Early Childhood Education and Care Reference Group (ECECRG) regarding the announcement and has sought urgent clarification on the Government's intended approach.
A short video from Andrew on this matter can be seen here.
FDCA remains committed to working constructively with Government to identify practical and sustainable solutions to assist in addressing the substantial viability and remuneration pressures and has provided further advice regarding alternative approaches that could deliver meaningful support to educators, service staff and approved services more broadly.
We will continue to keep members informed as further information becomes available.
A big congratulations to all our members who have been nominated in the 2026 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards so far! Over 2000 nominations have already been placed for this year's Awards program, which is a testament to the amazing work done across Australia by educators, services and their staff.
Members that have been nominated after May 30 will receive their official nomination email and be placed on the nomination list when the second round of nominations are released on 22 June.
To nominate someone or a service that you believe deserves to be recognised in this year’s Awards, click here.
To help promote the Awards, you can access a range of resources via the FDCA website that will assist you to spread the word and build awareness of the Awards and family day care.
As we approach the colder months, now is a timely opportunity to remind educators, service staff and families about the importance of preventing the spread of influenza and other respiratory illnesses.
Staying Healthy: Preventing Infectious Diseases in Early Childhood Education and Care Services (6th Edition) is a best-practice resource for supporting the health and wellbeing of children, educators and families. The publication provides practical strategies to help reduce the transmission of infectious diseases within education and care settings.
Simple steps that can make a significant difference include:
Services and educators are encouraged to review their policies and procedures and share relevant health information with families throughout the winter months. Working together can help support a healthy environment for children, educators and visitors throughout the flu season.
Family day care services are reminded that baby bottle self-feeding devices are prohibited for use in education and care settings.
A recent product safety update from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) highlights the ongoing risks associated with these products and reinforces the importance of ensuring these products are not used within family day care environments.
Baby bottle self-feeding devices are designed to hold a bottle in place, allowing a baby to feed without an adult physically holding the bottle. These products can increase the risk of choking, suffocation and aspiration and do not support the active supervision required during infant feeding.
Educators and services are encouraged to review their feeding practices and ensure all staff, educators and families are aware of this important safety requirement.
When feeding infants, active and direct adult supervision is essential at all times.
For more information, visit the ACCC Product Safety website.
Many family day care educators use websites, social media and other promotional materials to promote their business and connect with families. It is important to understand the specific requirements that apply when advertising education and care services.
Under Section 104 of the Education and Care Services National Law, it is an offence for a person to publish (or cause to publish) an advertisement for an education and care service unless the service is already approved, or an application for service approval has been submitted to the regulatory authority but is awaiting a decision.
ACECQA further clarifies that a family day care educator can advertise if they make clear they are part of an approved service. Any advertisement should indicate which approved service the educator is registered with and include contact details for that service.
Advertising and promotional materials may include (but are not limited to):
Activities that are part of a planning process, such as gauging interest in the feasibility of a service, do not constitute advertising a non-approved service.
If you are unsure about your obligations, speak with your coordination team for guidance and support.
For more information, refer to ACECQA’s guidance on Advertising a service.
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