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21 May 2025

Direct Gap Fee Collection Resources Available

From 1 January, 2026, all family day care providers must collect Child Care Subsidy (CCS) gap fees directly from families. This is known as “Direct Gap Fee Collection or DGFC”, however some in the sector may use the term “centralised model” to describe the same process.

In order to assist family day care services as they transition to a direct (centralised) gap fee collection model FDCA had partnered with the Department of Education to develop a range of resources to provide tailored practical support.

These resources and supports will also be useful to services who have already implemented the centralised model to help them critically reflect on and refine their current systems, practices, policies and procedures.

New information sheets

The first of these resources and supports are now available at our dedicated Direct Gap Fee Collection page on the FDCA website.

We will let you know as soon as other resources become available.  

Ongoing direct support

FDCA’s Sector Support Team is providing ongoing direct support to respond to questions, resolve concerns and address challenges as they arise.

You can contact the team on 1800 658 699 or at enquiries@fdca.com.au.

At FDCA, we are committed to delivering resources to support your continuous improvement and in the delivery of a compliant, quality practice.

2025 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards - Nominations Open

Nominations are now open for the 2025 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards, with over 1,500 nominations already made across all three categories.

The Awards celebrate the amazing work done by educators, coordinators and services all across the family day care sector who help to deliver high quality early childhood education and care to Australian children.

As the only national awards program in Australia dedicated to family day care, the Awards highlight the benefits of the nurturing, natural approach to early education and care that family day care provides.

You can nominate an educator, coordinator or service by clicking here.

To find out more about the Awards, including how the Awards work, the prizes that are available and more, visit the FDCA website.

Stay tuned later this week for the announcement of the first round of nominations!

National Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week

National Sorry Day will take place on Monday 26 May 2025. National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities.This year marks the 28th anniversary of the tabling of the Bringing them home report in the Australian Parliament in 1997 and commemorates Stolen Generations survivors.  

The Bringing them home inquiry was a landmark truth-telling process, bringing to light the extent of Australia’s Stolen Generations history, and sharing this with the nation.  

The theme for this year, We cannot wait another generation highlights the urgency of acting on priority Bringing them home recommendations in 2025. For more information visit The Healing Foundation website.

National Reconciliation Week will occur from 27 May - 3 June.

The dates for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) remain the same each year, 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey - the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively.

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

This year the theme for National Reconciliation Week, Bridging Now to Next, reflects the ongoing connection between past, present and future.

Bridging Now to Next calls on all Australians to step forward together, to look ahead and continue the push forward as past lessons guide us.

To find out more about National Reconciliation Week, as well as access resources and find out what events are happening near you, visit the Reconciliation Australia website.

We at Family Day Care Australia acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live and work, the Darkinjung People, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' continuous connection to Country, and celebrate their traditions and living cultures.

JiGSAW Book Reviewer

Calling all bookworms! We’re looking for the next book reviewer for edition 108 of JiGSAW. 

The books to be reviewed will be sent to you and you’ll need to write a 100-150 word review for each book. The books are yours to keep!

All you need to do is visit the FDCA Facebook page and tell us in the comments what you think dragons would love on their tacos. To be in the running you’ll need to comment before 5pm AEST on Sunday 25th May 2025.

CCS Period of Emergency

The Australian Government Department of Education has declared several local government areas (LGAs) in NSW as a Child Care Subsidy (CCS) period of emergency from 19 May 2025 to 23 May 2025, due to the impact of storm activity and flooding.

If services, families or educators have been affected by a natural disaster recently, please visit the Department of Education website to view the most up to date list of declared regions and timeframes.

Providers, services, and families in affected areas can access emergency support for the specified dates. The department will continue to monitor emergency situations and update the list as needed.

For further information about the support that is available in the affected regions, click the links below: 

Understanding CCS auditing and Section 158 Notices

Our Sector Support team has recently received enquiries from services regarding Child Care Subsidy (CCS) audits, particularly in relation to Section 158 notices. Services are seeking clarification on why they have received a notice, what it means, what actions are required, and what documentation may be needed.

Types of notices you might receive:

  • Section 158 notice – requires services to provide information, documents or records to the Department of Education. 
  • Section 67FH notice – requires services to provide information about any aspect of care or expected care to be provided by the service.

Why did you get a notice?

The Department of Education (the Department) routinely conducts compliance activities to ensure the integrity of CCS payments. Issuing these notices are one of the ways they monitor and enforce compliance under the Family Assistance Law (FAL).

What action is required?

The Person with Management or Control (PMC) of the service must respond to the notice within 14 days. It is essential to follow the instructions outlined in the notice, which will specify the required information, documents and records and how to submit them to the Department.

Commonly requested documents

While the Department may request a range of records, commonly requested items include:

  • Complying Written Arrangements (CWAs)
  • Enrolment records
  • Statement of entitlements
  • Attendance records
  • Evidence of gap fee payment
  • Policies and procedures
  • Evidence of all reasonable steps taken to collect gap fees from families

What does ‘all reasonable steps’ mean?

To demonstrate compliance with FAL, services should have clear policies and procedures that guide how you administer CCS and comply with FAL. Reasonable steps may include:

  • Providing clear advice and support to families
  • Offering a range of EFT payment options
  • Including EFT information in your policies
  • Monitoring payments
  • Collecting gap fees regularly
  • Having a plan to manage debts 

Resources: