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An AusAlert national test will be sent to all compatible mobile devices in Australia on Monday 27 July 2026, between 12 - 2pm. At this time devices will sound an alert for about 10 seconds.
AusAlerts use sound, vibration and on-screen messages to get your attention. Alerts look and sound different from a standard text message. They can alert you even if your device is on ‘silent’ or ‘do not disturb’.
Children need clear, calm and accessible information during emergencies. They may need help from parents, educators or carers to understand what is happening and what to do.
AusAlert messages may appear on children's phones, tablets and smartwatches. Parents, carers and guardians should help children understand:
AusAlert is a new national warning system that uses the latest technology to send emergency messages to compatible mobile devices during local and national disasters. AusAlert messages keep communities informed so they can take action, saving lives and property.
For more information about AusAlert, as well as helpful resources to prepare children for the testing, please click here.
FDCA Members can now access edition 110 of JiGSAW Magazine via your FDCA Member Zone.
Among a jam-packed edition, we are pleased to bring you a variety of deeply insightful inclusions from some of our very own members, as well as informative pieces from within the sector.
Headlining this issue are some fantastic features, including a piece from Susanna Haberle titled Playdough? Preschool? or a Pile of Sticks? that explores the importance of childhood and embracing learning beyond how it may initially appear. Jo Georgiou writes about the importance of mutually respectful educator - coordinator relationships and how early relationships in her family day care journey positively shaped the professional she is today. Her article is titled From Monitoring to Mentoring.
A big thank you to everyone who contributed to this edition - Happy reading!
Contribute to an Upcoming Edition
Do you have a story you think we need to share? We are always on the hunt for incredible stories from within the sector to include in JiGSAW.
If you would like to contribute to an upcoming edition of JiGSAW, send us an email at marketing@fdca.com.au.
The Australian Government has recently launched the Social Cohesion Education Hub (The Hub) to help support schools and early childhood education and care settings to address antisemitism, and to build inclusive, respectful and cohesive learning communities.
The Hub provides access to free, quality‑assured professional learning and practical guidance to help educators and services:
The Hub forms part of the Australian Government’s Plan to Combat Antisemitism and was established following agreement by Education Ministers in February 2026.
Family day care educators and services can explore the available resources by visiting the Social Cohesion Education Hub.
Did you know that FDCA has an Incident Reporting protocol for when incidents occur in your family day care business? Did you also know that FDCA's Member Zone allows you to lodge an incident report online with the click of a button?
Below are some examples of the types of incidents and the time frames in which you are required to notify FDCA:
Category A
These are severe incidents where a claim is likely to occur. These types of incidents must be reported to FDCA within 48 hours of the incident. Some examples of a Category A incident are:
Category B
These incidents are less severe but a claim may still occur from the incident. These types of incidents must be reported to FDCA within 30 days of the incident. Some examples of a Category B incident are:
Category C
These incidents are not severe and can be managed and dealt with straight away. There is no need to report a Category C incident to FDCA. Some examples of a Category C incident are:
These timeframes must be followed to ensure protection under your insurance policy, in the event that the incident leads to a claim in the future.
How to report an incident?
You can either complete FDCA’s incident report form which is available here OR you can complete an online incident report form which is located in the Insurance section of your FDCA Member Zone. Hard copy incident report forms, once completed, can be emailed to memberservices@fdca.com.au.
For more information on incident reporting, please click here.
Please note: educators and approved providers also have a range of reporting obligations relating to incidents under the Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations. Click here to see a summary of the notification obligations under the National Law.
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