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25 May 2022

FDCA congratulates newly elected Government

While the official vote count continues, FDCA welcomes the election of the Australian Labor Party to form the next Australian Government under the now 31st Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese.

Prior to the election, Labor had pledged to:

• lift the maximum child care subsidy rate to 90 per cent for families for the first child in care;
• increase child care subsidy rates for every family with one child in care earning less than $530,000 in household income;
• keep higher child care subsidy rates for the second and additional children in care;
• extend the increased subsidy to outside school hours care;
• task the ACCC to design a price regulation mechanism to drive out of pocket costs down for good;
• engage the Productivity Commission to conduct a review of the sector with the aim of implementing a universal 90 per cent subsidy for all families; and
• implement a whole of government Early Years Strategy to create a new integrated approach to the early years and develop of program of action.

Through FDCA’s Election Policy Commitment Requests we secured a number of commitments from Labor for family day care which can be viewed in our Response to Policy Election Commitments Request document. However, much remains to be achieved for the family day care sector.

It is an opportune time for the new Australian Government to reassess previous approaches to supporting family day care, focusing on incentivising entry into the sector, supporting approved services to engage new educators, and more flexible and sustainable service delivery.

“FDCA has developed a strong working relationship with former Shadow Minister, Amanda Rishworth MP, and pending her official appointment, we look forward to working with her as Minister” FDCA CEO Andrew Paterson said. “Amanda has been an engaged, committed and highly effective advocate for the sector in opposition, I have no doubt that under her stewardship we can work towards a stronger future for family day care.”

For more information on Labor’s pre-election early childhood education and care policies, please click here.


FDCA 2022 National Conference Countdown: Split your ticket into two payments

The countdown is on with only four months remaining until the FDCA 2022 National Conference!

This year’s National Conference is an opportunity for the sector to come together as one and it's shaping up as an event not to be missed.

Delegates will have access to a program full of professional learning and networking opportunities, along with the chance to experience Tasmania's hidden gems.

Click here to check out the conference program and secure your ticket

Split your ticket into two payments

For members who don't wish to purchase their conference ticket up front as a one-off payment, we’ve set up a 2-month payment plan.

This plan is exclusively available to FDCA members and means you can secure your ticket with two payments of $312.

To access the payment plan, click here.

Tickets can also be purchased with a one-off payment of $599.

Peace of mind refund policy

To provide our members with a risk-free ticket purchasing experience, FDCA will ensure that any members who are unable to attend the conference due to COVID-19 related circumstances will receive a FULL refund on their ticket purchase.

This means you can purchase your FDCA 2022 National Conference ticket knowing that we’ve got you covered!

Find out more about the FDCA 2022 National Conference

To find out more about the FDCA 2022 National Conference, visit the conference website where you can view the conference program and read more about the variety of workshops on offer.

Wanted - Winter JiGSAW Book Reviewer

Calling all bookworms and lovers of children’s literature, we invite you to nominate for the position of JiGSAW book reviewer for the upcoming 2022 Winter Edition.

Not only will you receive four wonderful books to share with your family day care children, you’ll also get the opportunity to talk about the stories with them and share their thoughts and feelings about the stories with the entire sector.

If you would like to be considered as our book reviewer for the upcoming Winter Edition of JiGSAW, please email marketing@fdca.com.au with your contact details before 5.00pm AEST on Tuesday 31 May 2022.

Reconciling Child Care Subsidy payments

At the end of each financial year, Services Australia reconciles family payments, including Child Care Subsidy (CCS). This is to ensure families receive the correct amount of assistance for the year.

Families need to confirm their income after the end of the financial year for this to occur. You can help families in your care by reminding them to confirm their income.

Important dates

The end of financial year marks two important deadlines for families:

  • the first deadline for confirming 2020–21 income; and
  • the second deadline for confirming 2019–20 income.

All families must confirm their 2020–21 income before the first deadline on 30 June 2022.

If they don’t, their CCS will stop, meaning they’ll need to pay full fees.

How to confirm income

Families confirm their income by:

  • lodging their tax return; or
  • telling Services Australia they don’t need to lodge a tax return by completing an Advise non-lodgement of tax return using their Centrelink online account.

If a parent separates from their partner, Services Australia will also need their ex-partner's income.

If a parent is concerned that their ex-partner won’t lodge their tax return by the deadline, they should call the Families line.

Find out how FDCA has got you covered!

FDCA offers more than just great public liability insurance to protect your business. We have a range of options to protect your home, your vehicle and you!

We also offer Family Day Care Legal Services in partnership with Clyde & Co, a multi-award winning firm, to provide you with top tier legal advice and peace of mind.

Trusted by educators and services for over 30 years, visit our website or give us a call to find out more about how FDCA has got all of your business needs covered: https://www.familydaycare.com.au/insurance-services