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Regulation 116 – Assessments of family day care residences and approved family day care venues – is a common area of non-compliance in family day care services. The regulation requires approved providers to ensure each residence or approved venue is assessed, including a risk assessment, before education and care commences and at least annually thereafter.
From 27 February 2026, strengthened child safety requirements expanded assessments of family day care residences to include areas outside but near the residence that are accessible to children, even if those areas are not used to provide education and care. Under the new Regulation 116AA, approved providers must also formally approve and document the areas within a residence that are suitable for providing education and care.
Key points to remember:
Approved providers are responsible for assessing residences and approved venues, documenting their suitability and approving the areas of a residence used for education and care. Educators should advise their service of proposed renovations or changes that may affect the safety or suitability of the environment, including areas approved for education and care.
Additional resources
The annual Excellence in Family Day Care Awards Gala Dinner is just around the corner and there are only a handful of tickets left. .
Taking place on Saturday 28 November 2026 at the Pullman Brisbane King George Square, the Gala Dinner will bring the family day care community together for a special evening celebrating the outstanding educators, coordinators and services who make a difference to children, families and communities across Australia.
Join friends and colleagues from across the sector, celebrate this year’s Award Winners and Finalists, and be there as the 2026 National Award Winners are announced.
What does my ticket include?
Your Gala Dinner ticket includes:
FDCA members can secure tickets at an exclusive members-only discounted rate of $165 ($215 for non-members).
Table packages available
Discounted tickets are available if you would like to purchase a table for a group of 8, 9 or 10. If you would like to purchase a table, please email marketing@fdca.com.au for more information.
To find out more about the Gala Dinner, including times and dress code details, click here.
UNICEF Australia has released Us!, a children's storybook inspired by real conversations with children across Australia about what they need to feel safe, loved and healthy.
Written by Australian author Jackie French and illustrated by Elin Matilda Andersson, Us! celebrates the diversity of childhood and highlights the importance of love, play, family, community and belonging.
The book was inspired by findings from The State of Australia's Children report, developed by UNICEF Australia and the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY), with support from the Minderoo Foundation.
Us! provides a wonderful opportunity to engage children in meaningful conversations about their feelings, relationships, safety and wellbeing. Family day care educators could share the story with children and use it to begin conversations about:
UNICEF Australia has made Us! available as a free digital storybook, together with a read-along video featuring John and Evie from The Wiggles.
Go to the UNICEF website to read or download Us! and watch the read-along video.
Changes to requirements and everyday practices can take time and energy to work through. Educators and service teams may be learning new information while continuing to meet their usual responsibilities. Acknowledging that learning and applying new information can be challenging for some is an important part of supporting change.
Clear communication and opportunities to ask questions can help people understand what a change means for their role. Services can support this by explaining the actions required, identifying where guidance is available and checking what remains unclear. Educators can contribute by raising practical questions and sharing where additional support would be useful. These practices help educators build resilience and manage change. Like educators, coordinators also need time and support to work through the changes themselves. This shared approach can strengthen connection and resilience during change.
A moment to reflect:
Be You’s recorded webinar explores how leaders can strengthen connection and mutual support within their learning community during periods of change.
Explore the Be You webinar recording: Nurturing educator resilience
ACECQA has released practical resources to assist family day care approved providers identify, authorise and manage service-supplied and service-authorised devices.
These resources include:
Approved providers are encouraged to review the resources and consider how they could support their existing policies, procedures and record-keeping arrangements. Services should also ensure educators understand which devices are authorised for use and the requirements for capturing, storing and transmitting images of children.
Jurisdictional note: These are national ACECQA resources. NSW services must also comply with the additional device requirements applying in NSW. Western Australian services should confirm the commencement dates and requirements applying under WA legislation. Services should use the resources alongside guidance from their state or territory regulatory authority.
Families receiving Child Care Subsidy (CCS) can receive CCS for up to 42 allowable absence days per child, per financial year. These apply when a child is absent from a booked session of care they would normally attend.
Once a child’s 42 allowable absence days have been used, CCS may still be payable for additional absences in certain circumstances. Examples include when:
Evidence is required for some additional absence reasons. Where evidence is not required, the service must still be reasonably satisfied that the circumstances meet the Department’s requirements.
A public holiday is not an approved additional absence reason, even when the family day care educator or service is closed. However, it may still use one of the family’s 42 allowable absence days where the usual CCS absence requirements are met.
Approved providers and services remain responsible for checking that absence reasons and evidence meet the requirements, maintaining appropriate records and ensuring CCS session reports are accurate.
Educators should accurately record attendance and absences through their service’s agreed system, provide the service with the reason for any additional absence and pass on supporting evidence received from the family.
For the complete list of approved reasons and evidence requirements, visit the Department of Education’s How to manage absences website.
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