Different Kinds of Childcare Programs

by Blog
girl and boy at childcare

Australian families have a wide variety of childcare options available, ranging from home-based care through to specialist care for disabled and vulnerable children. 

That being said, it’s not easy for first time parents to make sense of the available choices. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you make the right decision for your family. 

Home-Based Childcare 
Home-based childcare is any education or care carried out in the home. This can either be done:

  • Informally by parents, family or friends
  • Formally by nannies, babysitters, or by certain types of Family Day Care (FDC) or In-Home Care (IHC)

Family Day Care (FDC) 
FDC is a flexible form of Early Childhood Education and Care (EDEC) which can be casual, full-time, part-time, overnight, or before and after school, catering to parents who want a more tailored experience for their child. 

It’s carried out in the family home by a network of trained and registered early years educators. These are supervised under the Education and Care Services National Regulations. 

In-Home Care (IHC)
IHC is similar to FDC, except that it’s provided in the family home rather than in a Family Day Care centre. 

Day Care Facilities
Day care facilities provide early education and care for children in a dedicated centre, such as a nursery or a preschool. 

Long Day Care
Long Day Care (LDC) takes place in a dedicated centre either as a part-time or a full time option. They offer a range of early years programmes for children. 

LDC can also be provided as a “wrap around” childcare option for before and after school as well as during school holidays. 

Outside School Hours Care (OSHC)
This is a centre-based childcare programme targeted at primary school age children for before and after school, as well as during the school holidays. 

OSHC is usually carried out by private individuals or organisations and typically covers the following times:

  • Before school: 7am – 9am
  • After school: 3pm – 6pm
  • During school holidays: 7am – 6pm

Occasional Care
Occasional care is centre-based and can be accessed on an ad hoc basis, making it helpful for parents who work irregular hours. 

Preschool/Kindergarten/Prep
Preschool (sometimes interchangeably referred to as “Kindergarten” or “Prep school”) is a formal, planned educational programme targeted at children in early years (usually aged between 3 and 5 years old). Preschool can take place in school, a long day care centre, a community centre or even a mobile visiting service. 

Preschool usually takes place on weekdays between 9am – 3pm, similar to primary school hours. 

Activity Groups and Clubs
This describes the range of other childcare options including playgroups, after-school clubs, and parent and child groups. 

Disability Childcare
Parents of children with disabilities can apply to receive in-home childcare services such as Family Day Care or In-home Childcare. 

Early Childhood Inclusion Australia (ECIA) is collaborating with Early Childhood Australia (ECA) to make sure that all children, regardless of their disability, race or gender, have the same opportunities and access to the right childcare. 

They work together to support all childcare services to enable them to offer inclusive, safe and high-quality experiences. 

In Summary
To help you find the right childcare programme for your family, first consider your requirements: how many hours you need, available options in your area, your budget, your family values and interests and whether you want your childcare to be at home or in a dedicated childcare setting. 

Given the wide range of childcare programmes available to Australian families, you will likely be able to find an option that suits your needs. 

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    5 Things Parents Look For In a Childcare Centre

    by Blog
    Woman holding young baby girl

    The big first day at a childcare centre can be nerve-wracking for everyone, not just the children. Parents and guardians want to know that their little ones are going to be looked after and cared for in the best way possible. Here are five things that they want to see in a childcare centre:

    1. A Warm, Caring Environment
    It’s no surprise that a 2019 YouGov Galaxy survey of working mums found that the most important factor for them in choosing a childcare centre was the “warmth of caregiving”.

    We know that warm, caring environments help children grow up to be confident, mentally resilient, emotionally mature and kind. It helps them to learn better, make friends, and most importantly, be happy. 

    During open days, parents and guardians will pay close attention to the atmosphere of the centre and how attached their children are to the carers and educators. When there are smiles and laughter all around, their minds are put at ease.

    2. Valuable Learning Experiences 
    Parents and guardians are increasingly aware of the fact that the early years are a valuable time for education. They want their children to have a head start in life, whether that means learning to count, picking up basic Spanish or Mandarin through the ELLA program, or something as simple as working on their creativity and motor skills. 

    In addition, it’s also important for parents and guardians to know that their children are going to work on activities that will help them flourish in learning social skills, developing their emotional intelligence, and other soft skills. 

    3. Frequent Updates About Their Children
    Little updates can put parents’ and guardians’ minds at ease about their children’s time at daycare. Providing them with a video of their child singing the alphabet song, a quick message celebrating that they happily shared their toys today or even a photo of the tower they made with building blocks can make a huge difference in making them feel like their children are happy, growing emotionally, learning and making friends. 

    The more a parent and guardian knows about what their child does at daycare, the more they can help them practise the same tasks and skills at home. What’s more, they will feel like they can trust you to communicate with them — whether the information is good or bad. They will also be more receptive to potential bad news because they know that you have their child’s best interests and wellbeing at heart. 

    4. Flexibility
    Life can be chaotic at times for everyone – but especially for working parents! They need flexibility and childcare that is going to make their life more manageable, not harder. For more than 1 in 3 working mums, flexibility is one of the top three factors they look for when choosing a childcare centre. 

    Parents and guardians look for childcare centres that are going to accommodate their ever-changing schedules, everything from being able to amend existing bookings and signing up for half-days, to reshuffling their schedule on a weekly basis. Ideally, this would be without penalties or restrictively long notice periods.

    5. Easy Enrolment, Booking and Payments
    Is flexible booking really useful, if parents and guardians need to ring you between 3.00pm and 6.00pm on weekdays to make any changes? 

    With tools like iEnrol, iCheck-In, and iParentPortal, parents and guardians can do everything online: enrolment, documentation, payment, booking and more. It’s quick, simple and easy. They won’t need to print off lengthy forms at the internet café or arrive at work late because there was a long queue to pay this month’s fees.

    Get in touch with Kidsoft today to learn more about how we can help you provide better services for children and parents alike. A free demo can easily be set up for you to see for yourself. 

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