What is a Family Day Care (FDC) Service?

A Family Day Care Service is an approved service provider comprising of a co-ordination unit staffed by qualified and experienced education and care professionals and a network of registered and qualified educators who operate a family day care business from their own home for children aged from birth to 13 years.

The co-ordination unit select educators through a registration and membership process to assess knowledge, skills and suitability in ord of applicants in order to meet the requirements within the Education and Care Services National Law(WA) Act 2012 and Education and Care Services National Regulations 2012 and service policies.

Educators and co-ordination units are assessed and rated by the Education and Care Regulatory Unit (WA) against the National Quality Standard to ensure quality education and care, relationships, children’s health and safety and professional development of educators are meeting current requirements; ratings are published on the ACECQA website, click here for the National Registers link. All parties work in partnership with families of children in care to gain the best outcomes for each child.

 The role of the co-ordination unit is to:

• Work in partnership with educators and parents to ensure quality care is provided. This includes monitoring children’s progress within the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), Framework for School Age Children (FCAS)
• Ensure early childhood education and care standards and practices are maintained and continuously improved on in accordance with the National Law, Regulations and Standard
• Assist and support parents to find care most suitable for their child
• Register, select, resource and train new educators
• Provide ongoing professional development for educators and staff
• Support and guide educators in education and care programs and plannings for groups and individual children
• Provide resources such as play sessions, toy library and information
• Provide professional network opportunities for educators and staff
• Develop networks within the local community
• Promote family day care as a quality education and care service
• Administer payments of Child Care Benefit, Child Care Rebate and JET in accordance with Family Assistance Law

To search for a family day care service in your area, please go to the FDC Service or Suburb Search on this website.