What is Family Day Care?
‘Excellence In Care (EIC) is a Family Day Care Service that offers families affordable, personalised care by a qualified educator in a welcoming, safe and nurturing home environment’.
Educators are qualified Early Childhood Providers and Care Professionals who are registered within a family day care service such as EIC. Our educators are devoted professionals who are passionately committed to providing an engaging, meaningful and loving environment. Our educators come from a variety of cultural backgrounds across metropolitan and regional areas.
Educators may offer care for up to 7 children at any one time; however, there is to be no more than 4 under school age. Their service is designated for children from infancy to 12 years. They may offer care during work hours, before and after school, during school holidays, and overnight and on weekends.
Family Day Care offers parents the assurance of a small group setting, offering a safe, stimulating and enjoyable environment for their children. We recognize and encourage the importance of children to learn through play and exploration. Our learning environments foster and support each child’s individual needs and abilities for a child to reach their full potential.
Educators work with the coordination unit and parents to plan a stimulating routine for your child. Through activities such as storytelling, arts and crafts, singing, playing games and social interactions with other children, a schedule will be constructed that enhances learning and social skills.
Educators are monitored, supported and trained by our qualified staff, working closely with the children, educators and families. Excellence In Care educators are required to:
- Have a minimum qualification of or working towards a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
- Hold a current positive blue card; police check for themselves, and other occupants within their household must also attain a current, positive blue card
- Have current senior first aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis and CPR certificates
- Hold current public liability insurance
- Run a service that complies with the National Quality Framework, state requirements and scheme policies and procedures
- Undertake pre-service training, ongoing training and professional development
- COVID-19 safe hygiene and practices
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National Quality Framework
As part of the national child care framework, our Family Day Care Educators abide by state licensing, national standards, individual scheme policies and Family Day Care Quality Assurance Guidelines to ensure that the quality of care is of the highest standard.
The NQF introduced a new quality standard in 2012 to improve education and care across long day care, family day care, preschool/kindergarten, and outside school hours care services.
The NQF includes:
- National Law and National Regulations
- National Quality Standard
- Assessment and quality rating process
- National learning frameworks
Assessment of services
All services approved under the Education and Care Services National Law are assessed and rated by their state or territory regulatory authority. Services are assessed against the 7 quality areas of the National Quality Standard (NQS) and given an overall rating based on these results.
Costs associated with Family Day Care
Family Day Care provides an affordable child care option for parents. Prices for care are individual to each educator, within relevant government regulations. The cost of care is charged based on an hourly rate.
Excellence in Care is an approved childcare provider. As such, parents may be able to claim the Australian Government Child Care Subsidies (CCS) where applicable.
The Australian Government offers several initiatives to assist parents with the cost of childcare. You should speak to Centrelink or the Family Assistance Office to discuss your individual entitlement to these benefits, and you must be registered with MyGov to receive subsidies.
Benefits for children and families
Research shows quality education and care early in life leads to better health, education and employment outcomes later in life. The early years are critical for establishing self-esteem, resilience, healthy growth and capacity to learn. Quality education and care shapes every child’s future and lays the foundation for development and learning.
The major benefits for parents and children include:
- improved educator to child ratios, ensuring children have greater individual care and attention for children
- educators with increased skills and qualifications
- better support for children’s learning and development through approved learning frameworks
- consistent, transparent information on educators, providers and services in the national registers.