Family Day Care
The waiting list for Family Day Care in Kerang is currently closed due to a large number of families currently on the list.
Gannawarra Shire Family Day Care Educators provide quality childcare in small groups, in comfortable, safe, home environments. The Gannawarra Shire Children’s Service Team is committed to offering quality home based child care to meet the needs of families within the community.
The Family Day Care Scheme fosters the link between families and Educators and promotes the development of the whole child, giving opportunities for activities and experiences to enhance social, emotional, intellectual and physical growth.
Gannawarra Shire Family Day Care is approved by the Department of Education and Training.
The service caters for young babies through to pre-teens and can offer care during standard hours, before/after school, during school holidays and in some circumstances overnight and on weekends.
Choosing a Family Day Care Educator
After completing the application form you will be given the names of any available educators that the Team feel will meet your needs. Parents are advised to visit each Educator to decide which one would be the most suitable for their child and make the final choice. Once the choice is made, the parent notifies the educator, the Children’s Services Team and the unsuccessful educators. It is essential that families visit the educator before care commences to discuss the child’s care and view the educator’s home environment.
The educator is not obligated to accept children sent to them, or obligated to continue caring for a child when the situation is not working out. There is a four week trial period where both parties can decline to continue. The Children’s Services Team will monitor the progress of each child as he/she settles into his/her new home away from home.
Immunisation
To prevent the spread of illness, all children in Family Day Care are required to be immunised. Written proof of immunisation is required on enrolment.
Insurance
All children enrolled within the Family Day Care Scheme are covered by the Scheme’s public liability policy and each Educator has current public liability insurance taken out in their own right with the National Family Day Care Council Insurance Scheme.
Limits on Numbers of Children in Care
Family Day Care Educators may only care for a maximum of seven children at any one time. Of this seven, there must not be more than four children under school age. An Educator’s own children under high school age are counted in these numbers.
Safety
Family Day Care Educators have a duty to provide effective supervision at all times when they have children in their care. This includes responsibility for supervision indoors, outdoors, in vehicles and other transport and on outings and excursions. Educators plan carefully and supervise the children in their care closely, while allowing them opportunities for ‘safe’ exploration and challenging experiences.
Fees
Each family is invoiced by Council for fees. Educators set their own hourly rates and they must charge the same hourly fee for all children in their care. Payments to Educators include the Child Care Subsidy, which is paid to them directly. This account will include an administration levy that is paid to the Children’s Services Team.
Fees are usually reviewed on an annual basis in line with the Federal Government's annual indexing of the Child Care Benefit. The indexing rate is based on the consumer price index increase over the last calendar year.
Request an enrolment pack
To request an enrolment pack, please click here.