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Long Day Care
Family Day Care
Preschool
Out of School Hours Care
Vacation Care
Occasional Care Nannies & Babysitters
Other Children's Care

Playgroups

• Long Day Care
• Preschool
• Family Day Care
• Home-based Care
• Out Of School Hour Care
• Vacation Care
• Occasional Care
• Mobile Care
• Respite care
• Programs Supporting Children with Additional Needs

• Suitable Ages: provides centre based care for children aged 0-6 years of age.
• Operates extended hours: opens from early morning to late afternoon for at least 8 hours per day, eg. 7:30am-5:30pm, 5 days a week and 48-52 weeks a year, depending on each individual centre.
• Attendance: Families can choose to send their children to long day care on either a full-time or part-time basis, and can choose suitable days for their children to attend. However, this would also depend on the availability of the service of each childcare centre.
• School-readiness program: Most of long day care centres provide children of 3-5 years of age a school-readiness program, or pre-school program. It is an educational program that prepares children for their school life.
• The program incorporates early learning of literacy of numeracy into games and plays and provides children the opportunity of getting ready for the "big school".
• Food: Most centres provide morning teas, afternoon teas and hot food for lunch.
• Fees and Charges: Yes, please chech with your centre.
• Childcare Benefit: Yes, depends upon the family income and assets, and number of children attending approved childcare service.
• Operation and Management: There are local council childcare centres, institution based centres (eg. TAFE's childcare centres), privately owned centres and community based centres.
• Licensing and Accreditation: In the State of New South Wales all childcare centres are licensed by the Department of Community Services and the long day care centres are accredited by the National Childcare Accreditation Authority. In other states and territories, the process is similar.
• Min. Staff Requirements:
  • Each carer can care for max. 5 children aged 0-2 years, or 8 children aged 2-3 years, or 10 children aged 3-6 years;
  • At least 1 carer qualifies in early childhood;
  • At least 1 carer holds a First Aid Certificate at all time with children;
  • At least 1 carer has had training in care for under 2 years if any infant is in the centre.
• 

• Suitable Ages: Provides centre based educational programs and care for children 3-5 years of age, more often in the year before they are due to start kindergarten.
• Operates shorter hours: Usually during school hours and in school terms only. There are often fixed attendance times.
• Preschool program: It is an educational program that prepares children for their "big school".

• The program incorporates early learning of literacy and numeracy into games and plays. It also provides children the opportunity to learn and socialise with other children of their age.

• Food: The children usually need to bring their own lunch and snacks to preschools.
• Fees and Charges: Generally much lower than other kinds of childcare.
• Childcare Benefit: Yes, but at it minimum rate.
• Operation and management: The majority preschools are operated and managed by primary schools. There are community based preschools that managed by parents committees, as well as those operated under local councils, other government bodies or institutions, eg. TAFE. The privately owned preschool centres become fewer.
• Licensing and accreditation: There is no accreditation applies to the preschool centres. In the State of New South Wales all childcare centres are licensed by the Department of Community Services. School based preschools are not required to be licensed.
• Min. Staff Requirement:
  • Each staff member can care max. 8 children aged 2-3 years, or 10 children aged 3-6 years;
  • At least 1 staff member qualifies in early childhood;
  • At least 1 staff member holds a First Aid Certificate at all time with children
• 

• Suitable Ages: An experienced and registered carer cares for a small group (up to 5) of children from birth to the age of 12 years at his/her home. It provides an alternative to the centre based care for not only young children, but also school aged children.

• The carer is operated under the supervision and support of the staff under the Family Day Care scheme which ensure the quality standard of care provided.

• Flexible Operating hours: Usually from early morning to late afternoon; sometimes flexible hours of care, eg. in the evening or weekends, may be arranged depending upon carer's availability.
• Programs: Carers and supporting staff provide individualised programs to encourage each child to further develop their skills and learning.
• Food: Depends on carers.
• Fees and Charges: Charged at an hourly rate.
• Childcare Benefit: Yes, depends upon the family income and assets, and number of children attending approved childcare service.
• Operation and Management: Each individual carer operates under a Family Day Care scheme. The scheme is a network of carers, supported by a professional co-ordination unit and sponsored by either local government or non-government agencies.
• Licensing and accreditation: In the State of New South Wales all childcare centres are licensed by the Department of Community Services and the Family Day Care Schemes are accredited by the National Childcare Accreditation Authority. In other states and territories, the process is similar.
• Min. Staff requirement: Maximum number of children aged 0-6 cared at one time (including carer's own children) is 5. The carer must hold current First Aid Certificate.
• 

• Suitable Ages: At the home of an independent carer the carer cares children aged 0-12.
• Flexible operating hours: May include weekends, evenings and public holiday, depending on the availability of the carer.
• Enrolment: Directly with the carer.
• Food: Depends on the carer.
• Childcare Benefit: No.
• Operation and Management: Carer operates independently.
• Licensing and accreditation: In the State of New South Wales all childcare centres are licensed by the Department of Community Services; no accreditation applies to home-based care.
• Min. Staff requirement: Maximum number of children aged 0-6 cared at one time (including carer's own children) is 5. The carer must hold current First Aid Certificate.
• 

• Suitable Ages: Provides primary school aged children (5-12) with centre based care before and after school hours, on pupil free days and during school holidays.
• Operating hours:
  • For before and after school care: early morning to the start of school, after school to later in the afternoon;
  • For pupil free days and school holiday usually 8am-5:30pm.
• Recreational programs: Children participate in a range of supervised and age appropriate activities, such as games, craft, sport, drama, dance, painting, cooking, reading, music and excursions. The supervising staff may offer homework help when the children are doing their homework.
• It provides children the opportunity of socialising with others children in an informal and relaxed atmosphere, where they can choose activities of their interests.
• Food: Some meals are provided. Please check with your centre.
• Childcare Benefit: Yes, depends upon the family income and assets, and number of children attending approved childcare service.
• Operation and management: Centres are operated and managed by local councils, community organisations and private operators. Many of them are operated from the same premises of long day care centres or vacation care centres.
• Licensing and accreditation: In the State of New South Wales all childcare services are licensed by the Department of Community Services and the out of school hours care centres are accredited by the National Childcare Accreditation Authority. In other states and territories, the process is similar.
• Min. Staff requirements:
  • There is no legal requirement as to the carer to children ratios, however it is recommended that each carer to 15 children;
  • No formal qualifications required, as the out of school hours care focuses on recreational activities, not educational.
• 

• Suitable Ages: Provides care for primary school aged children during school holiday.
• Operating hours: From early morning to late in the afternoon during school holidays.

  Often families can choose days for their children to attend according to their needs and also the activities or excursions of their children's interests.

• Recreational programs: Children participate in a range of supervised and age appropriate activities, such as games, craft, sport, drama, dance, painting, cooking reading, music and excursions.

• It provides children the opportunity of socialising with others children in an informal and relaxed atmosphere, where they can choose activities of their interests.

• Food: Please check with the centres.
• Childcare Benefit: Yes, depends upon the family income and assets, and number of children attending approved childcare service.
• Operation and management: Centres are operated and managed by local councils, community organisations and private operators. Many of them are operated from the same premises of long day care centres or out of school hours care centres.
• Licensing and accreditation: In the State of New South Wales all childcare services are licensed by the Department of Community Services and the out of school hours care centres are accredited by the National Childcare Accreditation Authority. In other states and territories, the process is similar.
• Min. Staff requirements:
  • There is no legal requirement as to the carer to children ratios, however it is recommended that each carer to 15 children;
  • No formal qualifications required, as the out of school hours care focuses on recreational activities, not educational.
• 

• Suitable Ages: Provides a great flexible alternative arrangement of the care for children aged from birth to 6 years for a short period of time while the parents attend their businesses, eg. meeting, shopping or just a short timeout.
• Operating various hours: Usually 8:30am to 3pm, some operates up to 5 days a week, and 50 weeks a year.
• Fees: Charged at an hourly rate.
• Booking: Yes, required.
• Childcare Benefit: No.
• Operation and management: Centres are operated and managed by local councils, community organisations and private operators.
• Licence and accreditation: There is no accreditation applies to occasional childcare centres. In the State of New South Wales all childcare centres are licensed by the Department of Community Services.
• Min. Staff requirements:
  • Each carer can care for max. 5 children aged 0-2 years, or 8 children aged 2-3 years, or 10 children aged 3-6 years;
  • At least 1 carer holds a First Aid Certificate at all time with children;
  • At least 1 carer has had training in care for under 2years if any infant is in the centre.
• 

• General:
  • Operates from a van or a bus that travels through a particular area and sets up its care service in a local hall or other premises, mostly visits remote areas.
  • To provide mobile children's services, eg. long day care, occasional care, school holiday care, preschool programs, playgroups, story telling, games and toy libraries.
  • Also to provide broader information and support for parents.
• Operating hours: Vary.
• Fees: Yes.
• Childcare Benefit: No.
• Operation and management: Services are sponsored by local government or community organisations.
• Licence and accreditation: there is no accreditation applies to mobile childcare services. In the State of New South Wales mobile childcare services are licensed by the Department of Community Services.
• Min. Staff requirements:
  • Each carer can care for max. 5 children aged 0-2 years, or 8 children aged 2-3 years, or 10 children aged 3-6 years;
  • At least 1 carer qualifies in early childhood;
  • At least 1 carer holds a First Aid Certificate at all time with children;
  • At least 1 carer has had training in care for under 2years if any infant is in the centre
• 

• Is designed to provides a break, or a short-term relief for parents or immediate carer of a child with a disability or a serious and long-term illness.
• The temporary care may be given at the child's home or in another location.
• Most of services are sponsored by Government or community organisations and provided by professional staff and volunteers. These services are usually associated with disability services.
• 

• Children with additional needs are those:
  • Of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander background.
  • Of culturally and linguistically diverse background.
  • Children with challenging behaviours.
  • Children with disabilities.
• The programs are intended:
  • To provide children with additional needs with equal access to all services and activities with other children;
  • To ensure that they are full inclusion into the childcare centres' programs; and
  • To support their development by funding specialised training to staff, additional support worker or acquiring suitable equipment and resources.
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