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What are my child care options?

Child care is about leaving your child in the care of someone else while you work, study or attend to other commitments. Choosing the right child care can be a difficult decision for families. Your decision will depend on your family’s needs and the environment you feel most comfortable with.

As well as providing care, child care services provide an opportunity for your child to develop social, emotional and learning skills.

When deciding on the type of care that is best for your child, you may want to ask yourself:

• How many hours of care do I need? The whole day? Just mornings? Just afternoons? Just a few hours a week? Or just occasionally, like when I have an appointment and need someone to look after my children?
• Do I want my child cared for in a home environment or in a centre?
• What kind of qualifications and experience do staff members have?
• Does the service offer a preschool program?
• What learning and play opportunities do I want my child to have?
• What kind of routine will my child have?
• Do I want the service to provide lunch? Can I have a look at a sample meal plan?
• Does the service provide nappies for children under the age of two?
• What is the carer-to-child ratio?
• Can I claim Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate if I choose a certain child care service?

Here is a quick description of the different types of child care to help you make your decision.

• Long day care
• Family day care
• In-home care
• Outside school hours care
• Occasional

Long day care

• Long day care is sometimes referred to as centre-based care and is generally provided in a building or part of a building that has been created specifically for use as a child care centre.

• Centres usually operate between 7.30 am and 6 pm and offer professional care for children aged 0–6 years. Children are usually grouped together in rooms according to age and developmental stage.

• Child care is usually available for all day or part of the day at a centre. Some centres offer morning or afternoon sessions.

• Many centres offer meals throughout the day including morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. The types of meals vary from centre to centre. If a centre does not offer meals then families will need to provide their own.

• Most long day care centres will have an early education component to their program so children will learn as they are cared for.

• Long day care centres are run by private companies, local councils, community organisations, individuals, non-profit organisations or by employers for their staff.

• The majority of long day care centres are approved child care services. This means that families using the service may be eligible for Child Care Benefit and the Child Care Rebate. Approved services must also show that they are meeting certain quality standards.

Family day care

• Family day care is where a professional carer looks after your child in the carer’s home. This type of care is sometimes known as home-based care.
• Carers work mainly with children aged 0–6 years who are not yet at school, but can also provide care for older school-aged children. The number of children each carer can have in their home is determined by state and territory government laws.
• The hours of care are flexible. Carers can provide care for the whole day, part of the day or for irregular or casual care.
• Some carers may offer care overnight or on weekends. This may suit parents who are ‘on call’ or work shifts. Some carers are self-employed but work in partnership with a family day care scheme. Other carers are employed directly by the scheme. The scheme supports family day care by:
• helping families select an appropriate carer
• monitoring the standard of care provided
• administering the claiming and payment process for Child Care Benefit and payment process for the Child Care Rebate on behalf of parents
• providing support services like playgroups, toy libraries and professional advice.
• The majority of family day care services are approved child care services. This means that families using the service may be eligible for Child Care Benefit and the Child Care Rebate. Approved services must also show that they are meeting certain quality standards.

In Home care

• In home care is similar to family day care but the professional carer looks after the child in your child’s home.
• In home care is not widely available and is usually only an option where other forms of care are not suitable. This usually happens in circumstances where it is difficult for your child to be cared for outside the home, for example, if your child has a disability and your home is structured especially for them. Another example is when your family works shift work and it is more appropriate for a carer to be in the home at night while family members are at work.
•  For information about eligibility for in home care please contact the Child Care Access Hotline on 1800 670 305.

Outside school hours care

• Outside school hours care services provide care for primary school aged children before and after school(7.30 am–9 am and 3 pm–6 pm), during school holidays and on pupil-free days.
• Outside school hours care (OSHC) is also referred to as out of school hours OOSH care in some states or territories.
• Vacation care is a type of outside school hours care. Vacation care services provide care which includes creative indoor and outdoor activities. These services are sometimes run by the same organisation that runs before and after school care.
• Services are usually provided from primary school premises such as the school hall and/or playground. Some services are run out of a child care centre, community facility or outside school hours care centre located near the primary school.
• Many services offer a snack as well as the Active After-school Communities exercise program.
• The majority of outside school hours care services are approved child care services. This means that families using the service may be eligible for Child Care Benefit and the Child Care Rebate. Approved services must also show that they are meeting certain quality standards.

Occasional care

• Occasional care offers professional care for children on a casual basis. This service is suitable for families who do not need child care on a regular basis but would like someone to look after their children occasionally, for example when they have a medical or other appointment.
• Most occasional care services offer flexible hours of care including care for children whose parents work irregular hours or unpredictable hours. 

The Australian Government has Priority of Access Guidelines for a fair child care system. The system ensures that, where there are vacancies or a waiting list for child care services, places are allocated to families with the greatest need for child care. These guidelines apply to approved long day care, family day care, in home care and outside school hours care services.

How can I get more information?

To find out more about different types of child care and related child care information please see the Information for families using child care fact sheet kit and look for:

• Fact Sheet 4—What are the different types of approved child care?
• Fact Sheet 14—Is there any extra assistance for my child with additional needs?
• Fact Sheet 15—How do I know if my child is attending a quality service?
• Fact Sheet 16—Will my child be given priority for child care services?
• Fact Sheet 17—The Child Care Access Hotline—to help you find a child care service for your child
• Fact Sheet 18—Where do I find more information on child care?