In Home Care
In Home Care is a type of education and care for families where mainstream childcare services are not available or appropriate. Families who are unable to access centre-based care, family day care or outside school hours care due to their unique circumstances may be eligible for the program. In Home Care provides an Educator to care for children in the children’s own home for families:
- who are geographically isolated from other types of childcare
- who work non-standard or variable hours
- with challenging or complex needs.
Australian Government’s Child Care Subsidy
Child Care Subsidy is assistance provided by the Australian Government to help with the cost of childcare. The Child Care Subsidy is paid directly to In Home Care Service Providers to reduce the cost to families. The amount of Child Care Subsidy is determined by an activity test. Families in exceptional circumstances may be eligible for the Additional Child Care Subsidy.
Families using In Home Care must first be eligible for the childcare subsidy. Please click here to find out more information.
Education and care in a family’s own home
Once a family’s eligibility for In Home Care is confirmed, the In Home Care Support Agency works to find a Service Provider or Providers that can meet the family’s needs. When a suitable Provider is chosen by the family, the family will register with the Provider. Service Providers match the right educator to the right family and continue to support the Educator during their time with the family.
Educators will always have first aid training and child protection training. Often, they will also have qualifications in Early Education and Care. Each In Home Care educator can care for up to 5 children from the one family. (If the family has more than is more children a second educator can be engaged).
In Home Care is a government approved type of education and care
The Australian Government provides a Handbook and Guidelines under which the In Home Care program operates. You can read them here and here. The Australian Government provides funding for the In Home Care Support Agency to advocate on behalf of families, to provide support to In Home Care Service Providers and Educators. In Home Care is also regulated in some areas under State or Territory legislation.
There are
In Home Care places across Australia.
The In Home Care Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we sit, The Wangal and Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.
We acknowledge their ongoing connection to land, sea, sky and waterways and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
We acknowledge the First Nations People have been caring and educating the children of this land for tens of thousands of years