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In Home Care
In Home Care is a special type of education and care for families that are excluded from family day care or centre based day care because of their family’s specific needs. In Home Care provides an educator to care for children in the children’s own home for families:
- with challenging or complex needs (such as disability or serious illness of family member)
- who are geographically isolated from other types of childcare
- who work non-standard hours.
Australian Government’s Child Care Subsidy
Families using In Home Care are usually eligible for the Australian Government’s Child Care Subsidy.
The Child Care Subsidy is paid directly to In Home Care service providers to reduce the cost to families of having an educator in the home. The amount of Child Care Subsidy is determined by the family’s income. Families in special need may be eligible for Additional Child Care Subsidy.
Find out more about government subsidies here.
In Home Care educators are supported by In Home Care service providers
Providing early education and care for a family in their own home under the In Home Care program can be a wonderfully rewarding experience. Educators need the support of a local service provider to ensure they are aware of what is required of them under the program guidelines and to ensure they get professional development and support as needed. Service providers match the right educator to the right family and then support that educator during their time with the family.
The In Home Care Support Agency supports families and In Home Care service providers
The In Home Care Support Agency is funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Education and Training.
Our role is to:
- support families who were part of the old IHC program to move to the new program or find other education and care
- determine which families are eligible for In Home Care
- match families to service providers that have educators available
- advocate for families
- develop Family Management Plans and review them each quarter
- work with services to ensure In Home Care is high quality and monitor it to ensure it is focused on educating and care for children
- provide professional development and support for educators
- promote the In Home Care program so that families that need it, know about it.
Our role is to connect the dots for families, educators and service providers in the new In Home Care program.