Family Day Care

Family Day Care is a registered service providing home-based childcare for a small group of children, aged from 6 weeks to 12 years old.

It is approved by the Australian Government and eligible for Child Care Subsidy. It is also licensed by state governments.

The service provides flexible hours and small groups with planned programs focused on helping children develop a sense of confidence, connect with their community and develop social skills.

The Family Day Care service offers:

full-time and part-time care
outside school hours care
school holiday care
respite care.

In 2023 City of Whittlesea Family Day Care was rated as exceeding the National Quality Standard under the National Quality Framework. The National Quality Standard (NQS) sets a national benchmark for the quality of children’s education and care services across Australia.

Find a Family Day Care near you

Locate Family Day Care Educators in your local area using our interactive map.

Family Day Care Educators

Family Day Care Educators are qualified early childhood education and care professionals.

All Educators:

hold qualifications in Certificate III in Children’s Services or in a higher childcare qualification
have experience in working in the sector
provide a safe, hygienic, secure and smoke-free childcare environment
hold a current first aid certificate, anaphylaxis and asthma training
undertake a National Police Record Check and Working with Children Check
provide developmentally appropriate programs for children
represent the cultural diversity of the local community
sub-contract to Council under a license agreement.

Family Day Care Educators are also supported by Council’s Coordination Unit, who are responsible for approving, supporting, training and monitoring educators.

Family Day Care Educator profiles

Download and view details of the current Family Day Care Educators registered with City of Whittlesea.

Apply for Family Day Care

If you would like your child/ren to attend Family Day Care, you will need to register your interest for a placement.

Once a request for care is received, the Family Day Care Coordination Unit will contact you to confirm your days required and educator availability.

All perspective families are encouraged to request a tour of Family Day Care Educators home before confirming care arrangements. This is a very important step in the process of finding the right program for your child. It gives you the opportunity to see the home, meet the educator, discuss vacancies & fees, as well as ask any questions you may have.

When a Family Day Care placement is offered and confirmed with an educator, an enrolment form will be sent to the parent/guardian’s email. This form must be completed before care can begin.

To finalise the enrolment process, an annual registration fee is charged per child in line with Council's Fees and Charges. The enrolment fee helps subsidise the cost of support and training provided to Educators throughout the year.

Become a Family Day Care Educator

Are you passionate about working with children and looking for a flexible alternative to centre-based care? Family Day Care could be the perfect opportunity for you.

Work from the comfort of your own home while building a rewarding career that makes a real difference in the lives of children and families in your community.

As a contracted Family Day Care Educator, you’ll deliver high-quality, personalised early learning in a home-based environment - supported every step of the way by an experienced Coordination Unit.

Is this right for you?

This opportunity is ideal for individuals who:

hold a minimum Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
prioritise children’s safety
are motivated to run their own home-based service
value flexibility, autonomy, and meaningful work
are committed to providing nurturing, high-quality education and care.

Please note: Educators must reside within the City of Whittlesea and operate from their own home as self-employed professionals.

Why choose Family Day Care?

Joining Whittlesea Family Day Care means becoming part of a trusted, well-established service with over 40 years of experience supporting educators and families.

What you’ll enjoy:

work from home
flexible hours – set your own days and schedule
balance caring for your own children while working
potential to earn a rewarding income
ongoing support from a friendly, experienced Coordination Unit
access to continuous professional development and training
create tailored educational programs based on each child’s needs and interests
engage in community-based learning (libraries, parks, local events and more)
build strong, lasting relationships with children and families
connect with a network of like-minded educators.

Start your journey

If you’re ready to take the next step in your early childhood career and want to work in a way that suits your lifestyle, we’d love to hear from you.

Express your interest in becoming a Family Day Care Educator.

Family Day Care Educator EOI form

Coordination Unit

The Coordination Unit is a team of qualified early childhood professionals and administration staff who are responsible for supporting, resourcing and monitoring educators and the service they provide.

The Coordination Unit provides:

responsive support and information to parents and educators
mentoring and professional guidance to educators to meet National Quality Standards, National Law and Regulations, and National Quality Standards
help to all families in choosing an educator
regular visits to the educators’ homes offering ongoing professional training, resources and support.

Fees and Child Care Subsidy

Fees for Family Day Care are charged at an hourly rate and are set independently by individual educators under Council’s guidance.

You may be eligible for Child Care Subsidy after Centrelink assess the following:

your family’s income
the hourly rate cap based on the type of approved childcare you use and your child’s age
the hours of activity/work you and your partner do.

The amount of subsidised childcare you can access per fortnight applies to each child.

To find out if you are eligible:

Visit the Services Australia website
Call 13 61 50 between 8 am and 8 pm (local time) Monday to Friday
Visit a service centre (located in Medicare offices and Centrelink Service Centres).