children's services
In NSW, DoCS licenses, registers or grants approval to operate services for children from birth through to school age.
Early childhood services must provide a safe and appropriate care and educational environment for children and are governed by strict regulations. See more on children’s services regulations, licensing and application forms.
These services, also called "child care services" or "early childhood services” include preschools, long day care, occasional care, mobile services, family day care, home-based care and child-minding in retail shopping centres.
People who work in children's services must meet the requirements of the Children's Services Regulation 2004 and in some cases must have an approved qualification. See more on qualifications for working in children's services.
DoCS also registers out of school hours care services, which include before and after school hours care and vacation care services.
As a children’s services worker, you have a legal obligation to report suspected child abuse or “risk of harm”. See more information on mandatory reporting.
staff-to-child ratio report
DoCS has commissioned a report to examine the economic impacts of a staff-to-child ratio of 1:4 for children under 2 years of age in child care centres. See the report.
children's services newsletter - Building Blocks
For all the latest news in children's services, see the latest issue of Building Blocks: