child care
In NSW, DoCS licenses, monitors compliance with the legislation and funds services for children from birth until start of formal schooling.
Child care services not only help you meet your work and family commitments, but they can help prevent problems by:
- providing children with programs that promote healthy development
- providing opportunities for children to play and socialise with other children and adults
- early detection and support for behavioural and learning problems
- preparing children for the transition to school
- giving you the opportunity to participate in the workforce, to have a break from care duties or to join in social activities
- providing communities, particularly small rural townships, with a focal point for the sharing of information on child and family issues and as a referral point to health, family support and other community services.
Find out more about the types of child care available in NSW, or talk to a children's services organisation for more information.
high quality standards
Licensed child care services in NSW are regulated by DoCS to make sure children are provided with a safe and appropriate environment for their care and wellbeing. For example, services must provide age appropriate development activities and employ suitably qualified staff.
Read more about how to choose the right centre for your child.
If you have concerns about the standards or safety of a child care centre, contact the Central Licensing on 9716 2100 or 1800 619 113. You can also email your enquiries to cslicensing@community.nsw.gov.au.
DoCS role in children’s services
Generally, children’s services in NSW provide education and care for children who have not yet started school. Services that provide care or education for one or more children under the age of six who do not ordinarily attend school, are required to be licensed by DoCS under the Children’s Services Regulation 2004.
DoCS staff visit licensed services regularly to check that regulatory requirements are being met.
Services that provide before and after school and vacation care for children who have started school and are up to 12 years of age are not currently regulated by DoCS but are now required to register with DoCS. For more information, refer to the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Amendment (Out of School Hours Care Services) Regulation 2007.
There are several types of children’s services, with differences in the age of children catered for, training levels of the staff and the numbers of staff required. There are also differences in the hours of operation, fees charged, whether or not child care benefit is available and how each service is managed. Summaries of the service types appear in the tables below.
Children’s services may have waiting lists for care. You need to make contact with services in your area to obtain information about how to enrol your child.
To obtain information about local children’s services, go to our contacts and links page.
You can also read the information on the how to choose a centre page to assist you in making the right choice for your child.
fees
All services set their own fees - this is not regulated by DoCS.
assistance with the cost of care
The Australian Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA) provides families with assistance with the cost of child care fees through the Child Care Benefit Scheme (CCB). The CCB enables certain services to offer reduced fees depending on family income.
To obtain information about CCB or find out if you are eligible to receive it, contact FaCSIA or the Family Assistance Office at Centrelink on 13 6150.
accreditation of services
The National Child Care Accreditation Council Inc (NCAC) assists some service types to improve the quality of care that they provide for children.
NCAC administers Family Day Care Quality Assurance for family day care schemes, Outside School Hours Care Quality Assurance for outside school hours care services, and the Quality Improvement and Accreditation System for long day care centres. All services that are eligible to offer the CCB must participate in the Accreditation System for their service type.
You can find out about the NCAC and the quality assurance programs on the NCAC website
