Cassowary Coast Regional Council

Cassowary Coast Regional Council operates a service called Family Day Care (FDC). This program is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services and regulated by the Queensland Department of Communities.

FDC currently operates from Babinda to Mission Beach with an average of 115 full time available places.
Ms Jacqui Szafran, Unit Coordinator said that CCRC FDC providers of the Cassowary Coast Family Day Care Scheme are upgrading their skills to ensure delivery of high quality service to families in their care.

“Four care providers have undertaken a Certificate III in Children Services through the FDC Association Queensland, the recipient of funding through Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative,” she said.

“This project aims to assist people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, older carers and other current carers in gaining part of the Certificate III in Children’s Services qualification to increase their employability.”

FDC Association Queensland and Source Education and Training will support participants to achieve outcomes through face-to-face mentoring sessions, tutorials and home visits.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of care providers registered with the Cassowary Coast FDC Scheme have either a formal qualification in child care or are currently completing a qualification.

The service is unable to keep up with demand for care in the Innisfail, Mission Beach and Tully areas due to the lack of care providers.

The CCRC FDC Coordination Unit is interested in speaking to anyone who may be interested in offering Family Day Care from their home in the Cardwell to Babinda area.

For further information in relation to becoming a care provider please contact the Coordination Unit and speak with Jacqui Szafran or Sharon Morgan on 40302254.

Background on FCC Care Providers

Care providers are small business operators who care for children in small groups within a home environment. The limits on children are set by the State government and are 4 children under school age including their own and 3 school age children. The care providers are required to follow Federal and State Government legislation, have a current working with children ‘blue card’, a senior first aid certificate and their own public liability insurance. Care providers are required to implement educational programs within their weekly planning.

The care providers are responsible for setting their own fees and determining the hours they operate. Care providers can earn an average gross annual income of $43,000+ depending on the fees charged, number of children in care and hours worked per week.

Care Providers attend monthly meetings for the purpose of training, personal development, networking and information exchange. These meetings enable care providers to keep abreast with the constantly changing environment within the child care industry. Care Providers are encouraged to attend training offered by independent organisations and to attend State and National Conferences. The Cassowary Coast care providers are recognised state wide for their commitment to training, personal development and continued quality improvement in child care.

Care providers who are affiliated with an Approved Family Day Care Scheme are able to offer subsidised child care to eligible families through child care benefit.