Child Care Service Handbook 2017-2018
Opportunity through learning
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ISBN
978-1-76051-273-6[PDF]
978-1-76051-274-3[DOCX]
With the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, the Department’s logo, any material protected by a trade mark and where otherwise noted all material presented in this document is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International( licence.
The details of the relevant licence conditions are available on the Creative Commons website (accessible using the links provided) as is the full legal code for the CC BY 4.0 International (
The document must be attributed as the Child Care Service Handbook 2017-2018.
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Table of Contents
How to use this handbook
Parts and sections
Quick contacts
Forms
Service icons
Direction indicators
Other information resources
Online Updates
Comments and suggestions
Important notice and disclaimer
Common terminology
Quick contacts
Changes from July 2018
A new child care system is arriving
What has changed?
Acronyms
Part 1Policy and processes
1Australian Government Child Care Support
1.1Authority
1.2Responsibilities of different levels of government
1.3Availability of child care places
1.4National Quality Framework
1.5Interim Standards for In Home Care
2Types of service
2.1Family Day Care
2.2Long Day Care
2.3Outside School Hours Care
2.4Occasional Care
2.5In Home Care
3Child Care Services Support Programme
3.1The Community Support Programme
3.2Budget Based Funded (BBF) Programme
3.3Inclusion Support Programme
3.4Inclusion and Professional Support Program
4Operating a service
4.1Legal responsibilities for operating a service
4.2Business type and provision of documentation
4.3Industrial awards and agreements
4.4Fees for before and after school care
4.5Goods and Services Tax
4.6Recording attendance
4.7Who is responsible for ensuring attendance records are kept and attendance reports are both submitted and accurate?
4.8Absences from care
4.9Information management
5Compliance and accountability
5.1Child care services approved under family assistance law
5.2Sanctions, immediate suspensions, offences and financial penalties for failure to comply with a civil penalty provision
5.3Eligibility rules
5.4Key obligations imposed on child care services approved under the family assistance law
5.5Cooperation with authorised officers under the Act
5.6Compliance with all child care related applicable laws
5.7Allocation of child care places not to be exceeded
5.8Some other things services should know about the family assistance law and associated rules
5.9Compliance monitoring
5.10How to find out more
5.11Responsibilities under funding agreements
6Service delivery
6.1Conduct of the service
6.2Who can use a service?
6.3Priority of access
6.424-hour care
6.5What are my service's responsibilities to parents?
6.6What are my service's responsibilities to children?
6.7What are my service's responsibilities to educators?
6.8Handling complaints
6.9Links with other services
6.10Reporting of vacancy data
7National Quality Framework Overview
7.1What is the National Quality Framework?
7.2The Legislative Framework
7.3The National Quality Standard
7.4The National Assessment and Rating System
7.5Monitoring and Compliance
7.6Assistance and support for services
Part 2Payments to families
8Overview of payments
8.1Payment types
8.2Overview for families
8.3Overview for services
8.4Who is eligible?
8.5Online reporting
8.6Summary of forms
8.7Who to contact for child care payments administration
9Reporting enrolment information
9.1What is an enrolment?
9.2Enrolment types
9.3Reporting enrolment information
9.4Updating enrolment information
9.5Enrolment Advances
10Reporting Attendance Information
10.1What is an Attendance Record Report?
10.2Information to be included on Attendance Record Reports
10.3Reporting attended hours and in/out times
10.4Information received back against an Attendance Record Report
10.5Correcting or updating information on an Attendance Record Report
11Calculation of fee reductions and payments to services
11.1How the Department of Human Services calculates Child Care Benefit fee reductions
11.2Factors used by the Department of Human Services in the calculation of Child Care Benefit
11.3Eligible hours of care
11.4 How Jobs, Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance amounts are calculated
11.5Notifying changes in circumstances
11.6Recalculation of fee reductions
11.7Payment of fee reductions to services
11.8Resolving issues with amounts paid
11.9Passing fee reductions to families
12 Management of debts and amounts to be recovered from services
12.1Offsetting
12.2Recovery of debts from closed services
12.3Contact for further information regarding offsetting and debts
13Absences from child care
13.1Initial 42 absence days
13.2Additional absence days
13.3Absences for Occasional Care
13.4Payment of Child Care Benefit for absences
13.5Recording absences
13.6Supporting documentation for additional absence days
13.7Absences Flow Chart
14Special Child Care Benefit
14.1Purpose - What is it and who is it for?
14.2Special Child Care Benefit - for children at risk of serious abuse or neglect
14.3Approval of SCCB for a child at risk of serious abuse or neglect
14.4Documenting service approvals for SCCB for a child at risk of serious abuse or neglect
14.5Applying for a further period of SCCB
14.6Special Child Care Benefit for eligible individuals experiencing temporary financial hardship
14.7Approval of SCCB for temporary financial hardship
14.8Documenting service approvals for SCCB for temporary financial hardship
14.9Applying to DHS and documenting a further period of SCCB for hardship
14.10The 18 per cent service approval limit for SCCB
14.11Absences while receiving SCCB
14.12Approving SCCB and Jobs, Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance
14.13Changes to SCCB session of care for Family Day Care Services
15Child Care Rebate
15.1Child Care Rebate
15.2Who is eligible?
15.3Payment process to receive Child Care Rebate
15.4What does this mean for child care services?
15.5What is the total fee?
15.6 Child Care Rebate limits
Appendices
Appendix 1: Disclosure of child care service information
Background
Legislative Framework
Information published on the MyChild website about individual child care services
Requesting child care service information
Reports on Child Care in Australia
Appendix 2: Child Care Payment Rates and Income Thresholds
Child Care Benefit (CCB) rates – CCB Approved Care for 2017-18
Registered Care
Jobs, Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance (JETCCFA)
Child Care Rebate
Enrolment Advance Amounts 2016-2017 (historical purposes only)
Glossary
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Child Care Service Handbook 2017-2018
How to use this handbook
The Child Care Service Handbook 2017-2018 is for all child care services which are approved under family assistance law and operate under the Child Care Management System (CCMS).
Parts and sections
The handbook is divided into two parts, each with a number of sections.
Part 1 is about the policy framework and rules for Australian Government Child Care Support.
Part 2 focuses on how to manage Child Care Benefit (CCB), Child Care Rebate (CCR) and other child care payments.
The contents page shows you the sections within each part. You will find a list of acronyms near the beginning of the handbook and a glossary (explanation of terms) at the end of the handbook.
At the start of each part and each section, there are short explanations about what they include. These will help you decide if what you are looking for is in that part or section.
The start of each section also includes a more detailed contents feature. Within each section, the main subsections are numbered.
Quick contacts
The quick contacts section provides phone numbers and other contact information to find out more about the information in this handbook.
There are contact details for:
- The CCMS Helpdesk
- The Special Child Care Assessment Team in the Department of Human Services
- Addresses for the Department of Education and Training state and territory offices.
Forms
A summary of forms used by services, and how to get them can be found at Section 8.6of this handbook.
Service icons
Information relating to particular service type/s only is marked with a highlighted service icon above the relevant text.
Service icon / Service type/ Family Day Care
/ In Home Care
/ Outside School Hours Care
/ Long Day Care
/ Occasional Care
/ Services funded under the Budget Based Funded Programme, also referred to as ‘Non-Mainstream’ services
Text marked with all service icons highlighted is for all types of services and should be read carefully.
Direction indicators
These refer you to relevant information elsewhere in the handbook. For example, See 3.2 Budget Based Funded (BBF) Programme.
Other information resources
The handbook is part of a set of information resources that support the delivery of quality child care and early learning across Australia.
Fact sheets, brochures and forms relating to the delivery of quality child care and early learning are available from the Department of Human Services by visiting them at one of their Service Centres.
You can also find child care information on the following websites:
Department of Education and Training
MyChild
Department of Human Services
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority
Online Updates
This handbook is only available online via the Department of Education and Training’s website.
From time to time the handbook may be updated with policy updates, clarifications or corrections.
Comments and suggestions
If you have any suggestions or ideas on how to improve the Child Care Service Handbook please email with the subject line 'Child Care Service Handbook suggestions', explaining your feedback or suggestion and giving your contact details in case we need more information.
Important notice and disclaimer
This is an important notice to users of this handbook. The handbook provides guidance and assistance to Child Care Benefit (CCB) approved child care services operating under the Child Care Management System (CCMS) on how the Australian Government Child Care Support system operates.
All CCB approved child care services must be familiar with the legislation and legislative instruments that form the family assistance law. The key legislation of the family assistance law includes:
- A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999
- A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999
Legislative instruments relevant to users of this handbook are available on the Department of Education and Training's website.
Users of this handbook must also be familiar with the Education and Care Services National Law
and the Education and Care Services National Regulations.
Users of the handbook are reminded that if there is conflict between the material in this handbook and the legislation, legislative instruments and regulations; the legislation, legislative instruments and regulations will always prevail.
Child care services should also be familiar with the terms and conditions of funding agreements. Users of the handbook are reminded that if there is conflict between material contained in the handbook and terms and conditions of the funding agreement, the terms and conditions of the funding agreement will always prevail.
While all care is taken, the Commonwealth accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any material contained in this publication. Additionally, the Commonwealth disclaims all liability to a person in respect of anything, and of the consequences of anything, done or omitted to be done by any such person in reliance, whether wholly or partially, upon any information presented in this publication. Material in this publication is made available on the understanding that the Commonwealth is not providing professional advice. Before relying on any of the material in this publication, readers should obtain appropriate professional advice.
Common terminology
For the purposes of this Handbook, some common terms have been used.
Family
The term family has the same meaning as an individual conditionally eligible for Child Care Benefit (CCB) or a person eligible for CCB.
Child care service / service
Used in this handbook as a term that may include scheme and centre, whatever the type of care.
Quick contacts
Contacts for CCB approved child care services
Contact / Contact details / When to useAustralian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)
/ Phone: 1300 422 327/
- For information and news on the National Quality Framework, resources and templates, application and notification forms (for submission to regulatory authorities).
- For educator qualification lists, assessment of qualifications, excellent rating applications, second tier review applications.
CCMS Helpdesk
/ Phone: 1300 667 276Fax: 1300 663 429
Only for child care service providers approved under family assistance law /
- For queries about how to report information under the CCMS.
- For queries relating to the administration of CCB and JETCCFA.
- For Special Child Care Benefit (SCCB) applications where the service is making itself eligible for reduced fees, or is seeking approval to exceed the SCCB 18% limit.
MyChild website
/ /- For information on fees, vacancies, quality ratings of approved services and the Child Care Estimator.
Department of Human Services - Special Child Care Assessment Team (SCAT)
/ Phone: 1800 050 021Fax: 1800 700 533
Only for child care service providers approved under family assistance law /
- For SCCB applications for more than 13 weeks, or applications for 24 hour care.
Department of Human Services- forms
/ Phone: 1800 067 307/
- To download forms used by services – See 8.6 Summary of forms
Department of Education and Training - forms
/ /- To download CCB forms used by services – See 8.6 Summary of forms
Department of Education and Training - state and territory offices
/ Phone:1300566046Australian Capital Territory/New South Wales
GPO Box 9880Sydney NSW
Victoria
GPO Box 9880Melbourne VIC 3001
Queensland – Brisbane
GPO Box 9880Brisbane QLD 4001
North Queensland – Townsville
PO Box 1088Townsville QLD 4810
South Australia
GPO Box 9880Adelaide SA 5001
Western Australia
GPO Box 9880Perth WA 6848
Northern Territory
GPO Box 9880Darwin NT 0801
Tasmania
GPO Box 9880Hobart TAS 7001 /
- An Australia-wide number. Callers must identify the state or territory office they want to contact and ask for Child Care Support.
- Services are to forward any written notice or information to the postal addresses listed.
Contacts for families
Contact / Contact details / When to useAustralian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)
/ Phone: 1300 422 327/
- For registers of approved providers and services.
- For quality ratings of approved services.
Child Care Access Hotline
/ Phone: 1800 670 305TTY: Phone 133 677 then ask for 1800 670 305.
You need a TTY phone to use this service.
Speak and Listen users:
Phone: 1300 555 727 then ask for 1800 670 305.
Internet Relay Users: connect to the National Relay Service /
- For information about CCB approved child care services in a particular area
Department of Human Services
/ Phone: 136 150TTY: 1800 810 586
/
- To apply for CCB online (for faster approval).
- To apply for CCB by phone for complex queries if receiving Family Tax Benefit.
- For families needing information about their eligibility and assessment of CCB, CCR and JETCCFA between 8.00am and 8.00pm nationally Monday to Friday.
Department of Human Services Multilingual Telephone Service
/ Phone: 13 12 02 /- For DHS related inquiries from families who require translating and/or interpreting assistance.
Department of Human Services (online services)
/Express Plus Families app
myGov account /
- For child care attendance, absences and CCB and CCR amounts and the Child Care Estimator.
MyChild website
/ /- For information on fees, vacancies, quality ratings of approved services and the Child Care Estimator
Department of Education and Training- Child Care Support for Families
/ Phone: 1800 664 231Email: /
- For reporting incorrect, illegal or fraudulent practices in regard to administration of Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate.
Australian Immunisation Register
/ Phone: 1800 653 809 /- For families to check their children’s immunisation records.
Immunisation information
/ Phone: 1800 671 811 /- For immunisation related inquiries about the National Immunisation Programme Schedule for the vaccination of all Australian children.
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Changes from July 2018
- The current Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate will be replaced with a single, means-tested payment commencing in July 2018.
- Registered care will also cease July 2018, however, will not be replaced with a similar payment.
- The Budget Based Funded (BBF) Programme will cease on 30 June 2018. Refer to below to transitioning services.
A new child care system is arriving
Child Care Subsidy and Additional Child Care Subsidy
The Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Jobs for Families Child Care Package) Act 2017 was enacted on 4 April 2017. This Act gives effect to the legislative elements of the Government’s new child care system, including the new Child Care Subsidy and Additional Child Care Subsidy. These elements, together with the new Community Child Care Fund, will commence in July 2018.
Implementation of the new child care system is underway. The Department of Human Services will be contacting families directly in the lead up to July 2018 to provide information on their entitlements and how they may change under the new Child Care Subsidy.
Inaddition, theDepartment of Education and Training is working closely with the sector to ensure child care providers and services understand the changes and their obligations, and are also able to pass on relevant and accurate information to families. A new integrated IT system is also being developed to provide a simple and easy user interface for families and child care services.
The Government will continue to consult with child care sector representatives, child care providers and families on the detail and implementation of the new child care system, including subordinate legislation and transition arrangements, to ensure these reforms achieve their objectives.
More information on the new child care system is available on the Department of Education and Training website.
Budget Based Funding (BBF)
The Department of Education and Training is providing additional support to BBF recipients transitioning to the new child care system funding arrangements from July 2018.
Under the new arrangements, services delivering child care that had been funded under the BBF program, and the families that use them, will for the first time, be able to access all of the same support as any other mainstream child care service and Australian family.
More information is available on the Department of Education and Training website.
What has changed?
Section / Reference / Details2.1 / Family Day Care / New legislation requirements for Family Day Care services.
3.1 / The Community Support Programme / Capital Funding for Long Day Care Services in Exceptional Circumstances ceased in 2016; updated weblinks.
3.3 / Inclusion Support Programme / Updated to reflect the closure of the IPSP and commencement of ISP, including new providers; updated weblinks to Inclusion Agencies.
4.2 / Business type and provision of documentation / Additional information provided.
4.3 / Industrial awards and agreements / Updated weblink.
4.7 / Who is responsible for ensuring attendance records are keptand attendance reports are both submitted and accurate? / Operator responsibilities outlined.
4.9 / Information management / Australian Privacy Principles - updated information.
5.2 / Sanctions, immediate suspensions, offences and financial penalties for failure to comply with a civil penalty provision / Updated information onnew legislation for Family Day Care services; updated penalty information.
5.3 / Eligibility rules / Cross Border Rules and new legislation requirements for Family Day Care services
5.4 / Key obligations imposed on child care services approved under the family assistance law / New legislation requirements for Family Day Care services; updatedpenalty information.
5.5 / Cooperation with authorised officers under the Act / New legislation requirements for Family Day Care services; updated penalty information.
5.8 / Some other things services should know about the family assistance law and associated rules / New legislation requirements for Family Day Care services; information regarding genuine liability, transport-only and extended absences from care.
5.9 / Compliance monitoring / Information on what to expect from a compliance review.
7.4 / The National Assessment and Rating System / Information on ratio changes.
7.5 / Monitoring and Compliance / Updated information on regulatory authorities.
7.6 / Assistance and support for services / Updatedweblinks.
8.4 / Who is eligible? / Updated information on immunisation requirements.
8.6 / Summary of forms / Updatedweblinks to forms.
9.5 / Enrolment Advances / Updated to reflect Enrolment Advances ceased as of July 2017.
10.5 / Correcting or updating information on an Attendance Record Report / Post reconciliation information.
11.4 / How Jobs, Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance amounts are calculated / Updated information to reflect hourly cap and weekly maximum hours for 'study only'.
13.1 / Initial 42 absence days / Updated information on absences.
14 / Special Child Care Benefit / Updated information throughout chapter.
15.3 / Payment process to receive Child Care Rebate / Updated to CCR quarterly periods and payment periods.
Appendices / Appendix 2 / Updated to reflect current rates.
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