Family Day Care is a flexible and affordable education and care option that is designed to meet your child's and your family's specific needs. Personalised care is provided in a small group setting in a nurturing and familiar home environment.
Our qualified educators are fully supported by Windermere ensuring they are kept up to date with training, regulations and legislation and compliance with the Early Years Framework.
As an approved and accredited service agency, Windermere provides full administration support to families including:
Absolutely. As the approved and registered family day care service provider it is our responsibility to recruit, train, support and manage our family day care educators. Together we must engage in the principles and practices of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and work within the requirements of the National Quality Framework (NQF).
This means educators must:
All of our educators undergo a number of home safety checks to ensure that their home meets the appropriate safety standards as set out in the governing regulations. Ongoing safety checks are also carried out during educator support visits.
If your Family Day Care educator (or someone in their house) becomes ill and your child cannot attend, we will endeavour to find you an alternative educator. If we cannot find an alternative educator, no fee is payable for the duration of the absence.
Where possible, our educators will always try to take leave at a time that is suitable to their families. We also provide a number of relief educators that may be available during this time.
Each fortnight we will issue you with an invoice for your fees.
Once you sign up for Hub Debit your fees will automatically be debited from your nominated bank or credit card account. However, if you don’t want the fees directly debited from your account, please let us know so we can update the system from our end. You then have the ability through Hub Debit to go in and schedule a one off payment each fortnight to pay your account.
Please note you MUST advise us if you do not want to be direct debited by sending an email to enquiriesECECS@windermere.com.au
Please include your full name and the name of your child in the email.
Ensuring children eat a balanced and healthy diet (with plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and water) is very important for their learning and wellbeing.
If meals or snacks are being provided please ensure you have advised the educator of any special dietary requirements.
A child’s behaviour is often the first and only way they know to communicate their needs. We know that providing children with positive early experiences really does give them a lifelong advantage so our educators are dedicated to:
Vaccination protects against infection, saves lives and protects those who are too young or too sick to be immunised. The risk of complications from childhood diseases like measles is much higher than the risks of vaccination.
If you haven't had your child immunised, we are unable to provide care for your child.
For more information visit health.vic.gov.au.
It's very important for your child's safety that we know when they arrive and leave, so please follow these simple steps. Let the staff/educator know:
And for your own safety, please check with an educator about parking options whilst dropping off or picking up your child.
Depending on the age of your child you should consider packing the following:
Please make sure everything is labelled clearly.
Please let us know if your child will be absent from scheduled bookings for any reason. When your child returns you will need to sign the attendance record to confirm their absence. It can be helpful to provide documentation to support absence days such as:
Please note you will still need to pay for absent days of any kind (i.e. public holidays) unless:
Full details are available in the separate Fee Booklet.
When a child is not in care due to illness, this is classified as an allowable absence (of which each child is entitled to 42 per year) and the usual fees apply.
Talking about the upcoming change in your child’s routine and role-modelling positive feelings and expectations about the environment is important. So is taking things gradually. For example:
Regardless of the service option you choose, you should feel welcome to telephone or drop in during the day to see how your child is settling.
Families accessing HubWorks! through Internet Explorer have experienced some issues so we recommend you use the Google Chrome or Manilla Firefox internet browsers to log in and use HubWorks! If you continue to experience issues with HubWorks! using these browsers please contact the team on 5943 7814 who will assist you.
You can visit their website for more information.
Yes we do. Excursions are planned in the best interests of the children and for educational purposes. Before any outing we need your written permission and to provide you with an excursion plan outlining where your child is going, times and transport information including the anticipated route. Families are encouraged to join excursions when available
Families are required to sign up to the Hub Debit system through HubWorks! to make payments for family day care fees. You will receive an invoice direct to your email inbox each fortnight and can choose to have the payment direct debited from your nominated account or you can schedule the payment yourself within HubWorks!
Once you enter your bank or credit card details into HubWorks! through the Hub Debit system, no one at Windermere has access to see these details. We see the first two and last two digits of your bank account or credit card, the rest appear as XXXX. Your details are secure and protected within HubWorks! by InterPay (a third party company who process the payments on our behalf through HubWorks!) and will only ever be used for the payment of your family day care fees.
If you have advised us that you don’t want your fees directly debited, you can go into HubWorks! and schedule a payment at any time. Select 'settings' (the little cog wheel) image on the top right hand side of your page (as shown below) and select ‘Make a Payment’.
Enter in the amount you want to pay, schedule the date you want to make the payment (this cannot be on the same day you are scheduling the payment so it needs to be at least one day in advance) and then select the ‘Pay’ button.
We will issue invoices to families every fortnight, generally on a Wednesday, and process direct debits to your nominated account on a Friday. Please note that processing can take up to two business days (which means payment may not actually come out of your account until the Monday or Tuesday) so please ensure you leave enough funds in your account.
Yes. If you let us know what day you want your fees to be debited from your account we can ensure that it is processed for that particular day (keeping in mind it may take up to two business days after that to actually come out of your account).
To change your payment day, please contact the team on 5943 7814 or email enquiriesECECS@windermere.org.au with your name, your child’s name, and the day you want your payments to be directly debited.
If you are scheduling your own payments (please let us know if you’re doing this) you have the option to choose any day to make a payment. Please keep in mind that in alignment with our fee policy all fees must be paid within seven days of receiving an invoice. As processing takes up to two business days, if you have not made payment within seven days and do not make payment by midnight on the Thursday prior to your next invoice being issued, your payment may not appear on the invoice when it is issued to you.
Hub Debit is integrated with IntegraPay which is a third party company who process the payments on our behalf through HubWorks! the software package we use to administer our family day care program.
The processing fees are fees set by IntegraPay and are not those issued or kept by Windermere.
All payment methods unfortunately incur some kind of fee - if you choose a bank account as the payment method for your fees you will incur a 75 cents transaction fee for each payment that is processed. If you pay for care every fortnight in a year the total annual fee will be $19.50. Credit cards incur an additional fee of 0.9% of your total payment amounts.
If you notice any errors with your invoice please contact the team on 5943 7814 as soon as possible. With the HubWorks! program we are able to rectify any errors, resubmit your child’s attendance and issue you with a new invoice, usually within two to three business days.
If you are an Australian resident under the age of 65 and have a diagnosed disability (or developmental delay for children under the age of 6) you may be eligible under the NDIS.
Access & eligibility for the NDIS is determined by the NDIA. The NDIS website has an access checker that you can use to see if you are likely to be eligible.
The majority of our consumers are in the South East Victorian region which includes the Cities of Greater Dandenong and Casey and the Shires of Cardinia and Baw Baw.
From the information released so far it seems that it could take eligible consumers up to 12 months to enter the NDIS program because of the phased roll out. Baw Baw Shire is scheduled for 1 October 2017 and Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia are 1 September 2018. But the areas around our service region will transition earlier and we will be able to offer NDIS funded services to consumers living in those areas as the plan rolls out.
For those consumers who currently participate in State or Federal programs, it’s important to understand that those programs will continue until you start your NDIS plan.
For the most current information on the NDIS please visit www.ndis.gov.au
No. We’ll be ready long before our programs officially transition to the NDIS. Actually, for a number of years now, Windermere has already been providing individually funded services to consumers funded under existing Individual Support Package or DSS funded programs. So we already have well developed systems to support consumers who choose to purchase support using their individualised funding. Obviously we continue to review and improve these services and systems to ensure we can effectively support the increasing numbers of consumers who will receive individual funding.
We also have consumers who had already transitioned into NDIS (as arranged by NDIA) before moving into our area. Windermere are already an approved NDIA provider and are registered to provide services under the NDIS.
For the most current information on the NDIS please visit www.ndis.gov.au
We are in regular contact with the NDIA and peak bodies such as National Disability Services and Early Childhood Intervention Australia. As more information becomes available we will definitely share this with our consumers via this newsletter, on our website and through information sessions when appropriate.
We have also formed a project team to ensure our readiness including being able to provide advice and assistance for anyone who has concerns about how a move to the NDIS might affect them. As I mentioned previously, we already have experience providing some fee for service options for consumers with access to individualised funding through ISP or DSS programs so we’re sure that will assist us to ensure a smooth transition.
Finally, we have two Consumer Consultative Committee’s - co-ordinated by the Disability team at Narre Warren and the team at Warragul, that work with consumer groups to ensure our services and systems meet the needs of you, our consumer.
For the most current information on the NDIS please visit www.ndis.gov.au
More information is due to be released by the NDIS before the end the year. If you have questions about the roll-out timeline or scheme design, just ask your worker (or visit the NDIS website (www.ndis.gov.au). We will include additional information as it becomes available through our newsletter and on our website.
We are in regular contact with the NDIA and peak bodies such as National Disability Services and Early Childhood Intervention Australia. As more information becomes available we will definitely share this with our consumers via this newsletter, on our website and through information sessions when appropriate.
We have also formed a project team to ensure our readiness including being able to provide advice and assistance for anyone who has concerns about how a move to the NDIS might affect them. As I mentioned previously, we already have experience providing some fee for service options for consumers with access to individualised funding through ISP or DSS programs so we’re sure that will assist us to ensure a smooth transition.
Finally, we have two Consumer Consultative Committee’s - co-ordinated by the Disability team at Narre Warren and the team at Warragul, that work with consumer groups to ensure our services and systems meet the needs of you, our consumer.
For the most current information on the NDIS please visit www.ndis.gov.au
This offers you a number of valuable benefits including:
There is a huge demand locally for quality Windermere Family Day Care Educators, and most of them work to full capacity all year.
Depending on your availability you can expect to earn between $45,000 to $70,000 per year.
Your actual income will depend on a number of factors including your qualifications and experience, the quality of your overall care and education, and hours and days you choose to work. Sometimes it can take a little while to get established.
Running a home-based early childhood education and care service will affect your entire family. Because you will be expected to operate professionally at all times, it is vital that you discuss with your family the impact it will have on them, and the ways you deal with this, before you submit your application.
Here are some of the issues you should consider:
If you are accepted as a Family Day Care Educator, be prepared to go through a period of adjustment, which is entirely normal. If you feel it would be helpful, we are happy to visit and discuss your new career with you and your family.
Here is a list of what you will need to cover:
Public Liability Insurance
All Family Day Care Educators are required to have adequate insurance. This is can be arranged through Family Day Care Australia and the cost is very reasonable, premiums payable fortnightly. Information will be sent to you if you are accepted.
Police Check Fee
Working with Children Check
Family Day Care Educators Levy*
Payable to Windermere Early Childhood Education & Care Services
First Aid Course
Medical Certificate
Cost of a standard visit to your GP only
Activity materials Items such as play dough, paints, paper and glue
An adequate variety of toys & games
You may prefer to borrow items from the toy library
Safety-related equipment
Items such as:
Child-related equipment
You will need to purchase some of your own equipment as you become established.
Home business-related equipment
It is licensed and funded by the Commonwealth Government. Family Day Care is provided to small groups of children within the Educator’s home, enabling them to deliver highly personalised care and quality learning programs within a stimulating and nurturing environment. This helps to develop a strong connection between the Educator and each
of the children they regularly care for, which helps to support the children’s identity, connection with the community, wellbeing and communication.
Working closely with our Educators, we aim to achieve four main goals:
1. Environment
Deliver a stimulating and engaging educational program that enhances learning and development.
2. Curriculum
Promote competence, independence and learning through play.
3. Relationships
Develop respectful and equitable relationships which increase children’s sense of security and belonging.
4. Partnerships
Develop strong partnerships with families to achieve positive outcomes for their children.
The services we offer through
Family Day Care include:
With our Family Day Care services available 24 hours a day, seven days week, we ask our Educators to nominate the hours and days they would like to work, based on a minimum of 3 x 8-hour days. The maximum number of children a Educator can care for at any time is seven children, with up to four being below school age. (This includes any children of your own aged under 12 years).
Yes. You will need to have completed Certificate III in Children’s Services. You will also need to have completed First Aid, Anaphylaxis management, and Asthma management before you begin caring for children.
There are a number of variables in the way we place children with you, including the area in which you live, how many non-school-age children you have of your own, and whether you transport your own children to and from school.
Children come and go from care, so when a child leaves there is no guarantee that another child can be placed with you immediately. A lot of your success will depend on your enthusiasm, dedication, the quality of the education and care you provide, and most importantly, your professional reputation.
Existing service providers (like us!) can keep you up to date about the progress in your area and also advise you about information you should gather in preparation for NDIA planning.
The NDIS website also has some excellent resources for people with a disability and their families to assist with preparation – look for My NDIS Pathway.
If you are already using existing Commonwealth or State funding services, the NDIA or Local Area Coordinator will contact you about NDIS access and planning.
For those who may be eligible but are not using services when the NDIS becomes available, you will be able to contact the NDIA and complete an Access Request Form – you will also need to provide evidence of your developmental delay or diagnosed disability.
A LAC or Local Area Coordinator is an organisation who will be providing some outsourced NDIA tasks including:
There will be one designated LAC provider in each area. Across many areas, these are still unknown - check back regularly to find out the LAC in your area.
The NDIS recognises specific needs of families who have children under 6 who are experiencing developmental delay, but whom do not yet have a formal disability diagnosis.
Requirements include that the child has developmental delay which results in substantially reduced functional capacity in one or more of the areas of self-care, receptive & expressive language, cognitive development or motor development, and that specialised services or treatments which are individually planned and coordinated are required over an extended period of time.
Full details of early intervention access requirements are available on the NDIS website.
Commonwealth and state-based services and supports will continue until eligible people start their NDIS plans.
Once an eligible person starts their plan they can then choose to purchase their supports from a variety of providers, including their existing service provider if they are happy to do so.
Sometimes life deals us a bad hand, and circumstances mean families are simply unable to afford food and necessities, let alone gifts. Many have experienced extreme disadvantage, trauma and vulnerability, and are connected with Windermere through one of our life-changing services.
We work at the core of the local community to assist those experiencing adversity. Merry Mission provides an opportunity to bring some Christmas joy to children and families who are doing it tough and would otherwise miss out.
Merry Mission has been running for over 10 years, and has provided more than 10,000 gifts and around 4,500 hampers to thousands of families across our community.
Lots and lots!
Windermere is an independent community service organisation, working across south eastern Melbourne and Gippsland, to help those who need it most. With a history spanning 160 years, we work to build a stronger, connected and supported community.
Our support comes in many forms; we work together to find the best solutions for the varied and complex issues faced by children, families and individuals in our community.
With a focus on intervention and prevention, we aim to get in early to make a difference in the areas of:
Our services are primarily funded through two channels - government and by our generous community of donors, to whom we are grateful.
We believe that everyone is someone in our community – this is reflected in our approach with those we work with every day.
There are so many ways you can support Windermere, here are just a few ideas:
For more information or to chat further contact one of the team fundraising@windermere.org.au or 1300 946 337
Never fear we have it covered!
We have created some useful digital assets for you to share Merry Mission, including an email template and a story highlighting how our appeal makes immediate impact to the lives of families we work. Just contact the team on 1300 946 337 or drop us an email fundraising@windermere.org.au.