Whether you’re moving or your child just isn’t settling at their current childcare, there may be times when changing childcare centres is unavoidable. For many parents, switching childcare providers isn’t as simple as enrolling your child in a new centre. Especially if you’re receiving the Child Care Subsidy (CCS).
So, to help you navigate the process of changing your service provider, we’ve pulled together a few helpful tips.
How to tell if my child isn’t happy at childcare
When your child first starts childcare, it’s completely normal for them to be upset and unsettled for the first couple of weeks as they get used to a new environment and routine. With that said, there may be instances when your child just doesn’t gel with their current childcare provider and may be in need of a change of scenery.
It can often be difficult to tell the difference between an unsettled child and a child that needs a change of scenery, so here are a few telltale signs that could indicate you might need to consider a new childcare service:
- Increased crying or clinginess: If your child starts crying more than usual or becomes particularly clingy when you drop them off or pick them up, it could be a sign of distress.
- Changes in eating or sleeping patterns: Noticeable changes in appetite or sleep, like refusing to eat, overeating, having trouble sleeping or experiencing nightmares, can indicate that your child is stressed or unhappy.
- Withdrawal or hesitation to attend: If your child becomes unusually withdrawn, refuses to go to childcare or expresses a strong desire to stay home, it could be a sign that your child isn’t happy in their current care environment.
- Regressive behaviours: Reverting to earlier developmental stages, including bed-wetting, thumb-sucking or increased tantrums, might indicate stress or anxiety that stems from their childcare.
- Frequent illness: While children in childcare are often exposed to more germs, frequent or recurrent illnesses can sometimes be a sign of stress weakening their immune system.
If you think your child isn’t enjoying their current childcare or it’s not the right fit for them, try talking to them about their experiences at childcare if they’re at the right age. Keep the conversation age-appropriate and ask open-ended questions to get a better understanding of their feelings.
You can also chat with their early childhood educators to discuss your concerns and gather their insights. They might be able to provide updates on any changes or issues at the service that could be affecting your child.
Just because your child isn’t settling into their current childcare doesn't necessarily mean it’s a poor-quality service, it just means that it’s not the right fit for your little one. Every child is unique and has different needs, so it’s important to find a childcare provider that caters to your child.
How to change childcare providers
Whether you’re moving or your child doesn’t enjoy their current childcare service, you’ll need to enroll your child in a new childcare provider. The process for changing childcare services will depend on the individual providers themselves and whether or not you receive the CCS. Here’s a general overview of the steps you’ll need to take to change childcare providers.
Step 1: Select a new childcare provider
Before you can change service providers, you’ll need to find a new childcare for your little one. If you’re moving, this might involve visiting different services in your new area to find childcare that suits the needs of your family. Alternatively, if your current service isn’t right for your child, you’ll probably want to take a look at other providers nearby.
If you’re on the hunt for a new childcare provider, you can use the Care for Kids childcare search tool to help streamline your search. Compare a range of different childcare services based on features, cost, location, learning style and availability. You can even check their National Quality Standard (NQS) rating and read over reviews from other parents while you’re at it. With so much information on hand, you’ll be better positioned to make an informed decision on where to send your child next.
Step 2: Inform your current childcare provider
Once you’ve found a new childcare provider for your little one, you’ll need to let your current provider know of your plans to finish up at their service. They’ll be able to let you know their process for cancelling childcare enrollments at their service.
With that said, it’s important to be aware of any notice periods required by your current provider to avoid additional charges. You should be able to find more information on their policies and procedures for cancelling enrollments on the service provider’s website.
Step 3: Update your details with Services Australia
Next, you’ll need to inform Services Australia of any changes to your circumstances if you’re moving childcare providers due to moving and changing addresses. Services Australia manage your CCS Centrelink payments, so if you’re receiving the CCS, you’ll need to update them on any changes. And remember, if the changes impact your subsidy, it can take up to 2 weeks to apply. This is because Services Australia checks your eligibility and pays your CCS fortnightly.
Step 4: Confirm your new childcare enrollment details
If you change childcare services, you don’t need to tell Services Australia as long as you’re still using an approved service. With that said, you’ll need to confirm your child’s new enrollment details online.
Services Australia will only be able to pay your CCS to your provider once you’ve confirmed these details. Your new childcare provider will send Services Australia your attendance information and Services Australia will then pay the subsidy directly to them.
If your new service is a different type of approved care, this may affect the hourly rate cap used. You can read more about how the type of child care you use affects your subsidy on the Services Australia website.
Step 5: Confirm transition dates
Most children thrive off routine, so changing childcare providers can often create stress and anxiety for your little one. To help ease them into their new childcare service, it can help to arrange for an overlap period where your child can transition smoothly from the old provider to the new one.
When it comes to your CCS payments, be sure to confirm the date when the subsidy payments will be transferred to the new provider to avoid any disruption to your child’s care.
Step 6: Monitor CCS payments
After the change, keep an eye on your subsidy payments to make sure they’re being correctly directed to your new provider. If you notice any discrepancies, contact Services Australia immediately to resolve them.
Whether you’re moving house or your child isn’t settling into their current childcare, there may be times when you need to find a new childcare service. Be sure to follow the steps to cancel your child’s enrollment at their current provider and confirm the new childcare provider’s details with Services Australia so you can continue to receive your CCS benefits.
