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Child Care News for Parents & Carers
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April 1, 2020
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Welcome, this week we answer a question many of you have contacted us about…whether nannies are eligible for the Child Care Subsidy. Also, Raise Early Years director, Mandy Richardson, explains how performing a toy cull could benefit the quality of your child's play. Plus, why it's important to keep your kids enrolled in child care.
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COVID-19: Keep your kids enrolled in care
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With so much information to process and an ever-changing situation many of us are struggling to work out where we stand with regard to the containment measures in effect to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
One message being sent loud and clear from the early childhood sector is 'Keep your kids enrolled in care.'
With many parents concerned about keeping their children safe and oblique messages surrounding the status of schools and early childhood services, a large number of parents have chosen to keep their children at home.
While early childhood services and associations support the decision by parents to keep their children home they are imploring parents to keep them enrolled in their service even if they are not attending.
This is to ensure early childhood services can remain viable in the short term and reopen once the current restrictions have been lifted.
Industry sources have indicated that early childhood education and care (child care) will be on the agenda for the next meeting of the National Cabinet (Prime Minister & Premiers) on Friday April 3rd, 2020. We hope that additional support for parents and providers will be announced after the meeting.
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Can families get the Child Care Subsidy for nannies and au pairs?
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The New Child Care Package brought in many changes, including an overhaul of the government's approach to In Home Care assistance.
As of 1 July 2018, the In Home Care program replaced the Home Care Program and Nanny Pilot (which used to provide subsidised nanny care for about 10,000 children).
Under the current system:
- There are up to 3,200 In Home Care places available to families who cannot use other types of approved child care.
- Nannies may be eligible for a government subsidy if they're a registered provider, but if you hire a nanny privately or through a non-government approved agency, you will not be eligible for subsidised child care; and
- Au pairs do not attract government funding.
Here we see who is eligible for an In Home Care subsidy, and explain why nannies and au pairs still make sense for many families.
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How fewer toys leads to higher quality play
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Children and toys go hand-in-hand, and there's much to be gained when babies, toddlers and preschoolers play the day away.
Toys are a fun way to develop youngsters' motor skills, enliven their imagination, encourage social skills, practice problem-solving and foster independence, but it is possible to have too much of a good thing.
Overflowing toy boxes and crammed shelves are overwhelming for children and parents, and there's a school of thought that fewer, more carefully curated toys can enhance children's play.
To understand why less is more, and help parents choose quality over quantity, we spoke with Raise Early Years director, Mandy Richardson.
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