Childcare Options

As Nurses, we work some pretty horrid hours.  What happens when work interferes with home life, and children need to be cared for when you have to go to work at 6 a.m. or when you finish work at 9 p.m. or later?

Here we have listed some of the childcare options available for working parents.  This is an overview only, and we recommend that you do further research yourself to decide what is right for you and your family.

In Queensland, child care services are licensed andchildcare 1 monitored by the Department of Communities under the Child Care Act 2002 and Child Care Regulation 2003. Child care services that are licensed in Queensland fall into two different categories: centre based, with several private and other child care centers, or home based, which is provided in the homes of carers.

Licensed child care services are required to meet minimum quality standards in areas such as:

  • qualifications of staff and care-providers
  • policies and procedures
  • number of staff required to care for children
  • maximum group sizes
  • activities and experiences
  • equipment
  • health and safety of children
  • facilities and space
  • information for parents and guardians.

childcare31 150x150 Childcare OptionsLicensed centre based child care

A centre based service provides care and education for children up to school age (birth to 12 years). The following describes the types of centre based services available in Queensland.  Hours of care are usually set between specific times, such as 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (these times are examples only).

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Long day care centers

These are licensed services and are usually open Monday to Friday between 7 am and 6 pm for at least 48 weeks of the year.

Kindergartenschildcare2 150x150 Childcare Options

These licensed services generally provide care and education for children from three and a half years to school age, and most keep to school hours (8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.)

Limited hours care services

Licensed services which operate for no longer than 20 hours in a week with a licensed capacity of not more than 30 children.

Occasional Care

Provides care for children on an occasional basis.

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student 1School age care services

Also referred to as before school and after school care, these are licensed services and offer care for school age children before and after school and during school holidays.

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Licensed home based care

Family Day Care is a home based service which provides care for a small group of children in one or more homes. This form of care does not include care in the child’s own home or care by relatives.

Family Day Care is licensed care that is offered in private homes of carers under a family day care scheme. Carers are supported by the scheme’s coordination unit.

Check here to find Childcare on the Sunshine Coast.

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Other types of services that are not licensed in Queensland include:

  • vacation care (not attached to a before or after school care service)
  • stand alone care (including what was formerly known as independent home based care)
  • adjunct care
  • children’s activity services
  • playgroups
  • nannies and babysitters
  • resort care (a service, conducted by a hotel or resort, to provide child care to children who are short term guests.

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