A childcare service that develops your child’s ideas, strengths and abilities

We have registered educators in the following areas: Evans Head, Swan Bay, Broadwater, Ballina, Alstonville, Wollongbar, Richmond Hill, Tintenbar, Eltham, Knockrow, Lennox Head, Suffolk Park, Byron Bay, Tyagarah, Mullumbimby, Brunswick Heads, Ocean Shores, Murwillumbah and Uki. If we cannot find an educator in your desired area, we will try to locate one that is as close as possible to either your home or work.

Ballina Byron Family Day Care is a deregulated scheme, which means that registered educators can set their own fees and charges. Fees will therefore vary depending on your family’s choice of educator. Families will receive a copy of their individual educator’s fee schedule and payment requirements at the time of interview.

1. Complete the Application for Childcare form.
2. We’ll review your request for care and match your needs to available educators.
3. If a position is available, we’ll contact you and advise how to enrol your child for care.
4. If positions are not available, your name remains on the waiting list and we will contact you as soon as a position becomes available.

We will only contact you once a position becomes available, or we require additional information. However you are always welcome to contact us and enquire about your application. It is also important to contact us if any of the details you initially provided have changed.

Yes. Family Day Care encourages family grouping and helps parents to find the most suitable educator for their family.

If you feel that the educator you have been referred to does not suit your family’s needs, you are under no obligation to commence care with them. Advise the educator you no longer require the position, then contact the Family Day Care office and discuss your needs with one of our coordinators.

Prospective educators are required to complete a thorough registration process. This involves an assessment of the prospective educator and their home environment during an interview. If a person is suitable to be an educator, personal referees are contacted, and compulsory Working with Children Checks on the educator - and all adult members of the household - are required. The home environment requires a thorough risk assessment before commencement of registration. All prospective educators are required to hold a current Senior First Aid Certifictae, an Asthma & Anaphylaxis Certificate, as well as a Certificate lll in Children and Family Services.

Educators offer a written program of age appropriate early learning experiences, equivalent to those found in childcare services such as a preschool or long day care centres. Children enjoy a balance of indoor and outdoor play experiences including art and craft, language, numeracy, science, and transition to school.

Families can apply for Child Care Subsidy (CCS) by contacting the Department of Human Services on 136 150. These government benefits are available for the majority of families and assist in reducing the cost of childcare fees. CCS is paid directly to the educator in order to reduce your out of pocket childcare expenses.

The maximum number of children an educator can look after is 7, however only 4 can be under school age (including their own children).

Where possible, we try to match you with the educator of your choice, however we do need to follow the priority of access policy.

The co-ordination unit will try and find an alternate educator for your child. An educator will give families notice when they are going to take holidays. Some of our educators use relief educators when they take leave. You would need to discuss this arrangement when commencing Family Day Care.

Only with your signed permission and after completing a risk assessment, can an educator leave their home on an excursion. All excursions must be for the benefit of the children with typical locations being a playgroup, a park or another educator’s home for a play session. If you’re not comfortable with your child being taken out on a routine excursion, please talk to your educator.