The IHC Program
In Home Care is education and care for families excluded from family day care or centre based care because of their family’s specific needs.
In Home Care provides an educator to care for children in the children’s own home. The care may be full time or part time, and can also cover care for school aged children before and after school.
In Home Care assistance is available for eligible families with challenging circumstances.
Eligibility
Not every family is eligible for In Home Care. It’s designed for families with special needs such as:
Geographically isolated
Families who have no access to other approved early childhood services.
Families that are geographically isolated from other types of approved child care, particularly in rural or remote locations may be eligible for In Home Care.
The Accessibility and Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA+) (2016) is used as measure to guide remoteness and isolation – families need to live in a location designated as Very Remote, Remote, or Moderately Accessible.
They also need to demonstrate that they are isolated from approved child care services based on the distance from their home to the nearest available, appropriate, child care service.
Parents with non-standard work hours
Families where the parent or carers work non-standard or variable hours, outside the normal child care service hours may be eligible for In Home Care.
This needs to be backed by evidence from employers and rosters.
Families with challenging or complex needs such as disability, illness etc.
The family has challenging or complex needs, including families experiencing challenging situations, and other approved child care services are not able to meet the needs of the child or the family.
What does challenging or complex needs mean:
A child with additional needs or a disability whose early childhood education and care requirements cannot be catered for in another approved child care setting, or through other government funded or community-based services.
A family where a parent is undergoing treatment for a serious illness.
Other complex family situations that prevent families from accessing other approved child care types.
The In Home Care process
Families who utilise the In home Care Program are provided care within their own home environment.
Step 1
Family eligibility and application
Lodge your family’s IHC application to the relevant IHC Support Agency in your state.
Step 2
Choose NSWIHC
Let the IHC Support Agency know you would like us to find you an educator. NSWIHC will then be sent your Family Management Plan (FMP).
Step 3
Step 3: Complete your IHC enrolment
Upon receipt of your FMP, we will walk you through three easy steps to enrol your child/ren into NSWIHC. We also conduct your Home Safety Assessment at this stage and you’ll be meeting potential educators for your family.
Step 4
In Home Care begins!
A qualified and registered NSWIHC educator will deliver quality early education and care for your family, right in the comfort and safety of your own home. Where you need it, just when you need it.
How do I apply for In Home Care?
Fill out the department ‘IHC Eligibility and Application Form’ and send it to the appropriate IHC Support Agency in your state.
Give us a call or message us and one of our friendly staff members will reach out to you. We’re always happy to help where we can!
Frequently asked questions
How is In Home Care different to babysitting?
In Home Care is a flexible non-traditional form of early education and care where children are cared for in their own home by a qualified registered IHC educator, delivering educational programs through subsidised IHC sessions.
What are the eligibility requirements?
In Home Care is an approved type of educational childcare where mainstream childcare is not available or suitable to utilise.
- Parent/Guardians working non-standard or varied hours.
- Parent/Guardians living in geographically isolated areas particularly rural remote locations.
- The family has challenging or complex needs, including where families are experiencing challenging situations.
What is CCS?
The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) helps make early learning and childcare more accessible for Australian families the child subsidy will be paid directly to the approved NSWIHC program to reduce family fees.
Our IHC educators are all independent contractors who set their own fees at a recommended affordable rate for families.
The total fee is reduced by the family entitled Child Care subsidy (CSS) % which is found in the family My Gov account.
Funding of Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) is applicable to eligible families under the wellbeing application with documentation provided.
Families need to apply for Financial Hardship funding assessed by Centrelink support staff.
See Services Australia website here
Watch explainer video on Youtube:
Who are the ACT and NSW In Home Care Support Agencies?
What qualifications do Educators have to have?
Every In Home Child Care Educator must have the following in order to work in the field:
- At least 1 year experience in an Early Education and Care setting or 2 years’ informal child-related work experience
- Minimum enrolment or completion in a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, or a teaching degree
- A first aid and CPR certificate
- Working with Children Check
- National Police Check
- Public Liability Insurance