Raising Children Network: the Australian parenting website
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Child care types

By Raising Children Network
 
 

Most families will need to rely on child care at some stage in their children’s lives. You may need just one hour a day, one or more days a week, all-day care for up to five days a week or even overnight care.

did you knowQuestion mark symbol

  • Debate has raged for decades over whether child care is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for children.
  • Researchers now say that the issue is not whether a child is in care, but whether that care is of high enough quality and whether the type of care suits your family.
 

There are four options for child care in Australia:

  • having your child cared for by a friend, relative or nanny in your home
  • family day care with a small group of children in an approved carer’s home
  • centre-based care in a child care centre with trained staff and a structured program
  • an occasional care centre for short-term care.

Getting help from friends, relatives or a nanny is called informal care (most Australian families use more informal care than formal care). Formal care refers to a registered facility.

Child care is mainly designed for children aged up to five years, but can also include after-school hours and holiday care for primary school-aged children. These extra services can be a real help for working parents.

From the age of three, children can attend kindergarten or preschool programs in some centres.
 
Education is part of care from the beginning, including social skills and learning development. Kindergarten and preschool programs tend to focus more on learning and socialisation skills than care. These usually offer short sessions, from about one hour at the age of three up to four hours for four-year-old kindergarten.

Some long-day care centres also run kindergarten programs alongside their child care services.

Deciding on the type of care

To help you decide what type of care you would prefer, you might want to consider:

  • whether you or your partner could work from home
  • the possibility of using a nanny or babysitter
  • whether the cost of child care makes it too expensive to return to work 
  • whether you need long-day care or just a few hours a day.

Research now shows that, providing child care is of high quality, your child will do best in a style of child care which reflects your family’s specific interests. Find out more on the quality of care.

This might mean that your family loves outdoor activities, and would prefer a centre that supports that. Or that you would like a home environment, or a structured program, or somewhere that music is a strong part of learning, or can cater to Halal food choices. You may be looking for a place that has a cross-section of different activities. Whatever fits well with your family's values.

There can also be advantages to exposing your child to different styles of care and having your child mix with other kids from a wide range of social and family backgrounds. This can help your child to understand and accept the many different interests, perspectives and values they will encounter in the world.

Our tips on choosing care can also help you decide on the right child care option for your family.

 
 
 
  • Last reviewed08-05-2006
  • References

    Wise, S. et al. (1995). Child care in cultural context: Issues for new research. Australian Institute of Family Studies Early Child Care Study.