Take part in Australia-wide in-home care review

The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, today invited service providers and clients to take part in the Howard Government’s review of In-Home Care.

In-Home Care is a flexible form of child care where care is provided in the child’s home by an approved carer. It may be available for families who cannot use a standard child care service, or where their child care needs cannot be met by an existing service. This includes families where the parent or child has an illness or disability, families in rural or remote areas, parents working shiftwork or non-standard hours or breastfeeding mothers working from home.

“The review will examine the extent to which In-Home Care is meeting the needs of Australian families as part of the Australian Government’s Stronger Families and Communities Strategy: Choice and Flexibility in Child Care,” Senator Patterson said.

“I am encouraging service providers and clients to contact my department to take part in this valuable review which will result in the better targeting of future services.
“Providing quality In-Home Care services for families is a key priority for the Howard Government and this review will help ensure that services are targeted to children most in need.

“Families, their children and communities will gain insightful information from the Australia-wide review into qualified child care workers caring for children in the family home,” Senator Patterson said.

“The $365.8 million Stronger Families and Communities Strategy is responding to community needs by focusing on the health, wellbeing and capacity of the next generation of Australians.

“The Strategy is focused on early childhood development as guided by the latest research and consultation feedback from the National Agenda for Early Childhood,” Senator Patterson said.

Service providers or clients of In-Home Care who would like to be consulted during the review should contact the Department of Family and Community Services on 02 6212 9177.

Families wanting more information on child care can contact the Child Care Access Hotline on 1800 670 305 or visit the website at www.facs.gov.au.