Family Day Care Start Up Payment

The 2007-08 Budget provided additional assistance to potential Family Day Care carers. Two payments are now available to assist carers with the cost of establishing their home-based business providing child care. Each potential carer would only be eligible for one of the following categories of payment.

The Family Day Care Start Up Payment is a one off payment to assist individuals to contribute to the workforce by becoming a Family Day Care carer. This payment aims to encourage people to consider Family Day Care as a career option and to assist with some of the initial set up costs involved in establishing a Family Day Care business.

The Remote Area Family Day Care Start Up Payment is a one off payment designed to assist individuals living in remote or very remote areas. It recognises that potential carers living in remote and very remote areas may experience higher costs in making these improvements.

The remoteness of the area will be determined by the department using the Australian Standard Geographic Classification index.

Please call 1300 653 227 to check your eligibility for the remote payment.

You must apply to the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) to receive a Family Day Care Start Up Payment. To see if you are eligible, please download the documents in the Family Day Care Start Up Payments Application Package below, or obtain them from your supporting scheme. This includes the following:

1. Application for Family Day Care Start Up Payment $1500
2. Application for Remote Family Day Start Up Payment $5000
3. Program Guidelines
4. Fact Sheet
5. Q&A $1500
6. Q&A $5000

Please note: Any incomplete Application Forms will be RETURNED to the applicant.

You must discuss your application with your Family Day Care scheme. Your supporting scheme must then complete pages 4 - 6 of the Application Form to support your application for the payment.

In the Application form your scheme will be asked to:

1. Check that your initial registration/approvals/licensing requirements have been met; and
2. Provide the Home Assessment. This assessment will check the premises from which you will operate the Family Day Care business. This assessment must be signed by a representative of the FDC scheme; dated and have the address of the premises that the Home Assessment is referring to. This must not be older than three months.
3. Provide proof of age (over 18 years); and
4. Have successfully completed a current criminal record check.

Family Day Care Start Up Payment ($1500)

Applicants must:

• Not have provided care for more than three months with any scheme, prior to submitting your application.
• Have registered and have begun the approval/licensing processes and have your application supported by your Family Day Care scheme;
• Have provided proof of age to your Family Day Care scheme;
• Have completed a current criminal record check (police check) and be deemed a fit and proper person to provide care to children;
• Have had a home/safety assessment no older than three months performed by the scheme; this assessment must be signed, dated and have the address of the premises that the home assessment is referring to;
• Have an active Australian Business Number (ABN);
• Not have received start up assistance through any other Government Department; and
• Intend to provide Family Day Care for a period of at least six months from the date you sign your Funding Agreement.

In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria above, applicants for the Remote Area Family Day Care Start Up Payment must also:

• Be living in a remote or very remote area. The remoteness of the area will be determined by the department using the Australian Standard Geographic Classification index; and
• Not have received the Family Day Care Start Up Payment of $1500.

• Fact sheet - PDF   (119.6 KB) | RTF    (2.6 MB)
• Program Guidelines - PDF   (48.6 KB) | RTF   (323.3 KB)
• Application for the Family Day Care Start Up Payment - ($1,500) - PDF   (220.0 KB) | RTF   (2.5 MB)   
• Application for the Remote Area Family Day Care Start Up Payment ($5,000) - PDF   (225.6 KB) | RTF   (2.4 MB)

• The Family Day Care Start Up Payment - Frequently asked questions - PDF   (66.0 KB) | RTF   (37.3 KB)
• The Remote Area Family Day Care Start Up Payment - Frequently asked questions - PDF   (81.0 KB) | RTF   (25.5 KB)

Telephone: 1300 653 227
Fax: (02) 6123 7342 or (02) 6123 7137
Email: fdc@deewr.gov.au

Please send your completed application, along with your supporting documents to: