Information for Educators
Becoming an Educator
To become an Educator and have a career as an Educator in Family Day Care is a rewarding business opportunity. As an Educator you will build a partnership with the service and families. This involves entering into a contractual arrangement with the Service whereby you will be provided with support, referrals and training to operate your business. The Service will have policies and procedures, which you must be familiar with and implement. You will also be operating under legislation, which defines the number of children you can care for and the requirement for providing quality care and education.
- Be at least 18 years of age;
- Have a current working with children check;
- Have a criminal history record check;
- Hold a current approved first aid qualification;
- Have undertaken current approved anaphylaxis management training;
- Have undertaken current approved emergency asthma management training;
- Have, or be actively working towards, at least an approved certificate III level education and care qualification; and
- Hold insurance against public liability with a minimum cover of $10,000,000.
- Persons 18 years and over who live at your residence must be fit and proper with a current working with children check
There are additional requirements in accordance with Kids Planet Family Day Care Services Policies and Procedures, which you will be informed when you contact our office.
Benefits of Registering With Us
Run your own business working from home
Set your own days and hours
Regular professional development opportunities
Regular visits to provide support and recommendations in relation to the Early Years Frameworks and National Quality Standards
Processing and management of all attendance records via the Child Care Management System
Your Income and Start-up Costs
Educators set their own fees and therefore the amount you can earn as an Educator depends on the hours you can work and your hourly rate. Family Day Care Educators can provide a variety of care types, for example, regular child care hours, early mornings, school age care, evening care and weekend care.
As with any small business, there are a number of costs that you will need to outlay before you are able to open your business. Some start up costs may include; any changes to your home to meet safety standards; equipment and materials; registration costs and training requirements.
Your role as an educator
As an educator, you are a professional who provide a quality, safe, developmentally appropriate program for the children in care. This program is documented and linked to the service’s philosophy and the approved early year’s framework/s.
You will provide care and education to meet the requirements of the Government, the service’s standards and policies and the care and education contract with families.
You will discuss the education and care needs of the children with the families and the coordination unit.
You will maintain a professional working relationship with families and the coordination unit and process child and family records including those required for CCS purposes.
You are required to maintain a safe working environment. You have a responsibility to the service to report any unsafe situations, with a view to them being made safe.
You will be required to participate in professional development and regular training by attending scheduled training sessions as well as keep all qualifications as required by the National Regulation current.
You are responsible for meeting taxation and other small business legal requirements.
FAQ for Educators
The Education and Care Services National Regulations require that all educators must have, or be enrolled on a course to qualify for, a minimum of certificate 3 in children’s services.
KPFDCS will undertake a home safety check in accordance with the Education and Care Services National Regulations to establish whether or not the home is clean, safe and will be an environment that children feel comfortable in.
You can register a company if you wish but most educators operate as self-employed contractors (also called sole traders), which mean that you operate your own business in your own name.
You can register for an ABN online at https://abr.gov.au this will provide you with an ABN at the end of the online registration process, which takes only 10 minutes or so. Further information, on considerations when starting a business, such as whether to operate as a sole trader, company or other structure, can be found at https://abr.gov.au
- Regular in home support: visits from our qualified coordinator at least once per month with assistance given for programming, environments, activities, problems with children or families, and updates on information from the Coordination Unit.
- Comprehensive Administration support: for all fee enquiries, timesheet queries, payment of bills for equipment or resources purchased
- Officer staff to: assists you through the; full enrolment procedures for new families; annual re-enrolment; compilation of all records required from families to be kept by the Educator
- All forms and paperwork required by the Regulations and National Quality Standards including time sheets, injury and accident forms, emergency evacuation drill forms, risk assessment and parent permission forms.
- Comprehensive induction programme: and training covering areas of documentation, policy and procedure, health and safety, child development, business practices and practical in home visits.