FDC extension granted for Child Protection training requirements

The Queensland Early Childhood Education and Care Regulator has granted an extension for all Family Day Care services to complete the required Child Protection training to Wednesday, 30 April 2025.

This extension comes in response to the implementation challenges many services have faced in accessing timely training for staff.

Mr. Chris Carey, Director Compliance at the Early Childhood Regulatory Authority, has officially confirmed this extension. In his communication to FDCQ, he stated:

"I understand that there have been challenges for some providers in accessing the relevant training for staff in a timely way, and I am happy to grant an extension until 30 April 2025 to allow time for the training and assessment to be finalised.

I appreciate that implementation of the protocol is a significant development for the sector in Queensland, and authorised officers will be taking a reasonable approach to enforcement of this new requirement over the period of transition. This extension for FDCQ Member services will be communicated to all staff."

The extension comes in response to FDCQ's advocacy on behalf of member services facing ongoing implementation challenges. While the extension provides valuable additional time, FDC services are reminded of the following important compliance requirements in effect with the extension:

Evidence of enrolment - during monitoring visits over the coming weeks, authorised officers will expect to see evidence of enrolment in upcoming training for all nominated supervisors and persons in day-to-day charge and family day care coordinators. Please ensure this evidence is available wherever the training has not yet been completed.
Approved courses - the following nationally recognised units of competency satisfy compliance with section 162A of the Education and Care Services National Law:
- CHCPRT025—Identify and report children and young people at risk
- CHCPRT001—Identify and respond to children and young people at risk*
- CHCPRT026—Support the rights and safety of children and young people
- CHCPRT002—Support the rights and safety of children and young people*
- CHCECE057—Use collaborative practices to uphold child protection principles
  *These courses have been superseded on the National Register of Vocational Education and Training (VET).
Delivery requirements - all approved courses must be delivered by a registered training organisation (RTO). Completion may be either stand-alone or as part of a qualification. In-house training is not sufficient.

For comprehensive information about child protection requirements, including mandatory reporting, working with children checks, and supervision requirements, please visit the Queensland Government's Early Childhood website.

Leadership transition at Family Day Care Queensland

Family Day Care Queensland announces the resignation of our Chief Executive Officer, Jason De Bakker, after 6-years of dedicated service to our organisation and the home-based early childhood education and care sector.

Under Jason's transformative leadership, FDCQ has strengthened our sector's position and improved outcomes for educators, services, and families. We particularly acknowledge him for:

Leading the organisation with confidence through the challenging COVID-19 period while simultaneously launching the FDCQ flagship online community of practice- PLACE
Promoting the importance of Family Day Care and In Home Care within the broader Early Childhood Education sector
Advocating with passion and persuasion for the Universal Early Childhood Education movement

Deb Tuckey, our Relations and Sector Development Manager, has stepped into the role of Acting CEO, bringing 5-years of experience with FDCQ and strong stakeholder relationships.

"While we are saddened to see Jason leave, his legacy will continue to benefit our sector for years to come," says Dr. Fiona Margetts, FDCQ Board Chair. "We are confident in Deb's ability to lead our organisation while we begin the process of identifying our next CEO."

The Board remains committed to ensuring a smooth transition that maintains our momentum in supporting Queensland's home-based ECE sector.

We thank Jason for his dedicated service and wish him the very best in his future endeavours.

FDCQ sounds alarm on family day care crisis

As the federal election approaches, Family Day Care Queensland (FDCQ) has issued an urgent call to action as the federal election approaches, warning that without immediate funding intervention, 15,500 Queensland children could lose access to vital care services.

A position paper, Navigating the path to universal ECEC – the role of Family Day Care, released today, highlights the critical role family day care plays in Queensland's early childhood education sector and the severe challenges threatening its viability.

"We're facing a perfect storm of funding inequities, workforce shortages, and increasing demand," said Deb Tuckey, FDCQ's Acting Chief Executive Officer. "Families across Queensland, particularly those relying on flexible hours and after-hours care, could soon find themselves without options if action isn't taken."

The paper outlines 5 priority areas with 16 specific recommendations to ensure family day care is properly integrated into upcoming early childhood education and care reforms.

Funding parity with centre-based care is identified as one of the most critical factors contributing to workforce shortages. Despite growing waiting lists for family day care services, educators are leaving the sector due to unsustainable financial conditions.

FDCQ is calling on the incoming Australian Government to commit to immediate funding improvements and establish a dedicated advisory body including sector representatives to help design future reforms.

Why family day care matters

Family day care provides a unique and essential service within Queensland's childhood education and care sector:

It currently serves 5% of all Queensland children accessing early childhood education and care
It offers more flexible hours, with most care provided outside standard business hours
For many regional and remote families, it represents the only available childhood care option
It enables parents in rural communities to participate in the workforce
It supports a high proportion of children from culturally diverse backgrounds and those with disabilities

"Universal access to childcare, as recommended by the Productivity Commission, will remain an unfulfilled promise without proper support for family day care," Ms Tuckey emphasised.

The Family Day Care Pledge

As part of its advocacy efforts, FDCQ has launched the "Family Day Care Pledge" campaign, asking all Queensland federal election candidates to formally recognise the sector's importance and commit to supporting its future.

The pledge highlights 5 key contributions of family day care to Queensland communities and families, while drawing attention to the specific needs of the sector.

FDCQ, which has represented the family day care and in-home care sectors in Queensland for more than 40 years, has expressed its willingness to work collaboratively with the incoming government to address these urgent challenges.

"The time for action is now," Ms Tuckey said. "The future of thousands of Queensland children and families depends on it."

For more information about FDCQ's federal election statement or to access the full paper, download the various documents from the following links:

Statement of Shared Commitment

Family Day Care Queensland, proud to champion "Every interaction counts"

We are thrilled to announce that Family Day Care Queensland (FDCQ) has played a key role in developing the new Statement of Shared Commitment for Queensland's early childhood education and care services.

Our Acting CEO, Deb Tuckey, represented FDCQ on the working party that crafted this important initiative, ensuring that the unique perspectives of our sector shaped this statewide commitment.

What is the Statement of Shared Commitment?

The Statement establishes a shared vision across all Queensland early childhood education and care settings: "Every interaction counts."
This simple but powerful phrase reminds us that each moment with a child is an opportunity to build safety, trust, and positive development.

Why this matters for Family Day Care

As the PEAK body representing Family Day Care Service Providers and their Educators and families, we've always understood the importance of nurturing relationships in home-based care environments. This Statement formally recognises what our educators practice daily — that meaningful interactions in a small-group setting create the foundation for children's wellbeing.

The Statement supports educators to:

Foster respectful and caring relationships with children
Create consistent child-safe practices across all services
Build environments where children develop self-esteem, confidence and resilience

Our commitment to you

Family Day Care Queensland is dedicated to supporting our members in implementing the Statement. Over the coming months and throughout 2025 and beyond, we'll be providing:

Practical resources tailored to family day care environments inside our member PLACE portal
Professional development opportunities advertised within PLACE
Examples of best practice from across our network here on this news channel, across our socials and through shared stories inside PLACE.

See it in action

We encourage every Family Day Care Queensland service in Queensland to proudly display the Statement of Shared Commitment. When you visit an FDC service, take a moment to read the Statement and speak with the service educator about how they're bringing "Every interaction counts" to life in their everyday practice.

We're proud that our organisation has contributed directly to this initiative that strengthens Queensland's commitment to children's safety and wellbeing.

For more information, visit www.qld.gov.au/ECECcommitment or contact your local service coordinator.