Family Day Care and Respite Care

In reply to Mr BOYER (Wright) (23 November 2020). (Estimates Committee B)

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education): I am advised of the following:

Family day care educators and respite care providers are small business operators. Family day care educators set their own child care fees independently. Fees for respite care providers are set by the service in line with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) price guidelines.

The Department for Education operates the Family Day Care and Respite Care Program on a cost recovery basis.

Costs associated with the operation of the family day care program are covered through an educator levy paid by each educator and a parent administration levy. These levies were last increased in March 2019 to 95c per hour per child and 30 cents per hour, per child respectively.

The 2020 annual increase of these levies was placed on hold due to the impacts of COVID-19 and requirements under the Australian Government Early Childhood Education and Care Relief Package to not increase fees between April and July 2020.

Costs associated with the Respite Care Program, including payment of care providers, are covered through the hourly fee charged to families in line with the NDIS price guide.