Family Day Care Australia’s Response to COAG

Family Day Care Australia’s Response to the COAG Consultation Regulation Impact Statement for Early Childhood Education and Care Quality

Family Day Care Australia has just announced it’s response to the release of the Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) by COAG on 2 July 2009. They have been involved in a comprehensive consultation phase with the family day care sector and have received feedback from members, and a series of consultation meetings with representatives from all the states and territories have also taken place.

A submission has been made to DEEWR that highlights how the reforms may impact on the family day care sector and the proposed strategies to address them.

Impacts vary from state to state, given the different regulations, but there has been lots in common in the responses across a range of areas.  It as agreed that a national focus on the importance of the early childhood education and care was positive and would improve the status of the industry. Removal of duplication and inconsistencies in the regulatory frameworks and replacing them with an integrated national system was seen as a necessary step in removing some of the complexity that currently exists for Family Day Care schemes and carers.

Please view the submission here.

If you want to provide feedback, DEEWR is still accepting responses, but be quick before it closes.

What next?

DEEWR is now analysing the input from the feedback process and will provide options for COAG to consider later in 2009.  A Decision Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) will be issued, focusing on transition arrangements, timing and sector support for implementation.

Thank you to Family Day Care Australia who are continuing work with the Government to ensure the specific needs of Family Day Care are recognised and taken account of in this ongoing process.