Types of Child Care Services in Queensland
Licensed centre based child care | Licensed home based care
In Queensland, child care services are licensed and monitored by the Department of Communities under the Child Care Act 2002 and Child Care Regulation 2003. Child care services that are licensed in Queensland are either centre based or home based.
Licensed child care services are required by the child care legislation to meet minimum quality standards in areas such as:
- qualifications of staff and care-providers
- policies and procedures
- number of staff required to care for children
- maximum group sizes
- activities and experiences
- equipment
- health and safety of children
- facilities and space
- information for parents and guardians.
Licensed centre based child care
A centre based service provides care and education for children up to school age (birth to 12 years). The following describes the types of centre based services available in Queensland.
Long day care centres are licensed services and are usually open Monday to Friday between 7 am and 6 pm for at least 48 weeks of the year.
Kindergartens are licensed services and generally provide care and education for children from three and a half years to school age.
Limited hours care services are licensed services and operate for no longer than 20 hours in a week with a licensed capacity of not more than 30 children.
Occasional Care services offer care to children on an occasional basis.
School age care services are licensed services and offer care for school age children before and after school and during school vacations.
Licensed home based care
A home based service provides care for a small group of children in one or more homes. This form of care does not include care in the child's own home or care by relatives.
Family day care is licensed care that is offered in private homes of carers under a family day care scheme. Carers are supported by the scheme’s coordination unit.
Other types of services that are not licensed in Queensland include:
- vacation care (not attached to a before or after school care service)
- stand alone care (including what was formerly known as independent home based care)
- adjunct care
- children's activity services
- playgroups
- nannies and babysitters
- resort care (a service, conducted by a hotel or resort, to provide child care to children who are short term guests).
Last updated: 23 June 2008.