For In Home Care (IHC) Educators

 

IHC Educators are supported by IHC Service Providers

Providing early education and care for a family in their own home under the IHC program is a rewarding career opportunity. Educators have the support of an IHC service provider to ensure they are aware of what is required of them under the program guidelines and to get support as needed. IHC Service providers match the right educator to the right family and then support that educator during their time with the family.

The New Child Care Package – Educator Registration

IHC educators commencing in home care are required to register for an individual PRODA account, and providers should link their educators to their IHC service in the CCSS.

Important: Providers should note that they will need to link their educators to their IHC services as an FDC educator.

More information and instructional Task Cards for IHC services and IHC educators on transitioning to the CCSS can be found at: www.education.gov.au/transitioning-new-child-care-package

Note that the transition measures for IHC will have no impact on families completing their registration process in the CCSS.

If you would like more information or assistance with transitioning to the CCSS, please telephone the CCMS Helpdesk on 1300 667 276 between 9am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday (Australian Eastern Standard Time).

For more information relating to In Home Care, please contact inhomecare@education.gov.au

How does the IHC Support Agency support educators?

  • Provide guidance material for providing education and care in the family home and tips for working with families
  • Establishment of a ‘community of practice’ amongst educators to support your ongoing professional learning
  • We are an independent party with whom you can raise unresolved issues
Grievance Policy

Do I need a qualification to be an IHC Educator

IHC educators will be required to have a minimum of, or be actively working towards, a Certificate III level qualification in a relevant course.

Acceptable qualifications for IHC Educators

Whereas IHC is out-of-scope for the National Quality Framework (NQF) for Early Childhood Education and Care, the NQF-approved qualifications have been deemed acceptable qualifications for IHC educators in recognition that families and children should have access to the same, high quality of early childhood development and education and care opportunities, irrespective of the service type.

The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) maintains a current list of qualifications approved under the NQF on its website www.acecqa.gov.au.

The primary school teaching qualifications of educators registered with the Tasmanian Education Board are also deemed as acceptable qualifications for IHC educators.

The IHC Support Agency has a partnership with an RTO and may be able to support you access the required qualification.

 

 

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Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care qualification places as now available

The course price is $600.00. Contact your IHC Service Provider for more details or phone the IHC Support Agency on 1300 052 057

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Legislative requirements

An IHC Educator must not be a family member. There is no entitlement to Child Care Subsidy or Additional Child Care Subsidy where an IHC Educator cares for:

  • their, or their partner’s, child, including a foster care child, adopted child, kinship child or child for which they otherwise have legal responsibility
  • their, or their partner’s, brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister, step-brother or step-sister
  • their, or their partner’s, niece, nephew, cousin, grandchild or great grandchild

The IHC Program is designed to support the provision of child care only to members of the one (including blended) family in their home. IHC Educators are not allowed to bring their own children into the care environment while they are providing child care for other children.

There is no entitlement to Child Care Subsidy or Additional Child Care Subsidy where an IHC Educator’s, or their partner’s, child is provided with care by any IHC Service if they (the IHC Educator) provide care for an IHC Service on that same day.

https://www.education.gov.au/in-home-care

https://www.education.gov.au/child-care-provider-handbook

https://educationandcare.tas.gov.au/PE/Pages/Child-Care-Resources.aspx