Occasional Care
Occasional Care provides Parents and Guardians with an opportunity to leave their children for shorter periods of time. This is usually done as a temporary booking on a casual basis. Care is generally for short periods of time.
The age group Occasional Care caters for is generally 0 – 6 years but may vary between individual services. Hours can also vary but operation is 5 days per week – Monday to Friday. Occasional Services may enrol by the hour or for half or full days.
Long Day Care Centres are licensed by the Department of Community Services under the Children's Services Regulation 2004 as a centre based children's service.
One staff member must be, at all times, present on the premises with approved First Aid training. The numbers of trained and qualified staff can fluctuate depending on the size and enrolment numbers of the service.
Ratios are set for staffing levels according to the number and age of children in care:
• 1 staff member for every 5 children aged birth to two years.
• 1 staff member for every 8 children aged between two and three years.
• 1 staff member for every 10 children aged between three to six years.
Some Occasional services may operate up to 50 weeks per year whilst others may close over the school holidays.
