Frequently asked questions

Family day care is regulated early childhood education and care in an educator's own home. Each educator cares for a small group of children and follows the same National Quality Framework that applies to childcare centres. Amana Kids is the approved service behind our educators: we register them, check their homes, support their programs and monitor compliance through regular visits.

From babies through to primary school-aged children. Each educator can care for up to 7 children at a time, with no more than 4 of them preschool age or younger. This small group size means your child gets far more one-on-one time than in a large room.

Our educators care for children in homes across Bellbird Park, Forest Lake, Goodna, Inala, Logan, Mount Gravatt East, Pallara, Redbank Plains, Ripley and Stretton. Our office is at Saigon Plaza, Inala. If your suburb isn't listed, contact us anyway — we may have an educator close by.

Use the Find Care form on the home page or contact the office. We'll talk through your needs, match you with a suitable educator, and arrange a visit so you can meet them and see their home. Once you're happy, you complete the enrolment forms and consent documents and give us your Child Care Subsidy details so your subsidy can be applied from day one.

Yes, and we encourage it. Every family meets their educator and sees the care environment before deciding. It's a good time to ask about daily routines, meals, outdoor play and anything specific to your child.

It depends on the suburb, the days you need and your child's age. When you enquire, we'll tell you honestly which educators have places available now and, if none do, how long we expect the wait to be.

Most educators suggest one or two short visits with you before your child's first full day. Bring a familiar comfort item, share your child's routines and cues with the educator, and keep goodbyes short and warm. Educators will keep you updated during the first weeks.

Standard care (Monday to Friday, 8am–6pm) is $13.50 per hour per child, made up of the educator's fee of $10.85 plus a $2.65 admin levy. Non-standard hours (6pm–8am), Saturdays and public holidays are $13.56 per hour per child. See the Fees & CCS page for the full schedule.

Most families can. CCS is paid by the Australian Government through Services Australia and reduces the fees you pay. Your subsidy percentage depends on your family income and other factors. You'll need to apply through your myGov account linked to Centrelink, and provide us with the Customer Reference Numbers (CRNs) for you and your child so we can link your enrolment.

Fees are paid fortnightly. You pay the “gap” — the difference between the full fee and your CCS. Please note that if payment is not made at the end of each fortnight, care may stop until the amount owing is paid.

Yes. Absences are charged at the normal rate. CCS is still paid for up to 42 allowable absence days per financial year, which includes public holidays, illness and similar days. Once the 42 days are used, you'll need to provide evidence for each extra absence (for example, a medical certificate).

Before any school holiday care begins, you and your educator complete an ‘Agreed School Holiday Hours’ form so everyone agrees on the booking. If you've booked holiday care and no longer need it, please let your educator know at least two weeks before the school holidays start.

If your child is in care on a public holiday, the public holiday rate of $13.56 per hour per child applies. If your child is booked but doesn't attend, the day is treated as an absence.

Children learn through play: building, drawing, stories, music, outdoor play and everyday activities like helping set the table. Educators plan experiences around each child's interests using the Early Years Learning Framework (and My Time, Our Place for school-aged children), and record observations of your child's learning and development.

A named bag with spare clothes, a sun-safe hat, a water bottle, any comfort item and nappies or wipes if needed. If your child has medication or an action plan, it must come with them. Pack your child's food and drinks for the day: educators don't provide meals.

No. Families pack all of their child's food and drinks for the day. Educators store, heat and serve it safely, follow healthy eating and safe food-handling practices, and respect every child's allergies and dietary needs.

Many educators offer before- and after-school care, including school drop-off and pick-up. Transporting children needs your written authorisation, and educators follow our Excursions & Transport policy, including approved car seats and restraints.

Your child must be signed in when they arrive and signed out when they leave, every day. Only you or someone you've listed as an authorised person can collect your child. If someone unfamiliar comes to collect, the educator will check their identity first.

Educators chat with you at drop-off and pick-up, and share observations and learning notes about your child. Photos of your child come to you from the Amana Kids office, never from an educator's own phone. You're always welcome to ask for a time to talk in more detail.

Talk to your educator first. Most can accommodate reasonable changes with notice, depending on their availability and group size. Any permanent change to your booking will be updated in your enrolment so your CCS is calculated correctly.

Every educator holds an approved early childhood qualification (Certificate III or higher), current First Aid, CPR, asthma and anaphylaxis training, and a Blue Card. Every adult aged 18 or over who lives in the home also needs a Blue Card. Educators' homes are safety-assessed before care begins, and our coordinators visit regularly to check compliance.

If your child becomes unwell in care, the educator will contact you to collect them. Children with infectious illnesses need to stay home for the exclusion periods recommended by Queensland Health. If you're unsure whether your child should attend, call your educator before drop-off.

Only with your written authorisation. Prescribed medication must be in its original container with the pharmacy label showing your child's name and dosage. Educators record every dose they give.

Before your child starts, you provide their medical management or action plan (for example, for anaphylaxis or asthma). The educator then works with you on a risk minimisation plan and a communication plan, so everyone knows what to watch for and what to do.

Every educator has an emergency and evacuation plan for their home, and practises fire evacuation and lockdown drills every three months. If an incident, injury or illness happens, you'll be told as soon as possible, and it will be recorded in writing within 24 hours.

You can talk to your educator, call the office on (07) 3372 8130, or use our online Complaints & Feedback form. Every complaint is taken seriously and handled confidentially under our Complaints & Feedback policy.