We have published new national guidelines for In Home Care (IHC) and finalised new contracts for IHC Support Agencies.
IHC is a flexible form of early childhood education and care where an educator provides care in the child's home. It is restricted to families who can't access other types of approved care.
From 1 July 2025, the new IHC National Guidelines will replace the existing IHC guidelines and handbook. This will help streamline the processes, improving clarity for IHC providers.
The new guidelines include:
- detailed guidance on how the program operates
- legislative and policy framework.
IHC Support Agencies oversee the delivery of IHC in each state and territory. Following a limited tender process, the following organisations have been contracted as IHC Support Agencies from 1 July 2025:
- New South Wales Family Day Care Association
- Family Day Care Association Queensland
- Wanslea Family Services.
IHC Support Agencies will work with families and providers to:
- assess family eligibility
- connect families with approved IHC services
- establish a community of practice among providers
- support a high quality and nationally consistent approach to IHC.
Read more about IHC on our website.