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Eastern Region Family Day Care provides small-group, home-based education and care for children from birth to 13 years. Find out what family day care is, how it works, and what to expect when choosing an educator for your child.
About Eastern Region Family Day Care
Eastern Region Family Day Care is the natural place to learn and play for children aged from birth to 13 years old. Value is placed on care in small, mixed-age groups, allowing children to gain a sense of belonging and form meaningful relationships outside their immediate family in a home environment.
When children have fun, are in a safe and secure environment they are best able to learn and develop. Our role as educators in supporting the early years is significant as we know that during the first five years of life, children experience more rapid brain development and acquire more skills and knowledge than in any other period in their lives.
Eastern Region Family Day Care is a not-for-profit education and care service, sponsored by Shire of Mundaring.
Our qualified family day care educators
Our team of qualified educators have registered their family home to provide families with flexible education and care arrangements, engage children in play-based learning and plan individual programs according to each child’s development, well-being and interests.
Our family day care educators are located throughout the local governments of Mundaring, Swan, Kalamunda, Belmont, Bassendean and Bayswater and several in neighbouring areas.
Our coordination team
Our coordination team (service staff) are based in Midvale and are a team with extensive experience in the early year's sector and work passionately in the service.
Our team visit and work in partnership with educators for your child to receive quality education and care. To promote best outcomes for children, families and educators, our role is to professionally support and monitor service and educator operating practices. Respectful relationships and children's rights are at the core of all decision making.
Contact our friendly staff, we would love to hear from you and welcome the opportunity to talk with you about our service, your child's settling and ongoing care in family day care.
National guidance and compliance
Eastern Region Family Day Care operates within the National Quality Framework (NQF) which guides all children's education and care services across Australia. The framework in WA is comprised of the:
- Education and Care Services National Law (WA) Act 2012
- Education and Care National Regulations 2012
- National Quality Standard
- Rating and Assessment process.
The Department of Communities approves and monitors all education and care services through the Education and Care Regulatory Unit (ECRU).
Family Handbook and Policy Manual
Our handbook and Service Policy Manual offers more information specific to our service and your child's care.
Eastern Region Family Day Care Family Handbook (PDF)
Eastern Region Family Day Care - Policy Manual (PDF)
Number of children and types of care
In family day care, the number of children an educator can look after is set by national regulations. An educator can have up to seven children at a time, including their own children under 13 years. Within this group, only four can be kindy age or younger.
Our service also has an extra safety policy - only one baby under 12 months can be booked in for any one session (unless special circumstances apply).
Family day care is flexible and can support children aged 0 to 13 years.
Depending on the educator, you may be able to access:
- Standard hours (usually 7.30am to 5.30pm, though this can vary)
- Earlier starts or later finishes
- Before and after school or kindy
- School holiday/vacation care
- Weekends
- Overnight stays.
Play based learning environment and experiences
Planned and spontaneous indoor and outdoor experiences for children have a play-based focus and are specific to each child and the small group.
Experiences may include dressing up, storytelling, building cubbies, messy play, painting/collage, singing and dancing, playing games, reading, cooking, water and sand play, and obstacle courses. Some educators extend children's learning and socialising in larger groups through outings to parks, libraries and our FDC facilitated play sessions.
Experiences may be initiated or led by a child whereas others will be planned and offer intentional teaching by an educator. Educators base their educational program on approved learning frameworks, this helps prepare children in all aspects of their well-being, learning and development as focuses on addressing the developmental needs, interests and experiences of each child, while taking into account individual differences.
There are two nationally approved learning frameworks which outline practices and outcomes for children:
- Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (for young children from birth to five years of age)
- My Time, Our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia (for school age children).
Both frameworks are available on the ACECQA website.
Choosing a family day care educator
Finding and choosing quality education and care that is the right fit for your family can be a daunting process. Refer to our checklist of questions to ask an educator.
When learning about the types of early childhood education and care service to choose for your child it is often through word of mouth, a website and social media recommendations.
Not surprisingly though, is that parents rely most strongly on their own judgement, which is most important.
You know your child best and any specific priorities for your family so it’s important to trust your instincts and feel ok to ask questions. It’s important to visit the family day care educator and see the learning environment and home indoors and outdoors.
Questions to ask your educator
- What hours do you work?
- Will I be able to pick my child up any time?
- Are there any other adults present during the day? Can I meet them?
- What do you recommend for settling my child into care?
- What are your fees? Will I be charged for public holidays or when my child is not there?
- Can I change the days of care?
- How many children do you or can you care for?
- What are your skills and experience with children?
- What ages do you care for?
- Do you provide meals, nappies and hats or should I bring them from home?
- Where is your weekly meal plan? Do you let me know if it changes? Can I give ideas?
- How will I be notified if my child is unwell or has an accident?
- When do you close? During school holidays? How much notice do you provide?
- Who cares for my child if you are unwell or on holidays?
- What are your practices around sleep and rest, hygiene, medication and sun protection?
- Where will my child sleep or rest?
- How will I know that my child’s learning and development will be encouraged?
- What documentation do you provide daily about routines and about their progress?
- Do you take the children on excursions? By car or walks? How much notice is given?
- Has the service been quality rated, and if so, what is the rating?
- How often does the family day care service staff visit? What do they do to support you, my child and my family?
Fees and enrolment
Fees for your child's education and care are outlined in each Educator's Statement of Fees and Service Fee Guide. These are available to families when visiting an educator, all fees are pre-approved by the service. The total cost of care includes your Educator's fee and a weekly ERFDC Service Parent Levy.
Eligible families may apply for the Child Care Subsidy. Subsidised payments are calculated based on your family income assessment, the activity level of parents and type of childcare service. To find out more and how to apply visit Services Australia - Child Care Subsidy.
Please note: Full fees may be payable if care commences prior to your Child Care Subsidy assessment and approval.
Once the subsidy is confirmed, your parent fee is paid directly to your educator and the CCS balance, due to an educator, is claimed through Eastern Region Family Day Care.
Any questions regarding fees can be directed to either your educator or our office.
ERFDC Statement of Fees Guide as of July 2025 (PDF)
Information for prospective educators
Find out about what it takes to be a Family Day Care Educator.
More information and contact
Contact our friendly staff on (08) 9290 6822 or email fdc@mundaring.wa.gov.au.
We would love to hear from you and welcome the opportunity to talk with you about our services and how Eastern Region Family Day Care may be right for you and your family.