Childcare in Australia
Deciding on who will take care of your children, and under what circumstances, can be confusing to any parent – especially when you are new to a country. It can also be quite overwhelming considering the many different choices of childcare offered in Australia. 
Understanding what each of them mean can help you to choose what that fits you and your family best.
Some of the more popular childcare choices include:
Nanny
A nanny can reside with the family or not. Their primary responsibility is childcare and childcare-related household duties. Some nannies have formal training, but those who don’t often make up for it with a lot of experience. Most nannies are live-in, as the typical work week is anywhere from 40-60 hours.
Au pair
An au pair is a live-in childcare provider and is typically a foreign national who is in Australia for a year, and lives as part of the family to learn more about Australian life and culture. An au pair often receives a small allowance in exchange for the childcare provided since the family covers housing and other necessities.
Mother's helper
Just as the name implies – a mother’s helper is an extra pair of hands for the mother. They are typically someone looking for hands-on experience while they study for something in a childcare-related field. A mother’s helper tends to the children's needs and housekeeping duties while the parents are present.
Babysitter
This is irregular childcare used for when the parents go out for the evening or just need some time away. They can work on a part-time or full-time basis.
Day care
This is a day care set up for children under school age. It provides all-day or part-time care for parents who are working. Some even offer developmental programmes to assist and add to the childcare. Meals are typically included with day care.
Family day care
Instead of the formal setting of a day care centre, the setting of a family day care is someone’s home. It is typically for infants to preschool-aged children, but can often also offer before and after school care for children up to 12. These are also more flexible and allow for hours outside normal working hours or even overnight if required by the parents’ work schedule.
Preschool and kindergarten prep
An educational programme provided for children before they reach school age, this is generally for children the year prior to them entering school. Kindergartens tend to run from around 9am-3pm or the same hours as regular schools, but may vary so it is best to ask the provider.
Before/after/out-of-school-hours care
This childcare is provided, as the name suggests, before school, after school and during public holidays or pupil-free days. These are typically run by the community and run in collaboration with the schools.
In-home care
If the parent needs to be absent, the childcare provider takes care of the children in their own homes. These are available in situations such as a family where a parent or child has a disability or illness, families in isolated or remote areas, parents working nonstandard hours, parents who have had multiple births or more than two children under school age or breastfeeding mothers who are working from home.
