Absences
An occasion when a child is not physically present for a session of care that has been agreed under a Complying Written Arrangement. Up to 42 absence days in a financial year will be eligible for subsidised care without the need to provide reasons for the absence.
Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS)
ACCS is a payment that provides targeted fee assistance to families and children facing barriers in accessing affordable child care in certain circumstances. ACCS come under four areas: Child wellbeing, Temporary financial hardship, Grandparents, and Transition to work. ALHCA applies for ACCS Child Wellbeing on the family’s behalf, and the family applies directly to Centrelink for the other three types.
ACCS Referral Pathway
Information about the support and services available in your local community. Referral pathways are for families who need assistance with the care and wellbeing of children, including those experiencing family violence, to contact the services they need. ALHCA will make a referral for your family to an appropriate service when applying for ACCS Child Wellbeing on your behalf.
Activity Test
An assessment of the combined hours of work, training, study, recognised voluntary work or other recognised activity, undertaken by a family. The activity test is used to determine the number of hours of subsidised care to which a family will be entitled.
Activity Test Result
The result of a test to determine the number of hours of subsidised care a CCS eligible family will be entitled too. A broad range of activities will meet the activity test requirements, including paid work, being self-employed, doing unpaid work in a family business, looking for work, volunteering or studying.
Actual Attendance
Actual Attendance is the actual in and out times for each child within the family session.
Adjusted Taxable Income
Adjusted taxable income is used to assess eligibility for some benefits and payments, including Child Care Subsidy. Adjusted taxable income may include taxable income, foreign income, investment losses, reportable fringe benefits and superannuation contributions. For Child Care Subsidy, in the case of a family, it is the combined adjusted taxable income of both individuals.
ALHCA
Australia’s Leading Home Care Agency (ALHCA) is our trading name for IHC. We currently service Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Approved Care
Care provided by Centre-based Day Care, Family Day Care, In Home Care and Outside School Hours Care services approved under Family Assistance Law.
Approved Provider
A provider of child care that has been approved under Family Assistance Law, to receive and pass on CCS on behalf of the Australian Government. ALHCA is an approved provider.
Apps made interviews
This is ALHCA office-speak for “Have applicants made interviews with families?” We have a list of applicants we follow up to make sure they have made an interview date and time with the family.
ASC
After School Care
ACECQA
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority
BSC
Before School Care
CBDC
Centre Based Day Care – Subsidised child care and educational activities in group settings provided by an approved service including long day care, occasional care, preschools and kindergartens
CCS
The Child Care Subsidy is a single means tested subsidy, created by combined income and work activity tests paid as a fee reduction for the benefit of CCS eligible individuals
CCS Helpdesk
The frontline support centre for child care providers and services seeking answers. Call 1300 667 276 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (AEDT) or email ccshelpdesk@dese.gov.au
CCS Hours
The number of hours of subsidised care a CCS eligible family will be entitled to. This can be up to 100 hours of care each fortnight depending on your Level of Activity
CCS %
Your Child Care Subsidy Percentage is worked out based on your family income estimate. The CCS % is the amount the Government will subsidise. It will apply to either the hourly fee or the relevant hourly rate cap, whichever is lower.
CCSS
The Child Care Subsidy System is the technical platform through which providers and families interact with Australian Government in relation to child care subsidies
Centrelink
The agency that delivers payments and services to individuals and families on behalf of the Australian Government
Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care or equivalent
IHC Educators are required to have a minimum Certificate III level qualification in a relevant course, or be working towards a relevant qualification, with a major focus on Early Childhood Education, to ensure consistency in the quality of care being provided. A Certificate III, a diploma or a degree in Early Childhood Education or equivalent qualifications that have a major focus on Early Childhood Education are acceptable qualifications. Primary degrees are also approved, as long as the Educator is registered with the authority board in their relevant state or territory. ACECQA maintains a current list of qualifications approved under the NQF on its website.
Child at risk
A child at risk of serious neglect or abuse and who meets the relevant criteria
CRN
The Customer Reference Number is an individual reference number allocated by Centrelink for each child and one for each parent or guardian who is claiming CCS (or any welfare benefit via Centrelink)
Degree in Early Childhood Education and Care or equivalent
IHC educators are required to have a minimum Certificate III level qualification in a relevant course, or be working towards a relevant qualification, with a major focus on Early Childhood Education, to ensure consistency in the quality of care being provided. A Certificate III, a diploma or a degree in Early Childhood Education or equivalent qualifications that have a major focus on Early Childhood Education are acceptable qualifications. Primary degrees are also approved, as long as the Educator is registered with the authority board in their relevant state or territory. ACECQA maintains a current list of qualifications approved under the NQF on its website.
DESE
The Department of Education, Skills & Employment is the government department that works to ensure Australians can experience the wellbeing and economic benefits that quality education, skills and employment provide. Includes early childhood education and child care, support for parents and early learning programs. DESE is responsible for administering the IHC Program.
DFFH
The Department of Families, Fairness & Housing is the government department in Victoria who is responsible for states Families & Housing. Involving Child Protection which our Educators have been trained to mandatory report. (Formally known as DHHS).
Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care or equivalent
IHC educators are required to have a minimum Certificate III level qualification in a relevant course, or be working towards a relevant qualification, with a major focus on Early Childhood Education, to ensure consistency in the quality of care being provided. A Certificate III, a diploma or a degree in Early Childhood Education or equivalent qualifications that have a major focus on Early Childhood Education are acceptable qualifications. Primary degrees are also approved, as long as the Educator is registered with the authority board in their relevant state or territory. ACECQA maintains a current list of qualifications approved under the NQF on its website.
Educator
A person who provides care for someone else’s child or children at a child care service, in their own home or, in the case of In Home Care, in the child’s own home. All Educators must be working towards or have a minimum Certificate III in Childcare related qualifications as well as meet other criteria. Primary degrees are also approved, as long as the Educator is registered with the authority board in their relevant state or territory. The Educator is the one providing IHC in the family home.
Enhanced Maternal Child Health Service
An outreach program providing additional support to families with children from birth to preschool age who may be experiencing challenges impacting parenting, relationships and well-being. It is offered to selected families as an extension of the Universal Maternal and Child Health program.
Enrolment
An enrolment occurs when the provider has an arrangement with an individual or organisation to provide care to a child and the provider submits an enrolment notice in the Child Care Subsidy System. It is a requirement under Family Assistance Law for all children who attend child care (or have an arrangement for care) to have an enrolment notice regardless of their CCS eligibility status.
Enrolment Notice
The notice given by a provider through the Child Care Subsidy System that they have made an arrangement with an individual or organisation to provide care to a child
e-Signature
An e-Signature is the way you can electronically approve timesheets through Harmony
Exceptional Circumstances
Circumstances that affect a child or family that justify variations to Child Care Subsidy eligibility requirements, such as residency, immunisation or other conditions of Child Care Subsidy—determined by the Australian Government on a case-by-case basis in response to an application
Family
For an IHC session of care, a family is composed of a CCS eligible individual, possibly the individual’s partner, and children who are FTB children of the eligible individual or individual’s partner, or a former partner who all reside in the same domestic residence at the time the care is provided
FDC
Family Day Care is subsidised care and developmental activities in the homes of registered and professional Early Childhood Educators for other people’s children. The Educators are either supported by, or are approved services.
Financial Hardship
Occurs when there is an unforeseeable event that reduces a family’s ability to pay for child care fees
FLO
A Family Liaison Officer is the family’s Support Agency contact that creates the Family Management Plan and conducts the reviews
FMP
A Family Management Plan is a plan created between the FLO and families that details the needs, requirements ad expectations in relation to IHC. The FMP can help identify the range of services, both in terms of IHC and other support services required by the family.
FMP Allocated Hours
Based on your childcare needs, the Support Agency will allocate the number of combined hours that your family can use for IHC during the assessment process. A formula is applied to the total number of hours and is used to calculate the number of IHC Places you are entitled too. The number of allocated hours divided by 35 equals the number of IHC places the family is entitled too.
FMP Allocated IHC Places
An IHC place, as defined in the Child Care Subsidy Minister’s Rules 2017, represents 35 hours of IHC per week, per child, but this is not related to the actual number of hours of subsidised care to which a family is entitled. The number of allocated hours divided by 35 equals the number of IHC places the family is entitled too.
FTB
Family Tax Benefit
Harmony
The third party child care software provider ALHCA uses to submit requests for subsidy each fortnight on the family’s behalf
Home Safety Check
ALHCA’s home safety assessment that is conducted to be satisfied that the physical environment is safe for the children and the IHC Educator. It is a condition of approval that a service only provides care in a safe home environment. Families will be asked to take steps to ensure the physical environment is safe for the child/children and the IHC Educator.
Hourly Rate Cap
The upper limit on the amount the Australian Government will subsidise care provided at an approved child care service. The hourly rate caps vary across service types to reflect differences in operating costs and average fees charged.
IHC
In Home Care is a flexible form of early childhood education and care subsidised under CCS provided by an approved service where an Educator provides care in the child’s home. It is restricted to families who are unable to access other forms of early childhood education and care.
IHC Program
IHC is a government funded program, where we help families with non-standard working hours, who live remote or rural or undergoing complex needs, access child care services in their home.
IHC Support Agency
A central agent servicing each state and territory, funded by the department to support the delivery of IHC through a networked brokerage model. They assess the eligibility for the In Home Care Program on behalf of the Government and create the Family Management Plan documents, they then assess the eligibility of families every 3 months.
Incident Report
Approved providers of IHC services must implement appropriate arrangements to manage serious incidents, including by notifying the Secretary in writing within 24 hours after a serious incident occurs or a circumstance occurs that could have resulted in a serious incident. Families and Educators who observe or experience a serious incident (or a circumstance that could have resulted in a serious incident) should report the matter to the appropriate emergency services and, where appropriate, to the approved provider of the IHC service.
Mandatory Reporting
The legal requirement of certain groups of people to report a reasonable belief of child physical or sexual abuse to child protection authorities. Early childhood Educators are mandatory reporters in all states. Mandatory reporters must make a report to child protection, if: in the course of practising their profession or carrying out duties of their office, position or employment, or they form a belief on reasonable grounds that a child is in need of protection from physical injury or sexual abuse. All ALHCA Educators are trained in mandatory reporting.
Maternal Child Health Nurse
Nurses that will work with your family to help you care for your child until they are ready to start school. You will visit your nurse at 10 key ages and stages in your child’s development. Your MCH nurse offers additional visits, first time parenting groups, and links to local community activities and services when extra support is needed.
Mothercraft
A service provided by Mothercraft Nurses or Nannies who provide care to newborn infants, and provide advice and training on infant care to parents of newborn infants. They usually have specific newborn training in areas such as baby sleeping and feeding.
myGov
The website that provides a secure way for individuals and families to access Australian Government services, including their Centrelink online account, with one login and one password.
Neglect
A failure to be provided with the basic needs that are essential for a child’s physical and emotional wellbeing.
Nominated Child
One CCS eligible child must be selected as the nominated child for each session of care for services to claim the CCS or ACCS for IHC. The eligible individual nominates any one of the children in each session of care eligible for the CSS or ACCS.
Non-Standard Hours
Hours of care in a child care service outside standard hours. Applicable only to Family Day Care and In Home Care services.
NQF
National Quality Framework
Onboarding
A process where a carer fills out specific paperwork and undergoes training to become an Educator and work with IHC families. This involves timesheet training and onboarding of policies and procedures.
OSHC
Outside School Hours Care is subsidised care outside normal school hours to children who are school ages provided by an approved service. An OSHC service may also offer care to non-school aged children (such as siblings of school aged children using the service) during normal school hours where this suits the needs of its families. However, this must not be the care they predominately provide.
Pinks
This is ALHCA office-speak for “Job applications waiting on applicants.” We label jobs that we are advertising with a pink dot to make sure we are working as hard as we can to get the most number of amazing applicants for the family!
Referral Pathway
The incoming referrals from other entities who are seeking services like the IHC program to support the families they are caring for (e.g. Orange Door, Children’s Services, Anglicare)
Rural/Remote Locations
Non-metropolitan areas that are defined in the Australian Standard Geographic Classification as ‘inner regional, ‘outer regional, ‘remote’ or ‘very remote’
Service
The child care that is delivered by a provider in a site or setting. There are different service types, and one provider may deliver one or more services, which may include different service types and/or different service sites.
Service Provider
The approved provider delivering a particular service type. ALHCA is a service provider of IHC
Service Type
The types of services that can be approved to administer the CCS and ACCS payment. These are CBDC, OSHC, FDC and IHC
Services Australia
The Australian Government executive agency that administers child care payments for families
Session of care
The period that a provider is charging a fee for providing care to an enrolled child
SW
Some families on IHC may have a Support Worker through Family Services or Child Protection, they are listed as a second point of contact throughout the registration and implementation of the IHC Program.
Universal Maternal and Child Health Program
A free universal primary health service available for all Victorian families with children from birth to school age. The program aims to promote a comprehensive and focused approach for the promotion, prevention, early detection, and intervention of physical, emotional or social factors affecting young children and their families in Victorian communities.
List of ACCS Referral Pathways
| Name | Overview | Relevant to | Contact Details |
| PANDA | Mental Health Support for Peri, Pre and Post Natal and Depression & Anxiety. |
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| BEYOND BLUE | An organisation that covers all areas of Anxiety and Depression for all ages and genders. |
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| MEN’S SHED | An association dedicated to improving the mental health of male individuals at risk from preventable health issues that emanate from social isolation. |
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| SANE | SANE is a national mental health charity working to support Australians affected by complex mental illnesses. |
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Email: |
| BLACK DOG INSTITUTE | Institute to identify, prevent and treat mental illness and promote well-being. |
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Email:
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| HEADSPACE | Mental Health support for individuals aged 12-25, with a focus on early intervention. |
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| MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION AUSTRALIA | An organisation that establishes the current network of services promoting good mental health and how to maintain it. |
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| MIND | Not for profit Registered NDIS provider and Mental Health Service Provider. |
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| GROW | Focus on mental illness through mutual support and personal development. |
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| MENTAL ILLNESS FELLOWSHIP OF AUSTRALIA INC | Finds local services for people in need emphasis on mental illness, looks more are peer support worker. |
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| EMBRACE MULTICULTURAL MENTAL HEALTH AUSTRALIA | Provides support and advice on mental health and suicide prevention for people from culturally and linguistically diverse. (CALD) backgrounds. |
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| YOUR COMMUNITY HEALTH | Aboriginal Health Team provide health services and support to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community across northern Melbourne. |
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| BREAST CANCER NETWORK AUSTRALIA | Works to ensure that Australians affected by breast cancer receive the very best care, treatment and support appropriate to their individual needs. |
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Email: |
| ORANGE DOOR | A free service for adults, children and young people who are experiencing or have experienced family violence and families who need extra support with the care of children. |
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Website:
Contact Number and Email:
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| SAFE STEPS | Provides specialist support services for anyone in Victoria who is experiencing or afraid of family violence |
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Website:
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| HEARTKIDS | Supporting and advocating for all people impacted by childhood heart disease. |
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| AMAZE | Shaping a better future for autism through advocacy, campaigning and supporting autistic people. |
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Email: |
Please note this is not an exhaustive list and we are constantly updating our list when we find new pathways. For more information please contact us.