Complex & Challenging Child Care

Complex/challenging needs

Complex and challenging needs depend on the individual.

In many instances, a situation is complex and challenging when there are ‘multiple unmet needs’. This can include situations where families experience a combination of professional, medical and social issues. These issues make using other types of approved child care inappropriate.

Here are just a few examples of families experiencing challenging or complex needs:

• A parent is undergoing treatment for a serious illness. This prevents the children from accessing other approved child care types due to the likelihood of the parent being immunocompromised.
• A child has a serious illness. Other types of approved child care are not appropriate due to the risk of transmitting illness.
• The whole family is experiencing the challenging situation. For instance, the family home has burnt down in a bushfire. The family relocates to temporary accommodation and there are no child care places available in that area.

In home care and NDIS – National Disability Insurance Scheme

If you or your child has a permanent and significant disability, and you receive support from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), your child can be suitable for in home care.

However, NDIS and in home care are two separate programs. This means if you receive NDIS funding, you cannot use this to pay for in home care.
The in home Care Support Agency is here to answer your questions and provide you with all the help and support you need.

in home care and ECEI – Early Childhood Early Intervention

If your child is aged under 7, and has been diagnosed with a developmental delay or disability, in home child care may be an option for you. The Early Childhood Early Intervention approach is designed to offer tailored support for your child. This can include support from other partners such as in home child care providers.

We are always here to provide help and support to parents of children with complex and challenging needs. If you would like more information about ECEI and home child care, you can find it here.

Providing evidence of disability for children

To access support for your child from the NDIS, you will need to provide evidence of your child’s disability or developmental delay. This includes information on the nature of your child’s condition and how it impacts his or her life, as well as how long it is expected to last.

You can find out more here about the specific information you will need to provide.