5.7        LIMITS ON NUMBERS OF CHILDREN IN CARE

DATED:             January 2006

SOURCED:        Child Care Act 2002, Queensland Department of Communities

______________________________________________________________________

POLICY

In order to maintain proper quality of care, at any one time a carer may care for a total of no more than seven (7) children with no more than four (4) children who have not started school (including the carer's own children who have not started school).

PROCEDURES

a) A scheme must operate within the limits on the total number of children allowed in care by its government-approved licence. Due to the constraints of the licence capacity, and equity in terms of the placement of children, the scheme will determine the number of children to be cared for by any one carer, which may be a number fewer than seven (7) children. This decision will be made in consultation with the carer.

b) The carer must not exceed the permitted numbers of children specified by the Certificate of Approval. Carers cannot care for other children who are not their own children and who are outside the Family Day Care scheme, whether or not on the basis of fee or reward, at the same time as the Family Day Care children. The only exceptions to this would be children of twelve years or older who may be friends or relatives of the carer's own children or a foster child who would be counted as the carer's own child (Short term only).

c) The duty of care of a carer does not cease until the child in care has been signed out of care and then has left the premises of the carer.