Fun Squad FAQs

To enrol your child/children here’s what you need to do:

• Login to Kidsoft Parent Portal. Click on Register Now to create a waitlist.
• Please be aware that if your child has a medical condition management plan from their doctor, they may not be able to start until you have had a meeting with our Service Manager. At this meeting, we may need you to provide us with additional information so we can safely care for your child.
• Once you have submitted your enrollment, you can make a Permanent Booking.
• The next time you are in your service, you will need to sign the hard copy the service holds.

Important: if you believe you already have a booking and have completed an updated enrolment form, please check with your service regarding your booking status.

Please contact your local Fun Squad service to enroll.

Operational hours vary for each service. Find your service to view the hours of operation.

Operational hours are based on the needs of the community. Should you require additional hours and there’s a need within the community for additional hours please speak with the Service Manager.

There are two types of bookings:

• Permanent bookings – these are set days you require every week. These can be from one day to five days. The required days will be held permanently for you until you change your booking through a formal booking form.
• Casual bookings – PCYC Queensland appreciates that families have commitments that change daily or weekly and we allow the flexibility to book in your children at short notice. Some services may be on ratio or near licence capacity and may not be able to accommodate all bookings or changes. You will need to confirm with your service to ensure a place is available.

Discover how to manage your bookings in the Kidsoft Parent Portal Tip Sheet.

Bookings changed or cancelled with 7 days notice incur no cost for the session. Sessions cancelled less than 7 days in advance incur the session charge.

A late booking fee is a fee applied for bookings made less than ten days prior to the commencement of the session. 

• Each service is unique and the fees reflect the services that can be offered. Please locate your service to view the fees.
• Bookings are charged as a session, whether you use one or three hours of care you will be charged for the full session.
• Fees will vary based on days of attendance and Child Care Subsidy (CCS) that will be applied to your account. The fees are based on a single booking.
• Price does not include additional fees set by the direct debit provider which are applicable to all direct debits. Minimum fee per payment transaction is $0.50.

Apply for CCS through Centrelink, via your MyGov account. For further information you can contact Centrelink on 13 61 50. More information about CCS is available on the Government’s website.

Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is paid directly to providers to reduce the fees you pay. The amount you receive is based on your specific circumstances. If you have queries about your entitlements, you can check with your Centrelink online account through myGov or contact Centrelink directly. You may be eligible to claim Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) if you meet the criteria for child wellbeing (families who require practical help to support their children’s safety and wellbeing), grandparent subsidy, transition to work subsidy or temporary financial hardship.

You will need to provide PCYC with the following information:

• Your Customer Reference Number (CRN – issued to you by the Family Assistance Office)
• Your child’s CRN
• Your date of birth (CRN Holder)
• Your child’s date of birth

The CRN Holder will then be notified of the enrolment notice (accessed via Centrelink, express mobile app or via myGov) where you can confirm, dispute or reject the enrolment. Once the enrolment is confirmed, entitlements can be calculated, until subsidies are applied to the account you are liable for the full fee.

Families are only entitled to CCS payments on 42 absence days per child, per financial year (additional absences may be granted by the Australian Government). In shared care arrangements, the allocation of 42 absences per financial year relates to the child, not each individual claimant. Families are not entitled to CCS until the first day the child physically attends the service and are only entitled to the last day the child physically attends the service. Non attendance on a first or last day of care will result in the full fee being charged for that session.

An enrolment will automatically cease for CCS where a child does not attend a session of care for 14 continuous weeks. If the last day was an absence, CCS will automatically withdraw the CCS paid to the service (this may occur after 14 weeks). If your child does not attend a session of care in 26 weeks you will no longer be eligible for CCS. You should always review your care arrangements after an extended break between sessions of care, to ensure it is up to date and both parties continue to agree on the terms of the arrangement.

When enrolling in a PCYC service you will need to select the type of arrangement you want to enter into:

• Complying Written Arrangement: Able to have CCS applied to account where eligible and liable for gap fee
• Relevant Arrangement: Liable for full fees – no Child Care Subsidy or Additional Child Care Subsidy payable
• Arrangement with an Organisation (third party)*: Liable for fees, no Child Care Subsidy or Additional Child Care Subsidy payable for the part of the fees for which the organisation is liable. *Only individuals can be eligible for these subsidies.

Your statement is emailed to you weekly. Our preferred method of payment is direct debit through Kidsoft.

Please check that all details are correct on your statement, including both the child/ren and CCS account holder date of birth and CRN details, then check on MyGov that you have confirmed your enrolment. For further enquiries you’ll need to contact Centrelink directly on 13 61 50. 

• We provide a healthy breakfast and afternoon snack which will always include fruit and vegetables. Food is selected with consideration to cultural preferences, dietary requirements and meal plans for specific children.
• Children are educated on healthy choices and often participate in cooking experiences, food preparation and cleaning up. Where possible, the services like to have a garden and grow herbs and vegetables to contribute to the menu.
• PCYC Queensland services meet national food safety standards and guidelines. The services refer to the PANOSH framework and Smart Choices – the Healthy Food and Drink Strategy for Queensland Schools when preparing menus.
• If your child requires a specialised meal plan, please talk with the Service Manager upon enrolment.

Children who require individualised support are required to meet with the Service Manager before the child can attend. Planning for a child with individual needs requires a tailored plan on how best to support your child in our service. The service may need to seek specialist and support workers (where required) to provide quality care for your child, the service and family.

Children must be in primary school to attend PCYC Queensland Fun Squad services. This means that your child must be enrolled or registered at a school and attend or will attend in the current calendar year. Children commencing Prep can attend the service from the 1st of January in the year the child is enrolled to attend Prep.

Yes. Kidsoft allows separate bookings, contact details and billing for separate parents.

Making the transition to ‘big school’ can feel like a big step for both children and parents alike! Fortunately, the qualified staff at PCYC Queensland Fun Squad have the experience and training to support your family and help your child make a successful transition to primary school. PCYC Queensland Fun Squad have been supporting families to make the transition into Fun Squad for more than 40 years and over this time we have developed some key learnings which we implement today.

Our introduction to Fun Squad helps your child to adjust and reduces uncertainty around new experiences by providing a safe environment. Our Fun Squad sessions are fun and strike a balance between creative play as your child adjusts to formal education and learning-based activities which complement the school curriculum.

If possible, arrange an orientation at your child’s Fun Squad service, so both you and your child can become familiar with the space as well as meeting the Educators who will be guiding your child as they begin their Fun Squad journey.

Where possible, we also welcome new Prep children to try Holiday Fun in January, prior to the start of the school term. If your local service offers Holiday Fun you are welcome to make a booking and let your child get to know the service before school starts.

We welcome Parental involvement at our services, as your unique insights empower our Educators to engage with your child’s personal interests.

Reassure your child that when school finishes they will be escorted to and from their classrooms for both Before and After School Fun.

Although we would love to accommodate as many children as possible, Fun Squad has a service approval capacity and ratios that we must abide by. This means that when we’re fully booked, we’re fully booked, but please keep in contact with your service as bookings do fluctuate. 

Schools have no obligation to inform us if your child is absent. If your child is absent, please notify the service as soon as you can so that we don’t spend time contacting you to locate your child. Unnecessary phone calls trying to locate absent children significantly impact our sessions. You’ll incur a non-communication fee if you haven’t communicated with the service about your child’s absence. 

If you child has an allergy, specific health care need or relevant medical condition you’ll be required to provide the service with a Medical Management Plan and participate in a Risk Minimisation and Communication Plan with the service, as per National Regulations. 

If your child requires medication, let the service know. You will need to fill out a Medication Record and provide the service with the medication. Medication must be in its original packaging and with a pharmacy label clearly outlining the child’s name, expiry date and administration instructions. 

• Educational Program & Practice Policy
• Fee Management and CCS Policy
• Family Information Handbook
• Children’s Health and Safety Policy (includes Medical Conditions)
• My Time Our Place
• Child Care Subsidy Information
• Kidsoft Parent Portal Tip Sheet

• Department of Education Queensland
• National Quality Framework
• Office of the eSafety Commissioner
• Australian Childhood Foundation
• Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors
• Australian Institute of Family Studies
• Further information on Education and Care Services National Regulations and National Law is also available on the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority Website.