Overview

The Australian Institute of Family Studies was commissioned by the Department of Education and Training to undertake an evaluation of the Australian Government’s Child Care Flexibility Trials, which took place between 2013 and 2014. This publication summarises the key findings from that evaluation.

Key findings were:

• Parents’ child care needs and preferences are diverse, so parents need a range of easily accessed child care options;
• Identification of demand for flexible care is not straightforward;
• “Flexibility” is just one of the characteristics of care that parents look for;
• Delivery of a flexible child care solution is dependent on service provider commitment and educator availability; and
• When introducing a new child care option, timing and continuity matters.