To obtain copies of older Child Care Census publications (1989 – 1995) please contact the child care census team at childcare.census@deewr.gov.au. Copies of the data collection forms from 1989-2006 are also available by contacting this e-mail address.
The 2001 Census was not a full Census of all child care services. Only the non-Child Care Benefit (non-CCB) services such as Aboriginal Playgroups and Enrichment Programs, Mobiles and Toy Libraries, Multifunctional Aboriginal Children's Services, Multifunctional Children's Services and CCB approved Family Day Care services using the "Harmony" software system were surveyed [Harmony software allowed data to be presented in Census format automatically with minimal work for FDC service providers]. The decision not to conduct a full Census was taken to reduce the administrative demands on child care services during the implementation of Child Care Benefit (CCB).The Family Day Care services that used Harmony made up approximately 90% of all Family Day Care schemes. Even so, there were characteristics of the "non-Harmony" services that were very different to the Harmony services (especially in the average size of services). In these respects at least the Harmony services were not representative of all Family Day Care services. This makes comparisons between the 2001 Census and the 2002 Census as well as all other Censuses problematic. It is recommended that extreme caution be used in comparisons between Censuses for Family Day Care.
The 1997 Census of Child Care Services and 1996 Census of Child Care Services details the findings of the Censuses conducted in 1997 and 1996 by the then Department of Health and Family Services. It contains information on 12 service types funded under the Commonwealth Child Care Program, including details of child care users, staff and carers and operational details of child care services.