23 AugAustralian Government announces extra financial assistance for child care services – further information to come
Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, and Federal Minister for Education and Youth, Alan Tudge, have today announced additional financial support for child care services operating in Commonwealth declared COVID-19 hotspots. Long Day Care and Family Day Care services will be eligible for payments of 25 per cent of their pre-lockdown revenue. Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) services will be eligible for payments of 40 per cent.
This will apply to services seven days after the hotspot is declared, where states have directed families to keep their children at home.
The Government advises the new payments will immediately benefit child care services in affected areas of Sydney and the ACT and OSHC services in Metropolitan Melbourne.
All other services in Metropolitan Melbourne, regional Victoria and regional NSW will become eligible in seven days and payments will be backdated to 23 August.
Payments will be contingent on services:
- expecting attendance below 50 per cent
- waiving gap fees for all families whose children are not attending
- maintaining staffing levels
- agreeing to a fee freeze for the duration of support
- not accessing other Commonwealth Government funded supports e.g. Job Saver.
At present there is no specific information available including on how to apply. Further details will posted on ELAA’s COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions page when available.
