21/22 Federal Budget – A four-year commitment to kindergarten funding is a great stride forward

“After years of advocacy by ELAA and other Early Childhood Education and Care peak bodies, it’s very encouraging that our collective advice to government, based on Australian and International research, appears to have been heard. Our message to government has always been that longer-term funding will give greater certainty to service providers and families,” said ELAA CEO, David Worland.

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20/21 Vic Budget keeps up the pace on kindergarten reform

Yesterday’s Victorian 20/21 Budget, reflected a continued commitment to what is most certainly the biggest Government investment in the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Sector in our State’s history. Read our full media release (more…)

Vic kindergarten fee subsidy delivers welcome certainty for 2021

ELAA welcomes the Victorian Government’s announcement of 2021 fee subsidies for providers of funded three and four-year-old kindergarten programs (including kindergarten programs in long day care), reduced fees for unfunded three-year-old kindergarten programs, and significant start up grants for newly established Outside School Hours Care programs in government schools (more…)

Federal Budget Maintains Support on COVID but long-term vision for early learning needed

With the handing down of the Australian Government’s 20/21 Budget, Early Learning Association Australia (ELAA) recognises the Government’s continued efforts to maintain targeted and commensurate levels of support to Child Care service providers and the families they serve during a period of severe economic challenge. However, key issues for our sector – such as certainty regarding continued Australian Government funding of the National Partnership on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education and Care – need a long term plan. (more…)

Child Care Recovery Package targets help where it’s needed

The announcement of the Child Care Recovery package by the Australian Minister for Education, Dan Tehan, on the weekend brings some welcome re-assurance for childcare providers and families, particularly those in Victoria. (more…)

Continued kinder fee relief good for children, service providers and parents

ELAA welcomes today’s announcement by the Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, and Education Minister, James Merlino of $26.7 million in additional funding for Victorian sessional kindergarten. (more…)

Government lifeline to childcare is welcome but more may be required

“We greatly appreciate that the Australian Government is trying to throw providers a lifeline, save jobs, and free up permitted workers to do their work but these new arrangements are complicated and we may still have childcare providers that fall through the cracks – the question is just how many,” says ELAA CEO, David Worland. (more…)

Second wave in Victoria changes the game for childcare nationally

As Victoria scrambles to adjust to stage four restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne and the return of stage three restrictions elsewhere, the question of how to keep the childcare sector afloat remains a national one. (more…)

Extension to Vic kindergarten fee relief welcome but not without risks

ELAA welcomes the announcement by Victorian Minister for Education, James Merlino, of an extension of sessional kindergarten fee relief into Term 3. “The relief payment of $230 per child for the next term will certainly help parents and give services a degree of financial stability although the effectiveness of this support will depend on COVID-19 infection rates and economic conditions trending in the right direction,” said ELAA CEO David Worland.

Read the full media release

Rollback of free childcare bets on swift economic recovery and no second pandemic wave

Today’s announcement by the Federal Government to roll back the Childcare Relief Package re-introduces affordability issues for Australian families and could also compromise the financial viability of early childhood education and care providers should the economic outlook worsen or the nation experience further significant COVID-19 related disruption. (more…)