13. Early Childhood Education and Care Relief Package

On 2 April 2020, the Australian Government announced the new Early Childhood Education and Care Relief Package.

Services will now be able to waive out of pocket fees for families where a service remains open, but children are not attending. This change will apply retrospectively from 23 March 2020 and extends the rule which allows services to waive out of pocket fees where the centre is directed to close on public health advice.

Waiving the out of pocket fee will mean services do not have to charge families for child care services they are not using.  In recognition of the impact of COVID-19, for the 2019-20 financial year, families are entitled to 62 allowable absences, rather than the standard 42 allowable absence days.

Payments will be made until 28 June 2020 and families will not be charged fees during this time.

If you have a child in the care of a centre already, please speak to them about how these changes will affect your current situation.

If you do not have a child in the care of a centre, please contact the centre most convenient for you.  All centres are independently reviewing if they are taking on additional families.