COVID-19: Governments need to do more for ECEC sector

August 17th, 2021 Latest News

After 7 weeks, it is obvious that the current lockdown will continue beyond 28 August 2021, even possibly until November 2021. And there is still no guarantee of of all restrictions being lifted after then.


And notwithstanding advocacies thus far and some government improvements to date, the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) NSW and ACA National has issued their latest submissions asking for still more to support the negatively affected early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector.


NOTE: ACA NSW is continuing to collect attendance, absence and termination of enrolments data via here.


Given the extended lockdown, the very real risks to ECEC services and their operational and future viability impact on educators, teachers, children and their families include:


  • the continuing declines in children’s attendances;
  • the increasing number of terminations of enrolments;
  • the limited suitability of the optional waiver of the gap fees;
  • the risk of Child Care Subsidies being automatically retrieved from ECEC services because of the children’s absence on their last day or after 14 weeks of non-attendances;
  • services that receive low Child Care Subsidies (especially those toward 20% of fees or hourly rate cap);
  • labour ramifications of reaching the 30% or more decline in turnover threshold;
  • resulting ineligibility of services to receive JobSaver;
  • inadequate legal protections if using the Stand Down provisions of the Fair Work Act; and
  • impending reduced capacities or even closure of services post lockdown.


It is worth noting that some struggling ECEC services may already be eligible to begin receiving government assistance, especially payments to cover 40% of their payroll. Therefore, ACA NSW has produced an explainer video for ACA NSW members to help them with their applications for and considerations of all available government assistances.



NOTE: ACA NSW username and password required for access


ACA NSW is asking our governments to provide clarity, reassurance and predictabilty of support needed to protect everyone’s physical, mental and economic well-being while we collectively address the impact of the Delta (and future) variant(s) of COVID-19.


For more information/clarification, please contact the ACA NSW team via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au.


And for all COVID related information for the early childhood education and care sector, please visit ACA NSW's COVIDwatch.


PUBLISHED: 17 AUGUST 2021

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