The Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) NSW would like to thank you for your contribution to our ECEC Relief Package Survey that ended on Sunday, 3 May 2020! They were most helpful and will contribute towards our submissions and discussions with the Federal Government.

A sample of the feedback received are as follows:

1. Question - How are the ECEC Relief Package, JobKeeper, PAYG Cash Grants and Supplementary Funding working for you?
   • "The ECEC relief package and Jobkeeper have helped keep the centre open and helped keep families enrolled and utilising the service."
   • "I am able to keep operating and I have been able to keep most employees working their usual hours."
   • "On the balance ECEC RP with JK and PAYG CP works for our model. To pay staff in the month of April, though we have had to access savings set aside from our Goods and Services budget. Supplementary funding - we have only had a few, insignificant number of new enquiries for enrolment.."
   • "Once the Jobkeeper payments start we should be bringing in roughly the same income as pre package."
   • "ECEC relief package is keeping our heads above water and it is much appreciated."
2. Question - How are the ECEC Relief Package, JobKeeper, PAYG Cash Grants and Supplementary Funding NOT working for you?
   • "With children returning in large numbers it is not really working for us anymore. we are heading back to capacity and the funding for 50% is not covering the costs of operating"
   • "ECEC Relief Package is costing us $11,500 per week JobKeeper should save us $5,500 per week but is a massive waste of Govt. money. Supplementary Funding has not been claimed as yet."
   • "many families are wanting to come back even the families that are working from home because they are finding it hard to have the children with them and that its FREE CHILDCARE but we cannot support all children and families on the budget that we have been given."
   • "ECEC relief package/ jobkeeper has left me with no other option but to reduce all staff hours to bring them on line with jobkeeper. This has left me with shift times that are unworkable thus i am havng to supplement staff wages. I cannot afford to repay my loans my rent and have had to put a lot of survival tactics in place. If the package went on for longer than anticipated i will have to close my doors."
   • "We are struggling with keeping ourselves a float. The main problem/ issue is half of our educators are not entitled to the job keeper payment therefore having to minimise their hours and alot of our families didn't stay home so our occupancy was still really high."
3. Question - What are your suggestions to amend/improve any/all of them?
   • "Instead of 50% of fees for reference fortnight, I believe 70% would allow operators to not lose so much money. Perhaps also, if a service can prove a significant loss they should automatically be eligible for Supplementary Funding to cover that loss."
   • "Free child care entitlements need to be removed asap. The parents want to pay for their child care, and be able to access the days that they need, regardless of wether they are a nurse, a builder, an office worker, or working from home. centres should not be cutting placements to parents who need care."
     
   • "The Government needs to look into the whole system. I feel a lot of centres are taking advantage of the system to make a profit. It has come to light via conversations with friends and parents that have children in two childcare centres that some centres are not doing the right thing. In a nut shell, Centres have asked parents what there work requirements are and if they aren’t essential front line workers, they have asked parents to not bring their children into daycare/preschool. This has then allowed these centres to reduce/or increase part time workers hours so that everybody only earns $750.00. This means they aren’t paying out any extra money they the Government provides from the job keeper payments and making a profit. ... How is that fair?"
   • "Increase ECEC Relief package according to CCS % families are eligible for. Increase the number enrolments/ attendance as it exceeds the number as in February week. JobKeeper to be given as a lump sum for $1500 per fortnight per eligible and nominated employees for employers to distribute to eligible employees as per the hours they work or the amount of leave they are entitled to take."
     
   • "It would have been more fair for employees if those who were earning less than $750 per week (due to part-time work, etc) can be paid their actual wages and the remaining is being used to pay those earning more than $750. As we are still obligated to maintain ratios - ECTs and Diploma holders are usually paid more than Cert IIIs."

ACA NSW will use the responses received in our interactions with the Federal Government through the ACA National Committee.

PUBLISHED: 4 MAY 2020