A number of members of the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) NSW have advised that they have not received the notice of 18 June 2020 (see below) from the Federal Department of Education. ACA NSW can confirm that this experience is occurring across Australia as the broadcast has been staggered. Notwithstanding, a copy of the notice is provided below for your immediate reference, and you might also like to check your junk mailbox with the source e-mail address being dse@aumail.docusign.net.
Transition arrangements for the end of the Early Childhood and Care Relief Package (as broadcast by the Federal Department of Education on 18 June 2020)
In line with the Government’s announcement on 8 June 2020, I am writing to offer an Australian Government grant (the ‘Grant’) to support your child care service(s) and parents transition back to the child care subsidy, which will recommence from 13 July 2020. Further details on the Government’s announcement are available on the Department of Education, Skills and Employment (the department) COVID-19 webpage https://www.dese.gov.au/news/transition-arrangements-end-early-childhood-and-care-relief-package.
The Grant will be administered under the Community Child Care Fund (CCCF) Special Circumstances grant program as a Transition Payment. The amount of your Transition Payment is calculated in accordance with the Transition Payment Guidelines (the ‘Guidelines’) at https://www.dese.gov.au/node/202.
To receive your Transition Payment offer
The department has established an online process for providers to agree to this offer, which is being provided by DocuSign. To view and agree the terms of your grant agreement offer, please select the ‘Review Document’ button at the end of this email.
The grant agreement template with terms and conditions can be viewed at https://www.dese.gov.au/node/204.
This grant agreement can only be signed by a person who is authorised to enter a legal arrangement with the Australian Government on your organisation’s behalf. The terms and conditions of the offer are non-negotiable and no changes will be entered into.
Following receipt of the signed grant agreement, Transition Payments will be paid into the bank account currently nominated for your service(s) in the Child Care Subsidy System (CCSS). You are responsible for ensuring your bank account details in the CCSS are correct. Information on how to update your bank details in the Provider Entry Point can be found at https://docs.education.gov.au/node/51056.
Alternatively, you can update your details via your third party software. Please contact your software provider if you need assistance.
As per the Guidelines, the Transition Payment grant program will run from 13 July to 27 September. To allow the department to process your first payment at the commencement of the program, you will need to accept this offer prior to 5pm on 1 July 2020.
Next steps to accept this offer
- send this email to the person authorised to enter into an agreement with the Commonwealth on your organisation’s behalf
- authorised representative should review your offer via DocuSign (PLEASE NOTE: SERVICES MUST RECEIVE THEIR OWN CUSTOMISED OFFER. PLEASE CALL 1300 667 276 OR EMAIL ccshelpdesk@dese.gov.au TO RECEIVE YOUR OFFER.)
- authorised representative to electronically sign and accept the offer by 1 July.
If you have any questions about this offer, please contact the Child Care Subsidy Help Desk on telephone 1300 667 276 or email at ccshelpdesk@dese.gov.au.
Yours sincerely
Fiona Lynch-Magor
Assistant Secretary, Community & Indigenous Child Care Branch
Federal Department of Education, Skills and Employment
ECECTransitionPayment@dese.gov.au
PUBLISHED: 19 JUNE 2020