As we have seen in Victoria, the possibility of New South Wales experiencing a second wave(s) or cluster(s) of COVID-19 is not impossible. So what would happen for NSW's Service Providers, children and parents in that event?

The Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) NSW is aware of the current arrangements made for specific regions within Victoria, that is the Federal Department of Education has exercised the (new) Minister's Rules regarding local emergencies to allow COVID-19 affected service providers to continue receiving the Commonwealth's Child Care Subsidy while being allowed to waive the gap fee. This came into effect when the Victorian State Government declared a local emergency. Moreover, services providers will also continue to receive the 25% Transition Payments in accordance with the announcement made on 8 June 2020.

Equally importantly, it should be pointed out that so far, no early childhood education and care services in Victoria have been instructed to temporarily close. In other words, all services remain open and operational.

ACA NSW believes the above arrangements will now be the de facto arrangement for all services across Australia who experience similar circumstances in relation to a second-wave(s) or cluster(s) of COVID-19 cases. ACA NSW is working with ACA National to receive confirmation from the Federal Government that this in fact is the case.

In the meantime, ACA NSW has already reached out to the NSW State Government to declare when necessary local emergency/emergencies should a second-wave(s) or cluster(s) of COVID-19 cases appear within NSW so that affected NSW-based services will be treated the same way as Victorian services.

It is also true that while the NSW State Government has NOT declared a local emergency for the area(s), and should parents remove their children from care, then up to seven (7) additional absences are allowed as long as the gap fee remains paid. And if the service was to direct a parent(s) to remove their child(ren), then that would likely be regarded as a business decision, and hence enrolment would immediately cease with the service unable to charge any fee nor receive the Commonwealth's Child Care Subsidy for services not rendered.

Should further information/clarification regarding the above be required, members are encouraged to contact ACA NSW on 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au.

PUBLISHED: 22 JULY 2020