We're proud to offer early learning service providers a high quality EAP

The Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) is proud to be in partnership with Telus Health (formerly LifeWorks) - the most trusted mental health and wellbeing partner to over 15,000 organizations around the world - in order to offer the early learning sector a high-quality Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at a fraction of the usual cost. 

We chose LifeWorks because they offer a comprehensive modern Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which aims to destigmatise mental health issues and offer a more holistic approach.

In addition to professional counselling and therapy services, LifeWorks offers your team of staff access to ongoing proactive health advice, via a range of interactive digital tools such as a mobile app and website resources.

Importantly, LifeWorks offers personalised solutions with a tailored level of support that individuals are comfortable with, when and how they choose it. 

The impact of mental health issues on the workplace

While lifestyle factors including work, diet, drugs and lack of sleep can all affect one's mental health, those struggling with a mental health problem are often experiencing additional factors.

Life experiences such as the illness or a death in the family, family or marital problems, physical health problems, social isolation, study or work stress can all have an impact on the mental health of your team members.

If mental health issues among your team are not addressed, they can eventually lead to high absenteeism, lost productivity and high staff  turnover.

You may be interested to know that ACECQA's Ten Year Workforce Strategy includes an entire focus area on wellbeing (Focus Area 4 on page 52), which calls for research into practical mental health strategies for employees that work and the promotion of these wellbeing supports.

How can service providers foster positive mental health for their team? 

As an employer, you can implement strategies for a healthy workplace which promote the mental and physical wellbeing of your staff and also provide support to anyone who may be experiencing mental health issues.

A very important part of your strategy to foster a mentally healthy workplace includes offering your staff access to an EAP, which aims to enhance mental health and wellbeing, maximise productivity and improve organisational culture. 

By improving a person’s life and wellbeing, they will be happier, healthier, and ultimately more engaged and productive at work.

What exactly is an
Employee Assistance Program?

An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is an external service, paid for by the employer, to ensure their employees and their families have access to professional assistance for personal or work-related issues that are impacting on their employment or work performance.

The EAP usually offers your team of staff a suite of practical services such as counselling or therapy from psychologists, social workers and other mental health professionals along with practical everyday life support including general health advice and programs. A comprehensive EAP can even include legal services and financial management or debt support.

What about the privacy of my staff?

Any EAP benefits received by employees or family members remain confidential. 

This means that while the employer pays for the service, they have no insight into an employee's specific use of the service.

Employers do not get to know who is utilizing the service, what the reasons are for, or how often employees call.

 This is an important detail, as it means that employees can trust that they are engaging with a private, confidential service.

What is the usual cost of an EAP?

EAP services are offered at no cost to the employees - it is the employer who pays for the service.

Under most EAP packages to employers, the employer pays an annual subscription fee and sometimes additional charges depending on the service being accessed by the staff, such as the counselling service (which can be face-to-face or a telehealth service).

Generally the EAP subscription fee to the employer can range from $2,000 - $5,000 annually, with an additional average cost of approximately $90 a year per employee. The total cost to the business will vary depending on the number of staff employed. As an example, for a business that has 30 staff, the annual cost for an EAP would work out to approximately $5,000 to $8,000 a year.

What is the cost of the ACA/LifeWorks EAP special offer?

In the context of the many challenges to the early learning sector over the last two years, the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) is committed to addressing the mental health needs of our sector.

We know that larger service providers are in a stronger position to be able to afford an EAP service, whereas smaller service providers are less likely to have the financial capacity to take one on.

Our partnership with LifeWorks means that we can offer a high-quality EAP package to the early learning sector at a fraction of the usual annual cost.

New subscriptions will be billed on a pro-rata basis if they are outside of ACA's annual subscription period.

What is the extent of the services in the ACA/LifeWorks offer to early learning service providers?

When you sign up to the ACA/Lifeworks offer, your team of staff will have: :

• 24/7 support by phone, online by browser and by mobile app.
• 24/7 access to professional advisors for advice, work-life support, and referrals.
• 24/7 access to counselling by phone for immediate,short-term support.
• 24/7 access by the mobile app (iOS and Android) and online to wellbeing content.
• Referrals to in-person counselling, as well as other modalities to fit your schedule and com-fort level.
• Best-in-class clinical programmes that offer help and support for work, health and life challenges.
• Connections to organisations and agencies in your community to help you address specific needs.

You can read more about LifeWorks, their history and the services they offer here.

How to sign up your service

To sign up, please complete the online subscription form here. 

Within 7 days of completing the form, you will be sent:

• an invoice from your local ACA State Body for your subscription (for a period of 12 months or possibly less as a pro-rata'd amount) from a specified date. 
  
  
• a welcome email from your ACA State Body, with all the information you need to give your team of staff access to their new LifeWorks Employee Assistance Program (EAP). 

If you need any assistance with this process or have any queries, please contact ACA NSW via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au directly.

We hope you take full advantage of this incredibly valuable offer.