Policy

Federal 2020-21 Budget provides no additional ECEC focussed support measures

Jason Roberts

Oct 06, 2020

Save

The Federal Government has handed down their 2020-21 Budget in which, other than commitments made earlier in the year, contains no new measures to support the early childhood education and care ECEC sector.

The much-anticipated announcement comes in the wake of vigorous advocacy activity from across the ECEC sector calling for a range of measures including those designed to overcome barriers to participation in ECEC post the COVID-19 pandemic, funding to develop and implement a National Early Childhood Education and Care Workforce strategy as endorsed by Education Council in December 2019 and efforts to secure a long term commitment to Universal Access to preschool funding beyond the next 18 months.

Within the budget itself the following key entries for ECEC have been included all of which are measures previously announced or enacted:

COVID-19 Response Package - child care - Victorian recovery payments and other support measures in which payments of $314.2 million have been committed to services for the 2020-21 period from the 28 September to 21 January 2021 following $51.7 million extended during the Stage 4 lockdown.
National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education —extension in which $458.3 million has been allocated to the 2020 and 2021 calendar years and to fund the National Early Childhood Education and Care Collection in early 2022.
New Arrangements for the Child Care Subsidy and the Additional Child Care Subsidy all of which capture changes to the CCS legislation passed by the Senate in December 2019 that will yield net savings of $1.7 million over five years.

In a statement, Education Minister Dan Tehan MP said “Child care services are vital for so many parents and their children. In 2020-21, the Government will pay approximately $9 billion in Child Care Subsidy payments. Due to the means-tested nature of the subsidy, families who have lost income or work during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to use care will receive a higher level of subsidy.”

Don’t miss a thing

OSHC provider fined following child safety breaches

A Queensland outside school hours care (OSHC) provider has been fined $50,000 after pleading guilty to multiple breaches of the Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations relating to supervision, child protection and notification failures.

New National Register to strengthen oversight of early childhood education workforce

A new National Early Childhood Worker Register is being introduced to enhance regulatory visibility of the early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce across Australia.

Major providers face enforcement action as regulators step in over safety concerns

In Victoria, the newly established Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA) has filed five charges against G8 Education Limited over an incident at Community Kids Hoppers Crossing Early Education Centre, where a child with diagnosed disabilities exited the service unaccompanied and was later found in the middle of a busy road.

Staff screening obligation reinforced for Queensland approved providers

Approved providers across Queensland are being reminded of their legal obligation to check the register of prohibited persons and suspended educators before employing any individual to work in an early childhood education and care (ECEC) service.

QLD Child safety reform resources and training available for ECEC services

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are encouraged to explore new resources designed to support the implementation of strengthened child safety laws across all states and territories.