Applications for Community Child Care Fund will open this week to support limited supply

The Federal Government will this week open applications for the Community Child Care Fund (CCCF), helping establish much-needed early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in disadvantaged communities.

The funding, Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly said, will help establish vital ECEC services in communities experiencing disadvantage, where families currently have limited options when it comes to early learning for their children.

“We’re ensuring children don’t miss out on the critical benefits of early childhood education and care while giving families the ability to choose when it comes to increasing hours of work or returning to work or education,” Dr Aly said.

Eligible providers will be able to apply to share in $18 million in funding for grants of up to $900,000 to establish a new centre-based day care or family day care service in an area experiencing limited supply.

The grants complement the Government’s expansion of the CCCF Restricted and Connected Beginnings programs, which are improving ECEC access for First Nations children in remote and very remote communities.

Approximately 900 services are already funded under the CCCF program, with approximately 60 per cent of funding supporting services located in regional and remote communities, ensuring families have access to quality early learning no matter where they live.

Applications for the new round will open from Wednesday 3 May until 1 June 2023 through the Grant Connect website.

For more information about the CCCF, see here.