Fairfield Council to waive LDC and preschool service fees as NSW lockdown persists

Parents who use the long day care (LDC) and preschool services of Fairfield Council, and who choose to keep their children home during New South Wales; extended lockdown will have their gap fees waived, the Council recently announced.

To be eligible for the waiver parents will need to keep their children enrolled, but will not be charged gap fees for the days their children do not attend. Last week, the Federal Government announced that even though child care services remain open in NSW, services in local government areas subject to stay-at-home orders can waive gap fees for parents on days they choose to keep their children at home, something the Council has chosen to take advantage of.

Speaking with local paper Fairfield City Champion local mayor Frank Carbone said the services will remain open for essential and authorised workers, acknowledging that many families will be impacted by the additional restrictions placed on workers who live in the Council area, and who are unable to leave if their work is outside the area. 

“Many families are also following the advice to stay at home and choosing to keep their children at home,” he told the paper. “We believe that families should have the option to keep their children home at this time without the out-of-pocket expenses.”

“It is important, now more than ever, that local families and businesses are supported during the NSW stay-at-home lockdown,” he said in closing. 

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