Provider approval cancelled for 13 ECEC services over September quarter

Thirteen childcare services – all family day care (FDC) services – have been listed within the Child Care Enforcement Action Register for the first quarter of the 2019FY as having their provider approval cancelled.

By state, seven services were cancelled in Victoria, four in New South Wales, and one in Queensland.

The most common reasons for cancellation of provider approval for the affected services was:

• failure to provide appropriate information to the Department of Education when requested as stipulated under the Family Assistance Administration Act Section 219N and the Child Care Benefit (Eligibility of Child Care Services for Approval and Continued Approval) Rules 2017 sections 10A;
• the suitability of the provider and its staff to run a childcare service and provide care as stipulated under the Child Care Benefit (Eligibility of Child Care Services for Approval and Continued Approval) Rules 2017 sections 7 and 16; and,
• Failure to pass on reductions in fee where individuals were eligible as stipulated under the Family Assistance Administration Act Section 219B.  

The compliance record of the FDC sector has been in the news recently with Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Development Amanda Rishworth claiming that the FDC sector has been unfairly penalised in order for the Australian Government to achieve its goal of closing 150 FDC services to save $1 billion.

In addition, a report released earlier this month by the Select Committee on Red Tape found that the “volume and breadth” of regulation relating to the FDC sector should be reviewed. However, early childhood education and care (ECEC) union United Voice called on the Federal Government to reject the recommendations outlined in the report, stating the recommendations “further demonstrate this Government’s obsession with undermining quality early childhood education and care”.  

Federal Minister for Education Dan Tehan has said that the Australian Government’s stance will remain firm on stopping “dodgy childcare providers rorting or misusing Australia’s FDC system”.

The Australian Department of Education and Training has said that it established the Child Care Enforcement Action Register because it considers that information on sanctions should be available to the public. Information about the responsibilities and obligations of approved child care services can be found on the department’s website.

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