Communities at Work latest provider to bring 95% discount to educator parents

Communities at Work, a Canberra-based not-for-profit organisation and early childhood education and care (ECEC) provider will provide a 95 per cent discount on the gap fee paid by employees who have children who attend its early childhood and outside school hours care (OSHC) services, effective 1 March 2022. 

The move, first seen in the Australian sector from provider Busy Bees Australia, takes full advantage of a recent legislative change which makes provision for ECEC providers to offer a discount of up to 95 per cent on the gap fee paid by employees of ECEC services who have children attending care in the same network. 

Prior to the change being announced, Communities at Work had actively advocated for the measure, with Lee Maiden, Communities at Work CEO, saying “we are very happy that we are able to provide this discount, which will support educators with children enrolled in our services to continue to deliver essential high-quality education and care to children.”

The announcement was also welcomed by Kellie Stewart, Communities at Work’s Director of Children’s Services, saying the measure will hopefully assist Communities at Work attract and retain their vital children’s services workforce.

“We were experiencing a workforce shortage, made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. This announcement will assist us to retain qualified educators, attract new educators to the sector and give part-time educators with children an opportunity to work additional days now that the cost of care for their children is significantly reduced.”

Educators and employees across the network have also responded favourably to the news, with one educator, currently on parental leave, saying the announcement has alleviated some of the stress they have been feeling about returning to work. 

Communities at Work is Canberra’s largest not-for-profit community organisation, the largest local provider of ECEC services, and one of Canberra’s largest employers, with over 600 employees. For more information about Communities at Work, please see here.