Assistance to support providers to navigate the Worker Retention Payment grants

The Federal Department of Education has announced further support to assist approved providers of early childhood education and care (ECEC) services to understand, apply for and meet the conditions of the worker retention payment grants. 

Support includes:

• help to understand, develop and implement a workplace instrument
• help to submit your application
• help to request an alternative fee growth cap or funding review
• administration, record-keeping and payroll support
• workplace relations or legal advice
• online information sessions
• helplines, and more.

The following organisations and advocacy bodies have been selected based on their knowledge of the ECEC sector and their understanding of the worker retention payment:

• Ai Group
• Australian Childcare Alliance
• Australian Services Union
• Community Early Learning Australia/Community Child Care (CELA/CCC)
• Independent Education Union
• National Outside School Hours Services Alliance (NOSHA) 
• SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children
• United Workers Union

The Department warned providers that workplace instrument templates sold commercially may not meet the worker retention payment requirements, recommending that providers get support through the organisations listed.

Several of these organisations will hold information sessions in the coming weeks, including Ai Group and NOSHA. 

Some of the providers have teamed up to increase the breadth of their support – for example CCC and CELA have partnered to form the Education and Care Workplace Relations Team. 

“We’re really excited to support more of the ECEC cohort to maximise this great opportunity,” CCC Executive Director Julie Price said.

This Team has already been working with providers to inform, educate and guide them through the process to access the funding, and is now able to extend that support free of charge to eligible services. 

Support offered by the Education and Care Workplace Relations Team includes: 

• In-depth information through an Options Pack which outlines options for services to access the grant
• Resources and phone support to understand the Worker Retention Grant
• Advice on options to comply with grant requirements, including the requirement to be covered by an eligible workplace instrument
• Comprehensive support to join onto the ECEC Multi-Employer Agreement
• Access to other workplace instruments including approved Individual Flexibility Arrangements (IFAs)
• Support to apply for the Worker Retention Grant. 

“We’ve heard from those on the frontline of responding to this opportunity that while it’s a valuable one, it can seem complex. We understand, and have a team of subject matter experts who are here to make the process as straightforward as possible,” Ms Price added. 

The Education and Care Workplace Relations Team encourages services to familiarise themselves with the comprehensive range of information available here prior to making contact, so that the team can better assist with any queries. 

Sector specialists in the Education and Care Workplace Relations Team can be reached by phone on 1300 346 818 or email to [email protected]