ACCS child wellbeing approved program list published for ECEC providers

The Department of Education has published a list of approved programs linked to the Additional Child Care Subsidy child wellbeing payment, outlining which family support programs may make families eligible for the subsidy.

The Australian Government has published a list of programs approved under the Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) child wellbeing measure.

Families participating in one of these approved programs may be eligible to apply for ACCS child wellbeing support to help cover the cost of early childhood education and care.

The list has been made available on the Department of Education’s website to help services and families identify programs that can support eligibility for the subsidy.

ACCS child wellbeing provides additional financial assistance to families whose children may be at risk of serious abuse or neglect.

Programs designed to support vulnerable families

The approved programs listed by the department share two key characteristics.

They are:

• funded by state and territory child safety departments
• designed to support families identified as being at high risk of entering or escalating within the child protection system, or who are already involved in that system.

Programs that meet these criteria can be recognised as ACCS child wellbeing approved programs.

Families engaged in these programs may then apply for ACCS child wellbeing through their child care service.

Supporting access to early childhood education and care

The ACCS child wellbeing payment forms part of the Australian Government’s broader approach to supporting vulnerable children and families to access early childhood education and care.

The subsidy can provide higher levels of financial assistance for families facing complex circumstances, helping ensure children can participate in early learning environments where additional support may be needed.

Early childhood education and care services can assist families in accessing ACCS child wellbeing where eligibility criteria are met.

The full list of approved programs is available on the Department of Education website.

Read the full information here.