Workforce subsidies opening soon: providers urged to prepare for April 2026 funding round

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers will soon be able to access workforce subsidies aimed at strengthening capability, supporting professional development and easing financial pressures across the sector.

The Australian Government Department of Education has released grant guidelines ahead of applications opening on 28 April 2026, giving providers an opportunity to prepare.

The subsidies are paid directly to providers, who must pass the funding on to eligible staff. Individual educators and teachers cannot apply independently, making provider readiness essential.

The funding package includes two subsidies addressing key workforce priorities:

• strengthening child safety capability across services
• supporting educators-in-training to complete practicum requirements

Together, the initiatives form part of broader efforts to improve workforce stability, retention and quality across ECEC.

The professional development subsidy supports completion of national child safety training for staff working directly with children.

Eligible staff include those who provide education and care or supervise children, including centre managers, early childhood teachers and educators.

The subsidy:

• funds up to five hours of training per staff member
• can be used to backfill staff during training
• can be used to pay staff completing training outside work hours

It cannot be used where training is undertaken during service closure periods.

Priority will be given to small and medium providers, with funding allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Further information is available via the Australian Government Department of Education pages on National child safety training and the Professional development subsidy.

The paid practicum subsidy is designed to reduce financial barriers for educators and early childhood teachers completing required placements.

The subsidy:

• applies to staff undertaking eligible ECEC qualifications
• funds up to eight weeks of practicum per staff member
• can be used to provide paid leave during placement

This initiative supports workforce supply by enabling educators to complete qualifications without loss of income.

More details are available via the Paid practicum subsidy page.

With applications opening on 28 April 2026, providers are encouraged to begin preparing by:

• reviewing grant guidelines
• identifying eligible staff
• planning training and practicum schedules
• organising backfill arrangements
• preparing internal communications
• ensuring payroll systems can distribute funding appropriately

Early preparation will be particularly important for small and medium providers given the prioritised allocation model.

The ECEC sector continues to face workforce challenges, including:

• educator shortages
• high turnover
• increasing compliance expectations
• rising qualification requirements

These subsidies provide targeted support by:

• enabling access to required training
• reducing financial pressure on educators
• supporting workforce retention
• strengthening child safety capability
• supporting qualification completion pathways

For many services, particularly in regional and outer-urban areas, this funding may assist in maintaining workforce stability.

With both subsidies opening on 28 April, providers have a limited window to prepare applications and ensure eligibility.

The release of guidelines provides an opportunity to plan proactively and position services to access funding early.

The subsidies represent a focused investment in workforce capability, supporting quality, safety and long-term sustainability across the ECEC sector.

Access the funding information here.