Anyone still employed will be given free childcare during the coronavirus pandemic, with Scott Morrison pledging to support 13,000 childcare centres to stay open for at least the next four weeks.
Under the plan, the Government will pay 50% of the sector’s fee revenue prior to the impact of COVID-19.
The funding will apply from tomorrow and is based on the number of children who were in care during the fortnight leading into March 2 – whether or not they are attending services.
The Government’s consistently used message for not closing schools during the pandemic has been the need to keep healthcare workers on the frontline, but the Education Minister Dan Tehan (pictured above left) made it clear that the offer will extend to all workers – meaning aged care staff should receive the benefits.
“There is a clear priority list that we want centres to take into account. The most important of those are those essential workers and the vulnerable children,” he said.
The system will be reviewed after one month, with an extension to be considered after three months, with the payments to be paid in lieu of the Child Care Supplement (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy payments.
