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What does it mean for ECEC?
While this year's Federal Budget didn't include a large number of announcements relating to the ECEC sector there were a few changes which will have significant impacts for some people in the sector.
Further changes are likely when the Productivity Commission releases its report on child care and early learning in October this year.
2014 Budget: Impacts for ECEC Sector
Family Day Care
The Community Support Programme (CSP) assists child care providers to establish or maintain services in parts of the country where they might not be viable or able to meet the unique requirements of the community, such as in disadvantaged or regional and remote areas.
From 1 July 2015, all Family Day Care services applying for support from the CSP will be assessed under similar eligibility criteria to those which apply to other care types.
A $250,000 cap per financial year on the Operational Support payments that a Family Day Care service can receive from the CSP will also be introduced.
From July 2015 all Family Day Care services will be considered under similar eligibility criteria to those used for Long Day Care and OOSH CSP applicants.
The criteria restricts eligibility for funding to services that are the sole provider of Family Day Care in the surrounding area, with weighting towards services that provide care in regional, remote or disadvantaged areas.
Services will also have to demonstrate that there is unmet demand for child care in the area they propose to operate.
Occasional Care
The Government will provide $12.6 million over four years to the states and territories as a contribution towards the cost of delivering occasional care.
Funding will be provided to support non Child Care Benefit approved child care service providers, particularly in rural and regional areas.
Professional Development
The now defunct Early Years Quality Fund is being replaced with a Long Day Care Professional Development Programme.
The Government says this programme will help centre based educators meet qualification requirements under the NQF and aims to target known workforce shortages such as early childhood teachers and long day care educators working in rural and remote areas.
$200 million will be provided over three years and in 2014–15 an additional $30 million will be available for educators working with vulnerable and disadvantaged children.
For more information about this year's Budget and the Government's plans for the early childhood education and care sector click here. |
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