The Federal Government will provide additional targeted support for child care providers impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns, through new fortnightly payments. 

Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan said services in our region will be eligible for payments of 25 per cent of their pre-lockdown revenue. Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) services will be eligible for payments of 40 per cent.

“This will apply to services seven days after the hotspot is declared, where states have directed families to keep their kids at home,” Mr Hogan said.

“The measure is in addition to the existing Federal Government supports, including gap fee waivers which allow Commonwealth Child Care Subsidy to continue even when children are not attending.”

“The child care and early education sector is critically important for families and our economy, and these payments will help keep services open and staff employed."

“The sector has been doing an incredible job to provide essential care for kids during the pandemic and we are backing them in while attendance rates are down.”

“These payments will ensure our high-quality child care and early education centres are there on the other side of these lockdowns.”

“Giving families additional absence days and allowing gap fee waivers has kept many children enrolled and means services have still been able to receive the Child Care Subsidy even if kids haven’t attended."

“The measures will encourage services to pass on gap fee waivers to parents, meaning those keeping their kids home during lockdown won’t be paying out‑of‑pocket costs when they aren’t using the service.”

Payments will be contingent on services:

• expecting attendance below 50 per cent
• waiving gap fees for all families whose children are not attending
• maintaining staffing levels
• agreeing to a fee freeze for the duration of support
• not accessing other Commonwealth Government funded supports

Streamlined payments will be available to services in around two weeks.

Families in affected areas are not required to do anything.