Around one million families are set to receive free childcare during the coronavirus pandemic under a plan announced today by the Morrison Government.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the plan will support families, while also ensuring many of the sector’s 13,000 childcare and early learning services can remain open.
“If you have a job in this economy then that is an essential job… and it is important that all of those parents who have children get access to childcare and those facilities will be there for them in the many months ahead,” Mr Morrison said.
Minister for Education, Dan Tehan, said the $1.6 billion temporary overhaul of the childcare sector would begin from Sunday night.
“What we will be doing is turning off the old system and going to a new system,” Mr Tehan said.
“Current means testing arrangements are also no longer in place because we want everyone who is working during this pandemic to access care.”
Mr Tehan said the only conditions for childcare centres to receive the payments were that they “must remain open and must provide care” for those parents who need their children cared for.
“They must also seek to re-enrol those parents who might have dropped off,” he said.
“If you have terminated your enrolment since 17 February, then I encourage you to get back in contact with your centre and re-start your arrangements.”
