This is my latest update to provide you with information about the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on our community.
Labor has for weeks been calling for the Federal government to provide child care fee relief for families and urgent support to prevent the collapse of the early learning sector.
I welcome the announcement of new support services that will waive out of pocket fees for families where a child care service remains open, but children are not attending for COVID-19 reasons.
This means that families won’t be charged for existing child care services. For more details about the new support, please see the government’s website at:
https://docs.education.gov.au/node/53380
I hope this guaranteed income for providers will be enough to keep staff in their jobs and save centres from permanently closing their doors.
Many families in our community were already struggling to pay child care fees prior to the current crisis, and this has only been made worse as many parents have lost income.
The government has promised their Jobkeeper Payment will support child care providers to retain their early educators.
I’d like to thank all of the early educators doing the important work of educating and caring for the children of essential service workers in our community.
Labor also welcomes the announcement of funding for preschool for another year. We continue to call for long-term preschool funding, rather than continued one-year rollovers that leave the sector and families in limbo.
Early childhood education is absolutely critical to our country and economy, both now and into the future.
Labor will continue to ensure families, early educators and providers are adequately supported during and after this crisis.
For more information about payments, support or other COVID-19 issues please visit australia.gov.au.
My staff and I are here to help you with enquiries. Please call my office on 9349 6007, email matt.thistlethwaite.mp@aph.gov.au or reach me via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
