New Measures To Support The Early Childhood Education And Care Workforce

There are new measures to support the early childhood education and care workforce which include Professional Development Subsidies, Paid Practicum Subsidy and Practicum Exchange. The measures will cost $72.4 million from 2023–24 to 2026–27. The following provides details on each new measure. 

Professional Development Subsidy

From July 2023, early childhood education and care (ECEC) services can apply for a subsidy to help qualified staff complete training that adds to their skills.

The professional development subsidy covers 2 days of training (up to 15.2 hours). It aims to:

• build capacity and skills in the early childhood workforce
• allow services to maintain adult-to-child ratios while staff complete training.

Eligible qualified staff include:

• early childhood educators
• early childhood teachers
• centre managers.

Initially, the subsidy prioritises particular groups including:

• services and staff in regional, remote and very remote locations
• First Nations services and educators.

For the 2023–24 financial year, only services in these priority groups can apply for this subsidy. In later years other services can also apply.

Eligible staff can use the subsidy for mandatory training such as:

• first aid
• asthma and allergies management.

They can also use the funds to complete highly-recommended training such as:

• centre and complaints management
• child protection and mandatory reporting requirements
• food handling and hygiene
• adult–child relationship development and management
• other safety-related training.

The subsidy can also be used to participate in a mentoring or leadership program. Such programs must be delivered by a registered training organisation.

How It Works

The subsidy can be used to:

• supplement the cost of backfilling while staff engage in further mandatory or highly-recommended training
• pay staff a supplement for training undertaken outside of work hours.

Staff cannot apply for the subsidy directly. The application must come from their service.

The subsidy is a flat daily rate. This rate is based on current award rates and includes a 25% casual loading.

• early childhood educator daily rate: $250.04
• early childhood teacher daily rate: $378.48
• centre manager daily rate: $355.21

Find current award information on the Fair Work Ombudsman website.

Eligible services will receive funding based on the number of days they forecast for their staff to undertake professional development.

Training funded in 2023–24 can be undertaken during the 2023–24 or 2024–25 financial years.

In 2023–24 the subsidy will be delivered to services through the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) system. Payments in later years will be made through the Community Grants Hub.

Service Eligibility

In the 2023–24 financial year, priority will be given to particular groups, including services in inner regional, outer regional, remote or very remote areas.

First Nations ECEC services are also eligible for the subsidy. Any service with First Nations staff is also eligible to apply for the subsidy to support First Nations staff to complete their training.

Services must run a CCS-approved service.

Staff Eligibility

Educators, teachers and managers are eligible if they:

• work for an eligible service
• are part of the adult-to-child ratio
• are full-time, part-time or casual
• worked more than 40 hours in the preceding 3 months with that service.

Staff must complete their training between August 2023 and June 2025.

How to apply

From 3 July 2023, eligible services will receive an invitation to take part. Program guidelines will be published in the coming weeks.

Paid Practicum Subsidy

From July 2023, early childhood education and care (ECEC) services can get a subsidy to support early childhood teachers (ECT) to complete the practicum components of their degrees.

The paid practicum subsidy helps:

• services support educators to become qualified ECTs
• student educators to complete a practicum while receiving paid leave.

Under Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) guidelines, an ECT student cannot complete all their practicum at their ECEC workplace. This can be challenging for some, particularly students in rural and remote areas with few or no other services nearby.

Initially, the subsidy prioritises particular groups, including:

• services and staff in regional, remote and very remote locations
• First Nations services and educators.

How It Works

The subsidy can be used to:

• give educators paid leave while undertaking their practicum
• Staff cannot apply for the subsidy directly. The application must come from their service.

The subsidy amount is:

• based on the number of days they forecast for their staff to undertake paid practicums
• available for up to 20 days per student per semester.

Practicums must start between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024 to qualify. These practicums may continue beyond 30 June 2024.

Services will be reimbursed quarterly. Payments start from September 2023.

In 2023–24 the subsidy will be delivered through the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) system. Payments in later years will be made through the Community Grants Hub.

Service Eligibility

In the 2023–24 financial year, priority will be given to particular groups, including services in inner regional, outer regional, remote or very remote areas.

First Nations ECEC services are also eligible for the subsidy. Any service with First Nations staff is also eligible to apply for the subsidy to support First Nations staff to complete their training.

Services must run a CCS-approved service.

Staff Eligibility

Staff are eligible if they:

• work for an eligible service
• are full-time, part-time or casual
• worked more than 40 hours in the preceding 3 months with that service.

To be eligible, staff must be undertaking an ECT degree-level qualification as recognised by ACECQA at the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Level 7. For example:

• Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Care (Birth to 5)
• Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Care (Birth to 8)
• Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Care (Birth to 12)
• equivalent ECEC degree-level qualification.

Staff undertaking postgraduate ECT qualifications as recognised by ACECQA at the AQF Levels 8 and 9 are also eligible. This includes:

• graduate certificates, such as a Graduate Certificate in Education (Early Childhood)
• graduate diploma, such as a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching
• master’s degree, such as a Master's in Early Childhood Education.

Find information about AQF qualifications on ACECQA’s website.

How to apply

From 3 July 2023, eligible services will receive an invitation to take part.

Practicums supported by this subsidy must start by 30 June 2024.

Program guidelines will be published in the coming weeks.

Practicum Exchange

From January 2024, early childhood teachers (ECTs) in training can complete a practicum exchange program. Candidates will be able to register and search for exchange opportunities on a dedicated website.

Practicum exchanges can foster:

• diverse experience and knowledge
• networking and support opportunities
• skill and knowledge transfer.

In 2023–24 the department will coordinate up to 50 practicum exchanges.

How it works

The department will launch a dedicated website in October 2023 that will:

• allow services and educators to submit expressions of interest
• allow services and educators to connect with each other
• provide information and case studies detailing how exchanges could work.

The department will engage with universities to build support for this program.

We anticipate the first exchanges will start in early 2024.

From 2024–25 to 2026–27, participants undertaking an exchange in a rural or remote area can apply for an allowance of up to $1,500. More details to come.

Eligibility

Practicum exchanges will be open to ECTs who are studying:

• certificate III
• diploma
• initial teacher education course.

Postgraduate courses are not eligible.

How to apply

The practicum exchange website will launch in early 2024. On-the-site services and educators can:

• register their interest in a practicum exchange
• connect with interested parties
• read information and case studies detailing how exchanges could work.

We anticipate the first exchanges will start in early 2024.

For more information: Professional Development Subsidy