The government has made National Child Safety Training mandatory for everyone working in early childhood education and care (ECEC). This training is free to complete, but it takes time—and that’s where the subsidy comes in.
What The Subsidy Does
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Covers wages while you train: Your service can apply for funding to pay you during training hours.
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Supports fair access: Smaller services will be prioritised, but all approved providers can apply.
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Flexible use: Providers can use the subsidy to backfill staff during shifts or pay you if training happens outside your usual hours.
What This Means For You
- You should not have to complete mandatory training unpaid in your own time.
- Your employer can apply for the subsidy so you’re supported financially while meeting compliance requirements.
- The subsidy is based on award rates (plus casual loading), so it recognises the real cost of your time.
This initiative ensures that mandatory child safety training doesn’t come at your expense. It’s about valuing your role, protecting children, and making compliance achievable for every educator and service.
Do You Get The Subsidy If You Already Completed The Training?
Here’s how the Professional Development Subsidy works if you’ve already completed the mandatory National Child Safety Training:
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Subsidy is tied to training hours, not retroactive: The subsidy is designed to help providers cover wages while staff are completing the training. If you’ve already finished the modules, your provider can’t claim subsidy funding for past hours.
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Future eligibility: Because the training must be renewed every two years, you’ll be eligible again when you redo the training. At that point, your provider can apply for the subsidy to cover your wages during those hours.
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Provider responsibility: The subsidy is paid to providers, not directly to educators. That means your employer decides how to apply it—whether to backfill shifts, pay you for training outside work hours, or allocate time during the day.
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Practical takeaway: If you’ve already completed the training, you’re compliant until your next renewal. You won’t personally receive subsidy funds for past training, but your provider can use the subsidy to support you when you redo it in the future.
So in short: no subsidy for training already completed, but you’ll benefit from it when you’re due for renewal.
The Professional Development Subsidy is not available immediately—it has a set rollout timeline:
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Applications open in Quarter 2 of 2026.
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At that point, providers can apply for funding to cover staff wages while educators complete the mandatory National Child Safety Training.
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Detailed grant guidelines (eligibility, subsidy rates, claimable hours, and application process) will be published before applications open.
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From 2026–27 onwards, the subsidy will only support child safety training (other professional development activities will no longer be covered).
So, while the training itself is already available now through Geccko and must be completed by August 2026, the wage subsidy funding becomes accessible later in 2026 when applications officially open.
For more information: Professional Development Subsidy
Further Reading
National Child Safety Training Is Now Mandatory and Available Now To Complete
