New child care announcement

Yeh isn't clear at the moment. They are encouraging anyone who dropped out to re-enrol. Guessing as this keeps childcare centre numbers high and they can claim the 50% of their revenue based on 'normal' numbers not CV19 numbers.
Personally our two are still in care however we are in a regional area with low cases and no known community transfers. I would have a different stance if we were in a city.

 

@geoffw Centres are also a viral petrie dish at the best of times. A land equivalent of a cruise ship!

 

I agree, it certainly is hard on the carers, which is why children should be left at home if you’re in a position to do so. Most of us still have to work though, which makes it difficult. There’s very few left in my centre so I feel okay sending my son for now.

 

This package while well meaning has actually not really helped essential workers at all and in many cases has actually hurt childcare centres incomes.

Due to the risk of the virus I was looking to up the amount of days my child goes to childcare so she would not have to be cared for by grandparents and put them at risk. Due to this new package childcare’s are now not taking any new enrolments or allowing extra days or changing of days. I believe the package should have taken this into consideration but instead we face a situation where centre’s are now cutting staff and asking parents to say in advance if children will attend so they can cut staff numbers to minimum for the number of children that will attend.

 

@Someguy if they have space they should be taking new children, unless the parents are low on the priority list (like if they don’t work and the children are not vulnerable). After the announcement I picked up a day I’d dropped (only just dropped a couple of days before though) with no issues. In saying that, I’m a teacher and I’ve done the right thing, keeping him home during the holidays to lighten their load. If Gladys lets me stay home I’ll have him with me more next term too.

If they’re not taking new enrolments maybe they’re full? I would think most centres would be full by now after the announcement.

 

No not full. The whole thing sounds complicated but to my belief they are being paid pre gap payments based on enrolments pre March 2 and the rest can’t be charged. If they were full previously then no gain taking a new enrolment. The childcare my child attends has said no new enrolments until this is over as have many others.

The system may actually see high attendance centres suffer the worst as they still have to keep up staffing numbers while losing income. Those with the least ‘essential’ worker parents are the best off as attendance numbers will drop and they can drop staff numbers. Jobkeeper will help for some as they can lay off those staff not eligible and just keep the eligible upping hours and days where possible to max out the $750 the council run centres are not so lucky and are better off shutting down

 

@Someguy the state government is giving the other 50% to the council run centres.

I didn’t think they were allowed to knock back “essential” workers as part of the new changes. I’d be looking into that if you need extra days, I think they have to take you unless you’re working from home. Then they can say they’re prioritising others. My son has a five day place, he’s full time because we work full time. I know if someone more essential than us (I do work from home but who knows for how much longer, especially since I teach year 11 and 12) needs the place then my son can get booted.