Early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers can apply for a subsidy to help qualified staff to complete training that adds to their skills.

The professional development subsidy covers 1 day of training for qualified ECEC staff. 

The funder pays the subsidy to providers. Funding is paid to each eligible service’s bank account.

Providers must pass funding on to staff through training opportunities where applicable.

The subsidy aims to:

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

The subsidy covers 1 day, or up to 7.5 hours, of training per staff member.

You must use the subsidy to:

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

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

Only ECEC Providers currently approved for and receiving the Childcare Subsidy (CCS) under Family Assistance Law will be considered eligible. This includes long day care, family day-care, in home care, centre-based day care and outside school hours care services.

ECEC Providers can apply for Paid Development or Paid Practicum grants for employees who are undertaking professional development if it meets the eligible grant activities set out in section 6. To be eligible for a grant, employees must be employed by the Provider and work at least 40 hours in the Service in a 3-month period. The Provider must not be receiving any funding from another source for the same professional development activity, see section 4.2 of the guidelines.

• Phone: (03) 9917 7865
• Email: ececgrants@deloitte.com.au