Gap fee waiving available to early learning services in flood-affected Queensland and New South Wales

The Australian Government has announced that it will provide additional support for families affected by the floods in south-east Queensland (QLD) and New South Wales (NSW) by allowing child care services to waive gap fees for parents keeping their children at home where impacted services have closed.

The government has stated that about 290,000 families and more than 3,800 services are located in flood affected Local Government Areas (LGAs), with more than 1,000 child care services having had to temporarily close this week in QLD and NSW because of the floods.

In light of the impact of the floods, from 23 February early learning service providers in LGAs where a Local Area Emergency (LAE) has been declared because of flooding can waive gap fees for the duration of the LAE.

The gap fee is the difference between the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) the Australian Government pays to a service and the remaining fee paid by the family.

ACA President Paul Mondo has commended the Australian Government for this support.

"This is going to be a relief for those families impacted by the floods,"  he said. "It means that they won't be out of pocket on those days their children can't attend childcare." 

Acting Minister for Education and Youth, Stuart Robert MP, said the extra support follows consultation with the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector.

You can read the Australian Government's  media release here.