CHILDCARE GRANTS TO SUPPORT IMPROVED EARLY LEARNING

Childcare providers across the region can apply for funding to improve services and increase access to vital childcare for families in local disadvantaged communities.

Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie said funding applications were open through the Australian Government’s Community Child Care Fund (CCCF) and urged eligible local childcare providers to apply.

“Every child deserves the best possible start in life, and the funding available will assist providers to improve local services and access to quality childcare, particularly in rural parts of our region.”

“The grants will support services in remote providers that may be experiencing viability issues, or to fund capital projects and increase the number of places available for children where there is unmet demand.”

“Our support for families through the child care system helped facilitated a record women’s workforce participation rate of 61.5 per cent in January 2020. Women’s workforce participation is almost back to pre-COVID highs, now at 61.4 per cent.

“The funding will also help achieve our Closing the Gap targets through increasing participation of Indigenous children in early childhood education and care, and will help bring certainty to services, and better access for families, for the next three years.”

Dr Gillespie said accessing quality childcare can be particularly challenging for families in regional and remote communities, compared to metropolitan centres, but it is no less important.

A new list of 500 CCCF Priority Areas has been released for CCCF Round Three funding.

The CCCF open competitive grants opportunity closes on 22 February 2021, with payments expected to be made to successful applicants from 1 July 2021.

Dr Gillespie encouraged local business and community groups to register for grant updates by visiting the Gillespie Grant Finder at https://davidgillespie.grantguru.com.au/