Childcare centres under state directions to keep children at home will receive additional funding from the federal government to keep their doors open.
Following the Victorian government's announcement at the weekend to limit childcare centre attendees to the children of essential workers, Education Minister Alan Tudge said $40 to $50 million a week in new support for centres would be provided.
"It's a package which is significant, which is good for families, good for businesses and good for those critical workers as well," Mr Tudge said.
The new support package will provide 25 per cent of a childcare centre's pre-lockdown revenue if it is subjected to orders for children not to attend, and 40 per cent of an after-school care centre's revenue.
The funding will also be available to all childcare centres locked down for four weeks or more, regardless of specific public health orders limiting attendance.
It will apply to services from the seventh day of a COVID-19 hotspot being declared by the Commonwealth.
The package is expected to provide immediate relief to about 3,600 services caring for children in greater Sydney, as well as another 1,200 services in Melbourne and Canberra.
Mr Tudge said the new payments were conditional upon staff being retained, and centres waiving gap fees for those families not able to send their children to care.
"We certainly will be insisting that if they are taking advantage of this additional payment, that they will waive the gap fees," he said.
"That’s very important for parents – parents shouldn’t have to pay if they are not attending the childcare centre."
Victorian parents were left scrambling at the weekend after a sudden announcement closing childcare to all but vulnerable children and the children of authorised workers.
Some childcare centres say they are suffering under extended lockdowns, and fear they may need to lay off educators or close entirely.
