Free expert guidance on accessing the worker retention grant
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In August 2024, the Federal Government committed to fund a new worker retention payment for early childhood education and care teachers and educators.
The Worker Retention Grant provides funding to services to pass on a 15% increase on Award wages to early childhood staff.
Following months of advocacy, Community Early Learning Australia (CELA) and Community Child Care Association (CCC) have been successfully granted funding to support services to apply for the Worker Retention Grant, including accessing an eligible workplace instrument.
CCC and CELA have partnered to form the Education and Care Workplace Relations Team. This Team has already been working with providers to inform, educate and guide them through the process to access the funding.
Eligible services will now be able to access information and support from our Workplace Relations Team FOR FREE including:
- In-depth information through our Options Pack which outlines options for your service to access the grant;
- Resources and phone support to understand the Worker Retention Grant;
- Guidance on options to comply with grant requirements, including the requirement to be covered by an eligible workplace instrument;
- Comprehensive support to join onto the ECEC Multi-Employer Agreement;
- Access to other workplace instruments including approved IFAs;
- Support to apply for the Worker Retention Grant.
We would encourage you to familiarise yourself with the following information, along with that in the Options Pack or on the Australian Government’s Department of Education website prior to contacting us so we can better assist with your queries.
When you are ready, you can reach one of our sector specialists by phone on 1300 346 818 or email adminWRT@cela.org.au
Getting started
To support providers to understand the grant and how to access it, we have created an Options Pack, which details the workplace instruments available to meet this grant condition and how we can support you.
There is absolutely no obligation once you have received the Options Pack.
Register through the link below to find out how our Workplace Relations Team can help your service.
REQUEST OPTIONS PACK
In this short 2-minute video, listen to how other providers have worked with the Workplace Relations Team to access the funding.
Access a workplace instrument
Once you have considered what best suits your service though our Options Pack, our Workplace Relations Team can support you to access an eligible workplace instrument.
There are three options available:
1. ECEC Multi- Employer Agreement Register for MEA
- Registering is the first step to join your service onto the ECEC Multi-Employer Agreement.
- You will receive:
- A copy of the ECEC Multi-Employer Agreement
- A summary document explaining the terms of the agreement
- An explanation of the process on joining the ECEC Multi-Employer Agreement including support form the Workplace Relations Team.
2. Professional Community Standard Multi-Employer Agreement
- The Professional Community Standard is currently being renegotiated. Once completed, new services will be able to join. To express your interest in joining onto the PCS 2025 Email frodgers@cccinc.org.au
3. Individual Flexibility Arrangements
- Individual Flexibility Arrangements (IFAs) are made between employers and each individual employee. To be sent an IFA pack email adminWRT@cela.org.au
- Our IFA pack includes
- Approved templates for Children’s Services Award staff including trainees, and Educational Services (Teachers) Award staff.
- Detailed step by step instructions on how to make IFA’s
Coming soon
A comprehensive step by step guide to making or varying an enterprise agreement.
How to find out more
Contact our Education and Care Workplace Relations Team:
You can reach one of our sector specialists by phone on 1300 346 818 or email adminWRT@cela.org.au
For more information on the Worker Retention Grant:
Visit the Australian Government’s Department of Education website or contact the CCS Helpdesk on 1300 667 276 or via email: ccshelpdesk@education.gov.au
FAQS
The following FAQs have been compiled by the Team through many of the key questions providers have already asked us.These comprehensive questions and answers cover all stages from initial interest in participating, through to implementation of the funding once it has been received.
Please review the FAQs as they will most likely already address your questions.
For more complex questions or scenarios, please complete the short survey to receive the Options Pack along with additional information on contacting the Workplace Relations Team with your specific query.
REQUEST OPTIONS PACK