Overview
- From today, roughly 268,000 early childhood workers receive the final 5% uplift, with many getting about $160 more per week.
- Government figures show 15,100 additional educators over 12 months, a 14% drop in vacancy rates, and a 9% fall in staffing waivers.
- Goodstart Early Learning reports five-year lows in vacancies and turnover, with reduced reliance on casuals and labour hire.
- About three-quarters of providers have adopted the funded rise, which also covers on‑costs and caps fee increases at 4.4% in year one and 4.2% in year two.
- Following separate safety incidents earlier this year, new powers allow federal funding to be cut from centres that breach safety obligations.