Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Workforce Professional Development and Paid Practicum (2025-2026)

The purpose of the Professional Development grant is to provide support to ECEC educators, early childhood teachers and directors to undertake professional development for one day.

The purpose of the Paid Practicum grant is to provide a wage subsidy to give ECEC Employees paid leave while they are undertaking their paid practicum.

Eligibility:

Only ECEC services currently approved for and receiving the Childcare Subsidy (CCS) under Family Assistance Law, including long day care, family day care, in-home care, centre-based day care and outside school hours care services, are eligible and can apply for their employees.

To be eligible for a grant the employee must:

• an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia or hold a valid work visa (including student visa) allowing employment in the ECEC sector;
• a contact worker - an educator who is part of the adult to child ratio at a Service or who provides direct early childhood education and care, or supervision for children in other care types, such as In Home Care or Family Day Care;
• a non-contact worker – a Director or Educational Leader who provides direct support, early childhood education and care, or supervision for children; and
• a full-time, part-time, or casual employee who has worked more than 40 hours overall in the preceding three months with that Service

The Provider must not be:

• a stand-alone kindergarten service
• a stand-alone pre-school service
• an individual
• a registered training organisation or other entity that is seeking to use the grant funding to provide courses