黑料专区 has welcomed the Australian Government鈥檚 announcement confirming continued funding to support worker retention payments for early childhood educators, alongside measures to maintain affordability for families and strengthen sector standards.
The funding extension provides certainty for the early learning workforce and reinforces the importance of recognising the essential role educators play in shaping the next generation.
Affinity CEO Glen Hurley said the announcement was a positive step forward for the sector鈥攁nd validated the approach Affinity had already taken to support its people.
鈥淭his is an important moment for early education in Australia,鈥� Mr Hurley said.
鈥淥ur educators do incredibly important work every day, and they deserve to be recognised and fairly rewarded for it.鈥�
News of the first Worker Retention Grant was released in August 2024, and Affinity began passing on the wage increases to its people in December 2024鈥攎onths ahead of receiving government funding鈥攔eflecting its commitment to supporting and valuing its workforce.
鈥淲e made the decision early to invest in our people because it was the right thing to do,鈥� Mr Hurley said.
鈥淭his announcement reinforces that we鈥檙e on the right path鈥攂uilding a strong, stable workforce while delivering great outcomes for children and families.鈥�
Under the Government鈥檚 framework, providers receiving funding will also commit to responsible fee management and continued focus on safety and quality standards.
Mr Hurley said Affinity was well positioned to meet these expectations.
鈥淲e are very comfortable with the expectations that come with this funding around fee increases for families and continuing to invest and strengthen in safety and quality standards across the sector,鈥� he said.
鈥淭hose principles sit at the heart of everything we do.鈥�
The announcement is expected to support ongoing workforce stability across the sector, while helping providers continue to invest in high-quality early learning environments.
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