Early Childhood Education and Care Providers Worker Retention Grant Payment

The worker retention payment will support a 15% wage increase for the early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce over 2 years.

Providers opt-in by applying for the payment and meeting the conditions. The payment will be issued to eligible providers through a grant agreement.

Applications are now open.

The guidelines contain important details about the payment, including:

• eligibility requirements
• grant conditions
• reporting requirements.

Applications close: 30 September 2026