COVID-19 in NSW: what eased restrictions mean for child care and Yass lockdown

This content was published on Tuesday 14 September 2021. There may be more recent updates available.

Changes to Australian Government support apply to early childhood services following the easing of lockdown restrictions in parts of New South Wales from 11 September.

Details about changes to restrictions are on the NSW Government COVID-19 response website.

From 11 September, the following changes applied to services in NSW where stay-at-home orders no longer apply. We list these regions on our COVID-19 webpage.

Business continuity payments

Eligible services will receive the business continuity payment for the fortnight 6 to 19 September, if they opted-in by 9 September. Payments will end after this fortnight's payment.

Providers do not need to notify us if their service is no longer in lockdown.

Learn more about business continuity payments.

Absences

Additional allowable absences will no longer be available from 11 September. Services must resume submitting absences as usual.

Families can get Child Care Subsidy when their child is absent from a session of care they would normally attend for up to 42 days per child, per financial year. They can also get additional absences in certain circumstances.

Learn more about absences.

Gap fees

More information on gap fees will be provided soon.

Support for services in lockdown, including Yass

Services in parts of NSW that remain under stay-at-home orders will continue to get business continuity payments, where they’ve opted-in, until advised further.

They can also continue to waive gap fees and access additional allowable absences while the lockdown remains in place.

Services in the Yass Valley will receive all the above support following the NSW Government announcement the Local Government Area will enter a two-week lockdown from today (14 September).

See full list of regions eligible for support.

Further details about support are available on our COVID-19 webpage.