- Grants available to Local Government Authorities
to deliver initiatives that attract and retain early childhood educators in
regional Western Australia
- $250,000 available in this grant funding round
- Since 2021, $781,066 has been allocated to 23 local
governments
- Applications close 16 October 2024
Regional Local Government
Authorities (LGAs) are invited to apply for grant funding to attract and retain
early childhood educators in regional Western Australia.
The announcement comes on
Early Childhood Educators' Day 2024, which recognises and celebrates the work
of early childhood educators in early learning services across Australia for
their contribution to the wellbeing and healthy development of children.
The Attraction and
Retention Packages for Regional Child Care Workers Program (the Program)
provides grants to regional LGAs to fund initiatives that support bringing in
and keeping on early childhood educators.
For early childhood
education and care services, attracting a high-quality workforce can be
challenging, particularly in regional areas.
The Cook Government
committed $1 million over four years in 2021 to support the attraction and
retention of early childhood educators in regional areas.
Three rounds of funding
have now been delivered, with a total of $781,066 distributed to 23 regional
LGAs.
Initiatives delivered
under round three funding include:
- $74,654.70 to the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder for
the Goldfields Professional Development Project, delivered in partnership with
the Shire of Coolgardie and the Shire of Leonora;
- $25,000 for the Shire of Donnybrook Balingup so
they can provide housing support, training opportunities and travel costs;
- $25,000 for the Shire of Denmark to provide
housing and travel subsidies for new and existing staff at Gumnuts Occasional
Daycare; and
- $20,798.05 for the Shire of Wyndham East
Kimberley to provide subsidised housing and housing allowances.
Round four of the Program
closes on 16 October 2024.
For more information,
contact grants@communities.wa.gov.au or
visit https://www.wa.gov.au/government/publications/attraction-and-retention-packages-regional-childcare-workers-program
Comments attributed to Early Childhood Education Minister Sabine
Winton:
"Ensuring that Western
Australians have access to high-quality early childhood education and care is a
priority of the Cook Government.
"This is particularly
important in regional economies, allowing parents to head back to work and
businesses to thrive.
"It has been wonderful to
hear about the initiatives that successful regional Local Government
Authorities across the State have developed as a result of the Program.
"I encourage regional
Local Government Authorities to apply."
