WHAT IS IN HOME CARE?
In Home Care (IHC) is for families who cannot access mainstream education & care, including shift workers, regional & remote families & children with complex needs or at risk of harm or neglect.
Under the current model, these families are already paying higher out-of-pocket costs.
From March 2026, all ECEC educators will receive a well deserved pay rise. To subsidise the gender undervaluation, centre-based ECEC educators will receive increased financial support through the Wage Retention Payment
IHC educators are currently not included & will not receive the subsidy.
WHAT DO WE NEED?
We are asking for the Wage Retention Payment to include IHC educators, enabling the program to be more affordable for eligible families. Without urgent affordability reform the survival of the IHC program is at risk.