“That ICPA Qld lobbies the Department of Education to standardise payment rates and methodology made to all rural and remote kindergarten service providers to ensure equity.”
As it stands, there is an unfair distribution of payment rates between sessional kindies (Stand-alone) and long day care providers who deliver kindy. Sessional kindies are receiving more funding than day care centres in rural Queensland. We acknowledge that day care centres are receiving the CCS funding (Federal Government funding), but this is falling short of what sessional kindies are receiving. Sessional kindies receive their funding allocation at the start of the term, whereas long day care centres do not receive their funding allocation until the end of the term. This is making it hard for small not-for-profit long day care centres in rural Queensland to be financially viable as they cannot pass on this funding to parents/families until they receive it. If the centre passes on the funding early, it leaves them out of pocket for the remainder of the term, as well as the possibility of incorrect payments being made. This inequity makes it hard for small centres with small numbers of children in rural areas to stay in operation as well as parents/families being further out of pocket.
