COVID update Monday 23/8/21
Families
On 20 August, NSW Government issued this advice for families, the community and the ECEC sector as follows:
“There have been a significant number of cases in Early Childhood Education and Care Services, so parents and carers across the state are strongly encouraged to keep their children at home, unless they need to be at those services.
Please refer to the health advice at: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/ECEC-advice.aspx.
Please contact us to discuss your needs for care so that we can staff our service appropriately.
If you cannot care for your child at home, we also remind you not to bring your child if they have any symptom of being unwell. We also ask that you do not bring your child if you or anyone else in your household has any symptom of being unwell.
The health, safety and wellbeing of children, families, staff and community is most important at this time. We will continue to provide updated information as we receive it from NSW Health.
The Department has prepared a range of helpful resources for families to support continued learning from home. https://education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-education/information-for-parents-and-carers/learning-from-home?mc_cid=3c5a7cb627&mc_eid=6712bdfb5f
Thank you for your ongoing support. Please stay safe and well.”
Can I bring my child? The Deniliquin Children’s Centre services remain open for those families who require them.
What about fees? Families who receive Child Care Subsidy (CCS) must make a co-contribution to their child care fees under Family Assistance Law. They do this by paying the difference between the provider’s fee and the CCS amount. This is known as the gap fee.
The Board of Management met today, and made the decision that from 22 August, Deniliquin Children’s Centre CCS services (childcare and mobile childcare) will waive gap fees for families who keep their children at home.
Additional allowances for any days the children are absent will also apply from 15th August. Families can use these absences even if they have not used up their 42 days of allowable absences. This means that CCS will continue to apply.
What about preschool families? Preschool is already free- so families won’t be affected if they choose to keep their children home.
The Board has also decided to waive fees for children who are absent and don’t use After Preschool Care.
These measures will support families to maintain their children’s enrolment in the service and make the recovery from this lockdown a smoother one.
We are asking families to PLEASE communicate with us if you are keeping your child home. This allows us to ensure suitable staffing arrangements.
You can
1. Mark your child absent in the Xplor home app
2. Text the service mobile phone
a. Mobile- 0428 569 050
b. Preschool- 0457 812 394
c. Childcare- 0437 921 204
3. Email admin@denichildrenscentre.com.au
We also ask that you follow the COVID guidelines
1. Wear a mask and observe physical distancing when in the service
2. Check in and out using the Service NSW QR code
3. Keep your child home if they are unwell
4. Stay home if you are unwell
5. Get tested if you or your child has COVID like symptoms and provide a copy of the negative results to the service
The waiving of gap fees may not be reflected in your Xplor account balance immediately, as the CCS needs to be paid by the government to the service before the gap fee waiver can be applied.
Please contact the admin team on 58812394 or admin@denichildrenscentre.com.au if you have further queries.
Stay safe
Felicity Michael
General Manager
