Australian Home Childcare Association Inc.

02/09/2026

It is wonderful to see In Home Care receiving some much-needed attention in today’s ABC News (Link on our stories today 📰 🔗)

On behalf of the Australian Home Childcare Association (AHCA), we would like to sincerely thank Dr Jess Walsh Minister Jess Walsh and her team for listening to the concerns of our sector and, importantly, acting when support was urgently needed.

The Sustainability Support Grants have been a timely and critical intervention for In Home Care. At a point when the sustainability of services across the country was under significant pressure, this support has provided much-needed stability and helped services continue delivering education and care to children and families who often have no other suitable care option.

There is still important work ahead, particularly around the long-term affordability and sustainability of IHC. However, it is equally important that we acknowledge the progress that has been made.

AHCA sincerely thanks Minister Walsh, her office and the Department of Education for their continued engagement with our sector and for recognising the unique and essential role In Home Care plays within Australia’s early childhood education and care system.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-02/government-rescue-package-for-in-home-childcare/107079004?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=link

12/08/2026

Live from the ABC Melbourne studios, a message from our President Nicole Morgan, this morning 📣

02/07/2026

📣 An update from AHCA’s President, Nicole Morgan.

30/06/2026

📣 An update from our President Nicole ahead of today’s events in Canberra. Advocacy is at the heart of what we do here at AHCA, and we look forward to being involved in today’s conversations.

29/06/2026

Our President Nicole is on her way to Canberra to take part in broader conversations with about Early Childhood Education and Care in Regional, Rural and Remote areas across the country. We would love to see the delivery of better outcomes for early childhood education in these areas, and being involved in these conversations is a great starting place 👏

25/06/2026

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17/06/2026

An update from our President on today’s important announcement, and our continued advocacy focus. 📣

17/06/2026

Statement from Nicole Morgan, President, Australian Home Childcare Association

AHCA welcomes today's announcement from Minister Walsh and Minister Clare extending the Worker Retention Payment to employment-based In Home Care services.

This decision is an important recognition of the significant wage pressures facing the In Home Care sector and the growing affordability challenges experienced by families. Following substantial award wage increases, many In Home Care providers have had little choice but to pass increased workforce costs on to families, placing additional pressure on households that often have no alternative care option available.

The extension of the Worker Retention Payment will help employment-based providers support educator wage increases while reducing the flow-on impact of those costs to families. This is a positive step towards improving affordability, maintaining access to care and supporting the sustainability of In Home Care services.

We thank Minister Walsh and Minister Clare for recognising both the workforce challenges facing the sector and the affordability pressures facing families who rely on In Home Care.

However, while this announcement is a significant step forward, a significant inequity remains.

As it currently stands, approximately 70% of In Home Care educators operate within contractor delivery models and will not have access to the Worker Retention Payment. This means educators performing the same work, supporting the same vulnerable children and families, will not receive the same level of support simply because of the delivery model under which they operate.

AHCA firmly believes all In Home Care educators should have access to workforce retention measures and that all families should benefit equally from Government investment designed to support educator wages and improve affordability.

We will continue to work constructively with Government and the Department to advocate for a united outcome that ensures all In Home Care educators, providers and families receive equitable support.

Today is an important milestone for the sector, and we thank the Australian Government for listening. Our work will now focus on ensuring the benefits of this investment can be extended across the entire In Home Care sector.

Every day early educators help children learn, grow and get ready for school.It’s one of the most important jobs in the country and they should be paid fairly for that work.That’s why the Albanese Government funded a 15 per cent pay rise for Early Education and Care Workers.Today, the Albanese G...

09/06/2026

2026–27 In Home Care CCS Rate Cap Released

The Australian Government has announced the new Child Care Subsidy (CCS) hourly rate caps for 2026–27.
In Home Care (per family)
2026–2027: $41.31 per hour

This is an increase of 3.79% .
For more information about Child Care Subsidy, visit:

Child Care Subsidy (CCS) helps families with the costs of child care. Families must meet eligibility criteria to get CCS. The amount of CCS a family can get depends on their circumstances.

02/06/2026

📣 A message from our President and committee on today’s announcement for the In Home Care sector. Swipe to Read 💬