Employment and Work Readiness Assistance (Flexible Childcare Assistance) Amendment 2024

This instrument is made under section 101(1) of the Social Security Act 2018 by the Minister for Social Development and Employment.

Instrument

1. Title
   This instrument is the Employment and Work Readiness Assistance (Flexible Childcare Assistance) Amendment 2024.
2. Commencement
   This instrument comes into force on 1 April 2024.
3. Programme amended
   This instrument amends the Employment and Work Readiness Assistance Programme established and approved on 6 March 2014 (the principal programme).
4. Clause 4 amended (Interpretation)
   (1) In clause 4, after ‘52-week period’ insert:
       Flexible Childcare Assistance means a programme of that name operated by MSD
5. Clause 13 amended (Savings and transitional provisions)
   (1) In clause 13, after subclause (3), insert:
   (4) Subclause (5) applies to applicants who have been granted Flexible Childcare Assistance under clause 9(1) of the Schedule before 1 April 2024 (an eligible Flexible Childcare Assistance applicant).
   (5) An eligible Flexible Childcare Assistance applicant-
       (a) for whom Flexible Childcare Assistance was granted prior to 1 April 2024 but is not receiving it on 1 April 2024 may be granted an additional grant, however MSD must reduce the applicant’s 52 week maximum entitlement by the number of weeks they have previously received Flexible Childcare Assistance in respect of; or
       (b) who is receiving Flexible Childcare Assistance on 1 April 2024, will continue to receive the assistance and their total entitlement increases to 52 weeks, however MSD must reduce the applicant’s 52 week maximum entitlement by the number of weeks they have already received Flexible Childcare Assistance in respect of.
   (6) For the avoidance of doubt, MSD must assess any applications for Flexible Childcare Assistance under clause 9(1) of the Schedule of this programme which were received but had not yet been granted before 1 April 2024 in accordance with the terms under clause 9A of the Schedule.
6. Schedule amended (Types and amount of assistance)
   (1) After clause 9 of the Schedule, insert:
   9A Flexible Childcare Assistance    &nbsp(1) Financial assistance to help a person pay for costs associated with informal childcare in excess of any financial assistance available to the person for that purpose under the Act or from any other publicly funded source in order to obtain or remain in paid employment or participate in employment-related education or employment-related training.    &nbsp(2) Clause 9A is subject to subclause 9(2) of the Schedule.
   (2) In clause 9A of the Schedule, in the “Amount” column, insert:
7. The following rate per week up to a maximum of 52-weeks:
   
   1. $64.02 for one child:
   2. $96.03 for two children:
   3. $128.04 for three children:
   4. $160.05 for four children:
   5. $192.06 for five or more children.

   ___________________

    

   At                                 this           day of                                  2024

    

   ____________________________

   Minister for Social Development and Employment

    

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   Explanatory Note

   This note is not part of the instrument, but is intended to indicate its general effect.

    

   This instrument, which comes into force on 1 April 2024, amends the Employment and Work Readiness Assistance Programme. From 1 April 2024, Flexible Childcare Assistance will be paid under clause 9A of the Schedule instead of clause 9(1) of the Schedule. The amendment extends the duration of Flexible Childcare Assistance payments to 52 weeks and provides new rates of assistance. The amendment also outlines the transitional arrangements for applicants who have been granted Flexible Childcare Assistance prior to 1 April 2024, or applications that are in the process of being assessed on 1 April 2024.