Operational Support funding is available to Child Care Benefit (CCB) approved Occasional Care services. The payment is designed to act as a contribution towards the operational costs of services in recognition of the flexibility of care provided for non-school age children, the less predictable utilisation patterns experienced by Occasional Care services and the proportionately higher administrative load in delivering Occasional Care.
Eligibility
Only services that already have Ministerially approved Occasional Care places allocated by the Department and are approved to administer CCB as an Occasional Care service can receive Operational Support.
Currently, a moratorium is imposed on the approval for the allocation or re-allocation of CCB approved Occasional Care places. This means that no new Occasional Care services will be eligible to receive Operational Support funding for the time being. Existing Occasional Care services will also not be able to be allocated additional CCB Occasional Care places by the Department.
Available funding
Operational Support funding for Occasional Care is calculated on a rate per place formula based on the geographical location of the service. Currently the number of CCB approved Occasional Care places determines a service's funding amount.
The Operational Support rates for 2007-08 are as follows:
|
Geographic Location of Service |
Rate per CCB approved OCC place |
|
Major City and Inner Regional |
$26.85 |
|
Outer Regional |
$32.22 |
|
Remote and Very Remote |
$34.90 |
For services open fewer than 40 hours per week, a pro-rata rate will apply.
Reporting Requirements
Services that receive funding assistance will be required to provide information about their service to the Department at regular intervals. This will include information about the service's occupied places, performance data and financial statements.
Reporting requirements will be identified in each service's funding agreement and will be a condition of funding.
Further Information
For more information please contact the Department on 1300 653 227 and request the child care office in your state or territory.