- Eight regional local governments across WA awarded grants to attract and retain childcare educators
- Grants fund incentives such as subsidised accommodation, relocation costs and further training
- Initiative forms part of McGowan Government election commitment to attract and retain childcare workers in our regions
Eight regional local governments have been awarded $200,000 in grants to attract and retain childcare workers in regional WA.
The grants form part of the McGowan Government's Attraction and Retention Packages for Regional Child Care Workers Program, which has now delivered $530,000 to 17 regional local governments for tailored incentives to attract workers to their town.
The funds can be used for initiatives including training, relocation costs and subsidised accommodation, as well as setting up traineeships and partnerships with local TAFEs and campaigns to attract more people to take up early childhood education as a career.
The program is delivered with the support of the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA).
More information can be found on the Department of Communities website.
As stated by Early Childhood Education Minister Sabine Winton:
"This initiative recognises the importance of attracting and retaining quality early childhood educators in our regions, as we know the benefits these services have for children, their families and the wider community.
"The program acknowledges there is no one-size-fits-all approach and that local governments are well placed to identify how to encourage workers to their towns.
"More than half a million dollars has now been awarded through this program and I look forward to seeing how the local governments use these grants to bring educators to the regions."
Attraction and Retention Packages for Regional Child Care Workers Program 2023 recipients
| Local Government | Program Name | Amount Funded | Region |
| Shire of Ravensthorpe | Ravensthorpe Childcare Workers Professional Development | $22,399 | Goldfields-Esperance |
| Shire of Lake Grace | Support Gnowangerup Family Support Association in their delivery of childcare service at Newdegate | $25,000 | Great Southern |
| Shire of Gnowangerup | Travel Subsidy to Support Educators | $32,130 | Great Southern |
| Shire of Shark Bay | Subsidised accommodation for remote area, in venue Family Day Care Educators | $25,000 | Gascoyne |
| Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley | Childcare worker housing support | $36,000 | Kimberley |
| Shire of Carnarvon | Advancing Early Year Futures Stage 2 Project | $25,000 | Gascoyne |
| Shire of Kent | Central Great Southern Early Childhood Education and Care Conference 2023 | $10,000 | Great Southern |
| Town of Port Hedland | Town of Port Hedland - Community Childcare Grants Program | $25,000 | Pilbara |
