From 1 March 2026, minimum wages will go up and the classification structure will change for some employees working in children's services and early childhood education and care (ECEC), covered by the Children's Services Award 2010 (Award).
The changes come as part of the Gender-based undervaluation - priority awards review major case.
Increases to minimum wages
The Expert Panel for pay equity in the Care and Community Sector issued a decision on 10 December 2025 [2025] FWCFB 283, granting an increase to minimum wages in the Award that apply to:
- Children's Services employees including ECEC educators and directors
- Employees working as cooks who are required to hold an ECEC approved qualification, or working towards that qualification, and who may be required to work 'on the floor' at any time
The Expert Panel said the work of these employees has historically been undervalued because of assumptions based on gender and increases to minimum rates were justified for work value reasons.
The changes include:
- a new classification structure
- changes to minimum rates of pay
- changes to percentages used to calculate some allowances.
The increases will take effect from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 March 2026.
The amount of the increase will vary according to an employee's current classification.
New employee classification structures
A new classification structure will operate from 1 March 2026.
Changes include:
- simplifying the existing classifications and 36 minimum rates into 8 new Children's Services Employee (CSE) levels and rates
- classification translation arrangements inserted into the award to help employees and employers understand how employees will move from the old to the new CSE levels.
Cooks who are required to hold a qualification allowing them to work as an educator 'on the floor' when needed have been reclassified from the support services category in the award to children's services, which is paid at a higher rate of pay.
For more detailed information on the changes to classifications, you can read the classification translation arrangements provided in Schedule I of the determination.
Updated award
The updated version of the award will be published by 1 March 2026. You can also view the determination varying the award to see the changes before they take effect.
