- Applications now open for grants to deliver initiatives that attract and retain education and care staff across Western Australia
- $3 million allocated over four years in the 2025-2026 State Budget to deliver the expanded grants program
- Since 2021, more than $1 million has been allocated to 29 local governments to attract and retain early childhood educators across regional Western Australia
The Cook Government is delivering further support to education and care services, with round one of the expanded Attraction and Retention Grants for Education and Care Services now open.
The initiative forms part of the Cook Government's $15 million election commitment for the expansion of outside of school hours (OSCH) care availability at primary schools. A total of $3 million has been allocated for a grants program to attract and retain early childhood education and care educators, including OSCH educators.
Funded in the 2025-26 State Budget, this $3 million, four-year annual grant program builds upon the previous Regional Attraction and Retention Grants program by expanding eligibility to service providers across the State and including out-of-school-hours care providers.
Under the previous program, more than $1 million was allocated to 29 local governments to deliver initiatives that attracted and retained staff across regional Western Australia.
Like the previous grant program, this program seeks to recognise the importance of the work delivered by education and care staff and ensure that staff numbers remain strong in our early childhood education services and out-of-school-hours care providers.
Local governments and education and care services across Western Australia are welcome to apply for funding to support initiatives that attract and retain staff.
The first round of the expanded program close on 24 November 2025.
