COVID Update – Stage 4 restrictions as at 23 August 2021

Based on advice from the Victorian Chief Health Officer, ECEC services in Victoria – including kindergarten, long day care and family day care – are now permitted to remain open for children in the following categories only:

1. A child in a two parent/carer family or a one parent/carer family may access ECEC (excluding outside hours school care) where one parent is an authorised worker (working on site or from home) and there is no appropriate alternative care available.

    

   If there is another adult in the household, authorised workers can still access onsite childcare or kindergarten if the other adult is not able to supervise the child/ren (including due to work or personal circumstances such as illness or disability).

    

   It is the responsibility of the parent/carer and their employer to have a valid permit. It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to comply with the requirement that they have no appropriate alternative care available at home. 

    

   The responsibility of the early childhood and care service is to sight the permit to ensure the fields are filled in and signed, and that the days of work (at home or at the workplace) align with the requested ECEC days.

    

   An authorised worker who is required to work shift work (e.g. overnight shift at a hospital) can send a child to childcare or an early childhood service outside their working hours so they can rest.
   
   

2. Children experiencing vulnerability, including those:

   • in out-of-home care

   • deemed vulnerable by a government agency, funded family or family violence service, and assessed as requiring education and care outside the family home; or

   • identified by a childcare or early childhood service as vulnerable, including but not limited to referrals from a government agency, or funded family or family violence service, homeless or youth justice service or mental health or other health service.

Visit Authorised provider and authorised worker permit for more information.

In some circumstances a parent/carer does not need an Authorised Worker Permit. This includes law enforcement, emergency services or health care workers who carry employer-issued photographic identification. For more information view the permit exemptions list.

For staff – This permit is required to be carried by authorised workers and authorised higher education students (including VET and university students) who are leaving the home for authorised work or study. The person may carry a print out or an electronic copy of this permit.