2025 Start Strong for Long Day Care - Intention to Backpay Families (New Services) is sponsored by NSW Government. This funding is for approved providers with services that opened and provided education to enrolled and attending children, who may be eligible for funding under the 2025 Start Strong for LDC program and intend to backpay families fee relief in 2025.

2025 Start Strong for Long Day Care - Intention to Backpay Families (New Services) | NSW Government 2025 Start Strong for Long Day Care - Intention to Backpay Families (New Services) This form is for approved providers with services that opened and provided education to enrolled and attending children, who may be eligible for funding under the 2025 Start Strong for LDC program and intend to backpay families fee relief in 2025.

Grant amount: Up to $2,174 per 4YO+ eligible enrolment and up to $515 per 3YO eligible enrolment. Start Strong for Long Day Care program objectives are to: improve affordability of preschool education support quality uplift in preschool education drive improved outcomes for children incentivise increased enrolment and attendance in quality early childhood education programs in the years before school.

This program is administered by Department of Education. 3.

1 Service eligibility criteria To be considered eligible for funding under any of the Start Strong for Long Day Care funding streams, a provider must: have service approval for its service/s to operate under either: the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 (National Law) and operate as a centre-based service and have checked the long day care Nature of Care field under Service Details on the National Quality Agenda IT System (NQAITS), or the Children (Education and Care Services) National Law Application Act 2010 (NSW), the Children (Education and Care Services) Supplementary Provisions Act 2011 (NSW) or Children (Education and Care Services) Supplementary Provisions Regulation 2024 (NSW), and be a Multifunctional Aboriginal Children’s Service (MACS); an Occasional education and care service, or a Mobile education and care service be approved to operate a service and administer the Child Care Subsidy under the Family Assistance LawExternal link and be operating and reporting as a Centre Based Day Care (CBDC) approval through the Child Care Subsidy System (CCSS) deliver a quality early childhood education program to children aged 3 and above, that is: delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher (ECT) in accordance with the requirements under the National Quality Framework and using the Early Years FrameworkExternal link .

Note: the early childhood education program for 3-year-old children need only be developed by a qualified ECT in accordance with the requirements under the National Quality Framework Services must take reasonable steps to deliver 600 hours of quality preschool to children in the two years before school at their service.

The Start Strong for Long Day Care program is an open non-competitive program as this best supports the delivery of affordable quality preschool education for 3- to 5-year-old children enrolled in eligible long day care services in NSW.

The department determines eligibility of funded services annually (or more often where required) which is generally based on NSW enrolment data provided by the Australian Government from the representative week of 24 June to 30 June 2024 (June 2024 Data). The department may consider any other details provided by the provider or other parts of the department to assist in the determination of funding eligibility. See 3.

1. 3. Identifying eligible services and assessment of eligibility process .

The eligibility of a service remains at the absolute discretion of the department consistent with the Start Strong for Long Day Care program guidelines. Funding for eligible services is calculated as outlined in Section 4. Calculation and payment of funding .

Funding is generally approved as per financial delegations within the Department’s Early Childhood Outcomes division. This means, depending on the grant value, funding is approved by either the Manager, Start Strong for Long Day Care, the Director, Programs and Local Operations, the Executive Director, Early Childhood Outcomes or the Deputy Secretary, Early Childhood Outcomes. 3.

1. 1 Occasional education and care services Occasional education and care services regulated under the Children (Education and Care Services National Law Application) Act 2010 (NSW), or the Children (Education and Care Services) Supplementary Provisions Act 2011 (NSW) can receive funding under the Start Strong for Long Day Care program, subject to the above Start Strong eligibility being met. 3.

1.

2 Mobile education and care services Mobile education and care services regulated under the Children (Education and Care Services National Law Application) Act 2010 (NSW ), Children (Education and Care Services) Supplementary Provisions Act 2011 (NSW), or Children (Education and Care Services) Supplementary Provisions Regulation 2024 (NSW) can receive funding under the Start Strong for Long Day Care program, subject to the above Start Strong eligibility being met.

Mobile education and care services funded through the Mobile Preschool Funding Program or Start Strong for Community Preschools program are not eligible for Start Strong for Long Day Care funding. 3. 1.

3 Identifying eligible services and assessment of eligibility process Providers are not required to apply for this program. As outlined above, the department determines eligibility of funded services based on June 2024 Data. For new services, the department will conduct regular checks to identify eligible services, and their providers based on the February 2025 Data and June 2025 Data.

In addition, the department will conduct an application process in approximately March 2025, July 2025, and January 2026. Providers with services that opened and are providing education to enrolled and attending children after the collection date may be eligible for funding and will receive email communication from the department. Information supplied in the application process will be assessed for eligibility.

Providers should note that the service’s opening date may be later than the service approval date. All eligible approved providers will receive communication from the department. See Section 11.

1 New services for further details. Types of projects funded under this grant This information provided in the form will be considered by the department regarding eligible 4YO+ Fee Relief, 4YO+ Program, 3YO Fee Relief Trial and 3YO Program trial payments in 2025.

Additional eligibility requirements Evidence of payments to families The department will request evidence of backpayment within 10 business days of payment receipt and will issue a Return of Funds if sufficient evidence is not provided, with 20 business days to return the funds.

The evidence for backdated payments for families will need to include: A Childcare Management Software generated report that must contain: Child start date (cannot pre date service approval) Child end date (cannot exceed 31 December 2025) Total fee relief backdated for 2025 Signed 2025 Declaration and Consent Form Fee Relief Statements or Invoices for the payment What your application needs to include Prepare your application with this checklist As part of your application, you must provide the following: A Child Care Subsidy System generated report for a representative week that captures enrolments over 5 consecutive business days in November 2025 (for example: 10 November 2025 to 14 November 2025) A report downloaded from your Childcare Management Software System that must contain the following fields: child start date of fee relief, no earlier than the service approval date child end date of fee relief, no later than 31 December 2025.

Address the eligibility criteria Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria. Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.

After the application is submitted Successful applications will be decided by: Manager, Long Day Care Funding The department will assess this form and determine eligible fee relief and program payable for the period. This will be assessed against February 2026 CCS data. If eligible for the program, the department will pay eligible 2025 funding to the provider.

Email: ecec. funding@det. nsw.

edu. au